76: Speaking of the House w/ Dr. Bill McGehee

On APTA Michigan’s Waves podcast, host Andy Wicks interviews Dr. Bill McGehee, current Speaker of APTA’s House of Delegates (term ending Dec. 31, 2026), about his background as a physical therapist and Tufts University DPT clinical professor, and his path from chapter service in Illinois to APTA House of Delegates Speaker of the House (elected 2020). McGehee explains the House as the membership’s representative body of 450+ delegates from 51 chapters and 18 sections that sets association policy and positions, adopts bylaws and the profession’s vision, and elects APTA leaders, while the Board of Directors holds fiduciary responsibility for the $50M organization and must balance House priorities with strategy, risk, and timing. He discusses the speaker’s leadership/servant role, the value of mission and vision as a “North Star,” and how Roberts Rules protect minority voices and keep proceedings productive. McGehee’s “soapbox” is that society knows what PTs do; key barriers are access and other constraints, and PTs should lead and practice at the topof their scope. If you are a PT or PTA in Michigan, you can earn PDR creditfor license renewal just by listening to this episode! Fill out the Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant General Response Form from LARA and save it for your records. 00:00 Welcome to Waves00:52 Meet Bill McGehee03:50 Service Path to Leadership06:14 Running for Vice Speaker09:02 Speaker Role and House Purpose12:12 House Energy and North Star15:21 Speaker as Leader and Servant19:02 Board Duties and Tension22:04 Strategic Plan Reality Check23:18 Why Motions Get Opposed23:48 Covington’s Vulnerable Moment25:48 Trust and Communication Gaps28:20 Robert’s Rules Explained29:47 Learning to Chair Efficiently35:25 Delegate Mindset Shift37:33 Soapbox on PT Value40:19 Wrap Up and Credits