President’s Message

Athena A. Drewes, PsyD, RPT-S

I am deeply honored to have been elected NYAPT President. This is my second tenure of being President, having been the Founder and Founding President back in 1996-2000. A lot has changed over the past 12 years in our Branch, in APT, in the field of play therapy, and the world at large. I look forward to moving into the future with you and serving alongside with newly elected officers Steve Demanchick, Vice President; Kim Berkery Recording Secretary and Annie Monaco, Director, as well as with current Board members: Sheila Doherty, Treasurer; Laurie Zelinger, Director, Rebekah Crofford, Corresponding Secretary and Joan Bender, Director.

I would like to thank Mary Anne Assini for her hard work and dedication as President over the past four years. During her Presidency NYAPT has moved forward in meeting APT requirements twice for Gold Branch Status. She has helped to increase membership, improve the quality of our website, made on-line registration for our conferences available, fostered state-wide training and having all entering NYAPT officers be graduates of the APT Leadership Academy, helped to encourage play therapy research

by establishing a poster session at this year’s NYAPT conference, left our treasury in good shape from successful conferences with renowned presenters of local and national stature and much more! I look forward to carrying the heavy torch she has left me, moving us into the future to grow NYAPT!

Communications

The electronic age is upon us and as a Branch and organization we need to continue keeping up with the technology available and which is actively used by current generations and professionals. To that end, we have made changes in our bylaws to allow for electronic voting for Board elections.  You will be receiving those bylaw changes shortly, which Mary Anne Assini drafted at our last Board Meeting. We also have an active Communications Committee, headed by Amy Greenberg, which will be tapping into the various electronic media avidly used by most professionals to help us grow NYAPT. Look for future communications and innovations!

Student Representation

Congratulations to Courtney Dolan who will be the Student Representative on the NYAPT Board. We look forward to tapping into her energy and ideas in ways to bring in student affiliate members!

Welcome New NYAPT Members!

Congratulations to Karen Merry and Minerva Torres Orta our latest NYAPT members!

2013 Conference – SAVE THE DATE!!!

Annie Monaco has been very active with her Conference Committee in obtaining the best and most affordable location near Buffalo to hold our 2013 conference. It will be held April 19-20, 2013 at the Ramada Hotel and Conference Center in Getzville, NY near Buffalo. Our presenter for both days will be renowned play therapist Scott Riviere. More information to follow in future newsletters and on the website!

Research Encouragement

We are hoping that graduate students and members will think about presenting a poster session at the upcoming 2013 conference. The Board voted that a $25 stipend off the registration fee for each first author/senior poster presenter will be awarded for the 2013 conference. So start thinking of research ideas and poster presentations to share with us!

Gold Branch

Unfortunately, while we met 99% of APT requirements to become a Gold Branch again for 2012-2013, we fell short of the required membership increase (or even maintenance at the same level). Therefore, we cannot continue to use our Gold Branch logo.

Think about bringing in a member or affiliate! Give out brochures (available free from APT) at any conferences you attend, leaving them around, or workshops you might give at work or elsewhere. For every member or affiliate member you bring in APT gives you “APT Bucks” which you can use as a discount on membership dues or conference fees. Other incentives are awarded by APT for bringing in the most new members. Check out the APT website: www.a4pt.org for details. Let’s work hard to regain our Gold Branch status!!! With everyone’s help, we can do it!!!

In closing, I look forward to working with each of you to grow NYAPT! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or to get involved in NYAPT through adrewes@hvc.rr.com or adrewes@astorservices.org.

In Service,

Athena

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