I just returned from the PATH Intl. Region 2 Conference. As usual, it was a wonderful time to connect with members and hear their joys and their challenges directly from them. I also gave an update on the trek to accrediting the PATH Intl. certifications. This update will be shared at every region conference as well as through webinars in the coming months.

As many of you have heard or read, PATH Intl., in response to membership feedback and direction, has embarked on a journey to accredit the registered instructor certification. The purpose of this is to bring credibility from a third party as well as utilize best practices in the development of new certifications and continuous improvement of our current certifications. At the end of this process, we intend to have the registered instructor certification accredited. But just as important will be the process itself, shaping our certifications and following testing and certification industry standards. There are many steps along the way. The job task analysis is almost complete. Having been in this field for more than 17 years, it is exciting to me to follow a process that very carefully gathers data about what the job of registered instructor truly is and designs the test and credential from that objective data. Many of you assisted with this, whether it was our subject matter experts or the hundreds of you who gave us feedback on the initial job tasks identified.

We are also working on separating credentialing from education as well as membership and creating a credentialing council separate from the membership organization. In order to do this last point, we need to have a bylaw change. This change will reflect the creation of the credentialing council as well as the continued structure of current board of trustees overseeing the membership and education part of the organization. The vote on this change will be held at the annual meeting in November. Between now and then, we will be doing our best to inform all of you, answer any questions and gather any feedback.

None of these are simple or easy tasks - as we have been saying in our presentations, this is not an airline trip to a luxury destination. This is a cross-country, multi-year trek to a higher level of professionalism.

All the best,