It is with great joy and gratitude that we extend our heartfelt thanks to Jackie Williams for her outstanding dedication to the MICCAI Society over the past 20 years. Jackie has been an invaluable asset, generously volunteering her time to take minutes, mentor others, and fearlessly stepping in to help resolve challenges at our conferences.

We are immensely grateful for Jackie's continued dedication and the positive influence she has had on our community. Her legacy of volunteerism and leadership will continue to inspire others for years to come.

Thank you, Jackie, for your incredible contributions. Your spirit of generosity and service has left an indelible mark on the MICCAI Society, and we look forward to many more years of collaboration and camaraderie with you. See you at the next MICCAI in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Read more below about her experiences with MICCAI over the last 20 years.

When did you start working with the MICCAI Society?

My husband, Terry Peters, had been going to the MICCAI conferences since about 1998, and had been elected to the MICCAI Board. Alan Colchester, the then President of MICCAI, commented that they needed someone to take notes during the Board meetings - so I got volunteered. I did have a science background and I knew a little about medical imaging, so I thought it would be ok. I never thought I would still be doing the job 20 years later!

What changes have you seen in the MICCAI Society since then?

The first major change I witnessed was the formation of the MICCAI Society in 2004. The late Rich Robb oversaw this lengthy and complicated process, changing a relatively informal, annual meeting of like-minded scientists into a functioning legal entity, able to charge professional membership fees as well as conference fees. This was important, because it meant the Society would eventually be able to underwrite the annual conferences. Prior to that, each conference organizer had to assume all risks, and over the years there have been several major events that have necessitated changes in venues.

As MICCAI grew year by year, it became almost impossible for local teams to organize each conference, and a major change was to contract DEKON to be the PCO for each conference. This has been a game changer in terms of growing MICCAI and making it a fully functioning international conference.

Of course, as Board members rotated on and off, the character of the Board changed with the individuals, but always with the same dedication to strengthening the Society and furthering science.   

Where have you travelled to with MICCAI Society?

I have attended at least 17 conferences, including those in Japan (Tokyo and Nagoya), Canada (Montreal, Toronto, Quebec City, Vancouver), France (Nice and St. Malo), USA (Palm Springs, New York, Cambridge), Denmark (Copenhagen), Germany (Munich), Spain (Grenada), Singapore, China (Beijing, Shenzhen). The only MICCAI Conference I was not able to attend was Athens because my daughter's twins were born at that time.

What have you enjoyed the most during your time with the MICCAI Society?

Traveling the world to attend MICCAI Conferences has been wonderful, but the most enjoyable aspects have been working with and getting to know the people of MICCAI. The enduring friendships (with Janette Wallace, Johanne Langford, and John Baxter) have sustained me through many challenging and frustrating issues and events, not to mention the endless fun and laughter we've shared.

It's also been a great privilege to spend time with some of the giants who grew MICCAI out of some smaller conferences. People such as Alan Colchester, Rich Robb, Nicholas Ayache, Jocelyne Troccaz, Ron Kikinis, Max Viergever, Alison Noble, Jim Duncan, Ken Mori, Karl Heinze Höhne, Russ Taylor, Steve Pizer, Gabor Fichtinger, and Terry Peters, who all brought such dedication and commitment during those early days when the MICCAI Society was born and now thrives, thanks to their foresight. It's been a joy and a privilege working on all the conferences I've been lucky enough to attend!