Dr. Yahir Santiago-Lastra

One is that because people enter these leadership roles and then they don't leave them until they have to be like escorted out in a walker, there isn't opportunity for the women or the young women that are rising. Again, not my experience or even young voices at all.

So, and I want to bring up two things, again, not something that perhaps at its inception was intended to keep women or people of color out, but certainly does is for example, the way that leadership is selected within our own organization, within the American Urological Association.

So, and I want to bring up two things, again, not something that perhaps at its inception was intended to keep women or people of color out, but certainly does is for example, the way that leadership is selected within our own organization, within the American Urological Association.

So, and I want to bring up two things, again, not something that perhaps at its inception was intended to keep women or people of color out, but certainly does is for example, the way that leadership is selected within our own organization, within the American Urological Association.

Many times when I've talked about diversifying the leadership in the AUA, I've been told and I've learned across the years that leadership rises through the sections. We've all heard this. Section leadership is essential for rising towards leadership at the AUA national level. What happens is you have to accrue time. It's like getting a transplant, right?

Many times when I've talked about diversifying the leadership in the AUA, I've been told and I've learned across the years that leadership rises through the sections. We've all heard this. Section leadership is essential for rising towards leadership at the AUA national level. What happens is you have to accrue time. It's like getting a transplant, right?

Many times when I've talked about diversifying the leadership in the AUA, I've been told and I've learned across the years that leadership rises through the sections. We've all heard this. Section leadership is essential for rising towards leadership at the AUA national level. What happens is you have to accrue time. It's like getting a transplant, right?

If you haven't accrued time on committees, on the boards, on Western section presidency or North Central section presidency, et cetera, then you don't have the opportunity to rise to the upper echelons of leadership. And I want to recognize that there is one important reason why that exists, and it's to reward people who have put in the time and the effort.

If you haven't accrued time on committees, on the boards, on Western section presidency or North Central section presidency, et cetera, then you don't have the opportunity to rise to the upper echelons of leadership. And I want to recognize that there is one important reason why that exists, and it's to reward people who have put in the time and the effort.

If you haven't accrued time on committees, on the boards, on Western section presidency or North Central section presidency, et cetera, then you don't have the opportunity to rise to the upper echelons of leadership. And I want to recognize that there is one important reason why that exists, and it's to reward people who have put in the time and the effort.

Being in these societies takes a lot of work. And it's mostly uncompensated. And I totally recognize that. But at the same time, we are urologists because we love to evolve and innovate.

Being in these societies takes a lot of work. And it's mostly uncompensated. And I totally recognize that. But at the same time, we are urologists because we love to evolve and innovate.

Being in these societies takes a lot of work. And it's mostly uncompensated. And I totally recognize that. But at the same time, we are urologists because we love to evolve and innovate.

And if we notice that the leadership structure is disproportionately keeping people out of it because of how long you have to accrue time, then that can be an area of maybe changing a mindset and being a little more inclusive. You and I work together, for example, on the Sufu diversification. And the conversation was about that, right?

And if we notice that the leadership structure is disproportionately keeping people out of it because of how long you have to accrue time, then that can be an area of maybe changing a mindset and being a little more inclusive. You and I work together, for example, on the Sufu diversification. And the conversation was about that, right?

And if we notice that the leadership structure is disproportionately keeping people out of it because of how long you have to accrue time, then that can be an area of maybe changing a mindset and being a little more inclusive. You and I work together, for example, on the Sufu diversification. And the conversation was about that, right?

How do we reward people and diversify by rewarding and including younger individuals who may have a lot to offer? And we may not be seeing a lot of them in panels or in committees, etc. How can we make that more inclusive. And I think that those are potential solutions.

How do we reward people and diversify by rewarding and including younger individuals who may have a lot to offer? And we may not be seeing a lot of them in panels or in committees, etc. How can we make that more inclusive. And I think that those are potential solutions.

How do we reward people and diversify by rewarding and including younger individuals who may have a lot to offer? And we may not be seeing a lot of them in panels or in committees, etc. How can we make that more inclusive. And I think that those are potential solutions.

But when leadership rises because someone has to leave for you to be able to come in, when there are no term limits, for example, or when the leadership process itself involves accruing a lot of time, then obviously you're going to get older men, typically older white men, occupying those positions because they're the ones that have been in the space the longest.