Chapter Units

Move the mouse over the map below to reveal each VA Chapter Unit. Click on a specific area to see the Unit President, Counties within each Unit and a link to the Unit web page.

The Virginia Chapter has six “units”, or local subdivisions of the Chapter. Each Unit has its own elected Board of Directors that plans activities for its members- networking events, educational meetings, social events, sports massage activities, Massage Awareness Week events and other community outreach activities and continuing education workshops. Contact one of your local Unit officers to find out how you can get involved.

Creating a Unit - Running a Unit

What IS a Chapter?

An AMTA Chapter is a creation of the National Association which serves members in a state. Its purpose is to provide opportunities for members to network with each other, to create and maintain communication between members, to provide professional continuing education opportunities, to promote public education on behalf of the profession and to support beneficial government relations.

The Virginia Chapter publishes a quarterly newsletter, Virginia In Touch, sponsors an annual Conference, and an Annual Chapter Meeting, retains a Legislative Consultant/Lobbyist to keep us informed and educated about government relations and maintains a state of the art website, www.amtava.org.

A Chapter is run by a Board of Directors elected by the professional AMTA members of the state. Elections are held yearly at the Annual Chapter Meeting. Any professional member of the state is eligible to run for the Board of Directors. Officers serve two year terms and current offices are: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Third Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Presidents of each Unit.

What IS a Unit?

A Chapter can create smaller divisions known as Units, which are authorized by the Chapter Board of Directors. Units are created to better serve smaller areas within the state. Each unit elects its own Board of Directors, with a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The simple steps in forming a Unit are spelled out in the Chapter Standing Rules.

The Unit BOD meets and plans the activities of the unit. Units usually present a quarterly program of interest to members and others at no charge. The topic and speaker is determined by the unit Board with input from its members. Units may also organize other activities-continuing education workshops, sports or seated massage at charity events, a purely social event, massage awareness day activities, public education programs, legislative awareness events or other events of their choosing to generate interest and community building.

The Chapter provides funds to the units to cover the expenses of providing these services. Units plan and carry out their own activities; however any contract must be signed by the Chapter President, the only officer authorized to sign a contract on behalf of the Chapter or any of its Units.

Unit Officers - Job Descriptions

Unit President

The unit president has two roles: directing the activities of the unit and its board, and participating as a voting member on the Chapter board.

Unit President’s responsibilities to the Chapter board:

• attend Chapter board meetings-usually 4 teleconference meetings and 2 face to face meetings per year. The face to face meetings are usually held at the Annual Leadership Retreat and on the weekend of the Annual Chapter Meeting.
• attend the Chapter’s Annual Leadership Retreat weekend
• write a quarterly report on the unit’s activities and upcoming programs to be published in Virginia In Touch- the Chapter newsletter. Deadlines are on page 2 of each issue.
• submit an annual financial report of the unit’s fiscal year activities to the Chapter Treasurer by April of each year. AMTA fiscal year runs from March 1-February 28.

Unit President’s responsibilities to the unit:

• create, with the assistance of the board and the members, a vision for the unit, and hold that vision, creating enthusiasm for its fulfillment
• plan and preside over unit board meetings
• be responsible for either doing or delegating:
• creating content for the unit’s page on Chapter website
• welcome new unit members by letter or phone
• cultivate next generation of leaders
• be the point of contact for unit members and the public for your arearepresent and promote AMTA
• be familiar with Chapter Standing Rules and Chapter Policy
• may create workgroups or committees for unit
• remain on board as immediate past president to support the incoming president

Unit Vice President

• attends unit meetings and unit board meetings
• assists the president in planning and carrying out the activities of the unit
• presides over meetings in the absence of the president
• assumes the presidency in the absence of the president
• is encouraged to attend the Chapter’s Annual Leadership Retreat

Unit Secretary

• attends unit meetings and unit board meetings
• supports president in carrying out the communications needs of the unit. (Welcome letters to new members, reminders of activities, prepare quarterly list and description of upcoming unit activities for president’s column in VIT.)
• takes minutes of the unit board meetings and unit meetings if so directed
• maintains files of the unit-all records pertaining to the unit
• maintains copies of Chapter Standing Rules and Chapter Policy

Unit Treasurer

• attends unit meetings and unit board meetings
• advises unit board on unit financial health and planning
• assists unit board in preparing a yearly budget
• prepares, with president, a yearly unit financial report for Chapter Treasurer

All Chapter and Unit Officers should be knowledgeable of the Chapter Standing Rules, Chapter Policy & Procedures, and National Bylaws & Policies (you will need your membership ID and password to access this page).