Meet a Member: Brett Kell, MDS
Meet PAR member Brett Kell, Director of Business Development for the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS).
What do you find most rewarding about your work in associations?
I take pride in a job well done, exceeding funding goals, and traveling the world, but two things stand out to me as the biggest rewards: first, interacting with our leaders and members, and appreciating the bigger picture of what they do. Because staff so often function behind the scenes, some of my most rewarding moments have been engaging the doctors and better understanding different treatments and how science has advanced. The second and perhaps greatest reward is hearing directly from patients and their caregivers whose quality of life was improved by the care our members provide. There’s no better feeling than seeing how someone’s life was changed by expertise their physician gained in part through the education, collaboration and support our organization facilitates.
What’s your favorite quote or motto that keeps you motivated?
“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”
If you weren’t working in associations, what other career could you see yourself pursuing?
A food tour guide, interior designer, or podcast host.
If you could live anywhere in the world for one year, where would it be and what would you do?
I recently returned from a week in Japan; I can’t wait to go back to explore more of the country and its culture, food, and history. Denmark, Spain and Monaco are also places I very much want to return to, and New Zealand, Portugal, Iceland, Peru and Switzerland are on my bucket list!
What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve given (or would give) to a new association professional?
Try to see the work you do from your members’ perspective. What value does it bring to what they do? Does it make their life easier, advance their profession, or help them better serve those around them? If you can see past the day-to-day and focus on how you can serve your members and your mission, it will motivate you. I once had the privilege of watching our organization’s president examine and then diagnose a woman with Parkinson’s disease, and she was relieved because of his compassion and expertise. He said “now we know you have this disease, but the good news is we know what to do with it. We know how to help you, and how to move forward by working together.” I’ll never forget the effect his approach had on her.
Meet PAR Member Organization: MDS
The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS) is a professional society of clinicians, scientists, and other healthcare professionals who are interested in some of the most challenging diseases to diagnose and treat: movement disorders, including Parkinson's disease, related neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders, hyperkinetic movement disorders, and abnormalities in muscle tone and motor control. MDS operates exclusively for scientific, scholarly and educational purposes.