The Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT), the gold-standard certifying body for sleep health professionals, has officially announced a sweeping transformation of its operational infrastructure. Effective June 15, 2026, the organization will transition its management functions to Association Headquarters (AH), a premier full-service association management company. This shift, accompanied by a major transition in executive leadership, signals a concerted effort by the BRPT to fortify its long-term growth, enhance its service offerings for certificants, and solidify its role as the primary gatekeeper of excellence in sleep medicine technology.
The Main Facts: A New Operational Paradigm
The partnership between the BRPT and Association Headquarters is not merely a change in administrative outsourcing; it represents a strategic realignment designed to elevate the organization’s professional footprint. The BRPT is globally recognized for issuing the Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) designation—a credential synonymous with high-quality patient care in sleep labs—as well as the Certification in Sleep Health (CCSH) and various other specialized professional certificates.
Under the new agreement, the BRPT will centralize its core operational functions under the AH umbrella. This includes financial services, marketing, web management, and advanced technology infrastructure. By integrating these services, the BRPT aims to transition from a decentralized operational model to a streamlined, high-efficiency framework. Crucially, the existing BRPT staff will transition to become employees of Association Headquarters, ensuring that the institutional knowledge and specialized expertise built over years of service remain intact during the handover.
A Chronology of Change: From Competitive Review to Implementation
The journey toward this partnership was not instantaneous. It followed a rigorous, multi-month competitive review process spearheaded by the BRPT Board of Directors. Leadership sought a partner capable of handling the unique regulatory and ethical complexities inherent in credentialing organizations.
- Pre-2026: The BRPT Board of Directors identified a need for enhanced operational support to keep pace with the rapidly evolving field of sleep health and the increasing demand for specialized digital services.
- Early 2026: The competitive bidding process concluded, with Association Headquarters emerging as the preferred partner due to their proven track record in credentialing management.
- June 15, 2026: The formal transition date marks the commencement of the partnership.
- End of June 2026: Long-time executive leader James Magruder will officially retire from the BRPT, handing the reins to MaryBeth Kurland.
- Post-June 2026: The integration of technical, marketing, and financial workflows into the AH ecosystem begins, with a focus on immediate, tangible improvements for current RPSGTs and CCSH holders.
Executive Transition: Welcoming MaryBeth Kurland
Central to this new chapter is the appointment of MaryBeth Kurland, MPA, CAE, ICE-CCP, as the new executive director of the BRPT. Kurland brings nearly three decades of experience in association management, with a specific focus on the nuances of the credentialing industry. Her credentials, including her status as an ICE-CCP (Institute for Credentialing Excellence Certified Credentialing Professional), position her as an ideal leader to navigate the complex landscape of professional certification.
Kurland succeeds James Magruder, whose tenure at the BRPT has been defined by a commitment to rigorous professional standards. Magruder’s departure at the end of June marks the end of a significant era for the organization. Under his leadership, the BRPT successfully navigated the shifting tides of healthcare reform and the professionalization of sleep technology. Kurland’s mandate is to build upon this legacy by integrating the technological and administrative resources of AH to drive the organization’s mission forward in an increasingly digital, global marketplace.
Supporting Data: Why Association Management?
The move to a full-service association management company is a growing trend in the non-profit and professional society sectors. For a credentialing body like the BRPT, the benefits of such a partnership are multifaceted:
- Scalability: As the field of sleep health expands, the BRPT needs to scale its operations to meet the needs of a growing international base of technologists. Association Headquarters provides the infrastructure to support this growth without the overhead costs of expanding in-house corporate departments.
- Technological Integration: Managing a digital certification pipeline requires robust cybersecurity, high-uptime web portals, and seamless database integration. Centralizing these under AH ensures that the BRPT benefits from enterprise-grade technology services.
- Operational Resilience: By pooling staff within an association management environment, the BRPT gains access to a broader team of experts in marketing, communications, and financial compliance, reducing the risk of single-point-of-failure issues common in smaller, independent administrative teams.
- Institutional Continuity: By retaining the current staff as employees of AH, the BRPT protects its most valuable asset: the subject matter experts who understand the history and the specific requirements of the RPSGT and CCSH programs.
Official Responses and Strategic Vision
The leadership at the BRPT is optimistic that this collaboration will pay dividends for both the organization and the thousands of professionals who hold its certifications.
"This partnership marks an exciting new chapter for the BRPT," says Steve Glinka, MPH, RPSGT, president of the BRPT. "We evaluated partners who not only understood the mechanics of certification board management, but who genuinely shared our passion for helping our certificants advance the sleep health profession. Association Headquarters brings together operational excellence with a certificant-first approach. We are confident this collaboration will strengthen our mission and deliver meaningful benefits to our certificants and organization as a whole."
For the certificants, this shift is intended to be largely invisible in terms of service disruption, but highly visible in terms of service quality. The primary goals communicated by the board include increased responsiveness to inquiries, a more intuitive user interface for certification maintenance, and expanded professional resources that will allow sleep health technologists to stay at the cutting edge of their discipline.
Implications for the Future of Sleep Health
The implications of this move extend far beyond administrative adjustments. By aligning with a firm that specializes in credentialing, the BRPT is signaling to the broader healthcare community that it is committed to maintaining its position as the premier authority on sleep health competence.
Strengthening Industry Partnerships
A significant aspect of the board’s strategic plan is the advancement of industry partnerships. With the support of AH’s professional network, the BRPT is expected to engage more deeply with clinical societies, sleep medicine clinics, and educational institutions. This outreach is essential for ensuring that the RPSGT and CCSH designations remain the baseline requirements for high-quality sleep centers.
A Focus on Advocacy and Growth
The management transition also provides the BRPT with the resources to focus on advocacy. As sleep health becomes an increasingly critical component of public health—especially regarding its links to cardiovascular health, metabolic disease, and cognitive performance—the need for a robust, well-regulated professional workforce has never been higher. The BRPT’s new structure provides the stability required to advocate for the professional standing of sleep technologists in legislative and regulatory environments.
The Certificant Experience
Ultimately, the success of this transition will be measured by the experiences of the credential holders. For the thousands of RPSGTs worldwide, the promise is one of enhanced efficiency. In the fast-paced world of healthcare, where certification maintenance can often feel like a bureaucratic burden, the promise of "streamlined processes" and "expanded resources" is a significant value proposition.
Conclusion
The partnership between the BRPT and Association Headquarters represents a strategic pivot toward modernization. By combining the deep, specialized knowledge of its legacy staff with the enterprise-grade management capabilities of AH, the BRPT is positioning itself for a new era of growth. As MaryBeth Kurland takes the helm, the organization stands ready to address the challenges of a rapidly changing healthcare landscape, ensuring that the professionals responsible for the nation’s sleep health continue to operate at the highest possible standard.
For the sleep health community, this transition is a clear signal: the BRPT is not just maintaining the status quo—it is actively investing in the infrastructure needed to support the next generation of sleep technology professionals. As the transition unfolds over the coming months, the focus will remain on the core mission that has guided the BRPT for years: fostering excellence in sleep health, one certificant at a time.
