​A Message from PAAA President Gisoo Ghaffari, M.D. 

It is with great enthusiasm that I serve as the President of the Board of Regents of Pennsylvania Allergy and Asthma Association (PAAA) in the period 2023-2024. PAAA is an organization that has been a source of pride for its members and the community since it was established in 1949.

Aligned with the mission of the PAAA and following in the footsteps of the esteemed previous presidents, I am determined to advocate for patients with asthma, allergic and immunological disorders, and the community of allergist-immunologists in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. PAAA has a long track record of standing up for the rights of patients and clinicians. Given the current challenges in healthcare, these advocacy actions are absolute necessities. Pennsylvania is among the states with an increasing number of refugees and other underserved populations, leading to changing characteristics of the population, with increasing diversity in demographics, backgrounds, and life experiences. The practitioners in the field also come from diverse backgrounds. It is only appropriate for our organization to be conscious of the diversity and to expand its advocacy mission to be inclusive and equitable for the patients, as well as for the established and new generation of practitioners in the field of asthma, allergy and immunology.

Other missions of PAAA have included promoting education, encouraging research in the field and related disciplines, cooperating with other organizations in areas related to the practice or study of allergy, asthma, and immunologic diseases. I am particularly proud of the achievements by the Education and Research Fund (PAERF) and will wholeheartedly support this charitable arm of PAAA to fund the fellows in training to participate in the annual meeting, to present their research and disseminate the knowledge in the field.

PAAA annual meeting has been an incredible initiative, an event that brings the community of allergist and immunologists to learn and socialize. The annual meeting provides opportunities to learn from experts who are thrilled to come to the sweetest place on earth to share their knowledge and expertise with enthusiastic individuals. I am excited that in 2024, PAAA annual meeting celebrates its 75th anniversary.
 
Gisoo Ghaffari, MD, FACP, FAAAAI, FACAAI
Professor of Medicine
Director, Allergy-Immunology Fellowship Training Program,
Penn State College of Medicine,  Milton S. Hershey Medical Center