Committee Purpose:  The Executive Committee is responsible for providing leadership to the Board as a whole and acting quickly on behalf of the Board in cases of urgency, as permitted by the APDT Bylaws.

Role and Deliverables:  Deliverables vary depending on circumstances.  Examples of roles that the Executive Committee may take on include but are not limited to:

1. Implementing policies. Once the full Board has approved a policy, the Executive Committee may be the body to implement the new policy.
2. Acting as a liaison with the Executive Director. The Executive Committee may provide feedback and support to the Executive Director and take the lead in performing the Executive Director’s annual evaluation.
3. Helping develop a strategic plan.  The Executive Committee may initiate the organization’s strategic planning process.
4. Reviewing Bylaws. The Executive Committee may initiate a review of the organization’s bylaws or analyze proposed revisions of the bylaws.
5. Taking emergency action.  The Executive Committee may take urgent action on behalf of the Board in the event of an emergency.
6. Coordinate with other committees and task forces as appropriate:  The Committee should coordinate with other committees and task forces as appropriate.

Committee Purpose:  Develop strategies to attract new members and retain existing ones. Develop strategies to enhance inclusivity and diversity in our membership and stakeholders. Communicate with membership to assess their needs and concerns for the board to address through strategic planning. Develop strategy for new partnership ideas and member benefits to add member value.

Role and Deliverables:  The Membership Committee is responsible for:

1. First Deliverable.  Creating and developing new and dynamic member benefits for all members and stakeholders
2. Second Deliverable.  Communicate with membership through data collection and analysis.
3. Third Deliverable.  Develop retention and growth strategies to create a robust and diverse membership.

Advisory Panel Purpose:  The Education Advisory Panel provides guidance and recommendations to improve, upgrade, and innovate the educational offerings of APDT. The Panel serves as industry experts in education and certification matters.  

Role and Deliverables:  The Education Advisory Panel is responsible for:

1. Review APDT education offerings.  Periodic (annual) review of current educational offerings to scrub for out of date/less relevant content focus to ensure our education remains current and innovative and ensure that current offerings are tailored to the needs of a diverse audience.
2. Review APDT’s Body of Knowledge.  Establish cadence and criteria of ongoing review for APDT’s Body of Knowledge.
3. Review APDT’s Certification Matrix.  Establish cadence and criteria of ongoing review for APDT’s Certification Matrix.
4. Review and enhance C.L.A.S.S.  Review, update, and promote the C.L.A.S.S. program and accompanying materials.
5. Develop trainer roadmaps. Develop membership path roadmaps for professional dog trainers and partner level engagements in varying levels, including a new trainer roadmap and a roadmap for crossover trainers.
6. Serve as thought leaders in the field.  Provide recommendations to the Board and/or the Director of Education on education topics as needed.
7. Coordinate with other committees and task forces as appropriate:  The Panel should coordinate with other committees and task forces as appropriate.
8. Project Group Selection and Accountability: Operate as a project management group for several project groups to accommodate the volume of ongoing work. Selection of participants are the purview of the EAP and length of engagement is to be determined by the scope of each project.

Committee Purpose: To review and analyze financial data, investment performance and the annual budgeting process.  To ensure the organization’s financial viability, investment performance, and budget metrics are meeting expectations, and to enable the Board to effectively discharge their fiduciary duties.

Role and Deliverables:

1. Reports to the Board:  Review monthly financial statements and give monthly reports to the Board.
2. Investments: Review quarterly investment statements and related benchmarks and give quarterly reports to the Board.
3. Budgets:  Work with the AI CFO, AI Finance Team and Executive Director on preparing the annual budget for approval by the Board of directors.
4. Tax filings: Ensure timely tax filings that those filings are shared with and reviewed by the Board.
5. Coordinate with other committees and task forces as appropriate:  The Committee should coordinate with other committees and task forces as appropriate.

Committee Purpose:  To effectuate APDT’s nominations process for Trustees and to assist the Executive Director and staff with a call for volunteers.

Role and Deliverables:  The Nominations Committee is responsible for:

1. Evaluate the needs of the APDT Board of Trustees.  The Committee will evaluate how many open APDT Board member positions there will be each year and what skill set the current Board has and needs to fill.
2. Evaluate the nominees for APDT Trustees.  The Committee will interview and evaluate nominees for APDT Trustees.
3. Evaluate the needs of the APDT Committees and task force / work groups.  The Committee will evaluate how many open volunteer member positions there will be each year and what skill set the committees need to fill. Through the call for volunteers, candidates may be shared with appropriate selection bodies within the Board and Committees.
4. Present a slate of recommended nominees for APDT Trustees to the Board.  After evaluating the nominees, the Committee will present to the Board a slate of recommended nominees for the open Trustee positions on the Board.
5. Assist with recruiting for the Board and for volunteers.  The Committee will work with the Executive Director, staff, and the Board to recruit new Board members and other volunteers through a dedicated Call for Volunteers Campaign.
6. Coordinate with other committees and task forces as appropriate:  The Committee should coordinate with other committees and task forces as appropriate.

Committee Purpose:  To ensure that APDT’s members are being held to APDT’s standards of conduct and professionalism.

Role and Deliverables:  The Independent Review Panel is responsible for:

1. Evaluating complaints against members.  The Independent Review Panel’s main purpose is to evaluate complaints against APDT members for violations of APDT’s Code of Professional Ethics, Standards of Practice, APDT standards, determine if there is a violation of APDT policy, and if so, recommend what action the APDT Board should take against the member.  If a complaint involves a non-member (e.g., unauthorized use of APDT’s logo), the Independent Review Board will bring that to the attention of the Executive Director, who will take the appropriate action through that established process.
2. Recommending revisions to the Board regarding the complaint process and procedures.  As the Independent Review Panel evaluates complaints, it may identify and implement independently if appropriate, or propose revisions to the APDT Board, to improve and strengthen the complaint process and procedures.  APDT policies.
3. Recommending revisions to the Board regarding APDT’s standards.  As the Independent Review Board evaluates complaints, it may identify and propose revisions to the APDT Board to improve and strengthen APDT’s policies.
4. Coordinate with other committees and task forces as appropriate:  The IRP should coordinate with other committees and task forces as appropriate.