It is an honor of a lifetime to be nominated for the ACAAI Gold Headed Cane Award. I am Professor of Medicine, Head of Allergy and Immunology and Training Program Director at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine-Long Island (currently a World Allergy Organization [WAO] Center of Excellence). I graduated Cum Laude from the University of the Philippines, then completed residencies in Dermatology and Internal Medicine. I completed two fellowships – one in Allergy and Immunology at New York Hospital-Cornell and another in Dermal Immunology at NYU Medical Center.
In 1993, I became a Fellow of the College and since 2006 have been an active member of the ACAAI Board of Regents. In 2020, I became the fourth female and the first Asian American to be selected to serve as College president. While serving as ACAAI president, I was also named chair of the American Board of Allergy and Immunology (ABAI), becoming the first person to take on both roles at the same time. I continue to be a member of the ABAI Test Writing Committee.
Involvement in the College committees allowed me to learn the intricacies of a major national organization. I chaired seven committees (Dermatological Allergy, Women’s Involvement, Credentials, Workshop, Finance/Budget, International and Nominating Committees) and additionally served as a member of 10 committees (Annual Meeting Program, Continuing Medical Education, Publications, Training Program Directors’ Planning, International, Occupational Health, Advocacy Council, Board of Trustees, Foundation, Archives and Membership Committees).
I received the Presidential Award of the Asian Pacific Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and had the honor of presenting the ACAAI Edward J. O’Connell Lectureship, John P. McGovern Lectureship, and Jean A. Chapman Memorial Lectureship.
I have participated and chaired workgroups that curated numerous informational and educational resources, developed guidelines and updates on critical allergy and immunology issues, chaired the Work Group on Update on Contact Dermatitis Practice Parameter; the Practice Improvement/CME activity on Atopic Dermatitis; the Workgroup on Atopic Dermatitis Shared Decision Making Tool; the GA²LEN/ACARE/EAACI/APAACI/AAAAI/ACAAI HAEi project to establish a global consensus on angioedema and the 2024 GA²LEN Global Urticaria Forum. I was a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)/ABAI/AMA-convened Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement® Atopic Dermatitis Work Group; the AAAAI-ACAAI Joint Task Force on Quality Measures, Urticaria measure development workgroup; and represented the ACAAI to the National Advisory Allergy and Infectious Disease Council.
Beyond the College, I was a founding member and president of the International Association of Filipino Allergists and Immunologists, and past president of the Long Island Allergy Society. I am the current chair of the WAO Skin Allergy-Atopic Dermatitis and Eczema Committee.
I believe there is no better way to give the best care to our patients than to use leadership and mentorship positions to advance professional knowledge and skills and to be intimately immersed in the activities of the College. The College allows me the opportunity to give back, in my own small way, to the specialty and organization that have provided me with an immeasurable amount of personal and professional fulfillment regionally, nationally and internationally. My theme as president, to “innovate, diversify and expand” will continue in all my future work in the College, for our specialty and our profession.
