LACMA TO SWEAR IN FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENT June 4, 2018 Tag 1096 Dr. C. Freeman is set to make history when she becomes the Los Angeles County Medical Association's first African American and African American female President on June 21st at the organization's Annual Installation of Officers in Santa Monica. C. Freeman, MD, MBA, is the daughter of the famed educator and orator Dr. Thomas F. Freeman of Houston, Texas. Dr. Freeman holds a vision to lead the medical community into a renewed era of physician empowerment and patient-centered care, stemming from trends indicating that increasing bureaucratic and technological requirements have diminished the individuality and personal touch of quality healthcare. During a pivotal time when healthcare providers are enduring unprecedented levels of hardship and burnout, through powerful advocacy and unity, Dr. Freeman is committed to providing an effective platform for physician leaders of all specialties and modes of practice to come together, engage and re-discover the joy of practicing medicine and the meaningful purpose of helping others. "As the first African American LACMA President, I am both proud of the organization's evolution to effect such a pivotal change in its traditional leadership and honored to lead our group in what is shaping up to be a year of new levels of inclusion and active advocacy, which increases the value for more physicians and has the highly desirable side effect of stimulating growth in membership, involvement, affiliations, and impact." A Geriatric Psychiatrist affiliated with California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA, Dr. Freeman is now the Program Director for the newly accredited Psychiatry Residency Training Program at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. She received her medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine, dual training in Internal Medicine and Psychiatry at the University of Virginia, and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr. Freeman currently serves on the LACMA Board as President-Elect. She lists membership and leadership in organizations such as the National Medical Association, National Black MBA Association, Charles R. Drew Medical Society, Black Psychiatrists of America and American Psychiatric Association. There have only been four female physician presidents since LACMA's founding in 1871. Dr. Rose Bullard was the first female president elected in 1903. LACMA would not elect another female president again for another 89 years. Never in its history has LACMA elected an African American president. LACMA CEO Gustavo Friederichsen said, "With a continued focus on changes in healthcare from the national level all the way down to a local level, we're excited by Dr. Freeman's refreshing approach to organized medicine and the impact her leadership will have on the practice of medicine and our role as an association to support all physicians and the health of our local communities." LACMA is a professional association representing LA county physicians from every medical specialty and practice. Since 1871, LACMA has been at the forefront of the science, business, and politics of medicine, ensuring that its members are represented in the areas of public policy, government relations, innovation, and healthcare research and delivery.