By Gayla Oakley, RN, CCRP, MAACVPR | October 24, 2018
News and Views brings to me a new and exciting venue. I have big shoes to step into with my incredible predecessor, Tracy Herrewig, who has done a remarkable job as Editor the last five years and helped orchestrate the transition to the online content resource that is updated weekly. She assures me that the amazing AACVPR staff and contributors will help with a smooth transition, and I look forward to this new role with the goal of continued excellence.
As I transition from serving as Program Planning Committee Chair to Editor of News and Views, the last official duty for the former position is participating in the committee review of the evaluation and comments of the 33rd Annual Meeting attendees. Those comments are the basis of the Annual Meetings to come, future topics for webcasts, and content for News & Views.
This year’s Annual Meeting theme, “On Track to Innovate,” gave the Program Planning Committee the opportunity to try some new, fresh programing, such as the networking celebration in place of the banquet, Facebook Live sessions and the Saturday morning session “Tomorrow’s Headlines Today,” which gave a unique overview of key points of the conference. Attendees seemed to respond well to these changes, which inspires me to consider ways to innovate elsewhere, such as with News & Views.
One of the challenges the Program Planning Committee faces is making changes to meet the needs of the attendees, offering sessions on the hot topics, but at the same time keeping in line with the mission of AACVPR and preserving the history of the organization. It is important that we never forget the resilience of the founding members who set the standards to allow us to grow into the highly regarded organization we are today. Each year at the Annual Meeting, AACVPR honors three individuals as recipients of the organization’s highest honors. This year, Anne Gavic, MPA, RCEP, MAACVPR, received the L Kent Smith Award of Excellence; Sherry L. Grace, PhD, the Michael Pollock Established Investigator Award; and Linda Nici, MD, the Thomas Petty Distinguished Pulmonary Scholar Award. Not only are this year’s recipients most deserving, but, also, the awards are named in honor of three incredible individuals who were pioneers in the industry. If you have not watched the video’s highlighting these award winners, I encourage you to do so on AACVPR’s YouTube channel. I look forward to the 34th Annual Meeting in Portland and what exciting programing it brings, just as I look forward to publishing exciting content this coming year in News & Views.