New CCA Chief Execut ive: an int erview w it h Ayla Azad (cont inued)

CCA members who were facing uncertainty and fear during COVID I met a huge number of CCA members during this time, but none of them in person!"

A promotion to Chief Experience Officer at the CCA quickly followed, with responsibility for membership, member programs, establishing connections and dealing with all matters relevant to how members and stakeholders interacted with the CCA

In November 2022, following the unexpected departure of the former chief executive, Dr Azad stepped in as Interim CEO, and in April 2023 she was confirmed as the permanent replacement

"I'm grateful for the confidence of the CCA board and the trust they have placed in me. I'm also grateful to the many stakeholders, including the WFC, provincial associations, Canadian Chiropractic Protective Association, CMCCand UQTRfor their many words of encouragement and support," says Dr Azad for years felt strange But at the same time, this is the type of role I've been planning for many years and I'm looking forward to continuing my service within the chiropractic profession. I've always reminded myself of Oprah Winfrey's quote: 'I don't believe in luck. Luck is just hard work meeting opportunity."

Speaking of the benefits of her MBA, Dr Azad comments, "I use my MBA every day in my work It helps me to manage my amazing team and my budgets It helps me to be a motivator and a leader, so that I can make inroads where they really count. And it has been invaluable when it comes to innovation and strategy."

Dr Azad is candid in talking about the challenging areas of the role of CEO "When I took on the role, I was told that at times I would feel lonely I wondered how this could be the case being surrounded by so many people. But I have understood what they meant.

"Being the CEO, where the buck stops with you, can feel isolating But where I've found solace has been within the global chiropractic CEO community Being able to pick up the phone and speak with colleagues who truly understand the issues has been tremendously comforting."

Taking on the new role led to a number of mixed emotions

"Alison (Dantas) had been a valued mentor to me at the CCA, so taking on the position she had held

The CCA is engaged in a range of priority projects, all of which require Dr Azad's close attention These include working to facilitate access to chiropractic within the armed forces, involvement with the department of Veterans Affairs, advocating for student loan forgiveness programs and fighting for an overhaul of the current insurance coverage framework for chiropractic services. The CCA is also working to continuously develop member services, ensuring value is both delivered and communicated to members