A Conversation with PDA ’ s Executive Director
On April 21 , PDA officially welcomed Ward Blackwell as Executive Director . Ward came to us after serving as the Executive Director of the Louisiana Dental Association ( LDA ) for 20 years .
During his tenure , LDA received four Golden Apple Awards and two membership awards from the American Dental Association . In 2019 , Ward was recognized for his contributions to the dental profession with an honorary fellowship in the Pierre Fauchard Academy .
Ward has taken on the significant challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic , successfully navigating his early weeks on the job working remotely from Louisiana , before making the move north to central Pennsylvania in late May .
Because the pandemic forced the cancellation of Pennsylvania ’ s Dental Meeting back in April , many PDA members missed out on the opportunity to welcome Ward to our state , so we are excited to share this in-depth interview .
Ward hiking along the Calypso Cascades in Rocky Mountain National Park , one of his favorite destinations for recreation .
12 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL