CAFP extends an extra special thank you to Sacramento Valley and Santa Cruz-Monterey outgoing chapter Board Presidents Erika Roshanravan, MD and Jeannine Rodems, MD. Two years ago, Erika and Jeannine each took up the challenge of reviving their respective chapters. In both cases, they steadily guided the merging of two smaller chapters into a larger regional chapter, created bylaws, oversaw the first elections for chapter boards, and began holding regular meetings and planning member events. At every step of the way, they infused their work with great heart, and a spirit of inclusivity and possibility. It has been an absolute delight to work with them in these endeavors. As a testament to their leadership, two local members share their gratitude.
“Dr. Jeannine Rodems has been the role model for family medicine leadership. Humble yet bold, flexible yet effective, creative, innovative in her selfless service for decades of work with CAFP. It was not surprising that when her work on the CAFP board was completed she arose to the task of leading the merging of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey County chapters. In doing so, Dr. Rodems brought new life to the CAFP efforts on the California Central Coast, an area in great need of an organized presence of family physicians.
As the founding president for the new Santa Cruz-Monterey CAFP Chapter she has built a strong, diverse, talented board of directors that includes medical students and FM residents, practicing FPs, faculty, and retired. The chapter is engaged with most of the systems of care locally and expanded its advocacy efforts.
The hundreds of FPs in the tri-county area owe gratitude to Dr. Rodems for the leadership legacy she has demonstrated in this multi-year effort and will long remember her example of being a family physician who truly has made a difference.” Walt Mills, MD, CAFP Past President
“We at the Sacramento Valley CAFP Chapter would like to thank and honor Dr. Erika Roshanravan for reviving our beloved chapter. I will never forget the day I met Erika on Saturday of the 2019 AMAM conference. It felt like she walked around the room, selecting the Sacramento physicians like flowers for a bouquet, then wrapped us up in her vision of what the Sac Valley CAFP Chapter could be and sprinkled some magic bloom dust onto each new member, eliciting energy to organize new programs and re-think old standards. Her knowledge and experience of board procedures permitted us to work through problems as a team and set the stage for productive conversations. She takes delight in detail and has an enthusiasm for regulation, while always ready for a giggle over coffee. She guides and coaches and teaches and leans into good ideas, celebrates her colleagues and promotes good health in her community. She has an ear for motivating news items to bring to the board's attention, and a knack for centering energy with a well-selected poem. Erika makes other family medicine doctors proud of family medicine, and strives to make this specialty better. She is the big sister we all wish we had, I can only imagine how her patients feel about her! Thank you, Erika, for gifting your energy to us and to the chapter!” Ava Asher, CAFP District X Director
