(I asked Javni Mody what it’s been like as a member of the HAPS leadership.)
In 1993 I was still a rookie professor teaching anatomy and physiology. I thought I should spread my wings a bit more and do some networking. One of my colleagues was a member of the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society (HAPS) and she talked very fondly about the organization, so I thought maybe I would attend a HAPS annual meeting. She could not attend the 1995 meeting that year, so I was all alone when I reached St. Louis. Being a shy person, I thought that for next five days I would not be talking to anybody and would be eating meals in my hotel room all by myself!!!
What I had in store for me for next five days was a big pleasant surprise. I do not remember initiating a conversation; people kept coming up to me, introducing themselves and asking me if I would like to join them for a meal!!! That is when my addiction to HAPS began. I attended several HAPS annual conferences before realizing what was meant by the “HAPS Leadership”. I always thought that Monday morning business meetings during the conferences were for people who had to do some “business” with HAPS,while it meant “to sleep in” for me!!!
I was asked to chair the Regional Conference Committee a few years down the line after joining HAPS. After serving that committee for four years, I decided to serve HAPS as the Marketing Manager. Having no business experience, I was pretty apprehensive at first but it was a great experience for me. I got a chance to work as a bridge between HAPS and the vendors. At the pleading of my darling husband, I took a year off from HAPS leadership, but my addiction caught up with me and I decided to run for the office of Eastern Regional Director and the rest is the history!!!!!
As the Marketing Manager, I had worked closely with the board, but I still did not have the full comprehension of what exactly goes on “behind the scenes” to run this big an organization mainly by volunteers. Getting involved with the HAPS leadership has been a wonderful experience for me. As board members we meet twice a year in person, but we have e-meetings every month, which conclude with a video conference on a Sunday night. This has interrupted several of my social plans, but seeing other board members on the video chat and discussing matters which are important to the organization makes up for it. In my opinion HAPS members are some of the kindest people I have known. One of my duties as the regional director is to send a Regional Director’s letter to the HAPS members in my region. So many members send me a note of gratitude for keeping them informed after reading that letter!!!
Being on the Board has given me an opportunity to give something back to the organization that I love so dearly!!!
Javni Mody
HAPS Eastern Regional Director
I am so proud of my former officemate and friend.
A great pleasure to have worked with you Javni!