Tennessee Medical Association Alliance

The 2024 TMAA Convention was held in Chattanooga on April 26-27. The Chattanooga Medical Alliance hosted the event at The Westin on Chattanooga’s Southside, a lively district with restaurants and hotels. Thank you to CMA members for organizing and hosting this year’s convention. 

The meeting opened with a Welcome Reception and Dinner at The Walden Club on the top floor of the Republic Building. Many thanks to Dr. R. Phillip Burns, husband of Gayanne Burns, TMAA President 1987-1988, for sponsoring our organization at the private dining club. Guests enjoyed a festive occasion with panoramic views of Chattanooga as we dined and shared good company.

The business meeting opened at 9:30 am after the well-attended Golden Gavel Breakfast. Michael St. Charles, a local attorney and prolific non-profit volunteer, spoke to attendees about volunteerism. His insights into those who are volunteers and how to recruit volunteers was enlightening. We were honored to have Racheal Kunesh, AMAA President 2023-2024 as our special guest for this event. She spoke about the AMAA and her presidency over the past year. She also conducted the installation of our 2024-2025 officers. Milli Yium from Chattanooga graciously passed her TMAA President’s pin to incoming president Kelly Maxwell during the ceremony.

Kelly Maxwell | TMAA President 2024-2025

Summer Greetings!

I am honored to be serving as the TMAA President for 2024-2025. The theme for my presidency is “Building a Healthy Future,” which I view as not only a mission for our communities in Tennessee, but also for our organization. I appreciate your support as we work to strengthen our state and local Alliances and the health of Tennessee.

I have recently returned from attending the AMAA Convention in Nashville. Michelle Hsu (AIM) served as Co-Chair and Jo Terry (Knoxville) served as the Host State Chair. Their planning and attention to detail made for a very successful annual meeting. Many thanks also go out to the TMAA members that served on committees and helped with the event. Congratulations to WUJ who received the Health Awareness Promotion (HAP) award for Community Service for their “Ponchos for People” project. I have come back from the convention inspired by the people I have met, the talks I have heard, and the health projects that I have learned about from around the country.

We will be working this summer to put together a program for Update 2024 meeting that hopefully will spark inspiration in our alliance members. We will continue the work started last year by Cynthia Gash using the strategic plan developed in 2012 as a guide. While we still need to work on our internal processes, we will begin to consider methods for improving our external messages and image. We are working on scheduling Update for the last half of August. Please stayed tuned for more information on date and location!

I look forward to working with all of you this year as we strive to build a healthy future for TMAA and our communities in Tennessee!

Kelly Maxwell | TMAA President 2024-2025

Dear TMAA Alliance Friends-

I can’t believe this is my last TMAA President letter! I began my term as President by selecting a theme: Hearts for Health | Creating Meaningful Connections Through Friendship and Philanthropy.  To me it perfectly fit the culture of the organization: a generous community of women who truly care about their physician spouses and families; who have hearts for service and leadership; who desire to promote excellence in healthcare; and who thrive on support, friendship, and connection.

To put my theme into action, I turned to the TMAA Strategic Plan which, although developed in 2012, is still relevant today.  It guided me to link specific activities of our board toward meeting those long-standing goals and to implement intentional, clear, consistent messaging both internally and externally as stated in the plan. I thank the members of my board for their cooperation in achieving tangible outcomes for our organization. These efforts include: 

Philanthropic | We started the year with a Raise the Paddle at 2023 Convention which raised over $4,000 to support the Philanthropic Fund.

Update Retreat | The Update meeting this year was held as a Retreat event featuring discussion sessions allowing members to become familiar with our strategic plan and give input on its implementation. The schedule of events promoted sharing and networking between individuals and alliances.

Membership | Extra funds were dedicated to Update Retreat to allow for an enhanced member experience at the venue, and social events were planned to encourage member engagement. We created new language in our Bylaws that, moving forward, allows alliances to form directly under TMAA without needing to partner with a medical society.

