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 APTA's Commitment to Increasing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in mind and in 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.
• with relevant experience in identifying best practices and implementing innovative approaches in DEI are well suited for this role.
• able to assess the full landscape of DEI and as part of team make recommendations that suggest enterprise-level thinking are needed.
• who are current APTA members.

Size of Appointed Group

One Board chair, selected by the APTA President; 13 members, (one who is a member of the APTA Board of Directors as selected by the APTA President), and the APTA President as ex-officio (APTA bylaws: Article VI, Section 4, A and Article VII, 1 Section I, D).

View Committee and Appointed Group Rosters

Terms of Appointees

Committee members will serve three-year terms; no individual shall serve more than two consecutive terms.

Proviso: The three-year terms will be implemented as follows, so that by 2024 there will be three classes of committee members, each serving three-year terms. The initial committee member appointments will be staggered: three individuals appointed for a one-year term, four individuals appointed for a two-year term, and four individuals appointed for a three-year term.

Meetings

The committee has one in-person meeting per year and up to six virtual meetings annually.

Additional Information

For additional information regarding this and other APTA volunteer opportunities, email appointedgrouppool@apta.org.