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!
Name: Roseann Vitale, MS, PA(ASCP)CM
Organization: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science
Location: North Chicago, IL
Fellow Member Since: 2013
Current AAPA Position: BOT Incumbent, Membership Oversight
Please tell the AAPA membership about yourself, and describe your past volunteer work.
My first experience with the AAPA was as a student delegate in 2012. This experience solidified my desire to volunteer within the organization, which I’ve done since I graduated in 2013. Since graduation, I’ve served as a volunteer on the Membership Committee. I served as vice-chair from 2014-2015 and chair from 2015-2018. I have served on the BOT since 2018, and if elected, would be serving my second term. My role on the BOT includes Membership Committee oversight. In Membership, we have worked on strengthening the Student Delegate and Student Liaison program. Due to shadowing restrictions from the pandemic, we have also worked on the development of a virtual shadowing program, which is getting ready to launch. We are also working on the creation of a robust and useful salary survey, to enhance member benefits. These are just a few of the projects I have had the privilege of working on over the years. I’ve really enjoyed my experience as a volunteer and hope to inspire others to do the same.
Why are you interested in serving on the AAPA BOT?
As a volunteer with the AAPA since 2013, I am interested in serving on the AAPA BOT because it allows me the ability to serve the PA community on a broader scale. My hope is that as a BOT member, I can continue to serve to represent the voice of the membership and collaborate with outside organizations to strengthen the recognition and appreciation of Pathologists’ Assistants worldwide. I know that when we as the PA community collaborate on a common goal, we can make positive change happen. I’d also like to continue encouraging student and fellow membership engagement so that each member feels encouraged to contribute their unique skills and talents to our profession and the AAPA. Having multiple perspectives on issues facing our membership is valuable, so that all sides of a challenge can be considered, and I think that I am able to bring that unique point of view with my experience as a PA educator.
What is your understanding of the mission and vision of this organization?
The mission and vision of the AAPA are to be the comprehensive resource for Pathologists’ Assistants in their professional career. This includes providing professional support and resources to Pathologists’ Assistants from the beginning of their education to retirement. The AAPA provides its membership with targeted continuing education content and opportunities for professional development through engagement. The AAPA also strives to support Pathologists’ Assistants in providing optimal patient care through various means, such as the creation of the Grossing Guidelines.
What do you think should be the most important priority for AAPA?
As the premier organization for Pathologists’ Assistants, the top priority for the AAPA should be continuing to support advocacy for our profession. This includes addressing the lack of awareness of our role in patient care from other healthcare providers, hospital administrators, and patients. The AAPA should continue to strengthen the organization by supporting the Grossing Guidelines, develop relationships with outside organizations who can support and advocate for our profession, and continue to support the membership when legislative issues arise that could negatively impact our community.
Is there a particular area that you feel could be improved within AAPA?
An area of the AAPA that I am excited about seeing developed and improved upon is our CE delivery modalities. The transition to an online delivery format for the fall and spring conference was not one that was foreseen prior to the pandemic; however, it has provided an interesting challenge that tested our adaptability. I look forward to seeing how our CE delivery continues to evolve given the new technologies we now have within our toolbox.
What is the biggest challenge your lab faces today?
Adapting to educating within the constraints of a pandemic has proven to be an area that has tested and also strengthened the skillset of so many educators. Ensuring that the future of the pathologists’ assistant profession and pathology residents is unaltered has been an area that has led to innovation and unexpected creativity. I look forward to seeing how these new teaching modalities will alter education of the future generation for years to come.