Feature story
Last year, with the update of The IIA’s North American Strategic Plan, the decision was made to place greater emphasis on advocacy. Until then, The IIA’s Global Advocacy Committee shouldered the expansive responsibilities that came along with having a meaningful impact in both North America and throughout the world. With the new year, the North American (NA) Board committed to raising the bar for advocacy by: ■■ Increasing staffing resources at IIA headquarters from one to two
director positions, enabling one to focus on global efforts and one to focus on North America. ■■ Establishing a separate North American Advocacy Committee (NAAC), which collaborates with the Global Advocacy Committee to maximize coverage and budget efficiencies. ■■ Engaging a leading government relations firm to assist in building relationships with key U.S. legislators and regulators.
Teambuilding IIA NA Board Vice Chair – Guidance and Research Patricia Miller helped spearhead the efforts to build the NAAC, which consists of a chair and six members. Michael Head, vice president and managing director of corporate audit at TD Ameritrade Holding Corp., enthusiastically accepted the nomination to chair the committee. “Recruiting the right members was crucial, as relationship-building is at the core of what the committee will do,” says Head. “Our committee members are influencers, with established relationships in The IIA and the profession. They’re adept at networking and relationship-building, and they represent financial services, the public sector, and a range of industries.” The NAAC held its first meeting at The IIA’s 2012 International Conference in July. Although the first official meeting occurred less than six months ago, groundwork began with the committee’s formation last year, which allowed the NAAC to hit the ground running. A critical part of positioning the committee for success was providing staff support from IIA headquarters. To that end, Kathy Anderson was brought on board as The IIA’s director of North American advocacy relations to help implement, coordinate, and manage the day-to-day advocacy efforts. Anderson, a certified association executive and graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s six-year association management program, brings more than 27 years of experience to the position. She most recently served as the CEO-executive director of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants. With its mission clear — to be responsible for providing thought leadership, guidance, and assistance to the NA Board in the implementation of the IIA North America
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November – December 2012
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