How the Leadership Development Committee Fuels the AHS Leadership Pipeline

The American Headache Society (AHS) is dedicated to cultivating strong, inclusive leaders who can drive progress in headache medicine and help fulfill our society’s strategic goals. To that end, the Leadership Development Committee, co-chaired by Dr. Teshamae Monteith and Dr. Kathleen Digre, is developing programs, resources, and opportunities that enable members to step into leadership roles, both within AHS and across the broader medical field.

Leadership is essential at every level, but not all leaders look alike. As Dr. Digre says, “The biggest message that I'd like to underscore is we're developing leadership programs for everybody. In addition, you don't have to be in a specific program. We're trying to meet the needs of everyone as people grow through different stages of their careers.” The committee's work ensures leadership development is woven throughout the association, with many different ways for members to level up leadership skills, gain confidence, and build connections, based on the style and type of leadership that best suits them. This approach creates a ripple effect: as members experience personal growth, they strengthen AHS’s collective voice and advance the entire field of headache medicine. The committee delivers on this vision through several key initiatives, each tailored to meet members where they are:

• Emerging Leaders: More than a decade strong, this program supports early-career AHS members and has created a pipeline of engaged alumni now serving in leadership roles across the association.
• Leadership in Advocacy Development: Designed for mid-career members, LEAD emphasizes advocacy skills, as well as other skills to help participants navigate and evolve healthcare systems, tackle policy challenges, and patient access issues.
• Leadership Academy: Launching in December at the Scottsdale Headache Symposium, the Leadership Academy is designed for current AHS leaders such as SIG chairs. The program provides ongoing skill-building, reflective exercises, and peer-to-peer learning to build emotional intelligence and help sharpen leadership in real-world contexts.

Participant experience has been highly rated across programs. The committee has begun to assess long-term outcomes and the impact on alumni who go on to hold leadership roles in AHS, academic institutions, or other medical organizations. Dr. Monteith says, “We know there's evidence showing that headache specialists are less represented in academic leadership roles. So, we want to measure the impact of our programs to assure growth in leadership positions, both in the American Headache Society as well as on the outside.” By focusing on impact, the committee aims to ensure that these programs prepare members to step confidently into leadership roles.

In addition to developing leadership programs, the committee is finding new ways to share leadership insights across AHS, including a growing library of short videos featuring SIG chairs and other leaders that offer practical tips on topics like conflict resolution and inclusive engagement. There is also a new Leadership Development video series free for our members.

At the heart of all these efforts is a commitment to inclusivity. “We want to embrace opinions and gain insights, so that we can better meet the needs of our members,” said Dr. Monteith. The committee actively welcomes feedback to refine programs, spark new ideas, and ensure leadership opportunities remain relevant and impactful.

Dr. Digre highlighted how culture is just as important as programming: “I'm so proud to be a part of this organization, and I'm so glad that we have a welcoming culture. Everything we’re doing [on the committee], we want to nurture that culture of welcoming and friendly and non-competitive.” True to this spirit, the committee welcomes feedback and ideas from members to continually improve how they support leadership development.

The Leadership Development Committee offers multiple ways for members to build leadership skills. From supporting committee and SIG service to academic advancement and clinical leadership, there are programs designed to meet you where you are. We believe that as our members develop these skills, they will help move the entire field forward.