We would like to encourage all Fellow members to participate in the AAPA Board of Trustees (BOT) election. Voting is now open and will remain open through the extended deadline of Monday, December 13, 2021 at 11:59 pm CST. Those who are attending the 46th Annual Conference: The Future of Pathology in person will have the opportunity to cast their vote onsite. All other Fellow members are invited to cast their vote online via SurveyMonkey (check your email for the ballot).
To learn more about a candidate, click on their name above to be taken to their feature page. For this election, you will be able to cast your vote for up to three of five candidates.
Results will be announced later in December, and elected members will begin their terms in January 2022.
Thank you in advance for your participation!
Organization: Self-Employed
Location: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Fellow Member Since: 2009
Current AAPA Position: BOT Adjunct to the AJCC, Grossing Videos Subcommittee Chair, Molecular Editor Grossing Guidelines
Please tell the AAPA membership about yourself, and describe your past volunteer work.
I found the PathA profession after my love of anatomy and interest in how disease impacts the body inspired me to research hands-on, anatomy-related careers. I joined the AAPA as a student and was the 2008 recipient of the AAPA-Surgipath scholarship, writing an essay about where the future of private pathology labs was headed in the next 10 years. Looking back on that essay recently, I felt motivated knowing that some of those things have come to fruition! I graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2009 and started my career in San Diego, working in community, academic, and research settings. I was interested in volunteering with the AAPA right away and began mentoring future PathA students in 2010. I have been part of the Grossing Guidelines since its inception as the Thorax Section Author and, in 2019, my role expanded to include being the Molecular Division Managing Editor. I also currently serve as the AAPA’s American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Member Representative and as the lead of the Grossing Video project. Independent of the AAPA, I was part of a team that traveled to Afghanistan to set up a grant-funded pathology lab in 2010 and was a volunteer clinical faculty member in the anatomy, histology, and pathology labs from 2012-2015 at the UCSD Medical and Pharmacy schools. Recently, I’ve been working with the Panel of National Pathology Leaders on a white paper exploring the value of pathologists’ assistants in non-traditional roles. I hope this work will contribute to expanding the scope of PathA practice in the future.
Why are you interested in serving on the AAPA BOT?
The AAPA has been a valuable resource for me and for our profession. I’ve had a variety of experiences in different job settings and volunteer positions over the last 12 years. I believe this diverse background will allow me to continue to support the AAPA’s initiatives in education and advocacy while contributing to the growth of our profession.
What is your understanding of the mission and vision of this organization?
The AAPA has done a great job establishing the core values over the years. The successful development of the Grossing Guidelines – a huge undertaking – focused on providing quality patient care through standardized handling of specimens. The addition of new CE options, including summer and spring conferences, online lectures, and webinars, demonstrate a commitment to PathA-specific education. Working to get our members a “seat at the table” with ASCP, AJCC, and the CoC shows a commitment to advocacy and collaboration.
What do you think should be the most important priority for AAPA?
Expanding advocacy, including outside the medical community. The AAPA has made great strides towards having members sitting on the boards of multiple medical associations, and it would be great to see expansion in this area, as well as reaching out to patient advocacy groups and the general public.
Is there a particular area that you feel could be improved within AAPA?
Diversifying and expanding continuing education options to meet the needs of our members, and increasing collaborations with other organizations.
What is the biggest challenge your lab faces today?
I’ve seen financial challenges, staffing challenges, and burnout due to under-appreciation in every laboratory I’ve worked in. I believe continued advocacy and outreach can help our profession show the medical community what we are capable of and the value we bring to healthcare, which in turn can have positive impacts on job satisfaction and burnout. It takes persistence to change culture, and I believe the AAPA has what it takes to continue to influence positive change.