APTA is seeking four members to serve a three-year term on the DEI Committee.
Charge
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee provides strategic advice, recommendations, and counsel to the APTA Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors’ determined charge for the DEI Committee is to:
- Grow diversity in the profession of physical therapy to better reflect the diversity of society and to ensure that the association and profession can best serve our community.
- Identify and provide recommendations to promote equity with systems and structures across the association and profession.
- Identify and provide recommendations to ensure that APTA promotes and uses inclusive practices consistent with our core values.
- Identify and disseminate resources and guidance to members and nonmembers for use in their own professional roles.
- Provide counsel to the Board on opportunities to optimize DEI in support of the APTA Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as well as the APTA vision, mission, and strategic plan.
- Be responsive to the changing needs of the environment.
- Coordinate and collaborate with other APTA appointed groups and stakeholders, when doing so can further the work of the committee.
- Submit a report to the Board of Directors on an annual basis.
All APTA appointed groups will conduct their work with the American Physical Therapy Association’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in mind and the context of (1) APTA's Mission, Vision, Strategic Plan and House of Delegates and Board of Directors adopted positions and policies; and (2) the potential for their work to have implications related to physical therapist assistants, women, diversity, and risk management.
Qualifications for Appointees
APTA seeks individuals who have experience and expertise in areas relevant to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the physical therapy profession and beyond. Individuals with relevant experience in identifying best practices and implementing innovative approaches in DEI are well suited for this role. In addition, individuals able to assess the full landscape of DEI and as part of team make recommendations that suggest enterprise-level thinking are needed.
Meetings
The committee has one in-person meeting per year and up to six virtual meetings annually.
Size of Appointed Group
The committee will have 14 members: one Board member as chair, selected by the APTA president and 13 members (two of which are members of the Board as selected by the APTA president). The APTA president serves as ex-officio (APTA bylaws: Article VI, Section 4, A and Article VII, Section I, D).
Terms of Appointees
Committee members will serve three-year terms; no individual shall serve more than two consecutive terms.