APTA is looking for volunteers to help guide some of its most important efforts to strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion in the physical therapy profession. Both groups — one new, another being reconstituted — have the potential to shape the future of the association.

Here are more details on the new opportunities.

APTA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

The 14-member Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee has been established as a standing committee of the association, similar to APTA's Ethics and Judicial, Finance and Audit, Public Policy and Advocacy, and Scientific and Practice Affairs committees. The new group will be charged with providing "strategic advice, recommendations, and counsel to the APTA Board of Directors" on relevant issues. Areas of focus will include growing diversity and increasing inclusion in the profession and advising the Board on ways to channel resources and guidance to members and nonmembers as the association continues to implement its DEI efforts.

The committee will be made up of 13 members and one chair, with APTA’s president serving as an ex-officio member. Members will serve three-year terms, with no member allowed to serve more than two consecutive terms. However, to establish staggered rotations on and off the committee, initial terms will vary: three members will be appointed to one-year terms, four members will be appointed to two-year terms, and four members will be appointed to three-year terms. The APTA president will appoint a chair and two members from the APTA Board of Directors.

Interested? Apply through APTA Engage by August 31 for consideration.

PT Fund Board of Trustees Public Members

The Physical Therapy Fund, an APTA-controlled 501(c)(3) subsidiary, oversees the association's longstanding Minority Scholarship fund and its new Dimensions of Diversity fund. In the past, the funds were overseen by ex officio board members of the APTA Board of Directors. To bring greater focus and direction to the PT Fund, APTA, as its sole member, voted to amend the fund’s bylaws to create a PT Fund Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees will comprise five members: three from the APTA Board of Directors and two from the public at large, who may be APTA members.

Ideal candidates for the public member positions should have experience with nonprofit governance, familiarity with charitable giving and fundraising, and proven leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The term of office for each trustee of the Fund will be three years. However, to establish a staggered rotation pattern, one public member will be appointed for a one-year initial term, and the second appointed to a two-year initial term.

Among the trustees, the APTA Board of Directors will appoint the president, vice president, treasurer and secretary as officers of the PT Fund.

Those interested should apply through APTA Engage by August 31 for consideration.

The new opportunities are one facet of APTA's work toward its strategic goal of increasing the long-term sustainability of the profession by seeing to it that the association "reflects the diversity of the society the profession serves."

The new positions are a key way for members to help turn discussion into action.

"Achieving our sustainability goal, particularly in regard to DEI, will require APTA to continue to take actions that have an impact," said APTA CEO Justin Moore, PT, DPT. "We know many members are committed to change, and we want to be able to engage the entire APTA community in making that change happen."

For more information on APTA's DEI activities, email us at dei@apta.org.