As I write this message, we have just experienced a racially targeted mass shooting in Buffalo, NY, a mass shooting of elementary school children and teachers in Uvalde, TX, and the release of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Numerous states are enacting laws that would criminalize a woman's right to choose as well as parents' and teachers' rights to support their children in being who they truly are in gender identity. COVID-19 continues to spread, and we are still grappling with a national nursing shortage, racism in nursing, and workplace safety concerns.

I am hoping that you are safe, that you have found some time to pause and reflect, to care for yourself, and to realize how powerful your voice is as an Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC) member. Many of us went down a similar path in the 80s and 90s, when stigma, discrimination, and silence were killing our clients, friends, and family members. As the country's number one most trusted professionals, nurses have been at the forefront in fighting for patients' rights, health equity, and justice in communities that have been historically marginalized. Today, more than ever, we need our professional nursing organizations for education, support, and advocacy. Association of Nurses in AIDS Care was there for us in the past and continues to remain a valuable resource, support network, and advocacy organization.

I am privileged to lead the most inclusive and diverse Board of Directors (BOD) in ANAC's history. This is a testament to the intense targeted effort to mentor, encourage, and nominate new members to the board, making us more representative of the communities we serve. We still have room to improve, but it is a great start. The vision and goals of my term as president were set forth at our first full board meeting in January 2022. They are as follows:

* Develop a more strategic nominating process and improve the efficiency of the BOD.

The board will be exploring the purpose, process, and role of the nominating committee. This includes looking at ways for the committee to be more strategic in evaluating board composition, identifying gaps, and maximizing ANAC's potential to evolve and grow. The board meetings will be streamlined to include one virtual meeting a year, and the board will be examining reducing the length of time from one and a half days to one full day. This would not only be cost-effective but would open the door for more potential members to run for office. In addition, I have been meeting regularly with President-elect Mitchell Wharton to ensure continuity, keep focused, and enable a smooth transition.

* Increase our global footprint.

The envisioned future of ANAC in our revised 2021 strategic plan states that, "ANAC is a globally recognized professional nursing association that is the preeminent source of nursing expertise in all dimensions of HIV prevention, care & treatment, research, and policy" (Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 2021). To achieve this, ANAC will be supported in hiring a global coordinator to build back partnerships and collaborations with our colleagues around the globe.

* Develop sustainable formal partnerships with nursing and other health professional schools to increase education about HIV and ensure that the information is accessible and up-to-date.

There has been a noticeable decrease in HIV education in school curricula over the past 5 years. By expanding our reach beyond nursing schools, we will not only diversify our membership but will also keep the importance of HIV education alive in health professional education. Presently, I am working with community health worker programs to incorporate HIV into their curricula, and I am exploring additional grant opportunities for ANAC in this area.

* Revitalize ANAC's membership and development strategies.

The members of ANAC are the heart and soul of this organization. Being an ANAC member and ACRN since 1997 has afforded me unforgettable opportunities, professional development, and lifelong friends. The paradigm shift in HIV prevention, care, and treatment has been groundbreaking and challenging to our membership. We are now looking at ways to broaden our outreach and to envision a future where ANAC thrives and fulfills its mission. Accordingly, I have convened two board-appointed committees (Membership and Development) to innovate ways to attract new members while retaining current ones and exploring additional funding opportunities. These committees will report their suggestions at the September 2022 BOD meeting.

Because of the excellent work of previous boards, ANAC is fiscally healthy, and that remains the number one priority of the BOD. In keeping with this, I realized we were not using our past board members in the most productive way. Together with our Executive Director, Carole Treston, I have invited them to join a newly formed Past BOD Advisory Council for additional expertise and guidance. The creation of the three new entities (Membership, Development, and Past BOD Advisory Council) brings new and enlivened energy into ANAC. I will be eagerly anticipating how we continue to propel our beloved organization into the future.

I hope to see you at the annual conference in Tampa this November where we can share best practices, support one another, and continue to advocate for human rights. Association of Nurses in AIDS Care nurses' voices are powerful and need to be heard.

Please let us know what you need from us and how we can best support you, the valued members of our incredible ANAC.

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