Board Openings

The following Board positions will opening in April 2023:

President-Elect - 3 Years
Secretary - 3 Years
2 Year Member at Large - 2 Years
Western Regional Representative - 3 Years
2 - University of Northern Iowa Student Representative - 1 Year
2 - University of Iowa Student Representative - 1 Year

IITRA was established to serve as an advocate for the Therapeutic Recreation profession to promote the health and well being of the public through service, education, research and development and enforcement of standards.

Board Members are expected to attend 12 one-hour monthly meetings of the Board each year as well as participate in assigned subcommittees. Please see IITRA by-laws for additional details.
Meetings are held the first Friday of each month with an April meeting the night before the Annual Conference and the first meeting of the year immediately following the conference on Friday. Meetings are via Zoom Web-Conferencing in addition to a host setting.

The Board shall supervise and direct the affairs of IITRA, shall determine its policies or changes therein, within the limits of the by-laws, and actively promote its purposes. Board Members participate in deliberation on IITRA matters, contribute to formulating decisions, assist in carrying out recommended actions, monitor committee functions, and make reports as required.

The Offices of President, Past President, President-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, Members-at-Large and Regional Representatives of ITRA shall be reserved for professional members and associates in good standing. Members of ITRA must be employed or reside in the State of Iowa.

If you are interested in being nominated for one of these positions, please email adrienne-johnson@uiowa.edu as soon as possible.

Thank you in advance for stepping up to lead and better the profession of Therapeutic Recreation.

2023 Board Nominees

President-Elect Nominees

Hannah Lenth

Hi! I'm Hannah and I'm the Assistant Director & CTRS at Pathways Adult Day Health Center in Iowa City. I graduated from the University of Iowa in 2015 with a major in TR and a certificate in Disabilities Studies. I have worked at Pathways for 6 years running our Day Hab Program, supervising interns, and now overseeing our entire programming department. Getting to see the daily impact TR has on our participants is such an honor and I love that we get to improve quality of life while having fun! I have so excited for the opportunity to spread the joy of TR and advocate for our profession with other experts in our field as the President-Elect of IITRA. I look forward to working with the board to continue to improve the field of TR and Inclusion here in Iowa!

Western Regional Representative Nominees

Emily Jorgensen

I've been in the Recreational Therapy field for 4 years now. I currently work as a Recreational Therapist at Deerfield in Urbandale. I live in Dallas County with my husband and 3 cats. I have been on the IITRA Board before as the Media Representative and I loved being on the Board! I hope to get back on the Board and continue to work with other great Rec Therapists and to continue to grow, learn, and serve in the TR industry.

Secretary Nominees

Kody Gafkjen

I have been on the IITRA Board for the past 3 years and would love the opportunity to continue working with like-minded professionals to advocate for and advance the field of Recreational Therapy. I currently work at ChildServe in Johnston, IA in the Therapeutic Recreation Department for inpatient and rehab services.

2 Year Member at Large Nominees

Jess Kennedy

My name is Jess Kennedy and I double majored in Gerontology and Leisure, Youth, and Human Services with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation at the University of Northern Iowa. I got my CTRS certification in 2021 and I currently work as the Director of Programming at NewAldaya Lifescapes in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I get the privilege of working with older adults of varying abilities alongside a great team of Recreation Therapists/Specialists and a music specialist. My love and passion for enhancing the lives of those I work with is encouraging me to run for member at large because I want to help be the change in advocating for Therapeutic Recreation and those I serve. I would like to continue to further my growth and knowledge about the field alongside other Recreation Therapists, and I am hopeful that my next step in doing so is by becoming an active member of the board of a field I am very passionate about.

Justine Doyle

My name is Justine and I am a graduate of the University of Iowa (Go Hawks!) I have been working as a Recreation Therapist in Behavioral Health for just under 3 years in Bettendorf, IA, serving individuals from all over the state. As an inpatient clinical team member I am always looking to further develop my knowledge and connections within the TR field and hope to do so in this role on the IITRA Board. The world is a better place with Recreation Therapy in it and I vow to continue to contribute to the profession to spread the joy that it has provided for me!

UI Student Representatives

Madeline Richter

I am currently a student at the University of Iowa pursuing my degree in Therapeutic Recreation. As a student representative, I would love to have the opportunity to share my passion for the field of Therapeutic Recreation while also helping individuals through networking with other professionals in the field and engaging in development opportunities.