Michigan Delegation Represents Member Constituencies at National Leadership Conference

Michigan Academy of Family Physicians' members and staff attended American Academy of Family Physicians' National Conference of Constituency Leaders (NCCL) and Academy Chapter Leader Forum (ACLF), held concurrently April 24-26, in Kansas City, MO. These annual conferences are flagship leadership events where family physicians shape Academy policies and positions on issues impacting the practice of family medicine. 

Constituency Delegates
Five-member constituency delegates represented MAFP by introducing, discussing, and voting on resolutions (proposals for change) through the lens of their constituency: 

Women: Ashley Wilk, DO (Rochester)

• "It was an honor to represent women physicians from the State of Michigan at American Academy of Family Physicians National Conference of Constituency Leaders. The resolution I helped to author aimed to decrease the stigma of mental health conditions that arises during the physician accreditation process."

BIPOC: Aisha Harris, MD, FAAFP (Flint) 

• "As the Michigan BIPOC delegate this year I was able to hear first hand in high definition the struggles and challenges my friends and family medicine colleagues are facing because of new restrictions, limitations, and silencing. It’s stressful to endure and necessary to speak on so we all understand the attacks on our profession, community, and patients. Developing and submitting resolutions at NCCL is an act of love, for ourselves as physicians and our communities."

New Physician: Theresa Dierker, DO (Royal Oak)

• "It was a pleasure to network and brainstorm with my fellow New Physician colleagues from across the country as we came up with resolution ideas that are relevant to our constituency. By the end of the conference, I was energized to come back home and get more involved with MAFP, as well as brainstorming ideas for resolutions for my next NCCL."

International Medical Graduate: Anna Farhat, MD (Saint Clair Shores) 

• "Hearing common themes, stressing the importance of inclusion, health equity, and diversity, was extremely motivational. This validates not just IMGs, but everyone’s backgrounds, and provided a louder voice to highlight the wonderful things already happening, as well as things that need continued work."
  

LGBTQ+ Physician Ally: Jesse Krikorian, MD (Ann Arbor)   

• "I was able to co-author a resolution that was passed as well as offer amendments that were accepted on two others, and I gave testimony in reference committees and on Saturday about resolutions that were important to me. I was able to co-author a resolution that was passed as well as offer amendments that were accepted on two others, and I gave testimony in reference committees and on Saturday about resolutions that were important to me."

Also attending NCCL from Michigan was Delicia Pruitt, MD, MPH, FAAFP (Saginaw), who served as this year’s Convener. Delegates have a key duty of electing national leaders, and they have the option of running for positions as well. Frank Animikwam, MD, served as Minority Caucus Co-convener and as a Member Constituency Alternate Delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates.  

Looking Ahead
AAFP’s 2026 National Conference of Constituency Leaders and Academy Chapter Leader Forum will be held April 23-25. Michigan Delegates — one per member constituency — will be selected by the MAFP Executive Committee. Active family physician members of MAFP are eligible to apply.