As I reflect on this past year as ISSCR President, I feel gratitude for what I have learned and the outlook it has given me on the Society and on the field it represents. I will share a few reflections below. 

 As I began in my role, I realized that I had only a superficial understanding of the work of more than 200 volunteers and ISSCR team members. With Director of Media and Strategic Communications Kym Kilbourne, I have embarked on monthly interviews and email correspondence with colleagues in leadership roles to learn about the work of the ISSCR committees, task forces, and working groups. It has been humbling to listen to them and to experience the passion and commitment each of them brings to our Society. Their work spans large subfields of regenerative biology and medicine allowing us to form public and regulatory policy priorities, educate ourselves and others, participate in manufacturing innovations, and wrestle with important ethical questions, to name just a few. It was a privilege to report on their work monthly in my president’s messages.