Page 16 - OPTA Access Fall 2022

Membership Committee Report Sabrina Kaminski, PT - Chair
The goal of the Membership Committee is to recruit and retain members. The question that we often ask is how do we communicate value? How do we ensure as an organization we are providing value? There are currently 3,824 as of this writing Ohio Physical Therapy Association members. Students comprise 30%, physical therapy assistants make up 7% and the rest are physical therapists.
HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE VALUE?
As a committee, we continue to speak at PT/
PTA university and college programs to initiate early exposure. We know establishing a personal connection leads to more involved members. The EPSIG has created an amazing program to help address the needs of the early professionals as they transition from student members. We hope with this, in addition to being able to interact with student members more readily, we can continue to foster relationships.
We are taking a closer look at if employers, as well as leadership within an organization, encourage membership. Are directors/managers/owners’ members? Do they encourage employees to be members too? This goes back to our original questions – are we communicating value? How do we as an organization feel our members provide additional value to their place of employment? While we know there are no simple answers to these questions, we hope to gain insight.
If you have any suggestions for the Membership Committee, please reach out!
For more information, contact Sabrina at:
kaminski.s5@outlook.com
PTA Caucus Representative Report
Kathryn Sutton PTA, MA, Caucus Representative Tasha Konkle, PTA, Alternative Caucus Representative
Let’s talk about transitions! As we emerge into a new century of physical therapy, we have a lot of transitions. As we sunset ACCESS magazine, it seems fitting to talk about some of these changes.
WE CHALLENGE YOU TO TRY SOMETHING NEW!
The first transition occurred in 2021, OPTA members voted to include the Alternate
PTA Caucus Rep position into the chapter's bylaws. As a result, we now have a PTA Caucus Representative and an Alternate Representative position! As Ohio PTAs become more involved in leadership in and around the state, we must be utilizing our members’ strengths, and this can be done with more efficiency when both positions are filled. Thank you OPTA for recognizing this and helping Ohio PTAs have an elevated voice. Kathryn Sutton is serving in the Ohio PTA Caucus Representative role and Tasha Konkle is serving in the Ohio PTA Caucus Alternate Representative role. We couldn’t be more excited to lead and learn alongside of each other!
Second, great things are happening at the national level. At the 2021 House of Delegates, the PTA Caucus earned the ability to have two full voting delegates beginning at the 2022 House of Delegates. This is BIG news! The Caucus has come
a long way, making history and the momentum is just beginning. We are grateful for the leadership that has brought us to this point!
Third, we have a very active PTA Advisory Committee in Ohio, which is dedicated to all things PTA. Keep your eyes out for these rockstar PTAs to be releasing podcasts, writing blogs, and presenting CEUs and presentations. This group is seeking ways to engage PTAs across
the state, and they are blazing new paths for all of us. Leadership is just as much about the future, as it is about the present. We must constantly be searching for those who are up and coming, and willing to step into leadership roles soon.
Last, as we move from one transition to the next, we want to remind you how important your voice is to the profession and challenge YOU to try something new! Maybe it is sending an advocacy letter to your state representatives or teaching a patient how to send a letter to their representatives. Maybe it is attending a district event in Ohio, joining a Special Interest Group, or volunteering at for a role at OPTA or APTA. We have a lot to offer, but we need each of you to make this association the best it can be.
For more information, contact Kathryn at:
16 | August 2022 | OPTA
klsutton0725@gmail.com