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Defining the Next Chapter of CSA
February is coming to an end. I would like to recognize Black History Month and National Black Women Physicians Day one more time. The leadership, resilience and brilliance of Black physicians must be celebrated and honored. We must continue to protect opportunities, strengthen physician leadership, and uphold standards of patient care just like those who have done so in the past.
Over the past weekend, we held our board of directors retreat under the guidance of past ASA CEO, Mr. Paul Pomerantz. We were not there to review routine reports, instead we were there to ask harder questions: Who are we becoming? What does influence look like? What will it take to get there? This comes about a year after we developed our renewed vision, core values, and mission statement, as follows.
Vision: Empowering anesthesiologists to lead patient-centered healthcare.
Core Values: • Community• Inclusion• Integrity
Mission Statement
Cultivate excellence through innovation, education, and leadership
Support, promote, and protect the highest standards in anesthesia care
Advocate for patients and anesthesiologists
CSA is strong. We have committed leaders, respected advocacy efforts, and a culture grounded in community, inclusion, and integrity. However, strength by itself does not guarantee the future.
Clarity does.
A few themes emerged clearly during our discussions.
First, identity matters. CSA is strong. This is our Brand: the unified professional voice of California Anesthesiologists.
Second, engagement comes before growth. If you build it, they will come. We must demonstrate professional citizenship and offer meaningful opportunities—-and membership will grow.
Third, influence requires intention. We must remain consistent, build relationships with legislators and stakeholders, and be prepared. We must modernize communications, improve oversight, strengthen our leadership succession planning, and show up!
CSA must lead with intention, brand ourselves clearly, and remain unified in our mission.
I want to thank Mr. Paul Pomerantz and our staff for making this happen, our board members and committee chairs for showing up and actively participating, and our members for entrusting us as leaders to carry out the mission of CSA.
Every patient matters. Every anesthesiologist matters.
And CSA exists to support both.
With gratitude,
Christina M. Menor MD, MS, FASA (She/Her)
Indigodoc Inc
@indigodoc
President
California Society of Anesthesiologists (CSA)
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