2024-2025 Committees and Task Forces
OIA Chair’s Standing Committee: Mr. Philippe Sterlingot (Chair), Dr. Kendi Hensel (Chair-Elect), Dr. Boyd Buser (Immediate Past Chair), Ms. Hanna Tómasdóttir (Treasurer)
Purpose: Provide an advisory role to the chair with no decision-making power. The Chair’s Standing Committee oversees the administrative and financial management of the OIA between Board meetings and to ensure implementation of Board directed decisions. The Committee will also oversee and manage the relationship between the OIA Board and Secretariat.
Conference Organizing Committee: Dr. Rebecca Giusti (Chair), Dr. Jan Willcox, Dr. Frank Mueller, Ms. Hanna Tómasdóttir, Ms. Catherine Cabral-Marotta, Ms. Laura Lee Calonius (Kamppila), Mr. Antony Nicholas, Ms. Glynis Fox, Ms. Marie-Anne Chabert
Purpose: The Conference Organizing Committee coordinates the OIA annual conference and affiliated board meetings, the AGM, and the host conference, together with the Secretariat and member host organization leadership. The committee will also identify potential member host organizations, oversee the applications and financial pro-formas from interested member organizations, and will work with the member host to produce a successful event.
Governance Committee: Mr. Maurice Cheng (Chair), Mr. Antony Nicholas, Dr. Kendi Hensel, Dr. Dominique Silvestre, Dr. William Burke
Purpose: The Governance Committee is responsible for periodically reviewing and recommending updates to the OIA Bylaws, Policies and Procedures Manual, and for ensuring adherence to the organization’s foundational documents.
Membership Committee: Ms. Hanna Tómasdóttir (Chair), Dr. Martin Levine, Ms. Nikole Grbin, Dr. Kendi Hensel, Dr. Dominique Silvestre, Dr. Boyd Buser, Mr. Maurice Cheng
Purpose: The Membership Committee identifies potential new members and oversees the application and approval process. The Committee will also manage the five-year review process of current OIA member organizations and will recommend membership category revision(s) and new member organization nominations to Board as needed.
Nominations Committee: Dr. Boyd Buser (Chair), Ms. Ana Paula Ferreira, Dr. William Burke, Ms. Hanna Tómasdóttir, Ms. Nancy Spence, Mr. Arnaud Bonardi, Dr. Jan Willcox
Purpose: The purpose of the Nomination Committee is to manage the processes of identifying potential new board members, nominations, and elections.
Public and Member Relations Committee: Ms. Laura Lee Calonius (Kamppila) (Chair), Ms. Nikole Grbin, Ms. Irina Egorova, Mr. Clive Standen, Dr. Frank Mueller, Ms. Gail Abernethy, Ms. Natalia Rocha, Dr. Ekaterina Voyevodskaya, Ms. Line Rolvaag, Ms. Ana Paula Ferreira, Dr. Jan Willcox
Purpose: The OIA Public and Member Relations is responsible for providing guidance to staff for initiatives that involve outreach and relations with member organizations and external stakeholders, as it relates to the OIA Website, International Osteopathic Healthcare Week, reporting of research including updates to the Global Report.
Task Forces:
The OIA has appointed the following two task forces to study and provide recommendations on the following issues:
Osteopathic Identity Task Force: Dr. Kendi Hensel (Chair), Mr. Pierre-Luc L’Hermite, Ms. Ana Paula Ferreira, Dr. Jan Willcox, Ms. Hanna Tómasdóttir, Ms. Laura Lee Calonius, Dr. Rebecca Giusti
Purpose: the Identity Task Force will draft an osteopathic identity document that can be shared within the profession and publicly to inform stakeholders about the main pillars that define osteopathy and osteopathic medicine distinctively, as well as areas of overlap with other professions.
Substandard Osteopathic Education Providers (SOEP) Task Force: Mr. Maurice Cheng (Chair), Ms. Nancy Spence, Ms. Ana Paula Ferreira, Ms. Hanna Tómasdóttir, Ms. Marie-Anne Chabert, Mr. Tomas Collin, Dr. Brian Loveless
Purpose: the SOEP Task Force will scope the issue of substandard “osteopathic education providers” who do not adhere to internationally recognized standards, and recommend strategies for addressing the risks posed by such rogue educators.