Certification Board Announces Executive Director Retirement

Organization Initiates Search for New Executive Director

Downingtown, PA, 12/15/2023 – The Certification Board for Music Therapists, the certifying agency for the profession of music therapy, announced today that its long-serving Executive Director, Joy Schneck, MM, MT-BC, will retire from her position once a successor has been appointed. The organization announced that it is initiating a search to identify a new leader.

Experienced in organizational development and certification management, with a passion for the provision of quality music therapy services, Joy has served as Executive Director of the Certification Board for Music Therapists since 1993. During her nearly 31-year tenure, she has guided the organization through periods of both challenge and growth.

Founded in 1983, the Certification Board’s mission is to partner and advocate with the profession to promote excellence by awarding board certification based on proven, up-to-date knowledge and competence in clinical practice, and to provide leadership in music therapy credentialing. CBMT provides valued leadership to more than 10,000 credentialled therapists in the music therapy profession across the U.S. and around the world.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to lead the Certification Board through nearly 31 years of maturation and growth,” said Joy. “During that time, we’ve been able to expand the ways in which the Board helps the profession and certificants achieve excellence in clinical practice. I’m very grateful to have been a part of those efforts for so many years.”

“Joy has dedicated herself to advancing CBMT’s mission since 1993 and has played a critical role in shaping CBMT into the organization that it is today,” said Board Chair Dr. Ellary Draper. “Joy’s tireless service through years of both development and change has built a strong foundation and positioned our organization for continued success after her departure. We thank her for her years of dedicated service and wish her the best in retirement.”

The Certification Board for Music Therapists is drawing on the steps in its succession plan to guide the process of selecting a new Executive Director. The Board of Directors has retained executive search firm Vetted Solutions to coordinate the search and has appointed a Search Committee to oversee the process. The search has commenced, and the organization’s goal is to have a new Executive Director identified by the Spring of 2024. The members of the Search Committee appointed by the Board are Chairperson Ellary Draper, PhD, MT-BC, Brijin Gardner, LSCSW, LCSW, RPT-S (CBMT Board Public Member), Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, PhD, MT-BC, Maureen Hearns, PhD, MT-BC, Janice Lindstrom, DLS, MT-BC, Meredith Pizzi, MPA, MT-BC, and Wendy Woolsey, MA, MT-BC.

“The Board of Directors of the Certification Board for Music Therapists recognizes the critical importance of this position to the long-term health of the organization and we are well prepared for this transition. We will keep our community updated on the progress of the search through announcements on both the CBMT website and via other online communications channels,” said Incoming Board Chair Dr. Andrea Crimmins.