President’s Corner
Kimberly Curseen, MD FAAHPM
AAHPM President
Emory School of Medicine, Emory Palliative Care Center
Welcome back to President’s Corner, a series from AAHPM President Dr. Kimberly Curseen exploring the priorities and perspectives shaping the future of palliative care.
A Strong Academy Starts with Its Members
As healthcare continues to evolve, so does the work of AAHPM. While priorities, policies, and programs shape the Academy’s direction, Dr. Kimberly Curseen believes its greatest strength has always been its members.
From clinicians and educators to researchers and advocates, AAHPM’s community brings together individuals working every day to improve care for people living with serious illness. Their experiences, ideas, and expertise are essential to helping the Academy respond to emerging challenges and identify new opportunities.
Listening as a Leadership Priority
One of Dr. Curseen’s guiding leadership principles is simple: listen first.
She believes meaningful progress happens when leaders welcome diverse perspectives, encourage thoughtful dialogue, and create space for members to share their voices. As president, she is committed to creating opportunities for members to share ideas, raise concerns, and help inform the Academy’s work.
“A strong Academy depends on active dialogue with its members, and I want people to know their voices matter and are valued.”
Many Ways to Make an Impact
Member engagement takes many forms.
For some, that may mean volunteering for a committee, task force, or leadership position. For others, it may involve participating in a Special Interest Group, council, forum, or discussion group. These opportunities allow members to connect with colleagues, contribute their expertise, and help shape initiatives that advance the field.
Dr. Curseen encourages members to use AAHPM Connect to collaborate, discuss emerging issues, and share challenges or opportunities they are seeing in practice. Often, the most important insights come from clinicians working directly with patients and families.
Shaping the Future Together
A single president or board will not define AAHPM’s future. It will be shaped by the collective knowledge, compassion, and commitment of its members.
Dr. Curseen remains optimistic about what lies ahead for both the Academy and the field of palliative care. She sees tremendous talent throughout the membership and believes the best ideas often emerge when people come together around a shared purpose.
As the Academy continues its work this year, member engagement will remain central to that effort. Whether through volunteering, participating in discussions, attending events, or simply sharing perspectives, every member has a role to play in helping shape the future of serious illness care.
This post is part of President’s Corner, a series from AAHPM President Dr. Kimberly Curseen. Learn more about Dr. Curseen’s vision and priorities during her presidency.