2022 Spring President's Letter

The Spring Equinox is right around the corner! Spring is a time of new life and energy. In the Northern hemisphere, days lengthen. This increasing illumination promotes enthusiasm to connect with people and acquire new knowledge. That’s part of the reason I am over the moon excited about our upcoming AIA conference. Amanda Lattin and the Conference Committee assembled an amazing array of speakers and topics. Check out our sponsors, speakers & agenda on the AIA website. The title of our 2023 International Virtual Conference is Aromatherapy Research, Safety, and Application – Inspiring Momentum In Our Profession. On day one, we focus on research updates, including two research intensives. Jessie Hawkins will clarify “How to Design a Case Series Study”. Jacqui Stringer continues the theme by describing “Outcomes Assessment Best Practices For Aromatherapy Research or Case Studies.” On day two, our speakers share information on safety, regulation, and application. You can find more details about our conference in this journal. This conference is coming fast, so register now. You won’t want to miss it!

Speaking of new knowledge, our AIA journal should have arrived in your inboxes & it’s impressive! I hope you enjoy it. Download your copy here.

I’m enjoying my second year as president and am very impressed with our board of directors. I am truly grateful to work with this dedicated team of aromatherapists. I especially want to thank Liz Fulcher for serving on the AIA board. Liz added her vast expertise and desire to help AIA continue to flourish and we will miss her. Our newest addition to the AIA board is Jirbie Go. She is from the Philippines and has already been very involved in AIA. We are excited to have her join our board of directors!

I’m also thankful for our AIA committees and representatives as they continue their important work. I would love to share a few updates. Our Clinical Committee is updating the Essential Oil Therapy booklet, one of our great member benefits. Social Media just keeps getting better! Jirbie Go is our committee chair and she shared metrics at our last general board meeting. We are reaching more people on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tiktok, and we have added followers on every platform including Facebook. Thank you to every member who is commenting and sharing our posts, you all are helping to give AIA more visibility.

Our 2024 Conference Committee is assembling and has begun meeting. Our AIA Representatives, under the skillful, caring leadership of Mary Ellen Dorey, have added more representatives. Over the past few months, the reps held wonderful educational and social meetings. Watch for upcoming meetings on our calendar, located under the events tab. Previous meetings are held in the same location as the monthly webinars hosted by the Education Committee. Once you log in, click on the “Members Only Page” located on the far right of the top menu bar. In the middle in red, you will see “New AIA Classroom”. On our Classroom - also known as the AIA learning management system (LMS), the homepage lists recent webinars and meetings under “Latest Courses”. If you wish to look back at other “courses”, click on “Course List” and you can choose webinars or meetings. To the right of the “Course List” tab is where you will enter the AIA Virtual Conference. Detailed information on how to access the conference, including a video created by one of our awesome volunteers and 2023 Conference Chair Amanda Lattin, will be sent to all who register for the conference.

I’ve mentioned it before but can’t say it enough, one of our member benefits is your opportunity to volunteer on one of our excellent committees or as a state, regional, or country representative. AIA benefits from your expertise and you get to meet fun people and engage in important work that benefits our industry. If this appeals to you, fill out anapplication. You won’t regret it!

I hope you enjoy the newest opportunities to expand your knowledge and become more engaged with AIA by perusing the journal, attending webinars and meetings, and especially by attending our conference. I look forward to seeing you there!

With Love & Gratitude,

Denise