A Message from the president, Letitia Esbenshade-Smith, MS Ed, RCES, RCIS
February is Heart Month and I would like to be one of the first to wish you a Happy Cardiovascular Professionals Week (this year February 12-18, 2023).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US, every 34 seconds a person dies from cardiovascular disease and every 40 seconds a person has a heart attack. In spite of public education and advances made to cardiac and vascular care in the last 30 years, the statistics are pretty sobering. These statistics are also a reminder to me that as an allied health care professional, each of you can and do have a direct impact on cardiovascular disease treatment and prevention.
This month too, I step down as the President of CCI. During my tenure, we have started many projects, and finished a few, that we believe will advance CCI credentials moving forward. One of my goals, and the goal of the incoming president, is to make CCI credentials the most sought-after when recruiting, hiring and retaining professionals in the cardiac and vascular arenas.
We at CCI will continue to identify the most up-to-date standards of each professional field and to define and develop the most rigorous testing to support the educated professionals that you are. We will continue to look to our credential holders and volunteers to help us pursue these standards and will welcome new volunteers to exam committees as needed.
As a volunteer with the organization for the last 16 years, it has been an honor and privilege to support you.
Thank you for all of the positive comments over the last two years. I will look forward to seeing CCI continue to grow in the years to come.
Respectfully,
Lisha
CCI President
Letitia Esbenshade-Smith, MS Ed, RCES, RCIS