Today is a significant milestone as I begin my tenure as president and CEO of the ALS Network. I am both humbled and invigorated to lead this organization through a dynamic era of impact and purposeful change, laser-focused on our three mission pillars of care, research, and advocacy.
The most recent and visible change is that the ALS Association Golden West Chapter is now the ALS Network. We have thoughtfully refreshed our name to better reflect how we serve the ALS community by connecting need with support; questions with answers; thought leaders with new ideas; research to funding; and advocates to challenge the status quo.
This work has been a collaborative undertaking shaped by input from so many of you – our extensive network of people dedicated to changing the course of this devastating disease. Collectively, we will continue to build upon our past successes and urgently accelerate progress, while seizing opportunities to achieve better outcomes with greater efficiency and maximum impact.
The ALS Network, bolstered by decades of knowledge and unparalleled expertise, understands the ALS communities in California and Hawaii like no one else. We know what it takes to deliver quality services, create the most innovative partnerships, and build the deepest connections to help those in greatest need. Today, the ALS Network’s comprehensive model of care serves the largest local ALS community in the nation due in large part to the tenacity of my predecessor, Fred Fisher, MSW, LCSW, President Emeritus. Thank you to Fred for guiding the organization through more than 20 years of growth and life-improving impact, and for continuing to serve in his new role.
And, thanks to each of you, the hundreds and hundreds of people I’ve had the honor of connecting with during my five years with the ALS Network. I am humbled to see strength and grace personified by those living with ALS, those caring for loved ones, and by those working tirelessly to provide help and to find cures. You inspire me each and every day, and I look forward to continuing our interconnected journey where commitment to excellence, discovery, and people-centric care are the hallmarks of everything we do.
With appreciation,
Sheri
Sheri Strahl, MPH, MBA
President & CEO | ALS Network