Governance
The IHA Board of Trustees is the Association's ultimate policymaking body. The Board is made up of 32 trustees, including 16 at-large trustees elected by the voting members of the Association, nine regional trustees elected directly by the regions, six elected officers (chairman, chairman-elect, immediate past chairman, immediate past, past chairman, treasurer, and secretary), and the Association's president ex officio. Constituency sections, councils and ad hoc task forces provide members with opportunities to participate in the Association's policy development process.
The "heavy lifting" of developing Association policy and advocating for its implementation is done by the Policy & Advocacy Council. This Council develops, prioritizes and recommends policy positions to the Board of Trustess. In addition, the Council develops strategies for advocating policy positions adopted by the Board. It also monitors and makes recommendations to the Board to ensure that the Association's advocacy activities -- lobbying, public and media relations, grassroots campaigns, and litigation -- are coordinated and effective. The chairman of the council may appoint ad hoc task forces to analyze specific issues and make recommendations to the council.