The Team Behind 26 Years of AAMD Excellence

On the cover and back cover of this month’s issue of Trends, I wanted to shine a light on the incredible AAMD staff members I’ve had the privilege to work alongside for the past 26 years. The photos featured are only a small sampling, but they capture the spirit of the many different teams who have helped make AAMD such a special place to work—and such a strong association for our members.

The smiles and happy faces in these images aren’t staged. They genuinely reflect the culture of warmth, teamwork, and positive energy that our staff has built and protected over the years. This team works extremely hard and consistently goes the extra mile to make our programs meaningful, unique, and valuable. Just as important, they do it while creating a fun, supportive environment that makes coming to work every day something to look forward to.

I’m especially proud of our team’s average tenure, which is now more than9.7 years. That kind of commitment doesn’t happen by accident. It speaks to the character, dedication, and loyalty of our staff. The current team is the best we’ve ever had, and I’m grateful every day for how deeply they care about our mission and about serving our members. They share my drive to consistently outperform expectations, and they prove it through their work, their ideas, and the way they show up for each other.

There’s an old saying that a good leader surrounds themselves with people who are smarter than they are. In my case, I’ve managed to keep outdoing myself on that front—ha ha. I learn
from this team constantly, and AAMD is stronger because of their talent and heart.

As much of this issue of Trends is dedicated to recognizing the people who have made AAMD successful—from every angle and over many years—I want to be clear about my top priority in that gratitude: our staff. Thank you for your excellence, your care, your loyalty, and the joy you bring to this work. AAMD’s success story is your story, too, and I’m honored to have shared the last 26 years with you.