February 20, 2026
Dear APA members,
I hope everyone is doing well. It has been a frigid winter so far, and I’m hoping that warmer weather is just around the corner. Enough already! On the home front, the Garg household is still recovering from the end of the Patriots football season. Despite an amazing and incredibly exciting year, the Super Bowl collapse continues to sting deeply. Time, and the welcome distraction of work, are great healers though.
On the APA front, I wanted to share some important updates:
- APA Mission Update: At our most recent Board meeting, and following multiple prior discussions, the Board unanimously voted to make a small but meaningful change to the APA’s mission. In these challenging times, we felt it was essential to lead with children first. Across generations, children have always been our “why” and our purpose, and this update reaffirms that commitment. The mission now reads: “To enhance the health and well-being of all children by nurturing the academic success and career development of child health professionals engaged in research, advocacy, improvement science, and education.”
While the wording was rearranged, the mission’s core remains the same. I am grateful to the Board for its bold vision in making this change amid continued disinvestment in—and attacks on—children and families, particularly those who have been historically marginalized in our society.
- Advocacy and Policy Efforts: The APA, led by our Pediatric Policy and Advocacy Chair, Dr. Maya Ragavan, continues to advocate for the health and thriving of children, families, and communities, as well as for the pediatric clinicians who care for them. Through the Pediatric Policy Council (PPC), the APA has been a signatory on letters addressing a wide range of critical issues, including immigrant rights, child health research appropriations, climate change, vaccine advocacy, and the measles epidemic, among many others. In 2025 alone, the APA signed 36 PPC letters. We are currently creating a list of these letters on the APA website for members. Additional advocacy efforts have included APA Board members meeting with Congressional staff on Capitol Hill during our Fall Meeting in Washington, DC, to advocate for investment in pediatric research, as well as publishing commentaries in Academic Pediatrics and Pediatric Research titled “When Will the United States Meaningfully Invest in Children?” and “Fortifying Our Commitment to Pediatric Academic Medicine During Turbulent Times.”
- Get Involved in Policy and Advocacy: If you are interested in advocacy and policy, I encourage you to join our monthly PPAC Policy Updates and Learning Collaborative. These sessions provide timely updates on a wide range of policy issues and an opportunity to share your advocacy work with fellow APA members. Sign up here.
- APA Elections: It is not too late to vote in the APA Election! Please be sure to cast your ballot by the March 4 deadline and help shape the future of the APA.
- PAS Meeting in Boston: If you are able, please plan to attend the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Meeting in late April in Boston. APA members and staff are organizing outstanding sessions designed to help our community grow, learn, and better support children, families, and the field of academic pediatrics.
Finally, as we celebrate the APA’s 65th anniversary this year, here is a fun historical note: Do you know what criteria were initially established for APA membership? None at all! This stood in contrast to many pediatric organizations at the time and sparked considerable debate in the APA’s early years—most memorably during the historic “milkman debate.” At one meeting, the question was posed: “If my milkman is interested in children, can he join the organization?” The collective answer from APA leadership was a resounding yes! This moment reflects one of the APA’s enduring core values—inclusion—a value that has stood the test of time and one we remain committed to strengthening, ensuring the APA continues to be a warm, supportive community where all members feel a true sense of belonging.
As always, please feel free to reach out to me anytime with your ideas, suggestions, and concerns.
Sincerely,
Arvin Garg, MD, MPH
President
Academic Pediatric Association
