Ohio Academy of Family Physicians chapter leaders met in Kansas City, MO, April 28-30 for the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Annual Chapter Leader Forum (ACLF) and the National Conference of Constituency Leaders (NCCL).
ACLF is the AAFP’s leadership development program for chapter-elected leaders, aspiring leaders, and chapter staff. Ohio members attending included Roma Amin, MD; Wayne Forde, MD, FAAFP; Doug Harley, DO, FACOFP, FAAFP; Ryan Kauffman, MD, FAAFP; Mary Krebs, MD, FAAFP; Renee Markovich, MD, FAAFP; Elisabeth Righter, MD, FAAFP; Sarah Sams, MD; FAAFP; Mike Sevilla, MD; and Teresa Zyrd, MD, MSPH, FAAFP. Staff members in attendance included Communications Coordinator Lauren Heberling; Director of Education Erin Jech; Coordinator of Events and Foundation Programs Caitlin Laudeman; Executive Vice President Kate Mahler, CAE; and Director of Membership Emily Pavoni.
NCCL is the AAFP’s premier policy development event for underrepresented constituencies, including women; minorities; new physicians; international medical graduates (IMG); and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and others (LGBTQ+) physicians or physicians who support LGBTQ+ issues. Ohio’s official delegates to NCCL included Matthew Adkins, DO (LGBTQ+ physician representative); Nathaniel Overmire, DO (new physician representative); John Sharma, MD (IMG physician representative); Heidi Yount, MD (woman physician representative); and Veronica Poffel, MD (minority physician representative). Megan Early, DO, MPH, also attended as an Emerging Leader.
In addition to participating in leadership sessions, NCCL delegates write, debate, and vote on resolutions related to medical practice and patient health.
All of our NCCL delegates participated in the special constituency election process to fill various national-level leadership positions – each did a tremendous job. Dr. Adkins was elected co-convener of the LGBTQ+ delegation, Dr. Sharma was elected co-convener of the IMG delegation, and Dr. Yount was elected co-convener of the woman physician delegation. In addition, Drs. Adkins and Sharma were elected as member constituency alternate delegates to the AAFP Congress of Delegates.
- An opening session and plenary with AAFP’s senior leadership who gave updates on the Academy and addressed current issues of critical importance and breakout sessions that covered governance, communications, advocacy, media relations, and membership issues
- A practical, engaging conversation with Valorie Burton, CEO, of the Coaching and Positive Psychology Institute, to equip attendees with a survival toolkit to face any challenge that comes their way.
- Attendees from Ohio joined leaders from the Maryland and Wisconsin chapters for dinner on April 29 for a combined group of nearly 50 physicians and staff.
In 2023, the conference will be held Tuesday-Thursday, May 9-11, in Kansas City.