Illinois Association of Adult Development and Aging
Governing Board Meeting Division Report
This year IAADA has taken steps to keep current with issues and research that face today’s membership while continuing to offer the many benefits that longtime members have grown accustomed to.
At the November ICA Conference division meeting, the leadership voted on edits to the division bylaws that brought the document in line with current ICA financial practices and replaced language and concepts to remain current with today’s preferred terminology and research constructs. After a six month waiting period required by the 2009 bylaws, the 2016 Bylaws were adopted at the Summer Leadership Meeting on June 10, 2016 by unanimous vote and were submitted to the ICA Executive Director.
In February, 2016, IAADA put out its membership newsletter under the editorship of new member and Chair of Publications, Suzy Wise. Suzy’s innovation on the style and content of the document were immediately apparent and have been appreciated by all. It is Suzy’s goal to increase frequency of publication to four times per year instead of the previous two. Submissions to the publication are accepted on an ongoing basis.
At the November ICA Conference division meeting, new member and graduate student Adam Lotito was nominated to be chair of the Programming and Events committee. His work and energy were quite visible in his collaboration with President Elisa Woodruff and Chair of Publications, Suzy Wise on the Summer Leadership Retreat. He will serve as IAADA’s second delegate at the June 2016 Governing Board Meeting as we begin to prepare him for future leadership roles.
The June 10, 2016 Summer Leadership Retreat was a great success. It was held on a beautiful day in Sycamore, Illinois at the Woodgate Clubhouse. Dr. Greg Long was the keynote speaker and facilitated a discussion on the social construct of disability and its intersection with aging. Many members stated that they were personally and professionally impacted by the workshop, and CEU evaluations reflected these same sentiments.
IAADA President Elisa Woodruff and Public Policy Chairperson Dr. Marie Bracki continue to track movement of the Medicare Bill S 1830 Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2015 thru the legislature and update members as is appropriate. Plans are in place to do some formal advocacy for the bill at the ICA Conference in November 2016.
IAADA members have submitted one conference presentation on a topic relevant to the division. The division leadership is curious as to how pre-conference workshops are chosen and is currently seeking information on how to submit a workshop for consideration.
Respectfully Submitted,
Elisa Woodruff
President, IAADA