Governance Committee

The Governance Committee develops and monitors decision-making practices, representation of Council, accountability to legal entities and laws affecting the operation of the Association, and accountability to the membership. It determines the need for revisions to the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and the drafting of proposed revisions to be presented to the Council at least once every term.

  • The Governance Committee shall develop and monitor decision-making practices, representation of Council, accountability to legal entities and laws affecting the operation of the Association, and accountability to the membership.
  • It shall have responsibility to determine the need for revisions to the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and the drafting of proposed revisions to be presented to the Council at least once every term.
  • In the first year of its term, it shall prepare and recommend lists of members for the Committees whose selection is not otherwise provided for in these Bylaws, and shall present these lists to Council for approval.
  • In the last year of its term, it shall conduct the nominations and election of Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Bylaws.
  • It shall submit to Council annual written reports of its activities.
  • It shall consist of five members appointed by Council for the term or until successors are appointed:
    1. Past President (chairperson)
    2. The Secretary
    3. Three other members of the Association in good standing.
Past president (chair):
 Glynis Murphy
Secretary: H. Ouellette-Kuntz
Member of Association: David Felce
Member of Association: Ivan Brown
Member of Association: Carla Vlaskamp

World and Regional Congress Committees

Congress Committees are responsible for the Program and other arrangements for the respective Congresses of the Association. They have authority to appoint persons and committees for local arrangements as may be required and to delegate to them such local arrangements as may be required.

Congress Committees shall be responsible for the Program and other arrangements for the respective Congresses of the Association.  They shall have authority to appoint persons and committees for local arrangements as may be required and to delegate to them such local arrangements as may be required.

  • Matters pertaining to finances will be in consultation with the Treasurer.
  • All contractual arrangements will be in consultation with the President, who reserves the right to sign all such contracts on behalf of the Association unless formally delegated in writing.
  • Congress Committees shall prepare information and recommendations to the Council regarding location of future meetings and shall perform such other tasks as prescribed by Council and report to Council.
  • Each Congress Committee shall be appointed at least two years before the scheduled congress.
  • The World Congress Committee shall consist of 7 members appointed by Council:
    1. The President-Elect (Chairperson)
    2. The President
    3. The Secretary
    4. The Treasurer
    5. The Academy Director
    6. The Vice-President responsible for SIRG Coordination
    7. One additional member of the Association in good standing
  • Regional Congress Committees shall consist of 4 members appointed by Council:
    1. The respective Region’s Vice-President (Chairperson)
    2. One other Council member
    3. Two other members of the Association in good standing.

Membership Committee

The Membership Committee is responsible for implementing and coordinating the membership program prescribed by Council. It develops recruitment strategies and recommends membership fees and benefits to Council.

  • The Membership Committee shall be responsible for implementing and coordinating the membership program prescribed by Council.
  • It shall develop recruitment strategies and recommend membership fees and benefits to Council.
  • It shall receive and approve new applications for membership.
  • The Membership Committee shall consist of six members appointed by the Council for one term:
    1. The Secretary (chairperson)
    2. The Treasurer
    3. Four additional members of the Association in good standing.
Secretary (chair): Hélène Ouellette-Kuntz
Treasurer: Keith McVilly
Member of Association: Sui Sone
Member of Association: Michael Seidel
Member of Association: Marc Tasse
Member of Association: Alice Schippers
Member of Association: Richard Hastings

Awards and Recognition Committee

The Committee on Awards and Recognition conducts the nominations and selection of recipients of Awards in accordance with the regulations in the Bylaws and those laid down by Council.

