President’s Corner: Community & Connection

Volunteers & Staff

The ACR/ARP Committee Chairs for 2023–24 and 2024–25. (Click to enlarge.)

In 2024, we remain very much a community brought together by our mutual interests in rheumatology and our shared commitment to improving the lives of those with rheumatic disease. Whether you are a clinician in practice, a clinical, translational or basic science investigator, a clinician educator, a fellow, a Master, or a rheumatology health professional, you are an essential part of that rheumatology community, one who is respected and represented within the ACR. Through the President’s Corner, it is my goal over the next year to enhance our connections so that every member not only recognizes the value of ACR membership, but also sees their individual priorities reflected in the ACR’s commitment to its mission.

The mission of the ACR is to empower rheumatology professionals to excel in their specialty. This mission is advanced by the tremendous efforts made by our dedicated volunteers and staff to develop innovative programs in education, research, advocacy and practice support that seek to promote the success of each and every individual.

The ACR is served by its Executive Committee, Board of Directors and committees. Within the Executive Committee we welcome Angus Worthing, MD, FACP, FACR, as secretary, who will join Anne R. Bass, MD, in her second year as treasurer, and William F. Harvey, MD, MSc, FACR, who becomes ACR president elect.

Click to enlarge.

In November, we saw the transition of a number of volunteer leaders in the Board of Directors and Committees. I wish to thank those who have completed their terms and welcome our new volunteers (see table). The ACR’s mission is further extended through its important partnerships with the Rheumatology Research Foundation and the ARP, and I look forward to working with Liana Fraenkel, MD, MPH, and Adam P. Goode, DPT, PhD (see article) as their organizations continue to make amazing contributions to rheumatology.

Importantly, none of the ACR’s work would be possible without our professional staff. Executive Vice President Steven Echard and the entire staff team exemplify the meaning of the ACR mission with their unwavering commitment to advancing rheumatology through the support of our members.

Mission in Action

In looking ahead, I enter this year with that same sense of excitement and optimism for the ACR and for rheumatology that I had as a fellow attending my very first ACR annual meeting. I would not learn about the ACR mission statement until many years later, but at the time of that first meeting, the words were unnecessary because I saw them in action, just as I have every year since.