Dear Members,
As the holidays fade in the rear-view mirror and we are well into the new year, the SDPA leaders and staff are refreshed, energized, and hard at work! So much has happened since I sent out the last newsletter, and I am thrilled to fill you all in on the “latest and greatest” from behind the scenes at SDPA. While Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of winter, spring feels like it is just around the corner (at least it does here in the southeast!), and along with that comes many exciting new initiatives for all SDPA members! With Valentines Day upon us (Happy V-Day to all of those who celebrate), it is my pleasure to share with you all the things that are going on in the SDPA that I LOVE!
You may recall that last year, our board of directors crafted a new vision, mission, and three-year strategic plan to serve as our guiding roadmap. Just seven months in, we are actively executing the initial phase, showcasing our commitment to you and the DermPA™ community.
LET’s TALK ABOUT the Inaugural Itch Conference!
The anticipation is building for SDPA's first-ever regional event—the Itch Conference—taking place March 27-28 in Charlotte, NC. With the "Godfather of Itch" as Medical Director and nationally known faculty experts, this is a can't-miss event. Plus, you'll earn six Category One CME credits alongside invaluable clinical insights. We're "itching" to see you there!
SHOUT OUT to our new Staff Members!
In reviewing our staffing needs within our organization, we identified opportunities to add new positions in order to better serve you. We're thrilled to welcome Killian Lozach as our new Director of Advocacy and Membership, focusing solely on legislative impacts for DermPA™ practice. Additionally, we've welcomed Jordan Snelson as Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing and promoted Jennifer Bethke (our most tenured staffer) to Vice President of Education & Meetings. We have also added Jill Franklin, Education and Meeting Manager in addition to Allison Pelsoci, Education Coordinator. These improvements serve as just another example of how your membership dollars are reinvested and working for you! I am confident that this expansion will directly positively impact the SDPA's ability to serve our membership through education and advocacy for the DermPA™ profession!
DRUMROLL PLEASE…Website Redesign!
We asked, you shared, and we listened! Last year the SDPA hosted multiple advisory boards for our members so that we could gain insight on the specific needs and wants of our DermPA™s in the community. As a membership organization, the SDPA exists to support our members through-out their entire career and we wanted to ensure that we are on track to do just that. One of the items we heard multiple times is that, despite the great content we offer, the design of our website was not as user friendly as it should be. We took that information back to the table and set out to fix the problem. Through a diligent process of investigation, we worked to find the right company to guide us through a complete website redesign. The company we chose took a thoughtful approach to truly understanding our profession and our members, to curate a product that is uniquely individualized to our needs. A task force was then created to guide and consult with them throughout the process. We are now well into this project, and you will see this launch in a few months. We are extremely excited about what we have seen so far, and cannot wait to share this will all of you! Stay tuned!
I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share just a snapshot of what is going on behind the scenes at the SDPA and how we are all working collectively for you! The SDPA is here to support DermPA™s, so that they can work collaboratively as an integral part of the healthcare team. We are excited about the growth and advancements within our organization, and your support and engagement are key to our success. The SDPA is, and always will always be, your professional home.
Warm regards,
Amber Blair MMS, PA-C
President, SDPA
