Dear San Diego ACS Community,
I am honored to address you as the newly appointed Chair of your ACS San Diego Local Section! As I step into this role, I am both filled with overwhelming gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility to help shape the development of our community. It is a privilege to lead an organization with such a rich history of innovation, excellence, and dedication.
First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to my predecessor, Juan Gonzalez, for his outstanding leadership and contributions for the last two years. His guidance has laid a strong foundation, especially in fortifying our social presence among our more recent membership base, and I am committed to building upon his legacy.
Over the past few years as a Member At Large, I have had the opportunity to engage with our talented and dedicated executive team members, both in and out of state, as well as with some of the proactive student affiliate chapters across our Section. The passion and commitment I witnessed have only strengthened my belief in the potential of our San Diego Local Section to revolutionize outreach and a public view on the importance of chemistry education. Our people are our greatest asset, and I am confident that, together, we will achieve new heights of success.
As we navigate the dynamic San Diego landscape in 2024, I am committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity. The science community is evolving rapidly, and it is essential that the executive committee work closely as a team to identify new opportunities, streamline processes, and enhance the visibility of our mission statement to all chemistry enthusiasts.
In the 2024 year, I will work on several key initiatives:
1. Innovation and Technology: In 2023, @acssandiego trended on Instagram for the first time! In 2024, let’s vow to make it happen again. To do this, I aim to invest our interests in technologies and event formats that encourage a culture of accessibility and the showcasing of our members’ excitement.
. Professional Development: The success of our Local Section is directly tied to the skills and capabilities of our constantly evolving membership base. I will prioritize the development of events that are formulated to nurture future community leaders to ensure that our team is readied with more bright and excited future executive members. There are plenty of available spaces within the executive space that have a variety of responsibilities and primary interests. Some of these include the Younger Chemist Committee, Women Chemists Committee, and the Public Relations Committee.
3. Community Satisfaction: Building strong, long-lasting relationships with our Local Section is paramount. We will enhance our initiatives by actively seeking feedback from local universities, industry, and members of all walks of life, to improve our impact. After all, there is no one, singular way to describe a chemist; as such, one of the goals of the ACS is to broaden the chemistry enterprise, which includes its intersections with art, history, and more.
I am confident that, with the support of our dedicated team and the resilience of our organization, we will overcome challenges and achieve remarkable success. I look forward to working collaboratively with each of you as we embark on this exciting journey together.
Thank you for your trust and confidence. Here’s to a future filled with growth, innovation, and prosperity. 
Sincerely,
Christina Vialva