  • The Committee on Awards and Recognition shall conduct the nominations and selection of recipients of Awards in accordance with the regulations in the Bylaws and those laid down by Council.
  • The Committee shall consist of six members appointed by Council for one term:
    1. A Vice-President (Chairperson)
    2. The Secretary
    3. Four additional members of the Association in good standing each representing a distinct field: biomedical, behavioral, social, and educational sciences.
A Vice-President (chair): Henry Kwok
Secretary: Hélène Ouellette-Kuntz
Member of Association – Behavioural: Jan Blacher
Member of Association – Biomedical: Michael Guralnick
Member of Association – Social: Gwynnyth Llewellyn
Member of Association – Educational: Scott Thompson

Publications Committees

The Publications Committee is responsible for encouraging and establishing scientific publications that are in the interests of the Association and advances its purposes. It makes recommendations to Council as to the appointment of editors to the official journal of the Association or any other official publication of the Association according to criteria set down by Council

  • The Publications Committee shall have the responsibility for encouraging and establishing scientific publications that are in the interests of the Association and advance its purposes.
  • It will make recommendations to Council as to the appointment of editors to the official journal of the Association or any other official publication of the Association according to criteria set down by Council.
  • The Chair of the Publications Committee will be the chief representative of the Association on matters pertaining to the official journals of the Association.  The Chair of the Committee will liaise with the Treasurer with regard to any matters affecting finances of publications or contracts for publications.
  • The Publications Committee shall consist of six members appointed by Council for one term:
    1. A Vice-President (Chairperson)
    2. The Treasurer
    3. Editor of JPPID
    4. Editor of JIDR
    5. Two additional member of the Association in good standing.
A Vice-President (chair): Michael Wehmeyer
Treasurer: Keith McVilly
Editor of JPPID: Matthew Janicki
Editor of JIDR: Chris Oliver
Member of Association: Bob Stodden
Member of Association: Angela Hassiotis

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee is concerned with the financial affairs of the Association.

  • The Finance Committee shall be concerned with the financial affairs of the Association
  • It shall consist of seven members appointed by Council for one term:
    1. The Treasurer (Chairperson)
    2. A Vice-President
    3. Five additional members of the Association in good standing

The outgoing Treasurer shall serve as advisor for the first year.
Treasurer (chair): Keith McVilly
Outgoing Treasurer (2013): Phil Davidson
A Vice President: Michael Wehmeyer
Member of Association: Matt Janicki
Member of Association: Henry Kwok
Member of Association: Fabirzio Fea
Member of Association: Lisa Wang

SIRG Coordination Committee

The SIRG Co-ordination Committee co-ordinates SIRG activities with the functions and activities of the Association to ensure co-ordinated scheduling of events and active participation in the Association’s research activities, conferences, academy events and congresses.

  • The SIRG Co-ordination Committee shall co-ordinate SIRG activities with the functions and activities of the Association to ensure co-ordinated scheduling of events and active participation in the Association’s research activities, conferences, academy events and congresses.
  • The Committee shall report to council at its annual meeting and carry out activities as directed by the President and / or Council.
  • It shall consist of:
    1. A Vice-President (Chairperson)
    2. The Treasurer
    3. The Secretary
    4. The Academy Director
    5. A representative from each SIRG.
  • SIRGs may appoint a permanent representative to the Committee or may appoint a rotating member to represent the SIRG at each meeting.  SIRGs may designate an alternative to the permanent member to represent the SIRG in the absence of the permanent member.
A Vice-President (Chair): Colleen Adnams
Treasurer: Keith McVilly
Secretary: Hélène Ouellette-Kuntz
Academy Director: Roy Brown
Aging SIRG Representative: Christine Bigby
Challenging Behavior and Mental Health SIRG Representative: Jane McCarthy
Comparative Policy and Practice SIRG Represenative: Julie Beadle-Brown
Down Syndrome SIRG Represenatative: Rhonda Faragher
Ethics SIRG Representative: TBD
Families SIRG Representative: Malin Broberg
Health Issues SIRG Representative Laurence Taggart
Parenting with IDD SIRG Representative David McConnell
Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities SIRG Representative: Bea Maes
Quality of Life SIRG Representative Ivan Brown/ Alice Schippers

Position Statement Committee

IASSIDD members wishing to take a formal position on a particular issue, under the auspices of IASSIDD, are guided by the Position Statement Policy which is located on the IASSIDD bylaws section of the website iassidd.org/about/iassidd-bylaws.

All submissions are reviewed by the Board.

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