New section
The EAPCI Board meeting took place during the 2024 edition of the ESC Congress in London. As the first Board meeting of the 2024-2026 term, this was an opportunity for the 2024-2026 EAPCI Board members to meet with the new Pillar Chairs as well as the EAPCI committee chairs and co-chairs to discuss the strategic plan for the term and the goals and objectives of each pillar and committee.
The 2024-2026 Executive Board was announced at the transitional board meeting during EuroPCR and com- prises Professor Alaide Chieffo, EAPCI President; Professor Emanuele Barbato, Past President; Professor Martine Gilard, President-Elect; Doctor Dejan Milasinovic, Treasurer; Professor Flavio Ribichini, Secretary; Professor Salvatore Brugaletta and Professor Maciej Lesiak, PCR representatives.
EAPCI Pillars and committees
The EAPCI Pillar Chairs and their committees were intro- duced. The Science and Research Pillar will be chaired by Marco Valgimigli from Switzerland. This pillar comprises three committees. The Scientific Documents Committee, chaired by Felix Mahfoud and Co-Chair Anna Franzone, plans to continue the work of the prior committee utilising the standardised operating procedure to ensure open and transparent communication with regard to proposals for EAPCI consensus statements. The Research and Scientific Innovations Committee will be chaired by Giulio Stefanini and co-chaired by Piotr Buszman who will focus on develop- ing EAPCI-led research during their term. Finally, the Valvular and Structural Heart Interventions Committee, chaired by Nicole Karam and co-chaired by Fabien Praz, is a new com- mittee who would like to integrate work from the Valve for Life initiative and the ESC Working Group on Valvular Heart Disease to advance care for these patients.
The Congress Pillar Chair Julinda Mehilli will oversee the work of two committees. The Congress Committee is chaired by Valeria Paradies and co-chaired by Mirvat Alasnag. This committee is key in proposing sessions at the ESC Congress as well as EuroPCR and PCR London Valves. The Congress Committee also coordinates joint sessions and EAPCI- endorsed sessions at the National Society Congress and other international congresses. The Educational Content Courses and Webinars Committee, chaired by Erik Rafflenbeul and co-chaired by Tom Johnson, is a new committee for this term. This committee will focus on enhancing the educational con- tent provided by the EAPCI.
The Advocacy and Regulatory Affairs Pillar will be chaired by Marie-Claude Morice and is composed of three com- mittees. The Patient Advocacy Committee will be chaired by Stéphane Manzo-Silberman and co-chaired by Joanna Wykrzykowska. It will look to continue the work of the previ- ous committee as well as integrate patient representatives into their work. The Gender and Disparities Committee will con- tinue the work of the online coaching mentoring programme under the Chair Marta Kaluzna-Oleksy and Co-Chair Giulia Masiero. Finally, the Nurses and Allied Health Professionals (NAP) Committee, chaired by Alison Dahlman and co- chaired by Angeliki Kolyda, will look to increase NAP par- ticipation in the EAPCI as well as consider translating their very successful new curriculum to allow increased participa- tion by NAPs who may not be confident completing the cur- riculum in English.
The Membership Pillar will be chaired by Jose Maria de la Torre Hernandez. This pillar comprises the Online and Communication Committee, chaired by Nicola Ryan and co- chaired by Ali Nazmi Calik. They will continue to develop the EAPCI’s presence within the online space and look at new and innovative methods of communicating with mem- bers. The National Cardiac Societies Committee, chaired by Francesco Saia and co-chaired by Michal Hawranek, remains a key link between the EAPCI Board and the National Societies and Working Groups of ESC member countries. The International Affairs and Partnerships Committee is a new committee designed to allow increased cooperation between the EAPCI and other international cardiology and interven- tional cardiology societies.
Finally, the Educational Pillar Chair Goran Stankovic will be responsible for the work of three committees. The Fellowship and Grants Committee, chaired by Benjamin Honton and co- chaired by Mohammed Saad, will continue to oversee the very successful EAPCI Training and Education Grants Programme with a goal of increasing the number of grants available to EAPCI members. The Young Committee, chaired by Mario Iannaccone and co-chaired by Aleksandra Gąsecka, will con- tinue the work of the prior committee conducting joint ses- sions with young groups from member societies as well as further defining the role of the EAPCI Young Ambassadors. Having successfully launched the EAPCI Core Curriculum in Valvular and Structural Heart Interventions during the past term, Radoslaw Parma will remain as Past-Chair on the Accreditation, Training and Certification Committee. The committee will be chaired by Nikos Werner and co-chaired by Francesco Burzotta who will continue to oversee the EAPCI Exam in Interventional Cardiology and develop the EAPCI Exam in Valvular and Structural Intervention.
The detailed goals and objectives of each committee will be further outlined in future EAPCI columns dedicated to each committee.
