Columbus D. Batiste, MD, FACC, FSCAI grew up with aspirations of becoming a professional basketball player or sportscaster. Although he still spends his free time in the gym or on the court, Batiste actually found his calling with his third choice: interventional cardiologist. Driven by family, faith and purpose, the married father of two teenagers actively engages in community work. He also is known on the lecture circuit for his presentations on plant-based diet and other healthy lifestyles and is a longtime champion for AACVPR. At his local medical center in Riverside, California, Batiste has been emphasizing the importance of AACVPR accreditation for more than 10 years. Now, in his first leadership role with the organization, as Director at Large, he hopes to be an even bigger advocate.

What he brings to the table: “I bring the clinical perspective as a practicing interventional cardiologist and the Southern California Kaiser Permanente Regional Medical Director of the Home Based Cardiac Rehab Program. I formerly established and led an AACVPR accredited site based cardiac rehab program.” To boot, Batiste also chairs the Southern California Permanente Medical Group Cardiac Quality Committee.

What’s on his AACVPR “bucket list”: “I would like to see the adoption of virtual/home-based cardiac rehab into the HEDIS quality metrics. I would also like to see a focused strategy to address Social Determinants of Health to narrow health gaps. In addition, I would like to see global adoption for reimbursement of cardiac rehab.”

What he enjoys most about AACVPR: “The emphasis on the simple things in life: moving more, stressing less, and eating more healthfully as the secret sauce to cardiovascular health.”

As a kid, Stacy Greenway, CCRP, FAACVPR, dreamed of a career as a veterinarian. The married mother of two pre-teen girls has a pair of German shepherds at home; but when she goes to work, the focus is on human health—not animal. As director of CV Disease Management for Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, North Carolina, she is responsible for the facility’s inpatient Heart Failure program. She also runs two CR and PR programs within the health system. Over 20 years, the self-proclaimed “servant leader” has worked with various AACVPR committees and Day on the Hill. Greenway’s interest in becoming a director was piqued after watching how the Board met members’ need for support and information regarding COVID-19 response. Although she says she has always been impressed by the Board and the organization as a whole, the last two years provided the inspiration to take her involvement to a higher level. An avid reader, hiker, camper, and photographer, she also is now an AACVPR director.

What she brings to the table: “I look forward to taking on tasks and responsibilities that will ensure a good experience by our membership. I enjoy working with new professionals as well as professionals new to the field in order to help them bring the best experience to our patients. I also am not afraid of change and look forward to supporting our membership as we move into the next phase of what it means to offer cardiovascular and pulmonary rehab.”

What’s on her AACVPR “bucket list”: “I’m interested in progressing the work that we do and the ways that we innovate, to meet individual patient needs, while at the same time maintaining the core principles of cardiovascular and pulmonary rehab.”

What she enjoys most about AACVPR: “Building relationships with others based on a mutually shared passion for the profession. Also, the ability to ‘geek out’ with my colleagues on our areas of interest and ways to improve what we do and how to better serve our patients.”

Joel Hughes, PhD, FAACVPR says that along with food, water and air, he needs purpose. “I can’t live without purpose and meaning in every area of life,” insists the married father of three daughters. That explains some of the motivation that led the Kent State University professor to take a seat on the board at AACVPR. In addition to serving as director of clinical training for the school’s clinical psychology PhD program, he also chairs AACVPR’s Behavioral and Nutrition Experts Group, is vice chair of its Documents Committee, and is a member of the organization’s Innovative Delivery Model Collaborative. Having attended more than 15 consecutive Annual Meetings, this educator and researcher with a penchant for drumming and technology has come to see AACVPR as a “membership advocacy association” and representation on the board as a pathway to promoting member and patient success consistent with its values. With substantial board experience elsewhere and a proclivity for technology—including podcasts and webinars—Hughes feels more than ready to tackle his new role.

What he brings to the table: “My values are evidence-based practice, leadership development, broad participation, effective representation of members’ interests and advocating for patients. Serving on the executive board of a union (for the American Association of University Professors) since 2008 has taught me that so few people can steer a big ship, which speaks to the perennial need to promote broad participation in self-governance. Also I have learned that leadership development is a key to the success of organizations staffed by volunteers.”

What’s on his AACVPR “bucket list”: “I’m hoping to help AACVPR launch a new podcast and I have research goals such as conducting a contemporary survey of behavioral health services available to CR programs.

What he enjoys most about AACVPR: “The people and the purpose! Promoting health and preventing disease, in the company of delightful colleagues.”