GLMA elects new president, board members

Kenneth A. Haller, a St. Louis pediatrician, was elected president of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association on Wednesday. New officers and board members also were elected, reports GLMA executive director Maureen O'Leary. "As we promised, we continue to expand the level of diversity represented on this new GLMA board of directors," O'Leary said. "The diversity is both ethnic and geographic. It also reflects increasing professional diversity as well." Haller, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, said, "The challenges faced by gay and lesbian persons seeking health care today are greater than ever. The current Administration has done much to make health information less accessible to LGBT people by defunding current programs as well as ignoring the recommendations of the government's own agencies regarding research into our health care needs. GLMA has been at the forefront of advocating for compassionate, quality health care for LGBT persons. I am thrilled to be a part of continuing and expanding that mission as GLMA faces new threats to our community in the health care environment." In addition to Haller, Leigh Roberts, MD, Chicago, and Marion Kavanaugh-Lynch, MD, MPH, Oakland, Calif., have joined GLMA's executive committee as vice presidents. West Hollywood, Calif., physician Richard V. Riggs was appointed vice president of board development. Hayward, Calif. physician Tri Do was elected as secretary, and Manuel Hernandez of Philadelphia was elected treasurer. New board members include: Advocate.com columnist Stephen Goldstone of New York City; Frances M. Chester of Louisville, Ky.; Edwin M. Craft of Kensington, Md.; Shawn L. Fultz of Pittsburgh; Robert Garofalo of Chicago; Dawn Harbatkin of New York City; Jerry Judd Pryde of Los Angeles; and Joseph Riddick of Nellysford, Va. New resident board representatives include: Greg Hannahs of New York City and Scott Styles of London, Ontario, Canada. New student representatives include: Andrew C. Dietz of Minneapolis; Leah Kelley of Chicago; Robert Luo of Baltimore; Ravi Shah of Chicago; and Adam Stoller of Sacramento.