I am Jeffrey Akaka, MD and I humbly ask you for your vote for Secretary of the APA.

For over 25 years, fueled by my DNA of passionate inclusion, I have worked to enhance the lives of each of you and your patients, celebrating the rich diversity of your professional interests, locales, looks, loves, religions and views. Whether visiting you across our entire United States and Canada, attending women's and other minority caucus meetings, or learning from Medical Students, Resident Fellow Members, Early Career Psychiatrists and General Members in widely different circumstances, I infused your collective wisdom into more effective policy language on your Board of Trustees via fact, tact, precision, humor and Aloha.

But we need more than Aloha. If we are going to win the battles of burnout, parity, safety, fair representation in national medical policy, insure funding for graduate medical education and research, and hold accountable those improperly denying payment for work we've already done, we must be in the arenas where those decisions are made.

Serving on medical committees for President Bill Clinton and Hawaii Governors John Waihe'e and Ben Cayetano, testifying as a representative of the APA with our partners at the American Medical Association in the Hawai'i State Legislature and in the United States Congress, appearing on radio and television: I am in those arenas. While working beside you, I'm fighting there for you.

I greatly respect the hearts within us that chose to heal the most maligned of our neighbors, our patients with psychiatric illnesses. I am committed to protect, defend and improve the professional lives of each and every one of you in our APA, by continuing to serve you, as your Secretary.

Please vote Jeffrey Akaka, MD for APA Secretary!

Aloha and mahalo,

Jeffrey

Jeffrey Akaka, MD, DLFAPA