The New Board

Dear New York creative arts therapy community,

Please accept this letter as an introduction to the new NYS-ADTA Board of Directors:  Cara A. Gallo, President, Deniz Oktay, Vice-president, George Jagatic, Treasurer, Marie McKenna Aguirre, Programming, Jackie Gonzalez, Public Relations, Laura Raffa, Fundraising, Gianna Lafronza, IT, Jennifer Daniels, Recording Secretary, Stephanie Gail Ross, Corresponding Secretary, Angela Dewall, Student Liaison.  Please note: the Newsletter Chair position remains vacant, interested persons may contact me directly.

Each new board member comes to their position with creative and innovative ideas about how to build and promote our profession in New York State.  Some ideas discussed at our first meeting in January were; development of a dance therapy app (for smart phones), free chapter networking events and interdisciplinary collaboration through workshops, seminars, lecture and of course dance events!

As the new board acclimates itself to our new roles, responsibilities and tasks we want to reach out to you, our membership in an effort to begin a conversation. We hope this dialogue develops and grows over the course of the next three years.  One concern we have at the start of our term is the recent move by the New York City and State agencies (OMH, OASSIS, OPWD to mention a few) petitioning the NYS-Office of Professions for a permanent exemption from the New York State Mental Health Practitioner Licensing Legislation.  Meaning these agencies would no longer be required to hire experienced licensed professionals to treat clients utilizing their services.

With that, we believe it is of the highest import that we engage and involve each member through Chapter events, activities and promotional efforts whether, they be in the city, downstate, upstate, way upstate, long island, everywhere and everyone in NY.  Involvement can be as simple as making a phone call to promote an upcoming workshop, submitting a committee or project proposal, or calling-in during a board meeting to voice your opinion about the needs of members in your area.

Our main goal for the next three years is to support, develop and cultivate the interests, engagement and creativity of our membership.  Our mission is to be of service to you, our members, and future members.  This will be done through creation of opportunities for dance therapy awareness, to sustain and continue raising chapter funds so as to support the chapter in these efforts, to reaffirm the importance of the healing power of the arts.  While finally, and possibly of the most import is to empower you, our members, in this time of economic struggle and crisis.

With that, the board would like to invite you to our first Chapter – Kickoff  Event “An evening of Hello’s, getting to know one another, brain-storming, dancing and imbibing”.  The event will commence on March 6, 2012 from 6:30-8:30pm at the Pratt Manhattan Campus, 144 West 14th Street, NYC.  *For out of city members we can arrange virtual attendance*.  If you wish to attend please respond to the attached e-vite.  I speak for the entire Board in saying we are very much looking forward to serving and collaborating with you over the next 3 years.

 

Warm Regards,

Cara A. Gallo, M.S. BC-DMT/LCAT

President, NYS-ADTA

nysadtapresident@gmail.com

718.490.5912

 

 

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