Summer 2018  |  15 Many individual volunteer leaders stepped forward to champion change in their chapter or in their committee. Others helped the HBA prepare training materials to support the migration to the new model. And another team identified areas that needed work and helped brainstorm solutions. Going live with the new model without every ‘t’ crossed and ‘i’ dotted was painful at times but nonetheless, we progressed forward. We now have more than 300 volunteer leaders in our committees, councils and boards—twice the number we had in 2016. These roles offer experiences to foster and nurture executive and leadership develop- ment in a uniquely supportive environment. Close to 90 percent of our volunteer leaders report that their participation and engagement with the HBA has positively impacted their career. The HBA now has 42 chapters and affiliates across the U.S. and Europe. Many are in locations where we previously had no presence like Seattle, Connecticut and Maryland. Our pipeline for new affiliates spans globally from Miami to Japan. Work continues to improve volunteer training, better communicate policies and procedures, and facilitate sharing of best practices. Today, internally and externally, the HBA is a united force for change. Disha Patel Disha Patel, senior lead information systems, Amgen Inc., leveraged her experience as a change agent during her interviews this summer for a new, more senior role. “During my interviews, I talked about my involvement as a change agent in the HBA Pacific region. I explained how I was helping to migrate our current board into the new regional operating model and the challenges I dealt with getting people on board. I also shared that I learned how important it was to make sure people could see themselves fitting into the new model. Having the experience of leading a team move from an old model to a new model set me apart from the others who were interviewing for the same role and was mentioned as one of the reasons I was selected.“ “And unlike corporate America, in the HBA, the more people involved and engaged the better… Thisacceleratesthebuildingofeveryone’snetwork and makes it easier for members to step in and try new roles which enrich and develop their leadership competencies.” LizCoyle,HBAEVP