





































 V37 N3 / 2022 

©2022 American Medical Writers Association. All rights reserved.  
ISSN 2163-5315

AMWAJournal.org     33

I can hardly believe that the fall season is here. This past year 
has flown by and much was accomplished. As the year heads 
to its close, I think it is important to reflect on the milestones 
achieved and lessons learned.
 When I took on the presidency in the fall of 2021, AMWA 
had just completed the second successful virtual conference. 
As we look forward to November, I am so excited that we will 
gathering in Denver this year to elevate health and well-be-
ing through medical communication. This year’s Annual 
Conference Committee, led by Kimberly Korwek, has built 
a conference program that will meet the diverse needs of 
the AMWA membership. The committee has planned rele-
vant and timely workshops and open sessions to ensure we 
all continue to grow in our field. If you haven’t registered for 
the 2022 Medical Writing & Communication Conference, I 
encourage you to review the program and consider joining 
us in Denver.
 As part of the conference program, I have the honor of 
presenting the AMWA President’s Award to J. Kelly Byram, 
a member of the Southwest Chapter. Byram has been a 
devoted AMWA volunteer for several years, and AMWA has 
generously benefited from her time and generosity. Be sure 
to read my article about her achievements in the next issue 
of the AMWA Journal.
 I also look to forward to recognizing this year’s John P. 
McGovern Award winner, and I am excited to join our mem-
bers in saluting other winners of prestigious AMWA awards 
at this year’s conference.
 Speaking of members, AMWA membership continues to 
grow. Our membership is now over 4,600 and growing, and 
I believe our growth is due to the incredible congeniality of 
our membership base. We are excited to see such an amazing 
number of members with diverse experiences and individual 
talents; and additionally, we appreciate those members who 
devote their time and expertise to the organization.
 An important initiative from the past year was the devel-
opment and establishment of the Diversity and Inclusion 
(D&I) Assessment Task Force. The task force, led by Dr Gail V. 
Flores, is working on identifying how AMWA can foster a more 
diverse and inclusive environment within the organization.  

I am proud to share that the D&I Assessment Task Force 
crafted a survey to help gather member perspective on this 
important topic. The AMWA 2022 Diversity, Equity, and 
Inclusion (DEI) Survey was recently shared with the entire 
membership. We hope you are able to participate in this very 
important survey, as your feedback is important.
 In addition to the work of the D&I Assessment Task 
Force, the AMWA Board of Directors (BOD) recently 
approved the organization’s first comprehensive statement 
on DEI. The crafted statement was shared with the D&I 
Assessment Task Force, the Chapter Advisory Council, and 
the BOD for feedback before the final statement went to the 
BOD for a vote. Be sure to read the new statement that is now 
posted online and in this issue of the Journal. Special thanks 
to the staff and members that worked together to make this 
statement a reality.
 As I think about AMWA’s mission and priorities, I am 
immensely proud of the work that is happening on the many 
committees that supports the core values and priorities of 
the organization. I am looking forward to the new educa-
tional programming in the pipeline and other amazing work 
underway. Further, AMWA is dedicated to providing top-tier 
education and networking opportunities for members. Even 
before she became the Director of Education for AMWA,  
Lori L. Alexander was a true leader at AMWA and was strongly 
dedicated to the improvement and advancement of education 
initiatives. I hope as she looks down, she sees what an impact 
she made on so many lives, and I look forward to the upcom-
ing announcement regarding a legacy tribute to her work.
 As I close this article, I am reminded of how our journal 
continues to feed and enrich our membership. Interesting 
and informative articles are published in the AMWA Journal, 
and I am looking forward to the preservation of that infor-
mation in the new online journal system. The hard work and 
dedication of our new editor-in-chief, Michael G. Baker, and 
the AMWA staff liaison, Shari Rager, has resulted in a smooth 
platform transition that now allows for more modernization. 
The Journal and our organization continue to improve and 
grow. It is a season in which AMWA continues to win, and I 
appreciate being a part of the journey.

FROM THE PRESIDENT
A Season of Wins

AMWA NEWS

Katrina R. Burton, BS / 2021–2022 AMWA President

http://www.amwajournal.org
https://www.amwa.org/news/511877/A-Message-from-the-AMWA-President-and-Executive-Director.htm
https://www.amwa.org/news/511877/A-Message-from-the-AMWA-President-and-Executive-Director.htm



