PROFILE
is important . We have to reach out and get the ball rolling with these organizations and let them know we exist .” Thoms would also like to lead a push for more members . “ A lot of people are not well connected , so they don ’ t even know there ’ s a national association to support them ,” he said . “ We have to do a better job of showing what we can bring to the table for them and the resources that they can easily access that make membership a can ’ t-miss opportunity . With our online learning they can stay up to date on continuing education , attend the conference , read the magazine , etc .”
Thoms realizes that being SFMA President brings with it plenty of challenges . As previously noted , much has changed since he first joined the board in 2020 . The 2021 SFMA Conference was switched to a virtual event due to the pandemic ; longtime SFMA CEO Kim Heck stepped down from the role in 2022 ; her replacement , Laura Simmons , lasted just over a year in the role ; and SFMA has now gone without a CEO in place for nearly a year .
Despite the challenges and changes , Thoms points to positive strides made in recent years including background changes members might not see , such as upgrades to association management software .
Photo provided by Adam Thoms , Ph . D .
Photo credit : Mark Skalny Photography
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