Board of Directors November Meeting Highlights

Not pictured: Cem Akin, MD, PhD, FAAAAI; Anju T. Peters, MD, MSCI, FAAAAI

The members of the AAAAI Board of Directors met in person November 8-10, 2024, in Chicago, IL, to discuss current and future activities. Board members also heard virtual presentations from representatives from Hart Health Strategies, Inc., the FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), the National Institute of Health (NIH)/National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

The members of the Board of Directors appreciate the work of AAAAI committee members and Chairs as they strive toward the AAAAI mission to advance the knowledge and practice of allergy, asthma and immunology for optimal patient care. Over the course of the meeting, several significant decisions were made. Here are the highlights:

Approvals

A number of requests were approved, including the 2025-2028 AAAAI Strategic Plan, the 2025 operating budget, continued funding support of the Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters and the appointment of Rebecca Saff, MD, PhD, FAAAAI, as the new AAAAI Podcast Host. The Board also approved a new nutrition workgroup within the Allied Health Professionals Assembly. Additionally, the slate of candidates for the 2025 Board of Directors election was finalized.

The AAAAI Foundation budget was approved, and a new lectureship candidate was approved.

Presidential Presentations

Paul V. Williams, MD, FAAAAI, provided an update on his presidential initiatives, with continued emphasis on the importance of environmental impact and sustainability goals with a focus on establishing the allergist/immunologist as the preferred expert on environmental impacts on respiratory and skin disease. There are current collaborations with various interest section committees, with specific topics slated for presentation at the 2025 AAAAI / WAO Joint Congress to support these items.

Frank S. Virant, MD, FAAAAI, AAAAI President-Elect, provided an updated look at his coming presidential focus, including topics of:

Developing a Clinical Practice all-day program at the Annual Meeting
Developing educational media for PCPs and the public on “How the Allergy, Asthma, Immunology Specialist Can Help”
Transitioning selected Practice Parameters to living documents.

Miscellaneous

The Board selected Anna H. Nowak-Wegrzyn, MD, PhD, FAAAAI, to serve as the 2025 At-Large Executive Committee member, beginning at the close of the 2025 AAAAI / WAO Joint Congress.

A number of other projects and topics were discussed and approved, including site selection for future Annual Meetings, funding for the RSLAAIS Assembly’s programs and services for 2025 and new ideas for future Practice Parameters and Guidelines.

In addition, the three divisions of the Board of Directors—Education, Practice & Policy and Research & Training—met individually to discuss committee activities.

What

The next Board of Directors meeting

When

February 26-27, 2025

Where

San Diego, CA