Get Involved
By becoming a member of the WSMA, you not only have the security of
knowing you have a strong advocate looking out for you and your
patients’ interests, but you also have an opportunity to get involved in
our various initiatives and governance.
Below is a list of WSMA’s governing bodies, standing committees, councils,
work groups and task forces. To learn more and find out how you can get
involved, contact the staff member listed.
WSMA House of Delegates
The
House of Delegates
sets policy for the WSMA. The House is composed of members who represent,
and are designated by, their respective county society and specialty
society sections, as well as representatives of WSMA’s special sections
and members of the WSMA board of trustees. The House meets annually in
October. If you want to serve as a delegate representing your specialty or
county, please contact your local county society or state specialty
society.
Staff:
Shannon Bozarth
WSMA Board of Trustees
The
board of trustees
carries out the mandates and policies of the WSMA as determined by the
House of Delegates. On a more informal basis, the board serves as a
representative group of physicians elected by the House to provide
guidance and feedback to the WSMA executive committee.
The board comprises: The officers of the executive committee (president,
president-elect, immediate past president, 1st vice president, 2nd vice
president, and secretary-treasurer), the speaker and vice speaker of the
House, finance committee chair, trustees (21 total), young physician
trustee, resident trustee, student trustee, four AMA delegates and four
AMA alternate delegates. The WSMA president serves as chair of the board.
The board meets approximately four times per year. Applicants to the board
are submitted to the WSMA nominating committee, which prepares the slate
of candidates for the House of Delegates to act upon.
Staff:
Shannon Bozarth
WSMA Executive Committee
The
executive committee
carries out the mandates and policies of the WSMA as determined by the
board of trustees and the House of Delegates. The executive committee
supervises and directs the executive director/CEO and has the power to
exercise all powers of the board in the management of WSMA’s affairs and
business, except when the board is in session.
Officers of the executive committee include the president,
president-elect, immediate past president (who serves as its chair), 1st
vice president, 2nd vice president, and secretary-treasurer.
Staff:
Jennifer Hanscom
WSMA Finance Committee
The finance committee supervises the funds, investments and expenditures
of the association, together with the board. The finance committee is
composed of five members, three of whom are elected by the House of
Delegates to serve a three-year term, plus the secretary-treasurer from
the executive committee. The finance committee annually designates one of
its three elected members to serve as chair, and the chair also serves as
a voting member of the board of trustees.
Staff:
Amy Fredericks
WSMA Nominating Committee
The nominating committee reviews applications to serve on the board of
trustees and nominates at least one candidate for each open position on
the board to be elected by the House of Delegates during the WSMA Annual
Meeting each fall. The nominating committee is composed of one member from
each of the state's congressional districts and is chaired by the
immediate past president of the WSMA (who does not represent a
congressional district). The president-elect serves as an advisory member.
Nominating committee members are appointed by the president and serve
three-year terms.
Staff:
Shannon Bozarth
WSMA Bylaws Committee
The bylaws committee reviews and makes recommendations to the House of
Delegates on proposed amendments and other issues pertaining to WSMA
bylaws. The bylaws committee is composed of six members, all of whom are
appointed by the president with the approval of the board of trustees.
Committee members serve three-year terms.
Staff:
Shannon Bozarth
WSMA Foundation Board of Directors
The foundation board of directors governs the
WSMA Foundation for Health Care Improvement , a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to creating transformational health
care change at all levels—individual, organizational, and statewide. We
believe in a future where physicians are healthy and fulfilled; where
physicians, the health care team, and patients are partners; and where all
Washingtonians experience equitable, quality care that aligns with their
needs, goals, and values.. The foundation board of directors is composed
of nine members, all of whom (except for the WSMA CEO) are appointed by
the WSMA board of trustees. Members serve three-year terms and can serve
up to two terms.
Staff:
Jessica Martinson
WAMPAC Board of Directors
The WAMPAC board of directors governs the
Washington Medical Political Action Committee , WSMA’s campaign arm. WAMPAC provides analysis on elections and meets
with those running for office to learn about their legislative priorities
and to educate them about policies important to the WSMA. The WAMPAC board
consists of one physician member from each of the state’s 10 congressional
districts. There are also membership positions for a physician assistant,
a resident physician and a medical student. Leadership positions on the
WAMPAC board (chair, vice-chair, secretary-treasurer and assistant
secretary-treasurer) are two-year terms and are voted on by the WSMA board
of trustees.
Staff:
Sean Graham
WSMA Advocacy Council
The advocacy council reviews WSMA’s lobbying agendas, current events and
policy development at the state level and communicates relevant
information to council representatives’ respective societies and groups.
The advocacy council is composed of any specialty society, county or large
group members interested in legislative, regulatory, legal and other
advocacy. The advocacy council meets virtually several times per year.
Staff:
Alex Wehinger
WSMA DEI Committee
As part of WSMA’s commitment to building health equity and eliminating
health disparities, and recognizing that we are responsible for ensuring
that all member voices are heard, the WSMA is incorporating a diversity,
inclusion, and equity lens to everything we do. To help guide this work,
2021-22 WSMA President Mika Sinanan, MD, PhD, implemented a Diversity,
Equity and Inclusion Committee charged with informing WSMA policy
development as well as the association’s demographics to ensure that we
are a truly representative organization.
Staff:
Jennifer Hanscom
AMA Delegation
The WSMA’s AMA delegation represents the interests and needs of Washington
state physicians and their patients in the creation of policies and
programs at the American Medical Association. The AMA delegation is
comprised of delegates and alternate delegates based on AMA membership.
Currently, the WSMA is allocated four of each. AMA delegates and alternate
delegates are elected by the House of Delegates for two-year terms.
