Conference Safety Plan

The Kern Lipid Conference is committed to providing a safe and just environment that is free from harassment and discrimination for all attendees. We expect that all participants will foster inclusivity, respect, and equity for all attendees, irrespective of their rank or eminence in the field. The conference will not tolerate sexual, racial, or ethnic harassment or any other form of harassment. Some examples of harassing behaviors may be:

  • Unwelcome comments or behavior, including but not limited to drawings, written statements, social media posts, or verbal statements, related to an individual’s race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, gender, gender identity, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, or other protected class
  • Unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors
  • Unwelcome teasing, joking, or flirting based on actual or perceived gender identity, gender expression, or sexual identity/orientation
  • Retaliation

    • Any participant who believes they have been discriminated against or harassed is encouraged to report the incident(s). The Kern Lipid Conference has established multiple lines of communication to receive and address complaints of harassment. Any person may confidentially report alleged violations to the conference organizers by submitting a comment on via this link Report Incident or by directly reporting the alleged violation to the conference organizers or leadership team via email or verbal communication to the Conference Co-Chairs Dr. Brestoff, Dr. Nada Abumrad, and/or Dr. Gregory Steinberg and/or to the Kern Lipid Conference staff (Dr. Moshe Levi, President, or Kaitlyn Murphy, Conference Coordinator). Reports may be made at any time, including during non-business hours.

    All received complaints will be reviewed as soon as possible by the conference co-chairs and leadership team, with the goals of understanding the nature of the complaint and agree on next steps. If any of those individuals is a party to the complaint, they will not be allowed to participate in those processes. This team will respond promptly, including by offering supportive measures, informing parties about the available complaint and investigation processes, and taking reasonable care to prevent and promptly correct discrimination or harassment. Any complaint that alleges a crime, including allegations of sexual or physical assault, will be referred to the Snowmass Police Department. The Kern Lipid Conference is committed to conducting prompt and equitable investigations and will appropriately address complaints. Upon completion of an investigation, individuals found to have engaged in acts of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation will be promptly disciplined. If circumstances warrant, disciplinary actions may include discontinuing their participation in the current conference without refund, barring their participation in future meetings, and/or loss of eligibility to receive conference awards supported by NIH funds.

    Individuals who have questions, concerns, or complaints related to harassment are also encouraged to contact the conference organizer or the HHS Office of Civil Rights (OCR). For information about how to file a complaint with HHS OCR, please see OCR’s webpage, Filing a Civil Rights Complaint. Filing a complaint with the conference organizer is not required before filing a complaint of discrimination with HHS OCR, and seeking assistance from the conference organizer in no way prohibits filing complaints with HHS OCR. individuals can also notify the NIH about concerns of harassment, including sexual harassment, discrimination, and other forms of inappropriate conduct at NIH-supported conferences (see NIH’s Find Help webpage).