Drs. Golightly, Michaud to receive rheumatology President’s Award

Yvonne Golightly, PhD, assistant dean for research in the UNMC College of Allied Health Professions, and Kaleb Michaud, PhD, professor of rheumatology and director of the rheumatology fellowship research program, will be honored with the President’s Award at the upcoming annual national meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. The award is given by the ACR and the Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ARP).

This is Dr. Michaud’s second time earning the President’s Award.

“It is truly special that two of us sharing this award are from UNMC,” Dr. Golightly said.

Drs. Golightly, who also is professor of physical therapy, and Michaud earned the honor for their contribution to the field and through their work with the ARP Governance Task Force, which was formed in 2021.

“It was during the pandemic when everything had to change,” Dr. Michaud said.

Dr. Golightly, who served as co-chair of the interprofessional task force, explained: “Our goals were to reduce redundancies in the ARP governance and increasing efficiencies while incorporating the ARP values of innovation, collaboration, inclusion and community.

“This effort required more than a year of work, beginning with many meetings of the task force to evaluate the existing ARP governance and areas of research, practice and education, develop and conduct surveys to determine the needs of the membership and to develop recommendations for the ARP informed by surveys and discussions with ARP members and staff.”

Dr. Michaud said he was nervous during his first travel for in-person meetings in 2021 and 2022, but he was honored to have been asked to take part.

“While not all of the recommendations made from the task force were implemented, there’s a sense from the executive committee that they will be revisited to see how best to regroup from the pandemic and current challenging time for rheumatology professionals – the demand for these health professionals is only getting higher.”

Dr. Golightly, an epidemiologist and physical therapist focused on chronic disease prevention, has worked with the ARP for years. It’s how she first became connected to UNMC, while serving on a subcommittee with Laura Bilek, PhD, associate dean for research in the College of Allied Health Professions.

“We worked together so well that in 2022 I joined UNMC to work directly with her,” Dr. Golightly said.

Drs. Golightly and Michaud stressed that the honor is a team award. Rheumatology professionals from Duke University Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente and Mayo Clinic were among those to round out the interprofessional task force.