Welcome to Orlando and the 2026 AHRA Annual Meeting: A Note From the President

Looking for more great insights from AHRA 2026? Read more from today's issue.

It’s exciting to finally kick off the AHRA family reunion in Orlando! We have a fantastic week ahead of us, so on behalf of AHRA, the Board of Directors, and all those behind the scenes who helped make this event possible — welcome to the AHRA Annual Meeting.
 
I always look forward to this week, as it is such an incredible time to grow both personally and professionally. This year will be no different. It will be a time to reconnect with friends, make new friends, and “fill your cup” with knowledge and enthusiasm to take back to your teams.

Welcoming New Partners and On-Site Support

This year we are excited to share our event with the Association for Radiologic & Imaging Nursing (ARIN)! They are 1,200 members strong and this week we are lucky to share a space with about 70 individuals from their association. What a great opportunity to collaborate and share with our nursing partners. There are workshops and sessions set up specifically for them, but all are welcome to attend and learn. There is so much overlap between our world and theirs that it only makes sense to partner — we’re looking forward to seeing what the future brings.

This is also a great week to connect with our vendor partners and discover what’s new and coming in the Gathering Place. This is a great opportunity to get one-on-one time with them to share your struggles and hear what solutions they have to help solve them. The vendors are eager to hear from you. They want to partner with you to deliver great care for your patients. Don’t miss this chance!  

If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask an AHRA staff member or a member of the Annual Meeting Design Team (AKA the Sunshine Squad), who will be dressed in bright shirts you can’t miss. They seem to be everywhere at once, so I am sure you will have no trouble spotting them.

A Look Back at Our Year Together

AHRA has been driving to meet your needs throughout this past year. There has been a lot going on! There have been webinars, podcasts, AHRA My Way sessions, and thought leadership articles on LINK to keep you informed and growing. There has been a lot of work done to bring our Benchmarking survey out and much more planned in the year ahead as well.

Our CRA program is going strong with more than 60 new CRAs this year. We recognize the incredible value of this credential, and as such, many AHRA volunteers have taken the time to review and update the CRA exam, as well as study materials. A special thanks to all who have been involved.

AHRA has also continued strengthening strategic alliances with our partners. And because we’re always looking to outdo ourselves, this year we’ve also hosted local area meetings in more cities than ever before. Thank you to everyone who took part in these gatherings!

The AHRA Way: Taking Care of Each Other

As this week gets underway, I encourage each of you to jump in and fully engage in everything the Annual Meeting has to offer. AHRA is a welcoming organization, and I am confident that you will walk away overloaded with knowledge and some great new friendships.
 
As my term as president comes to an end, I have been honored and privileged to serve you. Together we continue to be strengthened by the sharing and collaboration we do every day. AHRA has a culture of not only helping individuals improve and grow but also one that improves the collective group and profession as a whole. I am confident this will continue in the years ahead. It has been inspiring to be just a little part of it.  
 
I invite you all to the President’s Welcome Reception this evening, Sunday, July 12, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM ET in the Gathering Place so I can personally welcome you and get a chance to see everyone. This will be followed by Trivia Night — something new this year! I would love for you to join me to mix, mingle, and kick off our week together.

Want to learn more about ARIN? Tune in to the AHRA podcast episode “Radiology Is Everywhere”: The Relationship Between Imaging and Nurses, featuring Wendy Renneke, FAHRA, and Whitney Utt. Listen on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and YouTube.