2025 AGM Recap

– by Executive Director, Gayle Maguire

Thank you to everyone who took time to join our AGM and contribute to voting leadership.  Our association is extremely fortunate to have a large board with decades of experience in advocacy, regulatory work, education, research and committee work.  The future is in great hands!  Thank you to the volunteers helped at the event, our speaker Luyang (Martin) Liu, and our auditors.

President Frank Du began the meeting highlighting key accomplishments and future goals for the association.  Our membership continues to grow steadily, with the largest increase in membership this year, since 2020-21.  The board was happy to see minimal changes in malpractice benefits for our members, despite rising insurance premiums in other sectors.  The association remains committed to providing complimentary lectures for members to support continuing education and licence requirements, and enhancing knowledge in the field.

Next in the President Report was a highlight of key marketing strategies, including increasing visibility online through an updated website, encouraging members to follow and promote our site & social media channels, while the association and volunteers promoted the profession at the Calgary Women’s Show in April.  With the show a success and 40,000 Albertans reached, plans are underway for the next exhibition booth.

With topics like promotion of the profession and regulation of TCM top of mind, President Du encouraged members to continue to work together with the association to strengthen the field, a sentiment echoed in my Executive Director Report.

We have seen the impressive results of being the largest association in Alberta – consultation requests, a greater voice and representation, and larger power in visibility.  We have provided consultation to groups such as Workers Compensation Board and Alberta government for motor vehicle insurance reform, while board members also meet with national acupuncture & TCM groups to work on larger concerns.

You can support our work in many ways:

• encourage your colleagues to join us, in order to continue our abilities to represent the profession with great numbers
• volunteer for projects or committees
• refer advertisers to us (ex. job postings, courses)

After our Treasurer Report and voting, Vice-President Xia Cheng presented passionate closing remarks looking to increase our voice in the province and nation, with a keen eye on subjects that matter to members such as natural health product regulations and becoming viewed within primary-care models.

If you have questions, concerns, or areas you would like the board to look into, please always reach out to me directly at executivedirector@aaatcmd.ca.  We are currently looking for member feedback in the following:

• research proposals we can support
• mentors
• TCM regulation (see survey below)
• 2026 continuing education speakers/topics