| News from the Guam Committee |
Hafa Adai from Guam!
Well, I lied! Last edition I mentioned that it would be my last contribution to the newsletter… well… guess not! There is good news though as I would like to introduce you to some new members to our GLPC. First is a “young” old friend, John Ray Taitano… John and I have worked together in the past and he is stepping up to hopefully be part of the new leadership here. Also Nicole Dhanraj whom I recently met and wow what a great addition to Guam and our program! Finally a very new face, Felix Esquibel who is changing careers and wants to explore health care administration! Welcome to Guam and our GLPC. As I hand off the organization we will better introduce these new faces to the group and I look forward to wonderful things.
This month we will say farewell to another good friend and classmate, CAPT Dan Cornwell, the Commander of USNH Guam. Dan and I met back in Baylor and yes it is a small world. He served our nation for like a hundred years in the Navy and will be returning back to the states near the end of the month. Sadly I don’t know specifically when his change of command is but I know his retirement date is June 29. Best wishes my friend and welcome to the blue card club!
In my Inbox I was happy to reconnect with a friend that is now in Hawaii and she too is looking at life after the military. Why I bring this up is another value added item about membership in the ACHE and in my opinion probably the most valuable. That is the relationships and friendships that you form. Healthcare Administration is a relatively small group of professionals and it sure is comforting when you can network and share ideas. In this case, I am hoping life for her may include staying in the Pacific! We are sorely in need of qualified and motivated healthcare administrators, especially in the remote islands. So, if you are reading this and are interested in staying out here in the deep blue Pacific feel free to contact me and I will share, to the best of my ability, opportunities that you can explore for your future. Hmm…life in Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk?
We are also in PCS season so we will start to reach out to new members at Navy and Air Force to include in our GLPC. I hope to meet with the new Commander too as soon as I can find out when the change of command is...Argh!
As mentioned, it is a political year here on Guam. Healthcare is a lead issue here and everyday there is a media article or interview. There is good and bad to that of course, but it does illuminate the need for professionals in the islands. There are some great advances being made, such as high speed cabling that will allow for increased telecommunications. This will allow for greater outreach to the remote islands and increased educational opportunities. The University of Guam is already moving forward on many fronts in that area. We are also starting to engage in cancer clinical trials and hope to expand into more Micronesian specific medical research. It is truly an exciting time for us. With the change of governance in the leadership of Guam, there is an opportunity to relook what we do. It is a time of optimism but also a time of uneasiness. We shall see what our future will bring.
In closing, I am not going to say this will be my last article, simply because I don’t want to lie again! But, I look forward to bringing on our new members and hold an election soon so we can put in place a solid leadership team! God bless you and God bless Guam.
Regards,
Chuck
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