History and Leadership

The Reflexology Association of America (RAA) began to take form when board members of the American Reflexology Certification Board (ARCB) recognized, through the new certification process, that most reflexologists across the country felt a need for a national membership association. An exploratory conference was held on May 21 and 22, 1994, with ARCB hosting the Exploring A Dream;conference in Denver, Colorado, and reflexologists from across the United States gathering for the first time.

Although ARCB sponsored the conference, the ultimate outcome was in the hands of the participants who elected a 32-member Steering Committee, headed by Robb Drury (CA), Janet Stetser (ME), and Janis Woehler (MO) to work towards the goal of establishing a new national membership association. The Steering Committee worked for a year creating two sets of bylaws for possible approval. One set was written to create an association made up of individual members, and the other set to create a strong national association made up of affiliated state associations. Both had the same goals: To work together to provide continuing education, aid with state and local legislative issues, and provide networking across the country.

In May 1995, about 135 reflexologists attended the first official RAA Conference 'Achieving the Dream'  that was held in St. Louis, Missouri. The purpose of the conference was to approve bylaws creating the new national membership association. After much debate, those in attendance voted to call it the Reflexology Association of America and that it would be an individual membership organization. RAA was established as a non-profit 501(c)(6) organization. An eleven-member Board of Directors was elected.

RAA remained an individual membership only organization until 2003-2004 when the Board of Directors rewrote, and the members passed, new Bylaws to recreate the State Affiliated and Member Association originally envisioned. The new Bylaws went into effect with the 2004-2005 RAA year. A seven-member Board of Directors was put in place with directors serving a 2-year term up to two consecutive terms. In 2014 the Bylaws were changed to indicate a 3-year term up to two consecutive terms. A Delegate Assembly was formed, consisting of two delegates from each member state to actively support RAA.

Pioneers of Reflexology