Jennifer Hinton, professor and program director of Western Carolina University’s recreational therapy program, was recently named president-elect of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association.
Hinton will be sworn in at ATRA’s annual conference Sept. 10-13. She will serve one year as president-elect, followed by one year as president and one year as past president.
“I feel that I have gained the experience and skills over the course of my career to continue to move forward our national agenda and initiatives – and my goals are to do just that,” Hinton said. “I believe strongly in the vision and mission of ATRA. I, too, envision a world where all people have access to recreational therapy and endeavor to empower recreational therapists. I want to bolster the profession that I love and this is a clear way for me to use my abilities to do so.”
Hinton currently is the chairperson of ATRA’s Quality Internships subcommittee. Past leadership positions include member at-large for the Committee on Accreditation of Recreational Therapy Education and chair of the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification Board of Directors.
She also serves three local agencies. She is an active board member for youth receiving behavioral health care services, a consumer rights advocate for adults with intellectual disabilities and chair of Jackson County’s Trails and Greenways Committee.
Hinton received her bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctorate from Kent State, Indiana University and Clemson University, respectively. She has been a certified therapeutic recreation specialist for more than 30 years and is licensed in North Carolina.
