On May 1 of this year, we welcomed our third child into the world, a healthy baby boy named Alex. Any parent will tell you that the increase in responsibility and commitment that this change brings is both exciting and stressful, regardless of whether it is your first child or your third. While change can be scary at first, it usually turns out to be for the best... or we do our best to make the most of it.

 

A lot like the changes and gains I see in my personal life, I also think about the changes and gains in APTA Virginia over the last two years and what’s in store for us in the future.

 

The idea of completely redefining the way we offer continuing education was scary, but Virginia is for Learners (VA4L) was born from that. With VA4L, we have made our educational offerings more customized, multifaceted, available to a broader audience, and available on demand.

 

Seeking out a new lobbyist was a tough decision, but in the last six months alone, it has opened up so many doors. This includes the passing of this year’s Direct Access and Dry Needling legislation, expanding opportunities for advocacy and advancement of our profession, as well as laying the groundwork for prospective programs that will increase the ability for every member to be more engaged in our efforts.

 

With the commitment to a new Strategic Plan and planning development, which despite all the man hours, has made our vision for the future much more clear. It has also ramped up collaboration and teamwork with our volunteers.

 

Although some changes may seem to shake things up at first, I'm more than confident they will take our chapter to the next level. I invite you to explore all the new features and opportunities we have available. Motivated individuals are always welcome to contact us for more information about ways to get involved, based on their unique skills and passions.

 

Sincerely,

Tony Grillo, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT