By: Marva Mount, MA, CCC-SLP, and Karla Johnson, MS, CCC-SLP, TSHA Leadership Academy Co-Chairs
As the co-chairs of the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA) Leadership Academy (TLA), we would like to update membership on the new direction the TLA is taking as we move forward. For the past several years, we have sponsored the TLA for both members and students interested in learning more about our robust association in order to be placed in volunteer roles within our organization.
This past year, the TLA has shifted our role from holding the academy each year to providing leadership support to our current membership. In 2023, we hosted a series of three webinars focused on leadership roles that included sessions on both ethical volunteerism and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-conscious volunteerism. At the TSHA 2024 Convention in Fort Worth, we talked with members in attendance about getting more involved and volunteering within TSHA, offering to provide more information to them on various committees and how the TLA could assist in getting them connected and involved with volunteerism. We also met with TSHA President Lisa Milliken to discuss ideas for our new committee focus that are in line with the organization’s strategic planning. The past chair of the TLA, Rebecca Linke, has been most helpful in getting our committee off to a great start with new co-chairs, and we appreciate her valuable insight and support. Thank you, Rebecca!
In addition, we are currently working as a committee on innovative ideas and how we can best support our committee chairs in their leadership roles across the association. We will be having a committee meeting in the near future to obtain committee member feedback and establish our plan of information and support for leaders within the organization.
Volunteering with TSHA provides our members with amazing opportunities to meet other professionals and make a real difference in our communities throughout Texas. As volunteers begin taking on leadership roles within the association, the TLA is here to provide support and access to quality information for success, regardless of which avenue a member wishes to take as they become involved. Our goal is to find those volunteers, get them associated with committees on which they would like to serve, and mentor them as they serve so they are comfortable taking on leadership roles as they advance.
If you would like to be a member of the TLA or any committee within TSHA, please reach out to TLA Co-Chairs Karla Johnson (kcwill_79@yahoo.com) or Marva Mount (mountmg@sbcglobal.net) for more information. We look forward to connecting to many of our fellow TSHA members as we continue to make TSHA the most outstanding state association there is. We are here to assist in any way possible.