By Serena Agusto-Cox | News & Views

The 40^th AACVPR Annual Meeting, under the theme “Celebrating Our Progress, Shaping Our Future,” is a testament to the ongoing impact of AACVPR and its members on the profession. As the contributors in this issue prepare to head to the Sunshine State, we asked them to tell us what’s high on their agendas once the doors of the Palm Beach County Convention Center open:

Ruth Akers, RN, BSN, MS, MAACVPR, is proud to say that she’s only missed a few Annual Meetings since they began. This year, as always, she is looking forward to the networking opportunities. As far as sessions go, she adds, it’s hard to narrow down the choices. “I want to pack in as many as I can possibly manage,” Akers declares.

Katie Menson, DO, will be in attendance for the seventh time. “I'm looking forward to the discussion during sessions,” she shares. “I'm always amazed by the engagement of the attendees and knowledge sharing of what has worked with their programs and practice, or areas of research that they are pursuing.”

Cemal Ozemek, PhD, RCEP, FAACVPR, FACSM, FCEPA, recommends that attendees check out “The Great Weight Debate: GLP-1s vs. Good Habits – The Role of GLP-1 Agonists in Cardiac Rehabilitation.” It’s one of multiple sessions that will introduce a twist to the traditional ‘Ask the Experts’ panel format. The new debate style will give AACVPR attendees the opportunity to see both sides – the pros and the cons – of the topic at hand. “They will leave with a good sense of what the best practice will be when working with patients,” says Ozemek, who also is  excited for the gala that follows the conference. “The 40^th anniversary celebration will really reflect the impact of AACVPR on our profession and explore what AACVPR will do in the future, as well as celebrate all of the organization’s accomplishments,” he notes.

Missy Von Luehrte, RN, also mentions some specific programming that’s at the top of her list in West Palm Beach. She says, “I’m eager to see the keynote speaker, Catherine Sanderson, as well as the panels, Sex on the Beach: 2025 Pulmonary Rehabilitation Update and Applying the Newest AACVPR Pulmonary Rehabilitation Guidelines 2025.”

Diann Gaalema, PhD, FAACVPR, with more than 10 Annual Meetings under her belt, says her scientific mind favors a particular kind of programming. “As I am a scientist, I love science, so I always look forward to the posters and the oral abstracts,” Gaalema explains.

Aimee Kizziar, MHAL, RCP, RRT-NPS, AE-C, CES, FAACVPR, also calls out specific sessions she can’t wait to attend, including the “Assessment Skills for Evaluating Candidates for Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Outpatient Respiratory Services" panel. She also is eagerly anticipating the anniversary gala. “The 40th anniversary is an amazing milestone,” Kizziar remarks. “I'm excited to really connect with colleagues, really celebrate the organization's legacy, and attend those sessions that are being spotlighted on how far we have come as an organization in both cardiac and pulmonary rehab.”

Anna Hornstein, MS, ACSM-CEP, CCRP, not only is presenting at Annual Meeting for the first time but also attending for the first time. “I’m excited to learn from everyone and hear different perspectives,” she says, “as well as meet new people from across the country who work in this field."

Maria Baylon, BS-RRT, points out, "Since the COVID 19 pandemic, we began seeing an increased number of individuals with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and post-COVID (long hauler) symptoms. This shift required us to broaden our scope and adapt our approaches to address the unique respiratory, functional, and psychosocial needs of these patients." With those shifts in mind, she is looking forward to "Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation Therapies for Diseases Other Than COPD" and the "Let's Talk About Death" panels. Regarding the latter, she says, "I feel that as clinicians working in an environment where we focus on increasing functionality to improve quality of life, talking about death may incur an emotional sensitivity. This session sparks interest to me as personally and culturally death is not often spoken of and presents as 'bad luck' to discuss."

Whether you’ve just joined AACVPR or have been to every Annual Meeting, there’s something for everyone. These are just a smattering of the opportunities for education and networking with colleagues. Don’t miss out on career development opportunities this fall; register today.