Reconnecting with our Advisory Board

July 12, 2023 

Over the past year, TSA Executive and staff have been hard at work implementing a number of updates to our existing governance structure and procedures to ensure the future sustainability and success of the Society. One of these updates has been to provide further definition and clarity to the roles within the TSA, including that of the Advisory Board.

Established as the industry sounding board for the TSA’s governing bodies, the Advisory Board is composed of Past Chairs and other appointed members who collectively provide objective advice and insight to the Executive and Officers on matters related to the Society’s operations and activities. While this group represents a wealth of industry knowledge, community connections and TSA history, their engagement with the Society had previously been quite sporadic, and there was no regularity to their meetings or clear points of contact.

Wanting to change this, on July 12 we held what we intend to be the first of many Annual Meetings of the TSA Advisory Board, bringing together all eligible Advisory Board members to review an updated mandate, structure, terms, and rules of engagement for the group. This meeting was also an opportunity to share some of the work the Society has been advancing and ask for feedback on some of the challenges we are facing. 

The results of this meeting are now making their way into our Society’s Handbook, a living document that will outline the overall governance, roles and responsibilities of the TSA’s many volunteers. One of the most visible changes is that the TSA’s Immediate Past Chair will now officially be the Chair of the Advisory Board, liaising between this body and the current Executive.

As the TSA continues to grow, we are committed to strengthening our engagement with the Advisory Board to ensure our Society’s future success. 

 

(Pictured above: front row (left to right) Varsha Kumar, Michael McLelland, Joël León, Douglas Bower; back row (left to right) Kurtis Chen, Kevin McIntosh, Heather Dubbeldam, Maria Denegri, Ana-Francisca de la Mora, Barbora Vokac Taylor; middle row (left to right) David Oleson, Ralph Holmes, Megan Torza, Christopher McCormack, Joe Lobko, Jason Dobbin).