In celebration of our 10 years of regulating kinesiologists

Conny Glenn was the President of the Transitional Council of the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario (CKO) from 2009 to 2013, and became the Inaugural President of CKO upon it’s proclamation on April 1, 2013. She oversaw the development of the regulations, standards and guidelines that established the foundation of the College.

As a kinesiologist herself, Conny shared how her professional experience helped her pave the way for the regulation of kinesiology in Ontario.

1. How did you become the Inaugural President?

I helped lead the work of kinesiology regulation as the President of the Ontario Kinesiology Association (OKA). Being a kinesiologist myself, I knew how important it was to have our profession regulated. Because of my background and knowledge of the profession and relevant regulations, I was appointed to the Transitional Council of CKO in 2009 and subsequently elected President by the Council.

2. What did becoming the Inaugural President mean to you?

Being elected President was an honour. It allowed me to finalize the regulation work I started. Guiding this project to fruition and realizing the hopes of the profession was profound and I still smile when I think about it.

3. Being a pioneer of kinesiology regulation, what made you start this work?

As an unregulated profession, we lacked the respect and opportunity the profession needed to thrive. Being a regulated profession, we, as kinesiologists, gained Ontarians’ trust to deliver safe, high-quality care.

For me, it was not only about protecting the profession but also about taking responsibility for the care we deliver to patients/clients. As I often quoted – “with great power comes great responsibility.”  Kinesiologists now have guideposts to help them be great healthcare professionals, and the public has the assurance and protection it deserves.

4. What was the most fulfilling part of serving on the transitional Council? 

When I was on the transitional Council, I had the opportunity to interact with other health regulators who were always willing to support our work. The level of collaboration and support in the regulatory community was a living example that the entire healthcare community should embrace. The support made our work more manageable and enjoyable. Health regulation is a gigantic team effort in Ontario.

5. Your role as the inaugural President was to pave the way for the establishment of CKO – could you share how you laid the foundation for CKO to ensure public protection?

As the President of the Transitional Council, I wrote the first business plan for CKO, and worked with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care as we hired a Registrar. Many committees had to be formed to lay the groundwork for regulating kinesiologists in Ontario. The three most significant tasks we completed before CKO’s official proclamation were:

I still vividly remember that we submitted 26 drafts to the Ministry of Health before we finalized the General Regulation. In addition to guiding the work, the most critical part of my role was to be the external representative for CKO. My role was to actively listen, educate, explain and create the environment for Kinesiology to be accepted as part of the regulatory and broader healthcare community.

6. As we reflect and honour our past and look into the future at our 10th anniversary, is there anything you’d like to share on this special occasion?

The first decade has given us great opportunities to become established. As primary care is gradually shifting to prevention and rehabilitation, we are the profession that can bring these services. The need for kinesiologists will continue to increase, and I’m confident that the next decade is the time for us to flourish and revolutionize health care.