Soundings President’s Message

current President of the AAO-HNS, Kathleen Yaremchuk, MD, will be the keynote speaker at the PAO-HNS Annual Meeting in June. Dr. Yaremchuk will speak as part of the general program and again at the Women in Otolaryngology event. You can find more details about the meeting in the summary provided by Program Chairs Drs. Nick Purdy and Karen Choi in this issue of Soundings. The program committee has done an amazing job and it is a meeting that you will not want to miss!

Welcome to Spring Soundings! This is always a wonderful time of year in Pennsylvania and an exciting time of year for the Pennsylvania Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (PAO-HNS). The weather is getting warmer, and we are getting closer to the PAO-HNS 2023 Annual Meeting. This year we will be holding the meeting on June 16 – 15 at a beautiful venue that is new to us, the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square. We are thrilled to offer this new setting for what we anticipate being another high-quality conference for both science and socializing. I was recently an invited speaker at the Virginia Society of Otolaryngology (VSO) Annual Meeting. It was stellar and I enjoyed the opportunity to see the work of another state society. There were many parallels between the VSO and the PAO-HNS and the experience deeply confirmed for me the importance of state societies. The value of a strong state society is something that is repeatedly acknowledged by the leadership at the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, and we are honored that the

After limited activity during the COVID pandemic, things are picking up again in the state legislature. As such, it was timely that the PAO-HNS engaged a new lobbyist earlier this year. I am excited to introduce Philip Dunn, whose extensive background in the PA State Senate will help in keeping our interests prioritized. Please see his update in this issue of Soundings to learn more about his background and some of the bills being considered in 2023.

I am also excited to introduce a new award that will be presented at our Annual Meeting this year. The Ellie Goldenberg Award will be given in loving memory and honor of the daughter of Drs. David and Renee Goldenberg.

It will be awarded annually to a resident in one of our state’s training programs who embodies the way in which Ellie lived her life: with a strong work ethic, diligence, initiative, and kindness. A detailed description of the award is included in this issue of Soundings. I strongly encourage nominations.

This is my final Soundings message as President of PAO-HNS. It is remarkable how quickly the two years have passed, and I am proud of what the organization has accomplished. We have returned to inperson annual meetings which are essential to trainee development and member networking, two of the most important missions of the PAO-HNS. The success of the annual meetings has strengthened our financial status and the addition of our new lobbyist has enhanced our advocacy. Our committee structure has been re-designed to facilitate involvement of our newest members. All the above translate into a bright future for the PAO-HNS. I would like to thank our PAMED TEAM: Audrey Dean for her partnership, Ariel Jones for her leadership, Jessica Winger for her fantastic meeting coordination, and Cindy Warren for this beautiful newsletter. Thank you to Dr. Jessyka Lighthall, who will take over as president at the annual meeting, and Dr. Colin Huntley, who will become presidentelect, for their collaboration and support in their current roles. I am confident they will take the PAO-HNS to new heights. Thank you to the entire executive council whose volunteerism and commitment are recognized and are the reason why the PAO-HNS has excelled for so many years. Finally, thank you to the entire membership. It has been an honor to serve as your president and you inspire all of us to keep making the PAO-HNS better. The future is bright indeed!

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President David M. Cognetti, MD, FACS

Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery

Thomas Jefferson University 925 Chestnut St Fl 6 Philadelphia PA 19107-4204

President-Elect Jessyka G. Lighthall, MD Penn State Hershey Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery

500 University Dr., Ste. 400 UPC, H091 Hershey, PA 17033-2360

Secretary-Treasurer Colin T Huntley MD Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery

Thomas Jefferson University 925 Chestnut St Fl 6

Philadelphia, PA 19107-4204

Administrative

400 Winding Creek Blvd. Mechanicsburg, PA 17050-1885

833-770-1544

855-918-3611 (fax)

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Soundings accepts classified advertisements; however, there is no guarantee that they will be published. All submissions are subject to review. The advertisement should be of interest/ pertain to otolaryngologists, their practice, and health care in Pennsylvania. Submissions that are self-promotional or commercial in nature will not be accepted. Publication of advertising does not imply endorsement of the products advertised or the statements contained in such advertising by Soundings or the PAO-HNS. The opinions expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the opinion of PAO-HNS.