I am writing this final President’s Message beside a fire after an unforgettable backcountry snowboard day on “Lincoln’s Throat” in New Hampshire. If you notice a small gash on my face at PainConnect, now you know why.

I recently returned from travels in India and Dubai with my family. The beauty and complexity of those places were striking, and so was the reminder that people everywhere are living with uncertainty and strain. My thoughts are with colleagues, patients, and families who are feeling the weight of global tensions. Compassion is not abstract for us. It is our daily work.

As I reflect on this year, I am immensely proud of our members and your unwavering dedication to patients living with chronic pain. Thank you for the honor of serving as your 41st President and the first woman to hold this role. Thank you for the inspiring conversations, the candid debates, and even the difficult discussions about who we are and where our field must go.

I cannot wait to see so many of you in Utah this week. Your presence, your engagement, and your commitment to this Academy matter more than ever.

Highlights from this year:

Education

• Launch of the Pain Perspectives Course featuring expert faculty from PainConnect 2025
• Pain Psychology CME (coming soon) led by Traci Speed and Liz Courtney
• Planning and launch of PainConnect 2026 under the leadership of Chair David Copenhaver and co-chairs Traci Speed and Tim Furnish

Advocacy

• AAPM commentary on the BMJ network meta-analysis on spine interventions, published in Pain Medicine, led by Nat Schuster and our advocacy and expert teams
• Response to the Medicare LCD proposal seeking to eliminate coverage for peripheral nerve blocks and ablations, led by James Babington, and commentary in Pain Medicine led by Priyanka Singla

Research

• Topical Analgesics for Neuropathic Pain clinical guideline published in Pain Medicine and led by Erin Lawson
• FDA Acute Low Back Pain Guideline work led by Mark Wallace, Ajay Wasan, Jessica Oswald, Daniel Alford, James Babington, Andrew Chang, Beth Darnall, Mark Holtsman, and Heather Jackson.
• Restorative muscle function guideline led by Trent Emerick (manuscript in submission)

One of my favorite memories this year was at our leadership meeting in Florida, learning that Marie Hanna grew up speaking French in Egypt, Emal Wahezi brings an ultrasound machine to his children’s baseball practice, Sharon Kneebone’s favorite place to live during her military family travels was Alaska, and Jeremy Adler teaches Morse code. Our Academy is powered not only by expertise, but by extraordinary people with remarkable stories.

We have accomplished much, and there is still important work ahead to support you and the patients who rely on us.

Please find me in Utah and say hello. I want to hear from you!

I am deeply grateful to Dr. Marie Hanna as she steps into the presidency, and to our incoming and outgoing Board members and leadership teams for their dedication and service.

The future of pain medicine depends on courage, collaboration, and clarity of purpose. I have never been more confident that AAPM is ready.