Health Promotions | We developed a partnership with Dispose RX to initiate a turnkey statewide Health Promotion project consistent with our signature MEDS brand promoting safe disposal of prescription medication. To compliment this project, we scheduled a spring Health Promotions Lunch & Learn via ZOOM with Ann Hamlin, VP of Dispose RX, to educate our members about their product, opioid settlements, and remediation strategies.

Legislative Affairs | We scheduled a fall Legislative Affairs Lunch & Learn via ZOOM with Erika Thomas, TMA Associate Director of Member Engagement, to educate our members about legislative priorities concerning the practice of medicine in Tennessee. We provided information about joining TMA PAC and encouraged participation in Day-on-Hill. 

Communications | A new website and member app were created providing members across the state with access to organizational resources and a membership directory. In addition, the website clearly brands our organization through color, style, and content. 

Organizational | We reviewed bylaws and clarified officer duties to ensure job descriptions were current. We have dedicated time at Convention for a transition meeting between outgoing and incoming officers to encourage a smooth transfer of duties through communication of tasks, procedures, knowledge, and mentoring. We are working to collect and update a list of current TMAA policies. We created guidelines for use of Leadership Development Funds.
Cynthia Gash | TMAA President 2023-2014 

The new website has been a signature project for this year. We partnered with Nathanna Design in Knoxville to create our site on the Wild Apricot platform. The process has been a lot of work and the timeframe took longer than expected, but I believe the results will be worthwhile. It is my hope that the website will improve TMAA’s messaging and identity, increase membership across the state, and improve organizational capacity – thus making it an effective tool as we continue work to meet all three of our strategic plan goals.

When I began this year, I questioned what I could do to help lead TMAA over my year as President. With the help of my board, I have had the opportunity to discover what we could accomplish together. Many of us doubt whether what we have to give is enough.  On a recent trip to Bruges, I came across the heraldic motto of the Lords of Gruuthuse, one of the city’s noble families during the medieval period: Plus est en vou. Roughly translated it means: There is more in you. I believe there is more in all of us than we know.

I will close the year with the same words I used to begin my year: Thank you for the honor of electing me to serve as the TMAA President for 2023-2024. 

Cynthia Gash | TMAA President 2023-2024

Dear TMA Alliance Friends-

Happy New Year! I hope you had a happy and joy-filled holiday season, and all is well with each of you, your families, and your alliances. 

Activities continue to run smoothly thanks to the competent and enthusiastic officers on the TMAA Board of Directors team this year. I appreciate our TMAA leaders who ensure the ongoing success of our state alliance through their efforts. Here are some examples from the last two quarters:

• Susan Brown, VP of Membership, acknowledged AIM renewals through hand-written notes and encouraged friendship among our members through social events at Update. Each of us can contribute to the success of Membership recruitment by inviting physician spouses to local/state alliance events.  

• Cynthia Pectol, VP of Legislative Affairs, coordinated an “Alliance Exclusive” Legislative Update Lunch & Learn in November that was well-attended and informative. She reminded us that we can be a part of legislative efforts to benefit the practice of medicine in Tennessee by staying informed and by our participation in TMAPAC and Day on the Hill.

• Beth Kasper and the Nominating Committee assembled the new slate of officers for 2024-2025. Thank you to all those who said “Yes!”  As we move into the new year, consider how you might fill a leadership position and use your skills to grow alliances at the local and state levels. 

• Members of the Philanthropic Board of Managers have continued to review and award quarterly TMAA Health Promotions Grants for local alliance initiatives. If your alliance has an idea for a great health promotions project, apply for a grant to help with funding.

• Lisa St. Charles, Treasurer, has diligently monitored our finances while preparing for future service in TMAA. Assist our record-keeping by renewing your membership on time! 

• Nancy Sewell, Secretary, has promptly prepared Minutes and made them available for board approval. Copies of the Minutes are available for you to review at Update and Convention. 

• Rae Grosserode, VP of Communications, sent our communications via email and Volunteer Voice.  Thank you for taking time to open our communications and read about our alliance activities!

