President’s Letter from Deb Palazzi – Inside the PIDS Board: Service, Strategy, and Your Voice

As we move into an exciting new phase of strategic planning for PIDS, I want to take a moment to pull back the curtain on how your Board functions, what service at this level looks like, and, most importantly, how your voice shapes our direction.

The PIDS Board is a working board. Composed of 13 elected leaders, 1 trainee liaison member and 1 associate professional liaison member (current board list available on our About page), it meets regularly to guide the Society’s priorities, oversee programs, and ensure that our mission to advance the health and well-being of children through excellence in pediatric infectious diseases is carried forward in meaningful and measurable ways. Board members are actively engaged in the totality of Society efforts: committee work, strategic initiatives, advocacy, education, and research that directly impact our field.

Service on the Board is both a privilege and a responsibility. It requires an inquisitive nature, thoughtful deliberation, a willingness to represent diverse perspectives, and a commitment to the broader good of the Society. Board members are not only leaders; they are stewards of your ideas, concerns, and aspirations.

That is why your engagement is so critical. We strongly encourage all members to share their perspectives, whether through direct outreach to Board members, participation in committees, or engagement in Society forums, webinars, and meetings. Your insights help ensure that our decisions are grounded in the realities of clinical care, research, and education across varied settings.

We are also embarking on the next phase of our 5-year strategic plan – an effort that will define our priorities and guide our work for years to come. This plan will reflect both the evolving landscape of pediatric infectious diseases and the collective vision of our membership. It  promises to be ambitious, forward-looking, and rooted in our shared commitment to improving child health.

As we reflect on the work of the Board, it is worth considering, “What makes an excellent board?”

An excellent board:

• Is mission-driven and strategically focused
• Reflects diverse perspectives and expertise
• Engages in open, respectful, and transparent dialogue
• Listens actively to its members and stakeholders
• Acts with integrity and accountability
• Supports innovation while maintaining fiscal and organizational responsibility
• Communicates clearly and consistently
• Is responsive, adaptable, and forward-thinking

I am proud to say, “Yes, we have all of this!” Our Board is deeply committed, highly engaged, and united in its dedication to PIDS and its members.

To our Board members and Society leaders past, present, and future: thank you for your leadership, your time, and your unwavering commitment.

To our members: thank you for your passion, your ideas, and your partnership.

We are shaping the future of PIDS for each other and the children and families we care for on a daily basis.

Better together, always,
Deb