--- title: "A Wider Net" id: "61215" type: "post" slug: "a-wider-net" published_at: "2025-03-07T21:55:19+00:00" modified_at: "2026-07-11T19:25:55+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2025/03/07/a-wider-net/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2025/03/07/a-wider-net.md" excerpt: "Despite criticism, DEI programs bring more newcomers, from more backgrounds, to industries. Two association DEI leaders share how." taxonomy_category: - "Career Development" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Associations Now" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » A Wider Net Part of the Deep Dive[Navigating Workforce Development](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/navigating-workforce-development/) The American Physical Therapy Association does a lot of work around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to expand the field’s workforce. It supports scholarships for people entering the profession from diverse backgrounds and works with its regional chapters to build awareness of physical therapy careers. But, says APTA VP of DEI Carmen Elliott, CAE, successful DEI work means recognizing how the concept of diversity looks different depending on where you go. “What recruitment may look like in New York may look totally different in West Virginia, and we recognize that,” she says. “Our chapters will customize some of the materials to better fit the students that they’re recruiting — we just attempt to make it easy for them by providing slide decks, presentations, talking points, and one-pagers.” That outreach program, called [PT Moves Me (opens in a new tab)](https://www.apta.org/your-career/careers-in-physical-therapy/pt-moves-me) , is designed to be effective with limited resources — much of the work is done via volunteer “ambassadors” from APTA chapters. And it’s been effective — Elliott says that since 2021 APTA has trained 650 ambassadors across all 50 states, prompting a 3.5 percent increase in applicants to DPT programs, reversing a downward trend. That definition of diversity includes traditional figures such as race and gender, but for a field looking to attract workers in regions where there are shortages, also includes socioeconomic status and whether people come from rural areas. [Mark Athitakis](https://associationsnow.com/author/mark-athitakis/) Mark Athitakis, a contributing editor for Associations Now, has written on nonprofits, the arts, and leadership for a variety of publications. He is a coauthor of The Dumbest Moments in Business History and hopes you never qualify for the sequel. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/mark-athitakis/) Tags: [#Associations Now](https://associationsnow.com/tag/associations-now/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## More in this Deep Dive - [The Workforce Won’t Wait—How Associations Can Keep Up](https://associationsnow.com/2025/03/13/the-workforce-wont-wait/) - [Top Career Challenges for Association Professionals and How to Overcome Them](https://associationsnow.com/2025/03/07/top-career-challenges-for-association-professionals-and-how-to-overcome-them/) - [Bigger and Stronger](https://associationsnow.com/2025/03/07/bigger-and-stronger/) - [The Case for Calm](https://associationsnow.com/2025/03/07/the-case-for-calm/) - [The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Developing Career Resilience](https://associationsnow.com/2025/03/10/the-role-of-emotional-intelligence-in-developing-career-resilience/) [View the full Deep Dive →](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/navigating-workforce-development/) ## You Might Like - [Video🚀 The Agile Association Professional: How to Pivot Your Career Path When the Strategic Plan ShiftsJuly 28, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/28/the-agile-association-professional-how-to-pivot-your-career-path-when-the-strategic-plan-shifts/) - [TemplateMembers onlyMember Onboarding ToolkitNovember 5, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/11/05/member-onboarding-toolkit/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [Video2025 Summit Award Recipient: American Association for Marriage and Family TherapyOctober 3, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/10/03/2025-summit-award-recipient-american-association-for-marriage-and-family-therapy/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2025%2F03%2F07%2Fa-wider-net%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !