Chair File: All In for the Future

When I began my year as AHA Board Chair, my goal was for us to be all in. In a year that was full of many tests — OBBBA, executive orders and an ongoing, steady state of disruption — my aspiration in stewarding this organization was to strengthen our ability not just to survive, but to thrive.

Now, thriving may not be the word that some of us would use to describe the past year. But I do believe we are at an inflection point as a field. The choice is ours: Do we sit back, or do we lean in and transform, taking bold steps forward and figuring out how to thrive in this new environment.

This past year made it clearer than ever that our health care field, held together by patch after patch since 1965, is not sustainable. Some of the patches that we need to keep going are gone, and it’s unrealistic to think they’re coming back.

This is where our opportunity to thrive comes in. In many ways, there has never been a better time to transform. The pace of technology and innovation creates a transformative opportunity, a time to advance care and improve the lives of our teams and communities.

Instead of an ecosystem held together by patches, we can create a system that clicks together like a puzzle — one where the pieces are designed to fit together, and patches are not needed. Instead of treating the symptoms, we can find a cure for American health care.

This will be hard. But the hard things are the ones worth fighting for. We can make health care stronger and more resilient for our teams and the people we serve. We can create a ecosystem that works for the world of 2065 instead of 1965, one that works far better than a pile of patchwork ever could.

Because of all we've been through this past year, I look to 2026 and beyond and know we can take hold of our future and thrive. And I see that same determination in my conversations with many of you as well. Our neighbors and communities are counting on us. When we’re all in, together, we will continue to rise to the challenge.

And for that, I’m grateful. Thank you to AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack, the AHA team, the board members, our members and my family. You have helped me be a better leader and person, and I hope that I have made an impact on you and the field. It has been an honor to serve as Chair, and I look forward to continuing to make health better, together.