This year’s CAMFT Chapter Leadership Conference was held on January 30 and 31 in San Diego at the Sheraton San Diego Resort - Bay Tower. This annual conference brings together over 100 chapter leaders from the 23 chapters of CAMFT across the state, to network with colleagues and attend workshops geared towards the successful maintenance and growth of each chapter. Chapters are always encouraged to send multiple board members, since sessions and topics are geared towards all board positions and roles.
The SCV chapter was represented by President Amanda Cortez, President Elect Rosario Puga-Dempsey, Director at Large (DEI) Kusum Punjabi and Director of DEI Ratnesh Sharma.
A quick conversation with the attendees was very enlightening -
“My biggest takeaway was discovering how deep the well of support and resources truly is – one that CAMFT membership opens the door to, and whose surface I’ve barely begun to touch,” says Kusum Punjabi. “There are therapists doing great work everywhere, throwing ideas out into the world, effecting change – and I have so many potential mentors to choose from. I came away from the conference truly inspired!
Rosario Puga-Dempsey seconds, “I completely echo what Kusum has shared and add how powerful the feeling of connection as support was felt. There truly are so many resources to take advantage and learn from, I can only hope to someday be able to explore them all. A big take away I would hope others know is how truly dedicated and passionate those who are on the Board are, not only in our chapter but across CA. We all strive for the same – a supportive community for clinicians.”
“In addition to what Amanda, Kusum, and Rosario shared,” Ratnesh Sharma continues, “ a key takeaway for me was the opportunity to network and learn from chapter leaders about their experiences with support groups and DEI initiatives. As a direct result of these connections, leaders from different chapters have already begun reaching out this month to set up ongoing monthly meetings, allowing us to continue brainstorming and exploring ways we can collaborate more effectively.”
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