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A turning point for the HOD

| November 25, 2019

A turning point for the HOD

The year 2020 will mark an exciting turning point for the College’s House of Delegates (HOD). I am happy to report that the HOD’s new strategic plan, approved at the November Board of Regents meeting, will help us capitalize on the synergies between the HOD and Advocacy Council. These changes, approved by the Board of Regents and Advocacy Council, will energize the HOD and give it the needed structure to be our eyes and ears on the ground in your state.

The HOD has a rich heritage of representing the voice of the local allergist, which was enhanced by the addition of the super-delegates a few years ago. Exciting speakers at past HOD town halls held during annual meetings have included the Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and Susan Rudd Bailey, MD, FACAAI, American Medical Association president-elect, to name a few.

Our Advocacy Council has an unmatched 40-year history of working for allergists in all walks of practice. Since the Joint Council on Allergy, Asthma and Immunology became the Advocacy Council a few years ago, the HOD and Advocacy Council have worked closely together. 

For decades, many of us envisioned a country-wide, grass roots network, but for many reasons that has never come to fruition. Thanks to the planning and vision of HOD and Advocacy Council leaders Travis Miller, MD, FACAAI, Steve Imbeau, MD, FACAAI, Jim Sublett, MD, FACAAI and Jim Tracy, MD, FACAAI, the goal of a grass roots advocacy network will become a reality. In addition to delegates appointed by state societies, the HOD is developing a list of additional delegates who will serve a longer term and act as our main point of contact in each state. As issues arise, these delegates will be the communications conduits to and from the Advocacy Council.

Stay tuned for more details and to learn how you can participate in early 2020. I’m excited about how these changes will allow the College to work even more efficiently for you, our members, and the allergy specialty as a whole.

J. Allen Meadows, MD, FACAAI
College president

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