Committee Corner: The Global Council and Collaborations Committee
Drs. Michelle Rodrigues and Michael Waul, Global Council and Collaborations Committee Co-Chairs
For this month’s Committee Corner, we are pleased to highlight our newly established Global Council and Collaborations Committee, co-chaired by Drs. Michelle Rodrigues and Michael Waul.
This committee serves as a vital link between the Skin of Color Society and international and national organizations with a focus on skin of color, including those in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, South and Central America, and other regions.
The committee works to build strong partnerships and foster collaboration with groups such as the National Medical Association (NMA), the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) and other relevant bodies. It also supports the Society’s presence at international meetings, promoting global engagement and the exchange knowledge in dermatology related to skin of color. Through these efforts, the committee aims to strengthen connections and advance the Society’s mission on a global scale.
Meet the Co-Chairs
Michelle Rodrigues, MBBS (Hons), FACD, is Associate Professor, University of Melbourne, and Founder and Director, Chroma Dermatology, Australia. As co-chair of this exciting new committee, Dr. Rodrigues remarks that she looks forward to “working with her co-chair, Dr. Waul, and their committee to advance awareness, education, and clinical excellence in skin of color dermatology globally —driving health equity and delivering world-class care for all skin types, with the hopes achieving this through collaboration with other dermatologic organizations and key continuing medical education events across the globe in 2025.”
As Dr. Rodrigues shares, “SOCS has played a pivotal role in my career development and one of the greatest sources of professional fulfillment. Just over a decade ago, current SOCS President, Dr. Nada Elbuluk and I were given the task of establishing the mentoring program for SOCS. Seeing it flourish and be the source of inspiration for so many around the world is heartwarming. Many collaborative research projects, awareness programs and improvements in patient care have stemmed directly from my involvement with SOCS but it is the deep personal connections that have and continue to be one of the greatest things about being a member of SOCS. I encourage all young medical students, doctors, dermatologist and industry partners who want to innovate, collaborate and advance our specialty, to join SOCS and consider volunteering on one of the many committees that make SOCS what it is today and follow the dermatologists who are passionate about this area to continue to learn more.”
Michael Waul, MD, FAAD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Waul comments, “I am honored to serve as co-chair of the Global Council and Collaborations Committee, and to be an ambassador for SOCS on the international stage. I am thrilled to see the impact of our work - so far this year we have established novel connections with several professional organizations within the US and worldwide, including Dubai Derma and the American Telemedicine Association. I look forward to working with my co-chair and committee members as we develop the Global Council, and continue to promote excellence within skin of color dermatology.”
Dr. Waul points out that an important focus this year is on the Global Council Initiative, which will connect international dermatological societies focused on skin of color, sharing best practices and addressing regional dermatological needs. The committee will help form the Global Council by recommending professional societies and developing its structure (e.g. charter, protocols, potential bylaws).
The co-chairs encourage all SOCS members with connections to other international dermatologic societies to contact them, as they are always excited to develop new professional networks and expand SOCS' global impact.