East Bay Chapter of CAMFT
2011 Leadership Award
The East Bay Chapter of CAMFT has selected 2010 President, Guillermo Alvarez, MFT for Outstanding Chapter Leader.
As President, Guillermo led our chapter through a challenging year due to a lack of volunteers. Guillermo demonstrated foresight and preparedness to ensure ongoing services to chapter members. He was proactive in encouraging “a different way of doing business” when circumstances challenged our board of directors to look at alternate ways of providing services.
Guillermo was always available to provide support and assistance to chapter members and the board of directors—from personally replying to members’ calls and e-mails, to covering other duties as needed.
His thoughtfulness and broad base of experience as both a state and local officer have been invaluable.
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Candidates' Statement for the
2012 - 2013 CAMFT
Board of Directors
Guillermo Alvarez, MA
Candidate for President-Elect
Receiving the nomination for President-Elect is a great honor. My professional interest in the working operations of our professional association prompted me to become actively involved from my early days as a licensed clinician. Initially, I joined the East Bay Chapter of CAMFT in 2006, as a volunteer on the chapter’s Diversity Committee. It was a rewarding experience that fed my desire to continue to be a volunteer member of the local chapter and eventually the state association. Beginning in 2008, I have served on the State Board of Directors as a board member at large and in the capacity of Chief Financial Officer since June of 2010. My knowledge and appreciation for the role that the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) plays in the representation of its members at the state and federal level has only grown since being elected to the state board.
Participation on the Board of Directors of CAMFT continues to appeal to me on a professional and personal level. Collaboration and networking with other professionals in the field and advocacy through a leadership role on the Board of Directors in promoting the profession and shaping its future continues to be of great appeal. It is a privilege to be an elected representative and participate in a decision making capacity that will safeguard, promote and advance the interests of the profession in the years to come and be a part of the implementation of the decisions that have been set forth by previous board of directors. My participation on the Board of Directors also provides me with a sense of accomplishment in bringing a diverse representation to this representative body.
The future of our association and the profession holds great promise. Areas of focus for the association’s leadership include ongoing assessment of the impact of the licensure of professional counselors in the state of California, the successful implementation of legislation that allows LMFTs to work within the Veteran’s administration facilities, and providing technical assistance to explore venues to address the lagging reimbursement rates that affect the viability of our members to sustain their practices. The association has done an exemplary job in exploring and utilizing new technically innovative methods to provide services to its members. The Association has recently begun a focused approach to educate the membership of the importance of member support to the political action committees funds that allow the association to support legislators who support the mental health profession. Lastly, the association should continue to explore how to increase the interest of a more cultural diverse professional pool in order to adequately meet the needs and be more reflective of the client population in the state. I encourage you to participate in the election process that will determine the leadership of our association in the coming years. I thank you for your support in my efforts to continue to serve our professional association and to be an inclusive representative of all of its members as President-Elect.