Staff:
Shannon Bozarth
WSMA Young Physician Section Governing Council
The Young Physician Section governing council directs the programs and
activities of the
Young Physician Section , WSMA’s special section for physician members under 40 years of age or
within the first 10 years of professional practice after residency and
fellowship training. The governing council is composed of the chair, vice
chair, a delegate to the House of Delegates, an alternate delegate to the
House of Delegates, and three at-large members. The council also may
appoint designated seats on the council for non-voting liaisons. Each of
these offices is voted on annually prior to a meeting of the executive
committee in September.
Staff:
Milana McLead
WSMA Resident and Fellow Section Governing Council
The Resident and Fellow Section governing council directs the programs and
activities of the
Resident and Fellow Section , WSMA’s special section for resident and fellow members. The governing
council is composed of the chair, vice chair, a delegate to the House of
Delegates, an alternate delegate to the House of Delegates, and three
at-large members. The council also may appoint designated seats on the
council for non-voting liaisons. Each of these offices is voted on
annually prior to a meeting of the executive committee in September.
Staff:
Milana McLead
WSMA Medical Student Section Governing Council
The Medical Student Section governing council directs the programs and
activities of the
Medical Student Section , WSMA’s special section for medical student members. The governing
council is composed of the chair, vice chair, a delegate to the House of
Delegates, an alternate delegate to the House of Delegates, and three
at-large members. The council also may appoint designated seats on the
council for non-voting liaisons. Each of these offices is voted on
annually prior to a meeting of the executive committee in September.
Staff:
Milana McLead
WSMA Latinx Advisory Council
The 2020 WSMA House of Delegates passed policy establishing a Latinx
Advisory Council within the WSMA beginning in 2021. The Latinx Advisory
Council will provide a forum in which Latinx physicians and physician
assistants can support each other professionally, recruit other Latinx
physicians, and develop and inform advocacy strategies within the WSMA.
Staff: Aaron Waldokoetter
Washington Serious Illness Care Coalition and Steering Committee
The
Washington Serious Illness Care Coalition (previously known as the Washington End-of-Life Coalition) is a
broad-based group of individuals and organizations from across the state
dedicated to helping patients, physicians, clinicians, and caregivers
improve the way we discuss, prepare for, and treat serious illness. Error!
Hyperlink reference not valid.There are no dues or requirements for
membership. Members will receive news and information via email and will
be invited to participate in activities in support and celebration of
end-of-life and advance care planning initiatives across the state.
The WSICC Steering Committee serves as a convener for professionals and
the public; promotes education, conversations, and planning across all
settings; and participates in state and national conversations. Steering
Committee members each agree to a minimum term of two years. The steering
committee is guided by three officers: chair, vice chair, and immediate
past chair (chair emeritus), each with a term spanning two years.
Candidates for the vice chair position are chosen based on qualifications,
not years of committee service. One of the three officeholders must be a
WSMA member.
Staff:
Brendan Cox
Washington State POLST Task Force and Advisory Group
The POLST task force coordinates the
Portable Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program
to ensure the form keeps pace with current practice standards. The task
force is chaired or co-chaired by a WSMA member. The task force consults
with a larger ad hoc POLST advisory group every two years, or as needed,
to review the form for revisions.
Staff:
Brendan Cox
Medical Officer Collaborative and Advisory Group
The
Medical Officer Collaborative , co-sponsored by the WSMA and the Washington State Hospital Association,
is a forum for medical leadership from across the state to collaborate on
important topics of quality and leadership. The collaborative is composed
of chief medical officers, vice presidents of medical affairs and chiefs
of staff from hospitals and large medical groups in Washington state. The
Medical Officer Collaborative advisory group establishes the
collaborative’s priorities and helps inform discussions at WSMA and WSHA.
The advisory group is comprised of a representative mix of regular
collaborative attendees from a variety of hospital and clinic types around
the state.
Staff:
Jessica Martinson
Honoring Choices® Pacific Northwest Advisory Council
The Honoring Choices PNW advisory council guides the WSMA and Washington
State Hospital Association jointly sponsored
Honoring Choices® PNW advance care planning initiative
and informs both associations on advocacy matters related to the
initiative and advance care planning. The advisory council is composed of
physician and administrative leaders from medical groups, hospitals,
insurers, AARP, and advance care planning/end-of-life associations from
around Washington state.
Staff:
Jessica Martinson
WSMA Behavioral Health Work Group
The behavioral health work group provides the WSMA with physician input on
the development of WSMA positions on behavioral health issues, and better
enables the WSMA to react to proposals offered by various external
parties, including the governor’s office, the state Health Care Authority
and others. Work group members include representatives from specialty
society leadership, including addiction medicine, child psychiatry,
emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and
psychiatry.
Staff:
Shannon Bozarth
WSMA CME Accreditation Committee
The accreditation committee accredits institutions and organizations in
Washington, Alaska, and Oregon to provide
AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for continuing medical education. The
committee upholds intrastate accreditation requirements as set forth by
the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and
advises WSMA leadership, state legislation, and the licensing board about
continuing education requirements. Members on this committee share a
passion for high-quality continuing education for physicians and allied
health professionals. The accreditation committee is composed of
physicians and CME program administrators throughout the Pacific
Northwest. The committee meets three times per year.
Staff:
Kendra Peterson
WSMA CME Program Committee
The CME program committee reviews CME applications and awards credit for
WSMA and jointly provided AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for
continuing medical education activities. Members on this committee share a
passion for high-quality continuing education for physicians and allied
health professionals. The CME program committee is composed of WSMA
physician members from throughout Washington state. The committee meets
once per year.
Staff:
Kendra Peterson