• Health Promotions, Bylaws and Finance Committees are planning for their work in the new year.

• The Chattanooga Medical Alliance will host the 2024 Convention which will be held in Chattanooga in April 2024. President-Elect, Kelly Maxwell, is leading the planning committee while also serving as TMAA Planning & Development Chair and preparing for her role as TMAA President for 2024-2025.

I am working with our officers and focus vice presidents to make sure job descriptions are current. We will continue to update these over the course of the year and have them ready for the officer transition at Convention. Work continues to develop the new TMAA website; watch for more information in the new year.

Lastly, a reminder that TMAA will be accepting nominations for the Dolores Chandra Award this year. The Dolores Chandra Award is given biannually in even years to honor a TMAA member who has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills in the alliance, family, and community. The nomination deadline is March 30, and I will present the award at Convention. There are many worthy candidates in our state, and I encourage you to consider making a nomination as recognition by our peers is so meaningful and can inspire others.

I am grateful for your Hearts for Health and all the ways you help TMAA in Creating Meaningful Connections through Friendship and Philanthropy.

Cynthia Gash | TMAA President 2023-2014 

The 2023 Update Retreat was held on August 20-21, 2023, at the Dancing Bear Lodge in Townsend, Tennessee. Retreat activities included dinner at the Appalachian Bistro, a Bunko membership social, and conversation & s’mores around the campfire on Sunday evening. Monday began with an amazing breakfast prior to gathering for official business, which focused on the TMAA Strategic Plan. The retreat-style event provided attendees the opportunity to get to know one another, share ideas, projects, and struggles among AIMS/alliances, and offer input regarding the purpose and potential of TMAA.

As a foundation for conversation, we listed things that define TMAA as an organization: membership eligibility requirements; our association with TMA; the connections between the national, state, and county alliances; our mission statement and bylaws; laws concerning 501c organizations; the work of our focus Vice Presidents; our meetings; the philanthropic fund; our leaders; and our TMAA Strategic Plan. We acknowledged that how successfully we implement our goals and processes also defines who we are, and that while progress has been made, there is still work to be done to fully meet the TMAA Strategic Plan Objectives:

Goal 1 | Develop TMAA’s Messaging and Identity
Goal 2 | Grow TMAA’s Membership 
Goal 3 | Develop TMAA’s Internal Organizational Capacity

Breakout sessions were led by the Vice Presidents of Communication, Health Promotions, Legislation, and Membership, and the Chairs of the Philanthropic Fund and Planning & Development Committee. Attendees were able to explore how each area relates to our mission, offer ideas toward achieving the desired outcomes formed by our strategic plan, and help set measures of success for assessing our progress and holding ourselves accountable.

It was so exciting to see the engagement of our leaders and members as they worked together to create our goals for the year and visions for the future. If you were unable to join us for Update Retreat but have ideas to share, I invite input and participation from all of you with Hearts for Health to help TMAA in Creating Meaningful Connections through Friendship and Philanthropy!

Cynthia Gash | TMAA President 2023-2024

Dear TMA Alliance Friends-

I was thrilled to see so many of you at our 2023 Update Retreat at Dancing Bear Lodge! The dedicated time together in the Great Smoky Mountains was the perfect opportunity to focus on our organization. As a reminder of my theme for this year, and as a token of appreciation for the leadership team and members attending Update, I included a velvet heart in the gift bags. I hope those may find a special place as a reminder that your Hearts for Health are appreciated within TMAA!  Mine is hanging in my office where I will see it daily as I go through this year as President. Special thanks to Nora Lee, Beth Peterson, and their official host team from the WUJ Alliance, and to Sheila Barnett who helped me in scheduling our plans at Dancing Bear and curated information about nearby activities. 

Our new TMAA Website is underway!  We have been working with Nathanna Design in Knoxville to collect and organize TMAA content into the Wild Apricot platform.  Developing the website and member app is a primary goal for this year and a major step forward toward developing TMAA’s messaging and identity, growing our membership, and finessing our operating processes. If you have an interest in working with our communications team as we begin training members to use the website, newsletter, and member app, please reach out to me!

