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It is my privilege to welcome you to the American Biological Safety Association's (ABSA's) website and to the wealth of information and resources housed here.

The members and friends of the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) share a connection to and a passion for the practice of biosafety and biosecurity in settings around the globe where human, animal, and plant pathogens are encountered. ABSA supports and nurtures our members and friends wherever they are found by providing:

• a dynamic community in which to gather, share, and grow;
• an unwavering commitment to excellence and the best practices and practitioners in our field; and
• technical, strategic, and networking content that reflects the unparalleled diversity of expertise, perspective, and life experience of our membership and our fast-growing and -expanding field.

You can experience ABSA's warm and welcoming community by becoming a member www.absa.org/membership.html, participating in our annual conference www.absaconference.org, attending one of our over 35 courses offered each year at direct and virtual locations, participate in online discussions www.absa.org/resgroups.html, and by being involved with the huge and successful volunteer effort that makes these events happen. Our 19 affiliates www.absa.org/affiliates.html bring this spirit of community and collaboration to the local and regional level. We are also allied with other organizations and agencies www.absa.org/affother.html to mutually share information and strategies.

You can witness and participate in our commitment to ongoing excellence in the evolution of the practices of biosafety and biosecurity in ABSA's contributions to U.S. and global policy, regulatory, scientific, and technical discussions and content www.absa.org/aiarevcom.html. In addition, ABSA offers two credentials www.absa.org/biosafety.html for biosafety professionals and continually reviews what defines the biosafety, biosecurity, and biorisk management profession.

Our members continually tell us how much they value the content that ABSA membership brings them. Our journal, Applied Biosafety: Journal of the American Biological Safety Association www.absa.org/pubabj.html is the only publication of its content and scope. The peer-reviewed articles that comprise each journal issue keep us current with new technology and solutions as well as documenting the evolving science of our field. In addition to the preconference courses offered at our conference, ABSA offers a one-week entry-level Principles and Practices of Biosafety www.absa.org/eduppb.html course and a Leadership Institute www.absa.org/eduleadership.html for developing skills and offering strategies to address current issues in biosafety.

The most significant benefits of ABSA membership come from our members themselves. So many of my colleagues have told me that ABSA is one of the friendliest and most helpful organizations they've experienced. ABSA members bring a rare and intangible combination of community, commitment, and content to their work and to our organization. Thank you to ALL of you for your passion and dedication.

No professional association is without its struggles and challenges. The current economic environment coupled with the unprecedented growth in the visibility and scrutiny of biorisk management practices and practitioners will force us to be innovative and to challenge the dogma of "this is the way we've always done it." EVERY member and friend of ABSA is critical to this innovation and I encourage you to challenge yourself, your colleagues, and ABSA to look for new or reinvented ideas and solutions to old and new problems.

I am honored to serve, as President, this organization that has nurtured and challenged me for the past 18 years. I look forward to the opportunity to make new friends and colleagues and to hear your concerns, but, more importantly, your ideas and innovations!

Best regards,

LouAnn C. Burnett, MS, CBSP