Government Affairs and Public Policy Board

Liaisons with the Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy

Charge

The Government Affairs and Public Policy Board is charged with (a) developing the Association’s annual public policy agenda for adoption by the Board of Directors; (b) ensuring that the strategic needs and interests of ASHA members are represented in the Association’s annual public policy agenda; (c) providing ongoing coordination of communication with other ASHA committees, councils, boards, members, and state speech-language-hearing associations concerning the legislative, regulatory, and other public policy activities and initiatives of the Association; and (d) making recommendations to and working with the National Office staff to develop strategies to achieve the public policy agenda of the Association.

Composition

The Government Affairs and Public Policy Board (GAPPB) consists of 11 voting members and one National Office staff member to serve as a nonvoting ex officio member. The voting members shall include one consumer (public) member and the current Chair of the ASHA-PAC Board (or designee). The remaining nine GAPPB members are audiologists and speech-language pathologists representing a variety of work settings from across the country. One of the nine members will be an audiology or speech-language pathology member who is an ECP at the time of appointment. With the exception of the PAC Board Chair, the Committee on Committees (CoC) will appoint all GAPPB members. A nonvoting NSSLHA member will be appointed by the NSSLHA Executive Council for a term designed by the NSSHLA Executive Council to serve on the GAPPB.

Members

Arynn Byrd, Chair
Kelly Ball, Member
Bill Benson, Member
Henry Botzum, Member
Sinetra Bowdry, Member
Lisa Guerette, Member
Chanel Hudson, NSSLHA Member
John King, Member
Julie Verhoff Martinez, Member
Stephanie O'Silas, Member
Nicole Raia, Member
John J. Whicker, ASHA-PAC Board Chair
Deborah Ross Swain, Board Liaison

Term

3 years; NSSLHA representative 2 years

Commitments/Obligations

3 meetings annually (including Committee Day at the annual Convention), 6–8 conference calls

Desired Service Qualifications/Experiences

Current ASHA member and through service if elected.

Note: The GAPPB conducts much of its business electronically. As such, computer and Internet access is required for service.

The ASHA members appointed shall demonstrate expertise in one or more of the following indicated: expertise in public policy/consumer advocacy, reimbursement issues, or expressed interest in government relations and public policy.