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VASTA International

VASTA was formally incorporated in the United States of America in 1986.

Since its inception the primary goals of the organization have been to serve the practitioner and to advocate for the profession. That is a mission without borders.

In 1999, VASTA held its first conference outside the United States at York University in Toronto, Canada.

In 2000, VASTA hosted its first "International Conference" at George Mason University in Washington DC, featuring presenters from a number different countries and cultures.

In 2005, VASTA organized its first conference outside of North America at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Scotland.

Currently, 15% of VASTA's membership comes from residents outside the United States.

In 2006, following the success of the Glasgow conference, the VASTA Board felt that the organization needed to make a formal move toward establishing cooperative relationships with individual practitioners and organizations outside the United States. To that end the Board established the office of International Liaison. Rocco Dal Vera currently holds that post.

VASTA International Goal

Extend the principal mission of VASTA through a focus on service to practitioners, alliances with fellow organizations and communication across borders.

Actions

• Form a committee of international members to help steer the work of the organization;
• Identify the needs of international members: where they are distinct from or congruent to those of US members;
• Represent the interests of the international membership to the board;
• Increase worldwide participation in the organization, its conferences and publications;
• Foster alliances between VASTA and similar organizations worldwide;
• Extend the services of the organization (publications, outreach grants, conferences, etc.);
• Identify individuals interested in assuming leadership roles so that the organization establishes a presence and relevance at the local level.

Current Activities

Please join in on the VASTA International listserv (http://listserv.uc.edu/archives/vasta-international.html).

This is an email forum specifically intended to be a place where we can discuss issues of voice and speech teaching as experienced in an international and cross-cultural context.

This site is maintained by VASTA Director of Technology, Michael J. Barnes. Original site design is by Eric Armstrong.

© 1997-2010 The Voice and Speech Trainers Association, Inc.