A Message from President Bernadette Mele

Dear CSRT Members, Colleagues, Students, and Friends, 

It is a tremendous honor to introduce myself as the newly inducted President of the Connecticut Society of Radiologic Technologists. 

For those I have not yet had the opportunity to meet, my name is Bernadette Mele, and I have been a radiologic technologist since 2005. I began my career as a radiographer and, that same year, also began teaching the next generation of medical imaging professionals. Over the years, my career has taken me into MRI, education, leadership, and professional advocacy, but throughout each of those roles, one thing has remained constant: my belief in the importance of our profession and in the people who make it what it is. 

As I begin this term as your president, I do so with tremendous gratitude. Thank you to our members, our volunteers, and the many leaders who have helped build and sustain CSRT since its founding in 1938. Our strength has always been our people, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside an outstanding group of professionals who have stepped forward to lead our society. 

At our Annual Conference this past weekend, we welcomed the members of the CSRT Board of Directors who will serve alongside me: 

President-Elect — Rigers Bicaku Vice President — Molly Dickerman Secretary — Sarah Becker Treasurer — Matt Kozakewicz, who continues his service in this important role Chair of the Board — Ryan Appold, transitioning from his service as President Senior Board Member — Lee Page, newly elected into this position by the Board 

I am incredibly grateful to each of them for their willingness to serve. 

I am especially appreciative of Ryan's leadership during his presidency. His vision has helped move CSRT forward, including his support of New England Partners Lecture Series. As Ryan moves into the role of Chair of the Board, we have the opportunity to preserve that institutional knowledge and momentum while continuing to build on the work already underway. 

That continuity matters to me. My goal as president is not to start over. It is to build upon the strong foundation that already exists while creating new opportunities for our members and our profession. 

Our priorities for the year ahead center on four interconnected areas: foundation, education, advocacy, and growth. 

We will honor the work of those who came before us while continuing to move CSRT forward. 

We will build upon and expand the New England Partners Lecture Series, creating opportunities for high-quality and accessible education across radiography, CT, MRI, mammography, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, sonography, and the many areas that connect our profession. 

We will continue to advocate for medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals throughout Connecticut. Advocacy is not simply about protecting our profession; it is also about protecting our patients. Education, appropriate training, professional standards, and a strong professional voice matter. CSRT will continue working with our members, our professional partners, and ASRT to ensure that our profession is represented when decisions affecting medical imaging and radiation therapy are being made. 

Just as importantly, I want us to grow—not simply in numbers, but in connection, participation, visibility, and engagement. 

I want students to see CSRT as their professional society. 

I want new graduates to know there is a professional community ready to support them as they begin their careers. 

I want experienced technologists to recognize how valuable their knowledge and experience are to the next generation. 

And I want professionals from every medical imaging and radiation therapy discipline to know that there is a place for them within CSRT. 

Our profession is essential to healthcare, yet the people behind the images, procedures, and treatments are not always visible to the public. During this term, I hope we can tell our story more effectively—through professional outreach, student engagement, mentorship, National Radiologic Technology Week, social media, advocacy, and within our own workplaces and communities. 

But none of this happens because of one president or even one Board of Directors. 

CSRT belongs to all of us, and CSRT is strongest when our members participate. 

So, as we begin this new year together, I am asking each of you to consider one small way you can become involved. 

Renew your membership. Invite a colleague or student to join. Attend a lecture. Volunteer for a committee. Respond when an advocacy alert is sent. Share a CSRT post. Mentor a student or new technologist. Consider becoming a speaker. Attend our next annual conference. Or simply reach out and tell us what you need from your professional society. 

Every one of those actions matters. 

As a Board, we also want this year to be built on conversation. We want to hear from you—what is working, what challenges you are experiencing in your workplace, what educational opportunities you need, and what you believe CSRT can do to better serve Connecticut's medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals. 

There is much to accomplish, and I am excited about what this Board, our committees, our volunteers, and our members can accomplish together. 

Thank you for the trust you have placed in me and in our newly inducted Board of Directors. Most importantly, thank you for the work you do every day for your patients, your colleagues, your students, and our profession. 

Together, we will honor the past, strengthen the present, and build the future. 

With gratitude, 

Bernadette Mele, DHSc, MBA-HCM, MHS, R.T.(R)(MR)(ARRT); MRSO (MRSC™)

President Connecticut Society of Radiologic Technologists