I am reminded of a hymn by Ruth Caye Jones with lyrics that state “in times like these, you need an anchor...be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the solid rock.” Whereas the song is referencing a spiritual anchor and rock, I find myself contemplating my administrative colleagues whom I have come to know as anchors in the physical sense. An anchor is an object or position of connection, stability, or security. Whether temporary or permanent, an anchor serves as a mainstay and is rarely moved, but when necessary, can be relied upon to be amenably supportive. In many contexts, an anchor is a unique identifier used to define the beginning and end of a subject matter, element, place, or thing and a bold, calm, grounded, and present personification of perseverance and endurance. Board Administrators embody these qualities and more for FSBPT, within our jurisdictions and the physical therapy profession.

With social distancing and the public health state of emergency in place because of COVID-19, anchorage became more important than ever. While preparing for the Council of Board Administrators (CBA) Forum of the 2020 FSBPT Annual Meeting, I was truly in awe of all that Board Administrators and the Council of Board Administrators have accomplished this year. I was able to highlight the numerous ways these anchors have effectively navigated through this unprecedented time with great agility, stamina, ingenuity, and enthusiasm without even so much as a hiccup.

With the encouragement of CBA leadership (CBA Chair, Bruce Wessman of North Dakota and CBA Vice Chair, Scott Majors of Kentucky) and the FSBPT membership and staff, CBA members participated in every FSBPT task force and committee. From continuing competence to artificial intelligence to the development of the programming offered during this year’s first virtual annual meeting, the CBA’s contributions and engagement could not be denied. Although we were all nostalgic for the wonderful collaborative and networking opportunities that had taken place during the in-person meetings of the past, the CBA members were engaged in the virtual format. Additionally, they were quick to offer suggestions on how we might be able to achieve that same in-person connection and positive exchange in a virtual format in the future.

In addition to the task forces and committees, this group of professionals played an integral part in supporting the PT Compact Commission in its mission to encourage other states and jurisdictions to join the compact and issue privileges. As a result of these collaborative efforts, there were twenty-eight states in the PT Compact, twenty of which were issuing compact privileges as of October 2020. Additionally, thanks to the urging of these “anchors of defense” for what FSBPT has to offer, I was able to report that twenty jurisdictions were using the Alternative Approval Pathway (AAP), a significant number of jurisdictions raised their star ratings based on their increased use of the Exam Licensure and Disciplinary Database (ELDD), and jurisdictions with more traditional law exams are now considering the Jurisprudence Assessment Module (JAM). The pièce de résistance was implementing the newest tool, which was developed with significant input from CBA members: the Board Assessment Resource (BAR).

The year 2020 came with some treacherous waves and challenges, and yes, in times like this, we needed anchors, ones that were prepared to reasonably navigate the waves of the regulatory landscape. Since the rock reinforced these anchors, they remained sure and held to the rock on which they stand. The way I see it, the Board Administrator and the CBA Forum are those anchors and FSBPT, our solid rock.

Adrienne D. Price RN, BA, MSN, obtained her associates of science in nursing from Macon State College, her bachelor of arts degree from Mercer University, and her masters of science in nursing from the University of Phoenix. As a registered nurse, she practiced in a number of different health care settings including obstetrics, gynecology, hospice and palliative care, pediatrics with a concentration in developmental disabilities, public health, and nursing regulation as a Legal and Disciplinary Nurse Consultant. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) appointed her as the Promising Practice Consultant for Discipline on the Committee for the Commitment to Ongoing Regulatory Excellence (CORE). She was also a member of the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI). In 2013 she was instrumental in the development, editing, and the selection of content for the board of nursing’s quarterly magazine, The Georgian Nurse. She also served on the County Health Emergency Assistance Resource Team (CHEART), an affiliate of the Public Health Task Force for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) in the North Central Health District. Adrienne has been with the Professional Licensing Boards Division of the Georgia Office of Secretary of State for twelve years and has served in her present role as the Executive Director of seven licensing boards, including the Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy, for five years. She has been involved with the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy as a member of the FSBPT Membership Survey Task Force, a member of the FSBPT Resolutions Committee, the Chair of the FSBPT Re-entry to Practice Task Force, and an awardee of the FSBPT Outstanding Service Award in 2018.