I was welcomed with open arms and from there I volunteered for any committee that would have me. I eventually ended up on the Editorial Review Board and attended an annual meeting where we had an in-person meeting and I met the other committee members in person for the first time.

I also met Chris Tomlinson, past AHRA president, through another organization and he influenced and encouraged me to get more involved with AHRA. This highlights one of the many things that I love about AHRA in that it is not dependent on who you know to be involved you just need a passion to contribute to the profession. I started without knowing one other person and was able welcomed into so many opportunities to help.


HCB News: What was that journey like, from joining AHRA to becoming president?
MP: The journey from first time member and first time annual meeting attendee to becoming President was really about allowing myself to be vulnerable and overcoming the natural fear of the unknown. It is scary to jump into a situation where you don’t know the other people or may not know what is expected of you on a committee. Every step on this journey was new for me and I learned on the job. In every situation I was surrounded with welcoming colleagues that only want the best for the organization. My meeting as a newly elected board member was another situation where I had no idea what I should be doing and I only knew one person on the board but I was quickly taken under the wing of my new board colleagues and they made me feel like I belonged. It has been a learning journey of building the skills to work alongside the best in the business and to make progress on a team where everyone is at the same level. I love that the ARHA is about the growth and development of Imaging leaders so that patients everywhere get the very best care and competition fades away. At AHRA we are all working to support each other and by extension our profession no matter where that is in the country.

HCB News: What are some of the biggest initiatives that you have championed at the AHRA?
MP: We have been working hard at AHRA and have achieved a wonderful turnaround from the Covid years. Covid hit associations like ours very hard and I am proud that we not only survived but thrived. Our Living our Legacy campaign has been the most successful fundraising campaign in AHRA history and the partnerships with our vendor colleagues is stronger then ever. This has also lead to many meaningful partnership activities and opportunities for members such as expansion of our Putting Patients First grants for supporting innovation, the Partners in Learning Program which supports colleagues visiting each other to learn best practices, our Leaders of Choice program to provide a cohort of leaders with an intensive year long professionally coached learning program, and various scholarships to support meeting attendance. I am also really proud of the AHRA leading the way in collaborating with many other professional societies in Imaging to engage in meaningful dialogue around shared industry issues like staffing and elevating our profession. We are also breaking records in new member sign ups and in members becoming Certified Radiology Administrators (CRA). The AHRA is stronger and more vibrant then ever and I am really proud of the direction we are headed and the impact we are making in the lives of so many members.

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