2020 Welcome Letter from IATA President, Stephanie Clark, LCPC, ATR-BC

Dear Illinois Art Therapy Community,

It’s the beginning of a new decade and with it comes a new, fresh agenda for the Illinois Art Therapy Association.  I am truly honored to serve again as president and support the IATA’s transition into a more modern, social justice oriented, and member focused organization.  I’d like to repeat my statement from last year and thank the 2019 board members and welcome the incoming 2020 members.  Serving on the board is a volunteer commitment, and the hard work and time board members dedicate to the Illinois art therapy community should not go unnoticed.  So, thank you everyone who keeps this organization running!

During our January chapter meeting the IATA board set intentions for the year, aligned with our mission to promote the field of art therapy and provide networking and programming opportunities to art therapists.  Our biggest goals for the year include:

• Continuing the conversation about art therapy advocacy efforts in Illinois
• Researching new and modern chapter models for the IATA to include art therapists from all over the state
• Initiating peer consultation groups and annual seminars
• Engaging more with communities we serve
• Increasing membership and membership engagement
• Fiscal responsibility

​We are also excited to continue the momentum we started last year with previous goals and achievements.  Some of our action items continued from 2019 include:

• Monthly networking opportunities
• Increasing programming and CEU opportunities
• Increasing online presence and online engagement

The IATA communications team has really revamped the face of IATA online and we look awesome! Please periodically check our website and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay informed of events and meetings.  Our website also includes a job board, local event announcements, and hopefully soon a blog with the capability to interact with the community.  Visit our board member page to see who our current and new board members are!
The new Director of Membership, Marivel Vargas, will initiate a membership campaign this year with the goal of increasing membership and engagement.  If you are currently a member (THANK YOU!) we would like to hear what you want from us.  If you’re no longer a member, we’d like to find out why and how to get you back!  Be on the lookout for an email, phone call, or online meeting invitation to discuss membership benefits.  Being a member of the IATA really helps the art therapy community and we’d like to tell you how.  Let’s have a chat and check our website for reasons why you should become, or stay, a member.

Like I said, we’d like to hear your voices, and luckily we can hear you from all over the state with GoToMeeting.  Our chapter meetings are open to chapter members by logging on to the website through a link shared in our email newsletter and posted on the website.  If you’re in Chicago, please also visit us during our quarterly in-person chapter meetings or at one of our meet-ups or upcoming programs.  Our website always has the most recent dates for events.
Our first program of the year is this Saturday, February 8th.  Come join us in learning how to make puppets and yarnies! CEUs available! Detailed info is at illinoisarttherapy.org.

Please always feel free to email me at president.iata@gmail.com if you have any thoughts, questions, concerns.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Clark, LCPC, ATR-BC