ABA News & Vision from the CEO’s Desk | November 2025

Dear ABA Members,

As 2025 draws to a close, I’ve been reflecting on all we’ve accomplished together and how your engagement continues to drive the progress of the American Burn Association. 

Spotlight: Leadership in Action – A Conversation with Annette Newman 

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking with Annette Newman, MS, RN, CCRN, ABA’s Western Regional Burn Disaster Coordinator and the State Coordinator for the Western Regional Alliance for Pediatric Emergency Management. Annette shared insights from over three decades of experience in burn ICU care and her leadership in national disaster readiness.  

She described her work as “building readiness before the crisis ever comes.” That perspective captures the spirit of our entire community, grounded in preparation, compassion, and collaboration. Her reflections also highlight how those same values guide ABA’s growing partnerships with BARDA, ASPR, and the trauma community. Watch this video of our conversation, which I found offers an inspiring look at leadership, vision, and service in action.

ABA’s New Website is Live 

The redesigned ABA website is now live at ameriburn.org. Built with members, burn centers, and survivors in mind, the new site makes it easier to find resources, access education, and connect with the broader burn care network. A key highlight is the enhanced “Find a Burn Center” feature, now open to the public, making it more straightforward for patients, families, and clinicians to locate verified burn centers when time matters most. I encourage you to explore the new site and share it with colleagues and community partners. Check it out!   

2026 Annual Meeting – Registration Now Open 

Plans are well underway for the ABA 2026 Annual Meeting, scheduled to take place from April 14 to 17 in Orlando, Florida. Under the leadership of Dr. Angela Gibson and Dr. Amanda Bettencourt, the Program Committee reviewed a record-breaking 654 abstract submissions, a clear reflection of the innovation, collaboration, and scientific depth defining burn care today.  

Great news from the Program Committee! New this year is the introduction of a Late-Breaking Abstract opportunity, which will give investigators the chance to present data that became available after the original deadline. This means if your study ended after the regular submission deadline, you could still present your work. Stay tuned for details on how to submit. This new option ensures the most current data and discoveries are shared at the meeting, keeping ABA 2026 timely, relevant, and impactful for burn care practice. 

Early registration rates are now available. I hope you’ll plan to join us in Orlando for what promises to be a dynamic and engaging gathering of our community.  

Get Involved: Call for Committee Members 

Also in the coming weeks, ABA will open the Call for Committee Members. Our committees are the foundation of ABA’s mission, advancing education, research, quality, prevention, and leadership across the continuum of burn care. If you’ve considered getting more involved, now is the perfect time. Whether you’re returning to service or sharing your expertise for the first time, your experience and perspective are invaluable.  

Regional Collaboration and Shared Momentum 

Our regional meetings continually inspire me, most recently, the Southern Region Conference in Charleston, the Midwestern Regional in Madison, and the Canadian Burn Association Meeting in Calgary, where I had the pleasure of connecting with Dr. Tony Papp, Lindsay Burnett, Dr. Marc Jeschke, and the leadership team of the Calgary Firefighters Association. 

Each of these gatherings reaffirmed what makes our community so extraordinary. The power of connection, collaboration, and shared purpose. Whether it’s strengthening training pathways for future burn surgeons, advancing data-driven care through the Burn Care Quality Platform (BCQP), supporting ABA verification and Advanced Burn Life Support® (ABLS) opportunities, learning from one another through outstanding presentations and discussion, or engagement with industry partners, these meetings truly reflect the best of what the burn community represents. 

I’m deeply grateful to the leaders and members who welcomed me so warmly and generously shared their insights and experiences. It’s humbling and energizing to witness firsthand the passion, expertise, and dedication that fuel this incredible community. 

A Season of Thanks 

As we enter this season of gratitude, I want to thank each of you, our ABA members, verified burn centers, verification site surveyors, Board, Committee and Special Interest Group leaders, ABLS faculty and instructors, regional disaster coordinators, ABA corporate partners, exhibitors, society partners, industry collaborators, and community supports, for all you do to advance the burn care profession and support survivors every day. Your dedication and expertise enable the ABA to continue leading in education, research, quality, prevention, and advocacy, improving lives and strengthening our shared mission worldwide.  

On behalf of the entire ABA team, I wish you a safe, restorative, and meaningful Thanksgiving season. For those outside the U.S., may this time of year bring a moment to reflect and give thanks for the many ways we come together in service, compassion, and care. 

With sincere gratitude,

Ed

Ed Dellert, RN, MBA, CAE
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
American Burn Association

Stay connected. Stay inspired. Burn care is on the rise—and so are we.