About Us
American Restroom Association
The American Restroom Association (ARA): is a nonprofit founded in 2004. ARA advocates for the availability of clean, safe, and well-designed public restrooms. Accomplishments include successfully advocating for enforcement of and revisions to the International Plumbing Code, congressional testimony on gender equity in public restrooms in US Federal Buildings, and representing the USA in educating international audiences at Summits and Conferences of the World Toilet Organization (WTO). ARA brings together a multidisciplinary and independent team from architecture, engineering, education, academia, and social work. In addition, we work hand-in-hand with restroom advocacy organizations across the USA. The ARA is a Maryland non-stock corporation recognized by the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity. EIN #20-3581202.
Mission Statement
The American Restroom Association advocates for the availability of clean, safe, well designed public restrooms.
Our scope of our mission includes:
- Restroom design and technology
- Restroom availability and accessibility
- Pertinent legislation and regulations
- Documenting the problems faced by people who hesitate to travel or who avoid activities that put them out of range of proper toilet facilities
Our goals are to:
- Generate public relations campaigns that result in positive coverage by the press
- Address regulatory and legislative weakness
- Act as a health impact clearing house
- Survey and develop “Municipal Friendliness Ratings”
- Communicate with other similar associations around the world
- Develop suggestions, brochures and suggested designs
- Serve as clearing house for companies and individuals promoting these products and designs
- Develop lines of communication with mall and building managers, architects, builders and other groups
Board Members and Roles
PRESIDENT
Tom Achatz, PE
Past President & Board Member – IPA, CEO – RPI Engineering Solutions
Brighton, MI
VICE-PRESIDENT
Laura Ann Jenkins, MBA
CEO, Granny’s Toilet Detailing, LLC
Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX
SECRETARY
Kim Kensler-Prager
Toastmaster and Public Restroom Advocate
Toledo, OH
CO-FOUNDER & TREASURER
Steven Soifer, PhD, MSW
Co-founder, Advisor, and Consultant – International Paruresis Association
Hyde Park, NY
PLUMBING CODE CONSULTANT
Bruce Pitts, BSMET
Independent Restroom Design Advocate
Aiken, SC
BOARD MEMBERS AT LARGE
Merilee Karr, MD, MFA
Board Member, PHLUSH (Public Hygiene Lets Us Stay Human)
Port Townsend, WA
Amith Saligrama
High School Student and Award-Winning Public Restroom Advocate
Weston, MA
Jody Lin
St. Louis, MO
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Kathryn Anthony, PhD
Professor, School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
Megan Welsh Carroll, PhD, MSW
School of Public Affairs, San Diego State University
San Diego, CA
Cheryl Gartley
President and Founder – The Simon Foundation for Continence
Wilmette, IL
Chad Kaufman
President, Public Restroom Company
Minden, NV
May Munk
Independent Restroom Design Advocate
Walter Munk Foundation for the Oceans
La Jolla, CA
ARA Founding Press Release
November 8, 2004: American Restroom Association (ARA) Launched, will present at the World Toilet Summit in Beijing. Click here for full article.
ARA CELEBRATES WORLD TOILET DAY
Contact Us
American Restroom Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 21237
Catonsville, MD 21228
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INVENTORS, MANUFACTURERS, SUPPLIERS, & SERVICE PROVIDERS: We want to hear your stories about how you are leading change in restroom design and maintenance!
