I was proud to see family physician Gerald “Gerry” Harmon, M.D., installed as president of the AMA during the recent Special Meeting of the House of Delegates. Harmon knows about leadership. He was elected to the AMA Board of Trustees in 2013 and has served as board chair and secretary. He also has served in numerous leadership roles at the state and local level. He was chief physician for the National Guard Bureau and assistant surgeon general for the U.S. Air Force before retiring with the rank of major general.

This marks the second time in five years that a family physician has served as AMA president. Harmon follows David Barbe, M.D., of Mountain Grove, Mo., who was president in 2017-18. Family medicine leadership isn’t limited to the AMA Board. Roughly 100 family physicians who participate in their state medical association meetings also represent their states in the AMA House of Delegates. During the recent meeting, I was pleased to see three of these family physicians elected to important roles:

• Louito Edje, M.D., M.H.P.E., of Cincinnati, was elected to the Council on Medical Education.
• Alain Chaoui M.D., of Peabody, Mass., was elected to the Council on Medical Service.
• Jerry Abraham, M.D., M.P.H., C.Q.M., of Los Angeles, was elected to the Council on Constitution and Bylaws.

Additionally, Mary Carpenter, M.D., of Burke, S.D., was appointed chair of the Council on Legislation.

In addition to the family physicians who represent their states in the House of Delegates, the AAFP has nearly two dozen members in its official AMA delegation. The AAFP delegation and the state delegates caucus, communicating and collaborating to bring the family medicine perspective to resolutions and testimony.

A few years ago, the Academy — which is one of the few organizations that includes medical students, residents and new physicians in its delegation — made a focused effort to recruit more emerging leaders to join the experienced leadership on the AAFP delegation. The result is a dynamic group that represents our incredibly diverse membership well. My thanks to everyone who serves in the AAFP delegation:

• Derek Baughman, M.D., Lebanon, Penn.;
• Kevin Bernstein, M.D., M.S., Jacksonville, Fla.;
• Joanna Bisgrove, M.D., Evanston, Ill.;
• Emily Briggs, M.D., M.P.H., New Braunfels, Texas;
• Michael Hanak, M.D., La Gange, Ill.;
• Dan Heinemann, M.D., Canton, S.D.;
• Tate Hinkle, M.D., M.P.H., Auburn, Ala.;
• Crystal Huang, M.D., Irvine, Calif.;
• Gary LeRoy, M.D., Dayton, Ohio;
• Evelyn Lewis & Clark, M.D., M.A., Newnan, Ga.;
• Ivonne McLean, M.D., New York;
• Sterling Ransone, M.D., Deltaville, Va.;
• Anita Ravi, M.D., M.P.H., New York;
• Stephen Richards, D.O., Spirit Lake, Iowa;
• Tyson Schwab, M.D., Provo, Utah;
• LaTasha Seliby Perkins, M.D., Alexandria, Va.;
• Jerome Soldo, M.D., Los Angeles;
• Hugh Taylor, M.D., South Hamilton, Mass.;
• Janet West, M.D., Jacksonville, Fla.;
• Emma York, D.O., Norfolk, Va.; and
• Kim Yu, M.D., Mission Viejo, Calif.

Ada Stewart, M.D., is president of the AAFP.