In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Society for Vascular Surgery highlights Rupa Brosseau, the SVS Foundation’s executive director and SVS senior director of member, society and industry relations.
Rupa Brosseau credits her Asian-American heritage for playing a significant role in shaping the person she is today. Her parents immigrated to the United States fifty years ago in search of a better future, and she was the first member of her family born in the land of opportunity. Her background gave her a unique perspective on approaching her work daily.
“I am multilingual, and it has given me an advantage in many areas over the years, except in grade school when I didn’t know which language to use at which time,” she joked.
Brosseau has become an integral member of the Society for Vascular Surgery and the SVS Foundation thanks to her background in marketing and development, which contributes to her ability to oversee new and existing revenue goals for the organization. In addition, she has built longstanding relationships within different medical specialties throughout her career that have helped raise funds and set the standard for those groups.
Asian American Pacific Islander Month is a time to celebrate and honor the rich culture, traditions and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout history. Brosseau sees it as a time to embrace our diverse backgrounds and stand together in solidarity.
“Growing up in a culture that values hard work, dedication and respect has instilled in me a strong work ethic and desire to strive for excellence in everything I do,” she said. “My heritage has given me a unique perspective and set of experiences that have helped me navigate the business world with greater cultural awareness and sensitivity.”
Through her work, Brosseau has seen the importance of having medical professionals acknowledge and appreciate the diversity within different populations. Brosseau stresses how crucial it is for physicians to come from diverse backgrounds and encompass various socioeconomic statuses, races and gender identities.
“Although many understand the importance of diversity in healthcare, there is still room for improvement and progress to be made. It’s not uncommon for patients to want to see a doctor who looks like them. Unfortunately, AAPI only accounts for 17% of vascular surgeons in the U.S. Given the increasing aging population of U.S. citizens aged 65 and older, that means we only have one vascular surgeon for every 4,946 AAPI patients,” said Brosseau.
These chilling facts remind Brosseau to mentor the next generation of diverse association professionals with excitement and open arms. She has had many professional mentors to guide her, encouraging her to take chances and learn from every experience. None of them, however, looked like her.
Last fall, the SVS Foundation Board of Directors approved a diversity, equity and inclusion pillar in the previous meeting Brosseau attended. Through this pillar, the Foundation could now work closely with industry and its donors to raise more money for scholarships with a focus on diversity, awards and celebration events like the Voices of Vascular campaign.
Brosseau encourages everyone to continue supporting the Foundation to reach new levels of opportunity for the public. The Foundation funds the future of vascular health through Research and Innovation, Community Vascular Care and Patient Education, Disease Prevention and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Seventy-five cents of every dollar donated goes toward supporting the Foundation’s mission.
“We’re faced with a unique challenge,” said Brosseau. “The population is aging, and vascular issues present themselves in younger patients daily. Our Foundation is strategically placed to help solve this issue, but we can’t do it alone. We need your help to fund the future of vascular health today.”
Your gift to the SVS Foundation supports the Voices of Vascular – past, present and future. Learn more and make your gift today.