PDA Southeast Chapter State Ambassador Program

The PDA Southeast Chapter State Ambassador Program started in early 2022 by appointing volunteers as ambassadors for each state. These individuals organize activities and encourage industry professionals to participate. The response to the volunteer call was amazing, with current PDA members wholeheartedly supporting the initiative. In addition, the program effectively used tools such as the PDA heat maps to understand the geographical distribution of the membership and the locations of major pharmaceutical and biotech company centers.

Since the program's launch in early 2023, significant success has been achieved. Paula Cannella has taken the lead in organizing at least four events in different areas of her state. Positive feedback from the events acknowledges the efforts of our chapter to engage members and promote local participation. An inaugural event in Tampa garnered a good turnout, with unexpected leaders within PDA, like Michael Miller, expressing interest in speaking at future events. Similarly, events in Columbia, South Carolina, with the assistance of Kris Le, received positive feedback. Katie Bevard organized a networking event in Birmingham with a small turnout, yet feedback was exceedingly optimistic about the Ambassador Program's objectives. Katie has hinted at organizing a tailgate event at an Auburn football game, an initiative I, as an Auburn alumnus, look forward to seeing come to fruition.

As my presidency in the Southeast Chapter nears its end in December 2024, I am optimistic about the program's future. Currently, the Chapter President has the authority to designate ambassadors without an election process. However, the PDA Southeast Chapter Board is considering the potential for the ambassador role to become an elected position in the future or for the individual overseeing it to be a member-at-large within the Board of Directors, a decision still under consideration. Furthermore, we are in the process of creating a Charter for the program, led by Dave Dumers, to establish a clear structure outlining our purpose and objectives.

In conjunction with our Chapter Treasurer, Amanda McFarland, we have allocated a specific budget to support the Ambassador Program. We are considering providing $1,000 per ambassador to assist their efforts in their respective states. In the upcoming year, we will closely monitor the progress of this initiative and establish a more structured framework for the continued growth and development of the program.