Date: Thursday, August 22, 2024
Category: General
Hello RESNA members!
My name is Jim Lenker, and I’m excited to write you all for the first time in my role as RESNA President. I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Science at the University of Buffalo, where I teach in the occupational therapy program and conduct community-based research related to the impact of assistive technology and environmental interventions. I have been a RESNA member for 37 years and owe much of my professional growth to the leadership opportunities and mentorship I have received over those years from members such as yourselves.
To that latter point, I would like to recognize our outgoing President, Carmen DiGiovine. Under Carmen’s leadership, RESNA grew its membership base by 3.9%, increased the number of ATPs by 4%, and introduced new member resources such as RESNA Learn and RESNA Connect. Under his stewardship, RESNA is in a strong financial position and ready to make strategic steps to further our mission. On behalf of the RESNA Board, thank you for your wisdom and ever-steady guiding hand. Bravo, Carmen!
Earlier this summer, the RESNA Board approved our new strategic plan, which was the culmination of a structured, 6-month planning process. Our new 4-year plan has two strategic goals:
- Expand and Enrich our RESNA Community: This goal seeks to support the growth of our emerging professionals, close the gap between RESNA membership and current ATP certificants, and align our event strategy to reflect the post-pandemic era.
- Elevate the Impact of RESNA’s Credentials, Education, and Standards: This goal seeks to leverage RESNA’s strategic strengths in credentialing, education, and standards programs, and strengthen the value of the ATP and SMS credentials among legislators and third-party payers.
I am enthusiastic for the creative tactical approaches we have been discussing within the board and will share more throughout the year. Stay tuned!
Lastly, I would like to plug RESNA’s 2024 Colin McLaurin Distinguished Lecture, which will be hosted at the University of Buffalo and live-streamed on Thursday, October 17, 2024. This year’s speaker is Edward Steinfeld, ArchD, FAIA, and his talk is entitled, “The Evolution of Universal Design”. Ed has been a titan in this area since its inception, so I encourage you to save the date and keep an eye out for the registration information coming soon.
Thank you,
Jim Lenker, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, RESNA Fellow
RESNA President