Meet Our Volunteers

Volunteer Spotlight and Member Highlights

Exciting news! AABB’s Professional Engagement Program will be showcasing all of the great work our members do for AABB and the world at large.

Our PEP Volunteer Spotlight will consist of a short Q&A with one of our members published each month in AABB News. Our members play an integral role here at AABB and we want to share their accomplishments.

Member Highlights can be any volunteer accomplishment directly involved with AABB and will change as new highlights are added. These highlights may range from publications, committee work, webinars and everything in between!

We are currently soliciting names of individuals to showcase for the coming year in either our Volunteer Spotlight or a Member Highlight capacities. If you or a fellow AABB member are interested, please email us at PEP@aabb.org.

Professional Engagement Program Volunteer Spotlight on Aaron D. Shmookler, MD

At University of Kentucky / UK HealthCare I serve as:
• Associate Professor – Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
• Medical Director – Blood Bank, Coagulation and Cellular Therapies Laboratories
• Clinical Pathology Associate Director – Residency Program
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Ambassador – Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

How long have you been an AABB member?

I have been a member of AABB since 2016.

In which AABB volunteer activities are you currently active? In which have you participated?

I have participated in the AABB Mentoring Program and want to extend my deepest thanks to Cees Th. Smit Sibinga, MD, PhD, FRCPEdin, FRCPath for mentoring me.

I have been part of an inspiring group of AABB members who were officially recognized by AABB as the Social Media Committee in 2023. In our embryonic stages of development (as early as around 2016), Magda Yang started an informal social media working group that evolved into Twitter – later, Social Media – Champions for the AABB Annual Meeting.

What motivates you to volunteer?

Fun! I have an absolute blast learning and hearing what others from across the globe have to say in the digital space. We may be spread far and wide, but our community is at the palms of our hands. It’s especially memorable when you meet someone on Twitter and then in real life (#MOTTIRL) such as at the AABB Annual Meeting.

How has your volunteer work impacted your professional work?

As an example, AABB journal club (#AABBjc) has become an important avenue for professional growth and development. So much great content reinforces my knowledge and skills as well as keeps me informed of new and exciting research. I think volunteering is making a difference because platforms such as X can be free, so anyone can join and follow their colleagues (not to mention mentees and idols!)

As a volunteer, I also am mentoring other professionals in our field; seeing them grow to become successful is a very rewarding feeling. Not only do you impart your wisdom and experience, but you are also challenged to do better because mentees ask great questions.

What have you learned from volunteering with AABB? And what advice would you give to someone interested in volunteering?

Volunteering opens up doors including collaborating with AABB Members from other subsections and committees in projects that culminate in a variety of publications. My advice would to be proactive: ask to participate and jump right in. Time is precious, so be ready to work diligently; however, any additional time you can volunteer will be appreciated, go a long way, and be remembered.

Who is your favorite musician?

My father, David Shmookler, a teacher and Principal Violist with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra for 25 years before his untimely passing in 2010 (he was 64 years old).