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SPRING  
2021AMWA Annual Financial Report, 2019-2020 

Julie Phelan, MD, MBA / 2019-2020 AMWA Treasurer 

It has been a pleasure servicing as Treasurer for the American Medical Writers 
Association (AMWA) over the past year, and I am pleased to provide this financial 
report for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2020. 

I begin this report acknowledging that during the last 2 quarters of the fiscal year, the 
COVID-19 pandemic caused severe disruption to everyday life and a recession. The 
leadership of AMWA quickly put a plan in place to minimize the impact of the pandemic. 
AMWA staff successfully converted to a remote work environment, and expenses were 
curtailed. Meetings and travel plans were cancelled, and vacant staff positions were put 
on hold. 

The success of the 2019 annual conference in San Diego, popularity of live webinars, 
increase in membership, and careful management of expenses helped to sustain 
AMWA through this uncertain time. The full financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic 
may not be experienced until next year. 

Financial Performance 

AMWA’s net income for the 2019-2020 fiscal year was $448,106, with significant 
investment gains contributing to the results. 

Revenues 

Overall, revenues exceeded budget expectations by 6%, largely because of the success 
of the annual conference. Membership income, annual conference income, and 
education and certificate program income continue to be AMWA’s major sources of 
revenue, providing 89% of AMWA’s program revenue. Net investment income of 
$115,074 accounted for 5% of AMWA’s total revenue (Figure 1). 

 

Figure 1. Sources of program revenue for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2020. 

Membership
35%

Annual Conference
38%

Education/Certificate Program
16%

All Other Revenue
11%

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30

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4

7

11

15

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30

FROM THE PRESIDENT

2020 CONFERENCE COVERAGE
Freelance Focus: 
Jam Session for Seasoned Freelancers � Brian Bass, with  

commentary from Cathryn D. Evans, Sherri Bowen,  

and Melissa L. Bogen 

Walter C. Alvarez Award Address: 
Every Person Is a Patient: Finding the Story in the Science  
� Mary Elizabeth Williams 

John P. McGovern Award Address: 
Learning Curves � Lisa Sanders

Session Reports:
• Tricks and Tips for Time Management 

• Low-Cost and Low-Effort Ways to Create Infographics  
and Visually Appealing Slides 

• A Powerful Combination: The Value of the Writer-Editor 
Partnership

• Editing: Hard Knowledge, Soft Skills 

• Collaborative Writing: Ensure Success With an  
Effective Strategy

• Strategies for Effective Risk Communication 

• Mentoring Programs: One Size May Not Fit All 

• Analysis of Mentoring: From Marginal to Maximal 

• Knowing Which Button to Push: Communicating the  
Value Proposition of Medical Writing 

• What the Best Medical Writers Know About  
Nonclinical Data 

EXHIBITOR PRECIS

FEATURE
Cabells Scholarly Analytics Is a Force of Knowledge Against 
Predatory Publishing—An Interview With Simon Linacre  
� Mary Kemper 



Contents
 INTERIM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF  Shari Rager, MS, CAE

 MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Workman

 SECTION EDITORS

 Around the Career Block Lauren McMahon, PharmD  

 Media and Technology Tara Ann Cartwright, PhD

 Practical Matters Qing Zhou, PhD, ELS

 Regulatory Insights Jennifer Bridgers, MS, MWC

 Science Series Paul C. Dolber, PhD

 Social Media Jennifer Minarcik, MS

 Statistically Speaking  Thomas M. Schindler, PhD

 Everyday Ethics  Julie Ravo, BA, MA

 Members Matters   Govindi (Jaya) Samaranayake, PhD 

 REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

 Freelance Focus Ruwaida Vakil, MSc 

  Brian Bass, MWC

  Melissa L. Bogen, ELS

  Sherri Bowen, MA, ELS

  Lori De Milto, MJ

  Cathryn D. Evans

  Gail V. Flores, PhD

  Phyllis Minick
   In the Service of Good Writing Laurie Endicott Thomas, MA, ELS

 EDITOR AT LARGE Haifa Kassis, MD

 EDITOR EMERITUS Lori L. Alexander, MTPW, ELS, MWC 

 EDITOR IN MEMORIAM Ronald J. Sanchez 

 2020–2021 PRESIDENT Gail V. Flores, PhD 
 2020–2021 BOARD LIAISON R. Michelle Sauer Gehring, PhD, ELS, CRA 

 2020–2021 STAFF LIAISON Shari Rager, MS, CAE

 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Susan Krug, MS, CAE

 GRAPHIC DESIGNER Amy Boches, biographics

EDITORIAL OFFICE: ManagingEditor@amwa.org. Instructions for authors available at: 
www.amwa.org/journal.

ADVERTISING: Contact marketing@amwa.org or (240) 239-0940. All advertising 
is subject to acceptance by AMWA and should be for products and services relevant 
to professional medical communicators. AMWA is not responsible for the content of 
advertising and does not endorse any advertiser or its products or services.

SUBSCRIPTION: The AMWA Journal is published quarterly. Subscription is included 
with AMWA membership. Nonmember subscriptions cost is $75 per year.

CONTACT: American Medical Writers Association, 30 West Gude Drive, #525,  
Rockville, MD 20850-4347. Phone: (240) 238-0940; Fax: (301) 294-9006;
Email: amwa@amwa.org.

The AMWA Journal is in the MLA International Bibliography and selectively indexed  
in the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) print  
index and the CINAHL database.

The opinions expressed by authors contributing to the Journal do not necessarily 
reflect the opinions of AMWA or the institutions with which the authors are 
affiliated. The association accepts no responsibility for the opinions expressed by 
contributors to the Journal.

©2021 American Medical Writers Association. All rights reserved, worldwide.  
ISSN 1075-6361

AMWA JOURNAL MISSION STATEMENT 

In support of the mission of the American Medical 

Writers Association (AMWA) and to advance the broader 

profession, the AMWA Journal publishes content that 

reflects the interests, concerns, and expertise of medical 

communicators. Its purpose is to inform, inspire, and 

motivate medical communicators.

M
O

R
E        V36 N1 / 2021 

 34 STATISTICALLY SPEAKING 
  The Evaluation of Effectiveness, or How Do We Know  
  Whether a Treatment Works in Real Life? Part 2 
  � Thomas M. Schindler and Helen Bridge

 39 PRACTICAL MATTERS
  Leadership Behind the Scenes: A Backstage Approach  
  to Effective Medical Writing � Katie Bates,  

  Dwyn DeSilver, and Cathi Harmon

 43 AROUND THE CAREER BLOCK
  Journey From Veterinary Medicine to Medical Writing   
  � JoAnna Pendergrass

 45 IN THE SERVICE OF GOOD WRITING
  Metaphorically Speaking � Laurie Endicott Thomas

 
 47 CALENDAR OF MEETINGS

 48 MEMBERS MATTERS
  Making History: An Interview With Katrina Burton,   
  AMWA’s New President-Elect � JoAnna Pendergrass

 51 AMWA NEWS
2020 Annual Business Meeting for AMWA Members 
� Katrina Burton

AMWA Annual Financial Report, 2019-2020 
� Julie Phelan

80th Anniversary Donors   