Over the summer, I had a chance to connect with members of the Tennessee Medical Association and meet current members of the TMA Board of Directors when I attended the TMA Board Retreat held in Knoxville in July. The main speaker addressed strategic planning, a focus of our own TMAA Update Retreat. I was able to relate with some valuable points such as: don’t think of a strategic plan every 5-10 years but every year, be planning all the time; accomplishing goals should be the focus of every board meeting agenda; work toward clearly stated outcomes and consider recruiting board members based on skills that are needed to generate those outcomes; if the money allocated in the budget is not resulting in the desired outcomes, revise spending.

My focus this year is to create specific, achievable goals that move us forward in meeting our strategic plan objectives. I encourage each of you to consider what you have to offer and how you can join us in shaping our organization’s future.

Cynthia Gash | TMAA President 2023-2024

The 2023 Convention was held in Knoxville on April 20-21. KAMA as the host alliance did an amazing job with all aspects of the planning and preparations. I truly appreciate the work by my fellow KAMA members on the planning committee, without whom the meeting could not have been so successful.  And, the Knoxville Academy of Medicine graciously allowed us the use of their state-of-the-art conference room for the business meeting, for which we are truly grateful.  Thank you, KAM and KAMA! 

Jacqueline Nguyen, Esq., AMAA President 2022-2023, and Racheal Kunesh, AMAA President-Elect 2022-2023, were our special guests for the event.  We were honored to have Jacqueline speak to attendees about the AMAA and conduct the installation of TMAA officers for 2023-2024. The meeting featured two additional guest speakers. Juliann Chavez, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.N., spoke about women’s nutrition, supplements and aging gracefully. Andria Yates, Ph.D., gave a presentation about personal leadership development and individual leadership styles in a non-profit setting.

The evening prior to the business meeting, TMAA hosted a Welcome Reception & Dinner at the beautifully renovated event space at The Orangery, catered by Bistro By the Tracks. A “Raise the Paddle” was held to benefit the TMAA Philanthropic Fund which raised just over $4,400 to be used to fund TMAA Health Grants across the state. On behalf of the TMAA Philanthropic Board, thank you to everyone who supported this cause.

Watch your email for information about TMAA 2024 Convention, scheduled to be held in Chattanooga and hosted by the Chattanooga Medical Alliance.

Cynthia Gash | TMAA President 2023-2024

Dear TMA Alliance Friends-

Thank you for the honor of electing me to serve as the TMAA President for 2023-2024. My theme for this year is Hearts for Health | Creating Meaningful Connections Through Friendship and Philanthropy.  

We began implementing this theme at the 2023 Convention in Knoxville where members had time to connect and socialize at the Welcome Reception & Dinner and support our Philanthropic Fund through the Raise-the-Paddle event on Thursday evening.  On Friday, I was honored to be installed by AMAA President, Jacqueline Nguyen, followed by the first meeting with my new Board of Directors, an experienced team I look forward to working with in the upcoming year. 

Following Convention, I attended the AMAA Annual Meeting in Nashville, where TMAA co-sponsored the Welcome Reception and several of our Tennessee alliance members served on the annual meeting event council. Extra-special thanks go out to Jo Terry (Chair) and Amanda Baron (Co-Chair) for their amazing work planning and coordinating the details of the annual meeting.  Congratulations to WUJ who received the Physician Family Day Award for their “Physician Family Day in the Park” project. Watch for further information about the 2024 AMAA Annual meeting, slated to be held again in Nashville!

TMAA work will continue over the summer as we plan for 2023 Update and 2024 Convention, send renewal letters to our AIMs, communicate through the Volunteer Voice, track legislative efforts, and support health promotions in our communities. In addition, we will be working to create a new website and membership app for TMAA using the Wild Apricot platform.  It is my hope that through our work, we can build meaningful connections between alliance members from across our state.

Cynthia Gash

TMAA President 2023-2024