By Manda Hall, MD, Associate Commissioner, Community Health Improvement Division, Texas Department of State Health Services

As I reflect on my past year as president of AMCHP, the following quote by Dr. Paul Farmer resonates with me:

“With rare exceptions, all of your most important achievements on this planet will come from working with others – in one word, partnership.”

Serving as one of our strategic plan pillars, partnerships are critical to our success as an organization. The collaborations, connections, and relationships that we create and foster are powerful and foundational to our work in maternal and child health (MCH). This was especially true this past year, where we continued to see constant change and an ongoing need for flexibility and perseverance in the face of uncertainty and difficult circumstances.

We witnessed growth within our organization, as our new Chief Executive Officer Terrance E. Moore entered the AMCHP family. Terrance has jumped in with both feet and has brought an abundance of expertise, enthusiasm, and compassion to this role. Our AMCHP team continues to expand, and I am impressed and grateful for the leadership and support AMCHP provides.

AMCHP also has invested in communication tools and launched our new website, which provides valuable resources to our stakeholders. Moreover, the website enhances AMCHP’s presence as a leader in the MCH space. I also had the opportunity to participate in the inaugural MCH Bridges podcast and share my experience working in the MCH field and the role that AMCHP has played in my journey.

At the beginning of my presidency, I challenged us to continue to prioritize the work of addressing health disparities across all MCH populations. As an organization, we have the opportunity to advance this important work and support our membership through our AMCHP strategic plan. The plan, to be launched in the fall of 2022, will serve as a blueprint to move forward the important mission and vision of AMCHP to “protect and promote the optimal health of women, children, youth, families, and communities.”

I want to thank you and acknowledge all of the hard work and dedication that you bring not only to AMCHP, but also to each of your organizations. I am honored to have served as your president and look forward to what the next year holds for AMCHP and our membership.