About
The Western Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (WSAAI) is a nonprofit corporation whose members are physicians and other medical professionals who specialize in allergy and immunology. Our primary purpose is to encourage association of medical professionals specializing in allergy, asthma and immunology for the study of current issues and developments relevant to the specialty and the continuing education of those medical professionals. The organizations primary activity is its annual scientific session, which consists of lectures, discussion groups, workshops and business meetings concerning the practice of allergy, asthma and immunology.
Our Members
The WSAAI continues to attract attendees from throughout the United States and Internationally. The Board of Directors is committed to providing a world-class experience for physicians. In addition to classroom CME, the WSAAI appreciates that the learning continues long after the daylong sessions are complete. To that end, the WSAAI selects meeting venues that are conducive to learning and designed for attendees and faculty to spend considerable time together outside of the classroom sharing their learning experiences.
The Board of Directors of the WSAAI and its membership are proud of their long tradition and look forward to many additional years of providing outstanding continuing education. The 2022-2023 leadership roles for the Western Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology consists of the following individuals:
President
Rene Anderson-Cowell, M.D.
Portland, OR
Immediate Past President
Steven Machtinger, M.D.
San Mateo, CA
Program Director and President Elect
David Elkayam, M.D.
Bellingham, WA
Secretary / Treasurer
Andrew White, M.D.
San Diego, CA
Executive Director
Amy Wagelie-Steffen, M.D.
Tucson, AZ
Executive Director
Marc Riedl, M.D., M.S.
San Diego, CA
Executive Director
Jinny Chang, MD
San Diego, CA
Executive Director
Shyam Joshi, MD
Portland, OR
Managing Director
Karol Anderson
Portland, OR
Origination
The first ever meeting of the organization, then called the West Coast Allergy Society, was held in December 1961, in San Francisco, CA. In the 60’s, state-of-the-art topics such as “Immune Tolerance in the Human” and “Food Sensitivities in the Infant” were reflective of the time. World authorities in the 1970’s spoke on topics such as “The Effectiveness of a New Oral and Injectable Bronchodialator – Tebutaline” and “Pulmonary Function Studies in Clinical Office Practice”. The 1980’s and 1990’s continued to provide the WSAAI membership with compelling topics including a lecture in 1992 on B-Agonist as primary or rescue therapy for asthma as was introduced by Drs. Sears and McFadden and followed by an open forum with the audience. The 2000’s continue to shepherd in educational programs that allow the practicing physician to apply their learning in practice and improve their ability to effective treat and manage their patients.
Partnerships
Are you looking to connect with members of the asthma, allergy and immunology community that are committed to serving their patients better? There are many ways that your organization can partner with WSAAI to provide business benefits while helping advance the field.
- Sponsor a satellite program.
- Support the WSAAI Scholarship goals.
- Position your organization as an active supporter.
Our goal is to develop unique relationships with our partners based on their specific interests and objectives.