As I reflect on this past year as AAPP President, I feel a sense of awe and profound gratitude. AAPP is not simply an association to me. It is a community where challenges are met with courage, compassion, and collective wisdom. Serving in this role has been one of the great honors of my professional life.
This year brought real challenges. We navigated political turbulence, shifting priorities, and moments that tested our resolve. What I will remember most is how our community responded. We did not turn away from complexity. We leaned in, stayed focused on patients, and moved forward together.
I am proud of the progress we made. The Rapid Action Task Force responded with remarkable speed, bringing expertise and evidence-based policy statements that kept patients’ needs at the center of our work. We also innovated through new education series, expanded practice initiatives, continued to advocate for the vital role of psychiatric pharmacists, and celebrated you and your accomplishments.
None of this happens without our staff. They quietly power every initiative, every meeting, and every success. Their commitment and skill kept us moving forward, even in moments of uncertainty. I want to recognize our entire staff team: Brenda Schimenti, Greg Payne, Beth DeJongh, Vanessa Wasser, Katie Brase, and Andria Church. Your hard work, energy, and creativity are the heartbeat of AAPP.
Serving as President this year has also been personally meaningful. As I reflected during my outgoing remarks, this year closed a beautiful circle in my own 23-year journey with AAPP. More than twenty years ago, as a pharmacy student, I reached out to Suzie Cala, now Harris and our incoming President, as I explored a residency program I hoped to join. That early moment of connection captures what I value most about AAPP. We support each other. We mentor. We open doors. We lift one another up. I would not have imagined serving as President without the encouragement and kindness of mentors, colleagues, friends, and my family.
As we look ahead, I am confident in Suzie’s leadership. She and the Board of Directors will continue to inspire us to keep mentoring, advocating, and building a community where people feel seen, valued, and supported. That collective mentorship strengthens our profession and helps us meet the needs of our patients and our colleagues.
Thank you for the positive impact you have had on me, on our patients, and on AAPP. Thank you for making this organization extraordinary, and for making it home for so many.
With appreciation,
Jolene