SAHM meeting in Austin and update

Dear colleagues, May I start by apologising for a long absence of communication. Summer holidays coupled with a busy spate at work has contributed to me neglecting my duties. Nevertheless, there has been a lot of strategic work happening at the board level, so I look forward to sharing that with you at our International Meeting at SAHM in Austin in March. There are a number of issues I want to let you know about: 1. A reminder that the early bird registration for the Annual Meeting closes on the 20th February. I hope to see many of you at the meeting. The meeting this year overlaps with the SOciety on Research into Adolescence (SRA) which will be happening at the same hotel in the days prior to SAHM. The program has been arranged so that the Saturday can be shared between the two organisations. I understand there will be a SAHM/SRA shared session specifically on Saturday afternoon or evening. 2. Our international dinner has continued to thrive and grow each year. This year's event will see us have a genuine Texan BBQ, with music and dancing from Michael Resnick's brother's band, who have been playing in Austin for many years. I thank Michael and Lyn Bearinger for their help in organising this year's dinner. It would help us greatly if those who intend to go register on the website beforehand. There should be enough places this year, but we'd like to know an indication of numbers to let the venue know prior to the date. I encourage everyone to come, even if you don't know many people. It is always great fun, many of the non-international SAHM members also come and it is always a lovely way to informally network and enjoy a night out with our colleagues. 3. I am coming to the end of my term as president of the International Chapter. The term is a three year term and includes a position on the Board of Directors, requiring regular teleconferences and face-to-face meetings at the Annual Meeting. I have had one expression of interest for someone to take on the role but if there are any others, may I suggest you let me know with an expression of interest, and a short summary of your reasons for offering to take the position. Given it would be good to have the new successor in place in time for the Annual Meeting, may I suggest expressions of interest need to be in to me by close of business on 28th February. We can then have an informal vote if there is more than one candidate. 4. I am going to suggest that we also create a second position of Secretary to help the President with SAHM business. It is always difficult to rely on someone taking minutes at the last minute and sometimes it is useful to have someone to discuss international chapter issues with. It would not be an onerous position, but might be useful as an introduction to the International Chapter operation. I'd be keen on people's views on this and we can discuss and decide on this at the annual meeting. In any case, I'd like to formally thank Nick Woolfield who has spent many years taking minutes for the Chapter meetings and Lilian Wong who did them last year. 5. We have two fabulous regional chapter recipients to celebrate this year. Curren Warf nominated Dr Abdulkarim AlMakadma, for his leadership in adolescent medicine health and service development in Saudi Arabia and he received the Northern Hemisphere award. Joan-Carles Suarez nominated Dr Veronica Gaete for her leadership in adolescent medicine in Chile and she received the Southern Hemisphere award. Of further note and importance, Dr AlMakadma has won the overall regional chapter recognition award, which was awarded after all the Chapters voted from the pool of awardees, the FIRST time an International Chapter awardee has won the overall award. I hope to share more details of their awards with you at the Annual Meeting. 6. We now have a number of internationally based people on the board of SAHM and I believe the inclusion of international perspectives is greater than it has ever been. SAHM has been very ably led this year by Canada's Debra Katzman, who has done a fabulous job of putting together a strong and focused strategic plan. Ligia Peralta has been on the board gracing us all with her wit and wisdom, and Susan Sawyer has recently been voted onto the board as a member-at-large and I am sure will very strongly represent international interests moving forward. Congratulations Susan. 7. If anybody wants to add anything to the SAHM International Chapter meeting agenda, please let me know. I look forward to hearing from some of you. To those who are coming to the annual meeting, safe travels and I look forward to seeing you there. To those of you not coming, I hope to see you in future years in 2015 in Los Angeles, and 2016 when it is in Washington DC. My very best, Jenny Dr Jenny Proimos Principal Medical Advisor Early Childhood and School Education Group Department of Education and Early Childhood Development T: +61 3 9637 3927 M: +61 0457 300 104 E: Proimos.jenny.j@edumail.vic.gov.au Please note: I am not in the office on Wednesdays