Spring has officially arrived! Sitting outside as I write this, I find myself captivated by the new blooms on the azaleas and the vibrant lime-green growth on the bushes. It’s been four years since I moved from Florida to Charlotte, NC, and I continue to be amazed by the beauty of springtime—though I could do without the intense pollen!
As we enter the second quarter of the year, I am excited to share the progress the SDPA has made in just a few months into our 2025 strategic initiatives. From a successful new conference to a refreshed logo and a complete website redesign, our dedicated staff and volunteers are working tirelessly for our members. Additionally, we’ve concluded our annual elections, welcoming a new group of volunteers to the board. Much like the fresh growth of spring, the SDPA is on an exciting path of renewal.
Let's Talk Itch!
This March, the SDPA hosted its first-ever regional, topic-specific conference in my hometown, and I am proud to say it was a resounding success! With nearly 150 participants registered and generous support from our pharmaceutical partners, we provided a robust educational program in an area of significant need. The event kicked off with a fun NASCAR-themed welcome, even featuring motorized racecars! The full day of engaging lectures offered a total of 6 CME credits, and the feedback was phenomenal. Thank you to everyone who attended—it was wonderful to see so many smiling faces!
As many of you know, last year marked the 30th anniversary of the SDPA, which allowed us to turn our focus to the future. We polled our members and held focus groups to ask, “What can the SDPA do for you?” Your feedback was invaluable, and we set out to create an actionable plan. We committed to investing in a complete website redesign, ensuring that it is visually appealing, engaging, and user-friendly for easy access to information. After reaching out to multiple companies, we found an organization that aligns with our needs, and a task force of Derm PAs has guided the process each step of the way. We are nearly ready to launch—stay tuned for more information!
We also recognized that it would be a perfect time to incorporate a modernized logo to drive us into the next 30 years. The board undertook a thorough design process to create a logo that represents our membership and can be effectively digitized for various platforms. Don’t worry; our historic logo will still be honored and used! You may see the new logo start to appear soon—be on the lookout, and I hope you love it as much as I do!
As we enter the second quarter, our advocacy team has been diligently working. Our Legislative Affairs Committee, led by Deborah Horwitz, PA-C, along with Killian Lozach, our Director of Advocacy and Membership, is ensuring that our voice is heard on Capitol Hill. I invite you to join us for the "Step Up for Skin Health Capitol Hill Fly-In" on June 25th, coinciding with our Summer Conference in Washington, DC. This is a phenomenal opportunity to advocate for issues affecting dermatology practices and patient care directly with policymakers. To prepare, join us for the “Step Up for Skin Health Hill Day Webinar – Know Before You Go!” This virtual presentation will be held on April 30th at 8:00 PM ET and will cover everything from our legislative priorities to what to expect during meetings with legislators.
Our committee has curated a robust 2025 advocacy agenda focusing on critical issues for DermPAs. You may have noticed an increase in emails from the SDPA regarding specific advocacy issues and calls for action. Thanks to your engagement, the SDPA has sent 1,601 letters to federal legislators and 858 letters to state legislators, totaling 2,459 letters in Q1! This is huge! Congratulations to our volunteers and staff for making this happen, and a heartfelt thank you to all our members for getting involved!
As we embrace the new season, let us carry forward the momentum generated by our recent successes and initiatives. Your continued engagement and support are vital to our mission, and together, we can make a tremendous impact in the dermatology community and improve the PA practice landscape. I encourage you to participate in our upcoming events and advocacy efforts, as your voice truly matters. Thank you for being an integral part of the SDPA family, your professional home. Here’s to a fruitful spring, filled with growth, collaboration, and continued achievement!
Warmest regards,
Amber Blair
