Last year during my candidacy, I mentioned my father, who was the quarterback for the University of Notre Dame’s 1949 championship football team. Even if you don’t follow Notre Dame, you may have seen the sign players tap as they head for the field. It reads, “Play Like a Champion Today.” We have a similar sign in our house for inspiration that we tap every morning going down the steps. When I was in grad school, I asked my dad if he thought there was ever a time in life when you reach a plateau—when everything is steady. He laughed and, of course, said, “Never—you always have to keep reaching and setting new goals.” That’s one of the reasons I’m seeking your vote for the ACEP Board. I want to lead emergency physicians and our specialty to overcome the challenges we are facing and achieve new goals.

My background includes serving in the US Army in Germany and Bosnia. As a major, I served as a commander, established the first EMT course for medics leading to civilian licensure, and addressed population health issues. I also served as chief of staff of our hospital and worked with physicians across specialties and non-physician groups inside and outside of the hospital. In addition, I served as president of the Texas College of Emergency Physicians, the third largest chapter in the country. This role gave me valuable understanding of how ACEP and its chapters work. I’m involved in research and speak to physicians across the country including groups at national conferences such as SEMPA, ACEP, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), and American Heart Association (AHA). I understand firsthand your concerns and know the issues. Brahim Ardolic of New York recently complimented me, saying that he judges how well a person will serve on the Board based on how well he campaigns. I hope you’ll see my commitment, dedication, and unique skills set that qualifies me for this role and differentiates me from other candidates.

Our president-elect, Becky Parker, is highlighting diversity this year, so I want to address what I would bring to the Board. First is generational diversity. I bridge the baby boomers and Gen Xers and therefore bring a combination of institutional memory of issues and fresh perspectives. Geographically, I am the only candidate and Board member who represents the middle two-thirds of the United States. In addition, I’ve worked in diverse settings—for example, in Maryland, where a single-payer model exists, and in Texas, where freestanding emergency departments are growing. I also bring the diversity of practice environments. For the past seven years, I’ve worked for a private independent democratic multispecialty group at a regional referral center in Lubbock, Texas, but I also am a clinical assistant professor at Texas Tech University. I bring business experience through working with corporations as an advisory board member.