AARC Election 2025 — Kari Neville

AARC Activities:

• AARC Secretary/Treasurer, Board of Directors 2022-present
• AARC Director at Large, Board of Directors 2018-2022
• AARC Industry Member Taskforce 2023-present
• AARC Finance Committee, 2022-present
• AARC Audit Sub-Committee, 2022-present
• AARC Policy Review Taskforce 2020-present
• AARC Membership Committee, 2016-2022
• AARC Neonatal/Pediatric Specialty Section 2000-present
• Fellow of the AARC class of 2016

HOD Activities:

• Colorado Delegate 2013-2018
• HOD Delegate of the year 2017
• HOD Secretary 2014-2015
• HOD Ad Hoc Affiliate Strengthening Co-Chair 2017-2018
• HOD Delegate Assistance Co-Chair 2015-2018
• HOD Best Practices Co-Chair 2013-2014
• HOD Bylaws Committee 2014-2018
• HOD Scrutinizing Committee 2013-2018

Affiliate Activities:

• Colorado Society President 2008-2010
• Colorado Society President Elect 2007-2008
• Colorado Society Past President 2008-2011
• Colorado Society Vice President 2005-2007 and 2011-2013
• Colorado Society Delegate 2013-2018
• Colorado Society board member 2005-2018
• Colorado Society Program Co-Chair 2011-2019
• Colorado Society Speaker Chair 2004-2011
• Colorado Society Elections Committee Chair 2005-2007 & 2011-2013
• Colorado Society Webmaster 2005-2019
• Colorado Society Student Chapter Originator and Chair 2007-2011
• Colorado Society Patient Chapter Chair 2008-2013
• Member, CO Society Licensure Committee 2005-2018
• Member, CO Elections Committee 2005-2018
• Member, CO Membership Committee 2011-2018
• Liaison to CO Licensure board 2007-2018
• Liaison to CO Corporate Partner Program 2005-2018
• CSRC John Wolfe Award (Society award for outstanding contribution to the awareness and prevention of respiratory disease in our community) 2011

Related Organizations:

• ARCF Secretary/Treasurer 2024-present
• Advisory Board, Pickens Technical Institute of Denver, 2011-2020
• Advisory Board Chair, Pima Medical Institute of Denver, 2005-2009
• Member, Lambda Beta Honor Society
• PALS Instructor 2002-2009
• STABLE Instructor 2000-2005

Education:

• BSRC University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 1998
• RRT, 1999
• NPS, 2002

Publications:

• AARC Times author, 2016
• AARC Career News Contributor 2010, 2016

Elections Committee Questions:

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the AARC, and what do you recommend to address it?

The biggest challenge facing the AARC is engagement and advocacy. Our voice is only as loud as our members. We need to engage more therapists to be a part of making this profession the forefront of the healthcare community to not only recruit individuals to the profession but mentor existing therapists to advance the profession. The AARC has made great strides in it’s involvement in Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) and related organizations. We need to keep that momentum and publicize the value of the respiratory profession as a whole and work to engage the workforce in these efforts.

Healthcare is changing more rapidly than ever. What ideas do you have to help today’s respiratory therapist meet these changes?

The post-covid world has put a significant strain on our healthcare community. In some ways it gave the respiratory profession a way to show it’s value, but it also created a significant amount of burnout. It is important for us to focus on the value each individual therapist has to offer the interdisciplinary healthcare team. The AARC needs to continue to build on it’s educational resources to this profession and provide more accessibility to these resources, such as more virtual continuing education (CEU) offerings and communities for information sharing.

Share your thoughts about how you can encourage the AARC Committees, Specialty Sections, and Special Representatives to contribute to the strategic plan for the AARC. How do you see your role in this process?

Engagement is key! I would like encourage more “outside the box” thinking from all committee representatives to create more involvement from the general membership. We have seen a significant increase in committee recommendations to the board which has led to some great changes within the organization. As the current Secretary/Treasurer, I would like to continue this role and be a resource for these individuals and continue to impact real growth among our organization.