By Debra Cherry

Happy holidays to all members of the Healthcare and Aging Network. As we enter this period of holiday cheer and gift giving, the members of our Network may want to consider how fortunate we are to have the support and vision of our parent organization, the American Society on Aging. It is easy to take ASA for granted. After all, many of us belong to another professional membership society as well. Yet, there are qualities that make ASA special.

ASA is also committed to developing the leadership skills of its members. The is accomplished both through formal programs like the new ASA Leadership Academy, and through presentation and networking opportunities for people new to the field of aging. Our Network and others also offer leadership development opportunities for those who want to become more involved.From my perspective, one key strength of our organization is its strong emphasis on valuing diversity and inclusivity. How many young professionals have launched their careers through our NVL program? For many years, our organization has fostered the growth of young professionals from diverse ethnic communities. ASA stimulates expansion of p

ASA, more than many professional organizations, tries to offer a robust membership experience. There are free webinars that are reaching thousands of our members. There are networking opportunities in local communities and through peer group sessions at the annual meeting. There is Aging Today and the journal, Generations.rograms that serve ethnically diverse people. Its offers training programs to help professionals overcome health disparities. It seeks to improve the competence of professionals who work cross-culturally or with individuals from LGBT communities. It is good to be in an organization that strongly and unequivocally promotes diversity and inclusivity as a core value.

So perhaps during this holiday season, we should think about ASA and be grateful. Perhaps we may even want to remember our organization in our year-end giving. We are fortunate that ASA has survived the recent economic downturn and that it is re-growing its capacity. I think we all want it to thrive.

Have a wonderful holiday season and thank all of you HAN members for your contributions to the field and to our fabulous professional organization.

See you at the annual meeting.

Debra Cherry

Debra L. Cherry, PhD, is Executive Vice President, Alzheimer's Association California Southland, in Los Angeles, Calif., and Chair of ASA's Healthcare & Aging Network

This article is brought to you by the Editorial Board of ASA’s Healthcare & Aging Network (HAN)