Anita V. Shelgikar, MD, MHPE, turned the president of the American Academy of Sleep Medication (AASM) board of administrators on Monday, June 9, 2025, in the course of the AASM annual membership assembly, which happened in Seattle as a part of the SLEEP 2025 annual assembly of the Related Skilled Sleep Societies (APSS).
That is an excerpt of the remarks that she offered in the course of the membership assembly.
Remarks by Dr. Anita V. Shelgikar
I’m extremely honored and humbled to function the fortieth president of this storied, vibrant group. To the Academy members – thanks for the boldness and belief you’ve shared with me. I’ve a lot gratitude for the work you do, day in and day trip, to advance sleep and circadian care to enhance the well being and well-being of our sufferers and our communities.
Who’re we? We’re the American Academy of Sleep Medication, over 9,500 particular person members and a couple of,300 accredited sleep facilities sturdy. We members of the Academy are related by our dedication to sleep drugs consciousness, to the success of the number of apply varieties inside our area, and to the mixing of rising applied sciences into the care we offer. We’re interconnected via our advocacy that sleep and circadian analysis and scientific sleep drugs are elementary to the well being care and well-being of all communities.
We’re the AASM – a strong neighborhood related via volunteerism. Annually, tons of of Academy members volunteer their time and experience on our committees, job forces, assemblies, and different volunteer teams. Our volunteers are the spine of the Academy.
Your volunteer engagement is important as we work towards our shared strategic priorities. The Academy’s Committee on Committees works with the senior employees to develop every volunteer group’s mandate and targets for the board’s consideration, and it determines the rosters for every of those volunteer teams. This previous 12 months, I had the pleasure of serving as chair of the Committee on Committees, and my precedence was to have interaction each single member who submitted an utility to volunteer with the Academy. I challenged us to intention for a 100% volunteer placement fee for the 2025-26 administrative 12 months.
We, the AASM, rose to that problem via the creation of Strategic Ambassador positions, that are appointed micro-volunteer positions that align to every of the Academy’s strategic targets. These Strategic Ambassador alternatives will enable extra members to attach with the Academy and function a platform for many who want to develop as volunteers for years to come back.
I’m excited to share with you that we, the Academy, achieved a 100% volunteer placement fee for the 2025-26 administrative 12 months – up from lower than 40% the prior 12 months. This accomplishment is a testomony to the Academy’s willingness to assume creatively and collaboratively, to attach with our members in partnership to realize our shared mission and strategic targets.
We’re the AASM, connecting with one another to advance sleep care and improve sleep well being to enhance lives. Our collective voice strengthens our means to work towards and advocate for sleep and circadian science, schooling, and insurance policies that may enhance lives.
Look out for the subsequent name for volunteers in February 2026. We welcome your utility to have interaction with different members, enrich your skilled journey, and go away an enduring influence on the sphere of sleep drugs.
We’re the AASM – a powerful, related neighborhood with ardour and readability of goal. I’m proud to name myself a member. To those that have recognized me my complete life, to these of you who’re assembly me for the primary time, and to those that have been part of my journey – thanks on your assist, on your confidence, and for the respect of serving as president of this unimaginable group. I promise that I’ll give my finest for all of us, and for our American Academy of Sleep Medication. Thanks.
