Arlington, VA – October 3, 2023 – Today, the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) announced LaTanya Bolden, BA, RPSGT, is the winner of its inaugural Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Educational Grant. LaTanya, from Dearborn Heights, MI, was selected out of more than 50 applications; the grant will cover the cost of one CCSH exam fee.
The DEI Grant Program recognizes a sleep technologist who is actively advocating or involved with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives within their community and/or Health Care institution, influencing continual impacts to patient care.
LaTanya’s daughter – an avid ice hockey player who repeatedly ranked first or second in her position in the country – was continually overlooked for opportunities that would place her on track to one day play in the Olympics. Together with her daughter, LaTanya started a mentorship initiative with Play It Again Sports. The purpose of the program is to expose children, especially girls of color, to the game of ice hockey.
“LaTanya’s incredible work championing an important DEI initiative in her community through the mentorship program she and her daughter established with Play It Again Sports, is nothing short of inspiring,” said BRPT President, Andrea Ramberg, MS, CCSH, RPSGT.
“My daughter didn’t have a role model to look to, on or off, the ice and the reality she endured while trying to make her mark in a place where she was not accepted, challenged her self-esteem and identity,” said LaTanya Bolden, BA, RPSGT. “This is why diversity, equity and, inclusion is important to me.”
The application window was open from July 20, 2023 through August 21, 2023. The BRPT’s Educational Task Force reviewed all applications through a carefully crafted rubric to determine the best qualified applicants.
“Reviewing all of our scholarship applications is always a highlight for me,” added BRPT Board member Michelle DiMaria, BS, RRT, RPSGT, who led the team reviewing the applications. “Everyone has an important story to tell and it was humbling to learn about the many extraordinary initiatives our sleep colleagues are undertaking.”
The BRPT’s DEI Educational Grant Program provides financial assistance to current Sleep Technologists who are eligible to sit for the RPSGT exam via one of the five pathways, or a CCSH exam candidate who is eligible to sit for the exam via one of the three pathways available.
About The BRPT
The BRPT develops and administers credentialing exams for polysomnographic technologists and technicians. The RPSGT is respected worldwide as the leading credential for polysomnographic technologists. Since the first credentialing exam administration in 1979, BRPT has credentialed nearly 25,000 RPSGTs worldwide. In May 2014, BRPT launched the Certification In Clinical Sleep Health (CCSH) examination for healthcare providers specializing in sleep medicine who work directly with sleep medicine patients, families and practitioners for patient care management, improved outcomes, and sleep health education and advocacy for patients and the community.
The BRPT is an independent, non-profit certification board that cultivates the highest professional and ethical standards for polysomnographic technologists. In addition to administering the RPSGT, CPSGT, and CCSH exams in the United States and internationally, the BRPT also maintains the RPSGT registry and CPSGT roster. In addition, the BRPT provides its Continuing Sleep Technology Education (CSTE) Program for educational providers seeking continuing education credits for their offerings. For more information, please visit www.brpt.org.
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