The Power of Physician Leadership: AAFP Congress of Delegates and Dr. Kisha Davis's Presidential Candidacy
In the evolving landscape of American healthcare, the voices of family physicians have never been more critical. At the heart of organized family medicine stands the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Congress of Delegates (COD) — a democratic body where policy is shaped, leaders are elected, and the future of primary care is charted. This October, as delegates gather in Anaheim, California, they will make decisions that ripple through the lives of the nearly 130,000 AAFP members and the millions of patients they serve.
Among the crucial decisions facing the 2025 COD is the election of the next President-Elect, with MDAFP Past President Dr. Kisha Davis, MD, MPH, FAAFP, one of three candidates under consideration. Her journey embodies the transformative power of physician leadership!
Understanding the Congress of Delegates
The Congress of Delegates serves as the Academy's policy-making body, consisting of two delegates and two alternates from each constituent chapter, along with representatives from member constituencies including new physicians, residents, students, and other groups. This representative structure ensures that family physicians from every corner of the country—from rural Montana to urban New York—have a voice in shaping the profession's direction.
The 2025 COD will convene this coming weekend (October 4-6) in the Anaheim, alongside the Family Medicine Experience, the AAFP's largest annual conference. During these pivotal days, delegates will debate and vote on resolutions addressing everything from payment reform and scope of practice to health equity and workforce development.
The COD’s importance cannot be overstated. During the 2024 meeting in Phoenix, delegates considered more than 40 resolutions addressing a broad range of issues aimed at improving the healthcare landscape for family physicians and their patients. These aren't merely symbolic gestures. COD resolutions become AAFP policy, guiding advocacy efforts at state and federal levels, shaping educational priorities, and defining the profession's stance on critical healthcare issues. This year’s COD addresses a wide array of topics that impact Family Medicine, as well. Whether through voting on resolutions that become organizational policy or electing leaders who will represent family medicine on the national stage, delegates exercise power that extends far beyond the conference hall.
It's where the Academy's democratic governance comes alive, where grassroots physician concerns meet organizational action.
Dr. Kisha Davis: A Leader Forged Through Service
Into this consequential arena steps our very own Marylander Dr. Kisha Davis, whose candidacy for AAFP President-Elect represents more than an individual ambition. It reflects a career dedicated to advancing health equity, strengthening primary care, and elevating family medicine's voice in healthcare transformation.
Dr. Davis currently serves as Chief Health Officer for Montgomery County, Maryland, where she leads initiatives to improve the health of diverse populations, and proudly serves on the AAFP Board of Directors. Her path to this leadership moment has been marked by distinction and impact at every turn.
Her extensive clinical training and public health expertise uniquely positions her to address the complex challenges facing family medicine. Her professional journey Includes groundbreaking work in health equity and innovative care delivery. She was a White House Fellow in the Obama administration – a prestigious appointment reserved for exceptional emerging leaders committee to public service.
Just as importantly, Kisha has served the AAFP in various leadership roles, including foundation treasurer, member of the board of directors, as well as past president and board chair of Maryland Academy of Family Physicians.
Learn more about Kisha by visiting her website and on the AAFP website.
Why Leadership Matters Now
Dr. Davis's candidacy comes at a defining moment for family medicine. Primary care faces unprecedented pressures: clinician burnout, administrative burden, payment models that undervalue comprehensive care, a looming workforce shortage, and persistent health disparities that the COVID-19 pandemic unveiled.
In announcing her candidacy, Dr. Davis emphasized that continuing her service through the role of President-Elect would allow her to build on the AAFP's foundation while strengthening connections between members, leaders, and the communities they serve, committing to champion family medicine in healthcare policy, strengthen advocacy efforts, and ensure family medicine continues to thrive and evolve.
Her vision centers on empathy, innovation, and practical action—qualities honed through diverse experiences from the White House to community health centers, from health equity boardrooms to the frontlines of patient care in Montgomery County. She views serving as President-Elect as both a privilege and a responsibility that she embraces wholeheartedly, dedicated to leading with empathy, vision, and steadfast commitment to creating positive change.
The role of AAFP President-Elect is no ceremonial position. It's a three-year leadership journey, one year as President-Elect, one as President, and one as Board Chair, during which the leader serves as the profession's primary spokesperson, shapes strategic priorities, and guides the Academy through complex policy terrain. The President represents family medicine to US Congress, federal agencies, specialty societies, and the public, making the selection of this leader one of the COD’S most consequential decisions.
The Path Forward
During the COD Candidates participate in forums, allowing delegates to assess their vision, priorities, and leadership approach before casting their votes. This deliberative process ensures that the election reflects the collective wisdom of family physicians nationwide.
For those of you who are unable to attend Congress, the event's decisions will nonetheless shape your professional lives. Resolutions passed will influence advocacy campaigns, payment models, practice regulations, and educational standards. The leaders elected will speak for family medicine when it matters most—in congressional testimony, at regulatory hearings, in negotiations with insurers and hospital systems.
Kisha’s candidacy invites COD’s voting members to consider what leadership they need for the challenges ahead. As this weekend’s COD approaches and delegates prepare for Anaheim, the stakes are clear. Family medicine stands at a crossroads, facing challenges that require both courage and strategic thinking. The Congress will decide not just who leads, but what family medicine will fight for, stand against, and prioritize in the years ahead.
Dr. Kisha Davis's candidacy for AAFP President-Elect represents an opportunity to elect a leader whose background in health equity, public health leadership, and frontline practice positions her to guide family medicine through turbulent times. Whether delegates choose her or another qualified candidate, the decision will shape the profession's trajectory during a critical period in American healthcare.
You can learn more about all of the AAFP candidates, including the three candidates for President-Elect here:
The Congress of Delegates reminds us that in family medicine, leadership isn't imposed from above—it emerges from the collective voice of physicians committed to comprehensive, continuous, compassionate care. In that democratic crucible, family medicine's future is forged, one resolution and one election at a time.
Kind regards,
Your Executive Director
