From the NLA President: Our Pursuit Continues

The NLA has consistently held a determined focus on promoting the highest levels of education and professional development. We are defined by the quality of our outstanding leadership, members, partners and staff. As a result, we are continuously challenged to assess and refine our work in an attempt to produce the best and most innovative programming in Clinical Lipidology, leading to a direct and measurable impact in our medical community and across the globe.

With our core mission in mind, a group of NLA leaders met in Miami from February 8-10 for biannual strategic planning, where we were faced with important topics about resources and positioning the association far into the future. I am gratified to report that we emerged with clear priorities in the areas of Professional Education, Policy Statements, and Practice Management and Research. Additionally, we discussed ongoing and new endeavors in the areas of Communications and Membership.

We have made targeted recommendations regarding Leadership Development and Member Responsibilities. In particular, chapter leaders and members at the regional levels will be given greater responsibility for projects, and chapter leaders will develop annual plans. Chapter bylaws will be made uniform so they are consistent throughout the association. In addition, some NLA committees will review and refine their charges and initiatives.

The strategic planning recommendations will be brought before the NLA Board for consideration during our Annual Scientific Sessions in Las Vegas this coming May. I look forward to sharing our strategic plan with you once adopted and approved.

Additionally, the NLA hosted yet another successful regional meeting, the Spring Clinical Lipid Update, in New Orleans this past February. The conference was co hosted by the Midwest Lipid Association and Southwest Lipid Association, who provided key expertise in the planning and execution of the Spring CLU. After the conference concluded, Foundation of the NLA President Anne Goldberg, MD,hosted some of our partner organizations during our inaugural FH Roundtable in New Orleans. At the Roundtable, these groups discussed forming a collective identity known as the FH Consortium, with the goal of further moving FH awareness to the national stage and assisting patients with finding treatment.

Moving ahead, I look forward to seeing you at our Annual Scientific Sessions in Las Vegas from May 30-June 2. I always enjoy the NLA meetings because they are characterized by people who are passionate about ideas and who share common values and intellectual energy. Let's gather once again to share with and learn from one another in our pursuit of new knowledge as well as personal and career achievement.