It was the first time that I ever saw the Rocky Mountains. The view from my hotel room was spectacular. It was my first time in Denver. It was a lot of firsts that week, not the least of which, my first time at an AMTA National convention, and my first time as an AMTA delegate at the Assembly of Delegate meeting. 

The conference was a great experience. There were a lot of very informative sessions and meetings geared towards the massage therapy profession and many great classes to choose from. The exhibition hall was home to many industry vendors that supply supplies and services to massage therapists. The best thing of all was having the opportunity to meet and talk with other massage therapists from all over the country. Such a great opportunity to see how much we all have in common and the differences in what we do that inspire us to explore, discover, learn.

There are many ways to volunteer, whether it be for your state chapter or the national convention. I had no idea what a state delegate was or did until I asked about volunteer opportunities. As a delegate in the AMTA, I act as a communication link between local Florida state chapter members and the national organization. Some of the core responsibilities for delegates include polling local chapter members, gathering feedback, and representing state consensus on national issues. They take that information and can submit a discussion topic to the Assembly of Delegates for national attention.

They attend the annual Assembly of Delegates (AOD) business meeting during the AMTA National Convention to discuss national topics and position statements and help shape the future direction of the massage therapy profession by participating in dialogue and conveying local perspectives to the national leadership. 

I would love to hear what you have to say. You can join my Facebook Group, the Florida AMTA Delegate Outreach Group (Rob Zukowski, LMT, Delegate) at https://www.facebook.com/groups/3816114365203687

or you can reach me via email at [email protected]