Carolina Connections- February Newsletter
| In this edition: Meet the new chapter Executive Committee and review the Annual Business Meeting Save the date and explore sponsorship opportunities for the annual spring chapter conference A free virtual book club featuring two nonfiction titles on 25 February A chance to learn about the role medical writers play in health literacy and support a great cause at our virtual March fundraiser Two new episodes of the chapter podcast highlighting our chapter conference A WIB-RTP in-person event on retirement planning An opportunity to volunteer as a journal club leader |
Annual Business Meeting Recap
 The 2026 Executive Committee was elected at our virtual annual business meeting on Tuesday 27 January, which also featured a summary of our 2025 Chapter Member Survey results and a preview of planned chapter events for 2026. President: Abigail Agoglia (2025 President-elect) President-elect: Nina Oshiokpekhai (2025 Chapter Conference Chair and Website Manager) Treasurer: Simone Otto (2025 Treasurer) Secretary: Michaela Price (2025 Member Coordinator) Thank you to all who attended and contributed to our discussion! The slides from the Annual Business Meeting are available here. Meet the new executive committee and learn more about the chapter Board of Directors here. |
Save the Date: 2026 Chapter Conference!
Sponsorship of our chapter conference is a great local public relations opportunity, an ideal place to recruit new writers or freelancers, and an important way to support the education initiatives of AMWA Carolinas, a nonprofit organization. We offer a Freelance Sponsorship Package ($50) and 3 levels of corporate sponsorship ($250 Silver, $500 Gold, $1,000 Platinum). Additional a la carte sponsorship opportunities can be added to any level of sponsorship or purchased independently, including the following: Coffee break sponsorship: $300 Lanyard sponsorship: $150 This year’s full-day, hybrid conference in Durham, NC on 15 May will feature educational sessions and roundtable discussions on regulatory writing, presentation skills, breaking into the field, and more! To learn about our sponsorship perks, check out our Sponsor Brochure. Please email Laura Bisogno at sponsorship@amwacarolinas.org for more information, or you can sign up here: Sponsor Payment. |
Feb 2026 Book Club- Choose Your Own Adventure
Back again for 2026, our book club features multiple books to allow attendees to choose the title that interests them most. Read one, both, or neither and enjoy a discussion facilitated by our book club leaders. Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of our Deadliest Infection by John Green This book blends history, science, and storytelling to reveal how a single disease has shaped lives, inequalities, and global health in ways we still live with today. Discussion led by Bavine Opiyo Wonder Drug: The Secret History of Thalidomide in America and its Hidden Victims by Jennifer Vanderbes This book is a gripping blend of medical history and narrative nonfiction that explores the unintended consequences of faith in a miracle cure. Discussion led by Blanca Lopez de Juan Abad Date: Wednesday, 25 February, 2025 Time: 6:30 – 8:00 pm Location: Virtual Registration link |
March 25 Virtual Fundraising Event: Principles of Health Literacy Throughout a Clinical Trial Lifecycle
| Each March, the chapter hosts a virtual educational session to fundraise for our annual chapter conference. Proceeds from this event allow the chapter to offer discounted conference registration for students and postdocs. Join us for a virtual educational session on the critical role of health literacy in the conduct and reporting of clinical research. Attendees will learn about the role of medical writers in organizational health literacy, the influence of regulatory requirements, the impact of patient advocacy, and the ways in which health literacy promotes health equity. This event will be led by Rosemary (Ro) Meister, BA; Senior Manager, Clinical Trial Disclosure and Transparency at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. Date: Wednesday, 25 March Time: 7:00 – 8:00 pm (EST) Location: Virtual (Zoom) Cost: $25 Open to members and nonmembers Register here |
Carolinas Chapter Podcast Episodes 3 and 4
| The AMWA Carolinas Chapter Podcast is back with two new episodes focused on our annual chapter conference. Listen to a fun chat with Abi Agoglia (2023 & 2024 Conference Chair) and Nina Oshiokpekhai & Dilmeet Singh (2025 Conference Co-Chairs) as they talk about planning, executing, and troubleshooting a large event. Episode 3 describes the ins and outs of conference planning, and Episode 4 shares a recap of the 2025 conference. Listen to Episodes 3 and 4 here: NEW: AMWA Carolinas Podcast! – AMWA – Carolinas Chapter. Special thanks to our podcast volunteers: Amy Fulton, Sam Stadmiller, Sebnem Cevik, and Amber Carr. |
February 26th WIB-RTP Event
| Our friends and collaborators at Women in Bio RTP (WIB-RTP) are hosting a retirement workshop. WIB-RTP: Retirement Readiness Financial Workshop Speaker: Florence Smith, CFP; Financial Advisor at Raymond James Whether retirement feels like a distant dream or it’s right around the corner, this interactive workshop will walk you through a simple, practical 6-step plan to feel more confident about your finances. Date: Thursday, 26 February Time: 5:30 – 6:00 registration, 6:15-7:30 workshop, 7:30-8:30 networking Location: North Carolina Biotechnology Center, 15 T.W. Alexander Drive, Durham NC Cost: $25 for WIB/PDA members (annual membership is $120/students $50); $35 for non-members. Register here. |
Volunteer With Our Chapter!
| We are looking for a volunteer to lead a journal club discussion from the Winter edition of the AMWA Journal (Volume 40, Number 4) in April 2026. The journal club leader chooses an article from the journal and prepares a short, informal slide deck to facilitate discussion. This volunteer opportunity is suitable for anyone with an interest in medical writing – no prior experience required! See below for prior journal club materials: Winter 2025: “Growth of Health Economics and Outcomes Research and Real-World Evidence in Medical Communication, and Opportunities for Medical Writers” Spring 2025: “Navigating Oncology: Expert Strategies for Effective Medical Writing” Fall 2025: “The Evolving Role of Medical Writers – AI As a Partner in Regulatory Submissions” If you are interested in leading journal club, please complete our Volunteer Interest Form by 15 March. Please indicate that you are interested in journal club in the “Other” field, and include the article you’d like to discuss if you have one in mind. If you have submitted the form in the past but did not indicate interest in journal club, feel free to submit the form again. |
