InterConnect Support Public Blog

    by Rebecca Baughman Kerns     Please join me in welcoming the 2008/2009 AISSG-USA Directors and Officers! Marissa Jaye will be taking over as president, a big job to be certain, but I have no doubt that she will do it incredibly well.  I am always so happy to see an email from our amazing Marissa.  I know it is full of heart, love and conviction. Tryla Brown will be serving as Secretary.  I am always amazed at Tryla's drive and determination.  She is a force, all 5 foot 2 of her!  I am so happy to see her continue serving AISSG as she has done for so many years. Aimee Owens will be joining the Board; a beautiful and happy thing is always said by Aimee.  She is a wonder and a joy. Cynthia Johnson will also be on the Board; a vivacious, vigorous and verbose welcome to one of my favorite ladies. And Carolina Johnson rounds out our new members.  Carolina warmed my heart the first time I saw her face.  I am so excited to s...

     by Katie Baratz     Forget my first kiss, my college grad, and my acceptance letters to medical school.  I can (roughly) pinpoint my most exciting moment to 4:03 PM, EST, on Friday, September 21, 2007, the moment my mother and I appeared before millions of viewers on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Everything up until that point was a blur: the pre-show interviews, filming the lead-in montage in my West Philly apartment, getting picked up at the airport in a stretch limo, making a mess in the dressing room (only to be told I was no worse than Paris Hilton had been), even sitting with Oprah on the soundstage and answering her questions.  It wasn't until I was sitting in a living room with 20 newly-minted med school friends watching myself on TV that the enormity of my choice sank in, that the girl standing before America and declaring that she had a Y chromosome and undescended testes was me. Only part of the exhilaration of those 10 minutes of air time c...

  by Joyce Henning       When I received the meeting info in the mail last year, I had serious doubts I’d be able to attend.  Summer is quite busy (I know everyone can relate), and weekends were booked tighter than a Denver airport hotel in a blizzard.  But, having missed the past two meetings, I knew I had to clear the calendar and head to North Carolina. Nothing beats the face-to-face contact of an annual meeting.  It’s a huge benefit to be part of the email circle, getting to know orchid sisters and sharing life’s experiences.  However, there’s a special spark to attending a meeting. Catching up with old friends and meeting new members is like a homecoming.  There seems to be enough time to catch up with everyone, but the opportunity to be immersed in a weekend of informational sessions, social hours and dinners is invaluable.  Plus, the southern charm from our beautiful Orchid Sister Nancy made everyone feel at home.  When you ...