Over the last few months, you have probably heard the word “CPAG” in town halls, in AIHA Volunteer Group conference calls or meetings, and on Catalyst. It’s not meant to be a mystery for professionals like yourself to decipher. Let me take a moment to fill everyone in on AIHA’s biggest non-secret!

The Content Portfolio Advisory Group (CPAG) was set up to support the AIHA Board of Directors in aligning AIHA’s content to the needs of the profession. CPAG is made up of your fellow AIHA members, supported by AIHA staff and a Board liaison. CPAG representatives and staff work with AIHA volunteer groups to analyze AIHA content and provide direction to fill identified gaps. CPAG reviews proposals for new content development initiatives, reviews existing content, and uses environmental scanning to validate existing priorities as well as to identify possible future content priorities.

You know all of that content that you have access to as a member? CPAG’s efforts assure that AIHA maintains the relevance of that content, which provides you with the necessary tools to accomplish your day-to-day responsibilities of protecting worker health. CPAG’s efforts are crucial to keeping our profession ahead of current trends, opportunities, research, and insights. What it all really means, simply, is that CPAG provides input to the Board that sets the tone for our profession’s future.

I have benefitted greatly as the Board liaison for CPAG by gaining perspectives that have been invaluable in my own professional pathway. I would urge our younger professionals to step up at some point in their career and consider serving on CPAG. The experience will provide you with an awareness of our profession that may well move you into position as one of our profession’s thought leaders. At the very least, it will open the doors to new avenues of knowledge and experience that will best serve you in protecting worker health every day.

My thanks to CPAG and staff for all that they do. If you have any questions, contact information is on the AIHA CPAG page.