Cabinets, Committees & Councils

Build lasting professional relationships and play a role in advancing Iowa’s long-term care profession by serving on one of IHCA’s cabinets, committees or advisory councils. Nominate yourself or a peer for the group that best aligns with your expertise and interests.

The nomination period for IHCA’s 2026 leadership groups has ended. All nominations will be reviewed by the IHCA Executive Committee Chair. Selected individuals will be notified by November 2025, with terms beginning in January 2026. Nominations for 2027 will open in the summer of 2026.

For questions about specific responsibilities, contact the IHCA staff liaisons listed below.

Cabinets

Assisted Living Cabinet
  • Purpose: Advises the IHCA Board of Trustees on issues, trends and policy matters affecting assisted living providers. The Assisted Living Cabinet will ensure the voice of assisted living providers is well-represented within the association, inform IHCA member services as they relate to the assisted living sector and work to promote best practices and innovation among assisted living providers.  
  • Membership: Assisted Living Cabinet members must represent a licensed assisted living provider in good membership standing, hold a leadership role within that organization and demonstrate a strong understanding of assisted living operations, regulations and trends. Cabinet membership will be limited to 12 members per year, including one chair and one vice-chair who serve on the IHCA Board of Trustees. Membership is subject to approval of the IHCA Executive Committee Chair.
  • Meeting Frequency: Not less than one time per year, with additional meetings scheduled as necessary and convened by the cabinet chair.  
  • IHCA Staff Liaison: Brandon Hagen
Care Continuum Provider Cabinet
  • Purpose: Advise the IHCA Board of Trustees on care continuum provider issues, policy developments and trends. The Care Continuum Provider Cabinet will ensure that care continuum providers are represented within the association framework, inform IHCA member services as they relate to care continuum services and work to promote best practices and innovation in the care continuum.
  • Membership: Care Continuum Provider Cabinet members must represent a licensed care continuum provider in good membership standing, hold a leadership role within that organization and be knowledgeable about the operations, regulations and trends within care continuum provider services. Cabinet membership will be limited to 12 members per year, including one chair and one vice-chair who serve on the IHCA Board of Trustees. Membership is subject to approval of the IHCA Executive Committee Chair.
  • Meeting Frequency: Not less than one time per year, with additional meetings scheduled as necessary and convened by the cabinet chair.  
  • IHCA Staff Liaison: Megan Stoulil
Home Care Cabinet
  • Purpose: Advises the IHCA Board of Trustees on issues, trends and policy matters affecting home care providers. The Home Care Cabinet will ensure the voice of home care providers is well-represented within the association, inform IHCA member services as they relate to the home care sector and work to promote best practices and innovations in the delivery of home care services.   
  • Membership: Home Care Cabinet members must represent a licensed home care agency in good membership standing, hold a leadership role within that organization and demonstrate a strong understanding of home care operations, regulations and industry needs. Cabinet membership will be limited to six members per year, including one chair and one vice-chair who serve on the IHCA Board of Trustees. Membership is subject to approval of the IHCA Executive Committee Chair.
  • Meeting Frequency: Not less than one time per year, with additional meetings scheduled as necessary and convened by the cabinet chair.  
  • IHCA Staff Liaison: Brandon Hagen
Skilled Nursing Facility Cabinet
  • Purpose: Advises the IHCA Board of Trustees on issues, trends and policy matters affecting skilled nursing facility (SNF) providers. The Skilled Nursing Facility Cabinet will ensure SNF providers have a unified voice within the association, inform IHCA member services as they relate to the SNF sector and work to promote the exchange of best practices and innovation among SNF providers.
  • Membership: Skilled Nursing Facility Cabinet members must represent a licensed SNF provider in good membership standing, hold a leadership role within that organization and demonstrate a strong understanding of SNF operations, regulations and industry challenges. Cabinet membership will be limited to 14 members per year, including one chair and one vice-chair who serve on the IHCA Board of Trustees. Membership is subject to approval of the IHCA Executive Committee Chair.
  • Meeting Frequency: Not less than one time per year, with additional meetings scheduled as necessary and convened by the cabinet chair.  
  • IHCA Staff Liaison: Brent Willett

Committees

Public Policy Committee
  • Purpose: Provide insight and advice on the association’s legislative agenda priorities for recommendation to the IHCA Board of Trustees.
  • Membership: Membership is subject to approval of the IHCA Executive Committee Chair. Special consideration for committee membership shall be given to graduates of the IHCA Executive Health Care Leadership Institute. Committee membership will be limited to 20 members per year. Includes one chair.
  • Meeting Frequency: Once per year (in July to set legislative agenda), or as needed at the request of the committee chair. The committee chair also has the ability to form task force groups to meet on special initiatives as needed.
  • IHCA Staff Liaisons: Merea Bentrott and Brandon Hagen

Advisory Councils

Activity Advisory Council
  • Purpose: Support and advance the role of activity professionals in long-term care and senior living communities. The council serves as a forum for collaboration, education and advocacy to enhance the quality of life for residents through meaningful engagement and professional development.
  • Membership: Membership is open to individuals serving as activity professionals or those involved in resident engagement in long-term care, assisted living or senior services and is subject to approval of the IHCA Executive Committee Chair. Committee membership will be limited to 15 members per year. Includes one chair.
  • Meeting Frequency: Twice per year, or as needed at the request of the advisory council chair.
  • IHCA Staff Liaison: Hannah Freund
Education Advisory Council
  • Purpose: Provide input and guidance for the development of various association educational activities, including the annual convention, conferences, district education and other in-person and on-demand educational offerings. The Education Advisory Council will evaluate current educational programs for usefulness and recommend activities and initiatives in response to the educational needs of IHCA membership.
  • Membership: Membership is subject to approval of the IHCA Executive Committee Chair. Council membership is limited to 20 members per year. Includes four chairs, one from each cabinet (SNF, AL, HC and CCP).
  • Meeting Frequency: Three times per year, or as needed at the request of the council chair.
  • IHCA Staff Liaison: Hannah Freund
Quality Improvement Advisory Councils
  • Purpose: Provide insight and advice on the association’s quality programming.
  • Membership: IHCA offers two Quality Improvement Advisory Councils — one for skilled nursing facilities and one for assisted living programs. Membership is subject to approval of the IHCA Executive Committee Chair. Special consideration for council membership shall be given to graduates of the IHCA Executive Health Care Leadership Institute. Council membership is limited to 15 members per year. Includes one chair.
  • Meeting Frequency: Three times per year, or as needed at the request of the council chair.
  • IHCA Staff Liaison: Brenda Irlbeck

Peer Groups

IHCA Nurse Connect
  • Purpose: To offer a no-pressure environment where long-term and post-acute care nurses can network and learn from each other. IHCA Nurse Connect meetings and calls cover bite-size compliance information, hot topic education and practical learning that can be implemented the same day.
  • Membership: IHCA Nurse Connect membership is open to any nurse employed at an IHCA skilled nursing facility or assisted living member organization. Content is geared toward directors of nursing, assistant directors of nursing, MDS coordinators, infection preventionists and nurse leaders.
  • Meeting Frequency: IHCA Nurse Connect holds monthly networking calls, as well as gatherings at IHCA’s larger educational events throughout the year, including IHCA’s Convention and Spring Education Conference.
  • IHCA Staff Liaison: Brenda Irlbeck