Our president, Valerie O’Loughlin, blogged recently about our mid-year meeting in Jacksonville. She explained how the Board of Directors (BOD) and the Steering Committee (SC) meet for an extended weekend to get a lot of work done. It was a very productive time, allowing us to clearly work through the budget for this year, see the status of work on the 2014 Annual Conference in Jacksonville, begin our next round of Strategic Planning meetings, and anticipate any other business that might crop up in the coming months. We got a lot done, but we also enjoyed each other’s company and renewed bonds of friendship and camaraderie that reinforces why we took on these leadership roles. As the president-elect, I observed Valerie lead the meetings and offered input when I could. Until this year, I had been the Chair of the Steering Committee for a number of years, so I was quite familiar with the workings of the mid-year meeting. However, I have to admit it was strange to now be part of the “Executive Branch” after several years in the “Legislative Branch“.
One of the topics that was discussed during the mid-year meeting was this Blog. There has been a lot of enthusiasm for this blog and we wish to keep making it as useful as possible. One original purpose of the blog was to give everyone a peek into the workings of the HAPS leadership. We realized that we had lost some of that direction. So, here I am.
As president-elect, one of my tasks will be to offer you a view of the leaders of the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society. I’ll be posting each Wednesday on a different position within the BOD or SC, offering you some insight into their work as well as their personality. I’ll be interviewing the various HAPS leaders, letting them offer you their take on their position, what they have put into it, and what they have gained from it. Willing to put my money where my mouth is, I volunteered to be the topic of the first entry in this blog series.
At the 2013 Annual HAPS Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, I was elected as the president-elect for HAPS. That translates into a 3-year commitment. During this current academic year, I am the president-elect. My main job is to learn how to be the president. I attend the monthly e-meetings, keep up on the email chatter, and field occasional phone calls within the BOD and SC. I participate in discussions led by our president while anticipating how I will lead the Society in the coming year. During the 2014-2015 year, I will be the President, taking the helm of this incredible organization. I will set the agendas for the BOD meetings, interact with other educational societies, and develop President’s Initiatives for my tenure (I’ll let President Valerie tell you more about that idea in her blog entry). My year as president will culminate with presiding over the 2015 Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas. During the 2015-2016, I will serve as Past President, updating the Policy & Procedures manual while offering advice and institutional memory to the new President of HAPS. That’s sums up my three years in a nutshell.
There is one other major duty that I have as president-elect. I serve as the Chairman of the Nominating Committee. I gather a committee of individuals to create a slate of candidates for next year’s elections. The four positions on the BOD that will be up for election are President, Treasurer, Western Regional Director, and Eastern Regional Director. We’ll contact individuals, asking if they would be interested in running for these various positions. After we’ve cajoled and bribed enough people to fill the slate, we’ll put together a ballot on the website. It will be open for your vote during the spring, with the winners of the various races announced before the next Annual Conference.
It is so exciting to be part of the HAPS leadership. I could go on and on, but I know when it’s time to stop and take a breath. If you have any questions about the HAPS leadership, feel free to email me at TLehman@HAPSConnect.org. Meanwhile, keep your eyes peeled for the next entry in this blog. Next week, I’ll tell you about two gentlemen who are doing incredible things with test questions.