Marian G. Michaels Personal Statement

The American Society of Transplantation has provided a home for my professional career.  As a pediatric infectious diseases specialist (PIDS) my heart lay in understanding and preventing infections in children who were immunosuppressed. In Pittsburgh, in the early 1990s, this led directly to pediatric transplantation. Mapping out the epidemiology of their infections, trying to better understand the complexity of their interaction with viruses, as well devising preventive strategies became my life’s mission. While the PIDS Society could be a home for part of my world it did not have the bandwidth to help with transplantation and I found myself seeking mentorship from the adult transplant team. Very early on they introduced me to The American Society of Transplant Physicians which ultimately became AST.  This was by far and away the society that aligned with my core mission. Since then I have had the opportunity to watch the society grow and develop. Not only watched, but I actively participated in our society’s maturation into a highly inclusive group using Communities of Practices (COP) model. In fact, infectious diseases was the prototype COP and Pediatrics followed shortly afterwards. The COP model allows for an open interaction of subspecialists within the field of organ transplantation to organize professionally, foster ideas for research, and develop educational tools for our direct community as well as the public. Equally important the COPs demonstrate a dedication to enhance the development of future leaders by giving them a seat at the table and providing mentorship. Both COPs have been highly successful in bringing in greater membership and accomplishing goals of AST. The positive impact and contributions that I have had working with the COPs has reinforced my commitment to our society.

The AST mission statement puts forward that we are an organization of professionals dedicated to advancing the field of transplantation and improving patient care by promoting research, education, advocacy, and organ donation. These have been guiding principles throughout my career. Leadership requires a sense of purpose and I believe that my work in pediatric transplantation over the last 25 odd years exemplifies this goal. Leaders must show a respect for all individuals within our society which was highlighted when ASTP became AST demonstrating the fact that our society represents a very diverse group of individuals serving transplantation rather than just the physicians. My career in pediatrics has taught me well the importance of working as an integrated team and hearing from all members to help promote goals.  Finally I believe that leaders also need to have a sense of justice not only for the members of our Society but likewise for the patients for whom we ultimately care. I feel that my strengths in working with diverse groups of people, my experiences in teaching and other leadership positions and my commitment to succeed provide me with a strength and talent that can serve the AST moving forward.

If elected I would be honored to serve as a Councilor-at-Large AST.