History
1994: The state of Texas adopts the Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS).
1995: The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) establishes the Independent Contract Provider (ICP) Program to perform plan reviews and site inspections to ensure compliance with TAS.
1999: Independent Contract Provider Association (ICPA) born out of meetings organized and/or attended by FOUNDING MEMBERS: Jim Boyce,* Kristi Thomas Avalos, Chris Schexnayder, Fred Cawyer, John Torkelson, Tom Ellis, Doug Darr, Teresa Darr and Charlie Little.
2002: TDLR Changes the ICP program to a "licensing" program, with licensees given the title of Registered Accessibility Specialist (RAS). ICPA subsequently changes its name to Texas Registered Accessibility Specialist Association (TRASA)
2003: The completely volunteer-run board manages the young organization and holds the first TRASA annual meeting and conference in Austin, TX. View the list of Charter Members.
2008: Growth of membership leads the TRASA board to engage Shirley Knox of Knox-Woollard, to help manage and promote the organization's continued expansion.
2011: Ongoing growth and the increasing reach and diversity of membership leads to another name change, from TRASA to the Accessibility Professionals Association (APA), in order to represent the organization's goal of maintaining consistency among industry professionals and ensuring accessibility in the built environment both within and beyond the borders of Texas.
2016: APA added a new APA-ADA Specialist designation and became an approved ICC provider. View the list of APA-ADA Specialist Graduates.
2017: APA added a new APA-ADA Assembly Area designation and became an approved ACTCP provider. View the list of APA-ADA Specialist Assembly Area Graduates.
2018: APA added a new APA-ADA Transient Lodging designation and became an approved Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) provider. APA also initiated a Florida chapter. View the list of APA-ADA Lodging Specialist Graduates.
2021: APA added the Rocky Mountain Chapter, which covers the states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The RMC also covers issues relevant to the entire West Coast, and professionals outside of the 6 RMC states are highly encouraged to join.
2023: APA added the Texas Chapter, which covers the entire state of Texas.
2024: Minda Weldon, with MW5 Professional Management, joined APA as executive director after Shirley Knox's retirement.
Today: Our members include RASs, architects, engineers, contractors, building owners, and other professionals who share a common passion for maintaining access in the built environment for everyone. Join us!
*Our Jim Boyce Scholarship was established by the Texas Registered Accessibility Specialist Association (TRASA), now the Accessibility Professionals Association (APA), to honor and recognize our friend and colleague Jim Boyce. Jim was formerly a Plan Review Manager with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and was one of the drafters of the Texas Accessibility Standards (TASs) in 1994. When Jim retired from TDLR, he became a Registered Accessibility Specialist (RAS) and was among the Charter Members of APA. The success of APA is in large part due to Jim’s leadership in its earlier years.