President’s Message | August 2022

Aug 25, 2022

Dear Colleagues,

It’s hard to believe it has been a month since the new leadership year began. Where did the time go?

When you are a parent, especially to young children, the famous “the days are long, but the years are short” phrase is thrown at you often. I remember hearing it a lot over the years after having my 9-year-old. However, now, I remind myself of this as my 6-month-old seems to change overnight. The daily stressors of parenthood can make the days drag on, but it’s as if each day I blink and both of my boys are in bigger clothes, meeting new milestones and gaining their independence, which I reluctantly relinquish. Though perhaps cliché, this phrase couldn’t be more accurate. Labors of love, whether raising children, nurturing a career, or leading an organization, can make time seem to stand still, yet simultaneously move at warp speed. If you blink, you’ll miss it.

Over the last month, the SDPA leaders and staff have been hard at work setting the tone for the year ahead. Meetings, calls, emails…a lot of emails. Days have seemed to have more than 24 hours. I look back and am amazed not only that an entire month has passed, but at how much has been accomplished in that short period of time.

Last month I hosted the board, committee chairs and staff at the annual SDPA

Leadership Summit in San Francisco. It was three days of goal setting, strategic planning and team building. I felt pressure as incoming president, as I was responsible for planning every detail. It was a year in the making. However, I was blown away at the productivity and connectivity that came from this labor of love. We gained a better understanding of each other, which will help us work cohesively in the year ahead. We set goals, many of which have already been put into motion. And, we reconnected with our WHY.

I gifted the SDPA leaders and staff a motivational book by Simon Sinek titled, “Start with WHY.” The reason I chose this book could not be understated and Sinek’s title could not better represent my leadership mantra. This year, I am challenging our organization to reconnect with “why” we exist, “why” we were founded, and “why” we, as leaders, volunteer to represent and act on this “why”. It is Sinek’s concept of The Golden Circle, though more complex than it may seem, that determines the impact of “how” we do “what” we do. If we have a grasp on our “why,” success and inspiration are likely to follow. 

Following our leadership summit, the Board of Directors announced the appointment of Interim Executive Director Harvey Tillipman. The search for the perfect fit for our organization was yet another labor of love, which while time intensive and sometimes overwhelming, has already proven to be a positive step toward growth for our organization.

While the above is productive alone, the JDPA has added members to its editorial board, our communications committee has rebutted a negative toned article regarding our profession, the membership committee has finalized the highly anticipated member gift for PA Week and the CME committee has tied a bow on the final plans for our fall conference in Miami.

I’m also excited to inform you that we have planned new engaging, conversational style Dermcast.live programs. The first session will feature a one-on-one interview with the CEO of one of the industry's newest dermatology focused companies. Please keep an eye on your email for additional information

I look back at what has been accomplished in such a short period of time, and can’t help but have excitement for the possibilities that lie ahead over the next 11 months.

Though the list of to-dos, projects and goals can make our days long and arduous, I challenge you to savor them and all that they bring. The work put into accomplishing those things is meant to be enjoyed. Time will inevitably pass and we will look back on this season of life and wonder where the time went.

 

Yours truly,

 

Lauren Miller, MPAS, PA-C, President SDPA