Member News September 2024

Timmons Leads Neurosurgery in Wisconsin

Shelly D. Timmons, MD, PhD, FACS, has been appointed chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and named the Sanford J. Larson, MD, PhD, Chair in Neurosurgery. She comes from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis where she was chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery. Dr. Timmons is a member of the ACS Board of Regents.

Farma Is Chair of Surgery at Fox Chase

Jeffrey M. Farma, MD, FACS, was promoted to chair of surgery at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, following a succession of leadership roles at the center. Dr. Farma joined Fox Chase Cancer Center in 2009 and has served as professor of surgery, chief of the Division of General Surgery, surgical director of the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program, director of the Complex General Surgical Oncology Program, and interim chair of surgery.

Matthews Is Senior Physician Leader across UChicago Medicine

Jeffrey B. Matthews, MD, FACS, was appointed surgeon-in-chief for the University of Chicago Health System in Illinois. Dr. Matthews, a gastrointestinal surgeon, also will continue his role as chair of the Department of Surgery at The University of Chicago—a position he has held since 2006.

Pryor Will Join Brown University as Chair

Aurora D. Pryor, MD, MBA, FACS, will take over as chair of the Department of Surgery at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, surgeon-in-chief of Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital, and president of Brown Surgical Associates, all in Providence, Rhode Island. A bariatric surgeon, Dr. Pryor currently is surgeon-in-chief at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York, and system director for bariatric surgery at Northwell Health in Great Neck, New York. She also is a professor of surgery at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in Uniondale, New York.

Ivy Takes Helm at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare

Michael Ivy, MD, FACS, was appointed chief medical officer of Gaylord Specialty Healthcare in Wallingford, Connecticut. Prior to joining Gaylord, Dr. Ivy—a trauma surgeon—was deputy chief medical officer of the Yale-New Haven Health System in Connecticut.

Raman Chairs Penn State Health Department of Urology

Jay D. Raman, MD, FACS, assumed the role of permanent chair of the Department of Urology at Penn State Health in University Park, after being named the interim chair in 2021. Dr. Raman has been with Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine for 16 years, most recently as chief of the Department of Urology. For the ACS, he serves on the Advisory Council for Urology.

Freischlag Is Elected Chair of AAMC Board

Julie A. Freischlag, MD, FACS, will serve as chair of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) 2024-2025 Board of Directors. The term begins November 12. A vascular surgeon, Dr. Freischlag is chief executive officer and chief academic officer of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, chief academic officer and executive vice president of Advocate Health, and executive vice president for health affairs of Wake Forest University. She also is an ACS Past-President.

Boss Moves Up at Johns Hopkins

Emily F. Boss, MD, MPH, FACS, was promoted to director of pediatric otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland—the first new division director in 30 years. With Johns Hopkins since 2008, she has held several leadership roles. Most recently, Dr. Boss was physician advisor for care coordination and clinical resource management at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and medical director for revenue cycle performance improvement for Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Sippel Is AAES President

Rebecca Sippel, MD, FACS, is the new president of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons (AAES). Dr. Sippel is chair of the Division of Endocrine Surgery and a professor of surgery at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Mendoza Accepts Role of Trauma Medical Director

April E. Mendoza, MD, FACS, is trauma medical director at Alameda Health System in Oakland, California. She previously was a trauma surgeon and associate professor of clinical surgery at the University of California San Francisco-East Bay Surgery Program.

Weinfeld Is Chief Clinical Officer in Florida

Andrew S. Weinfeld, MD, MBA, FACS, is the chief clinical officer for the AdventHealth East Florida Division. Previously, he was chief medical officer for several hospitals within the HCA Healthcare system, most recently with HCA Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver, Colorado.

Markert Is Elected to ABNS Board of Directors

James Markert, MD, MPH, FACS, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS). He will serve a 6-year term. Dr. Markert is the James Garber Galbraith Endowed Chair of Neurosurgery and a professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at The University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Goldberg and Minter Direct ABS Board of Directors

Amy J. Goldberg, MD, FACS, is the 2024-2025 chair of the American Board of Surgery (ABS) Board of Directors, and Rebecca M. Minter, MD, MBA, FACS, is the vice-chair. Dr. Goldberg—a trauma surgeon—is the Marjorie Joy Katz Dean of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A general surgeon, Dr. Minter is the A. R. Curreri Distinguished Chair of the Department of Surgery and professor of surgery at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison.

Fraser Leads Trauma Care in Southern California

Douglas R. Fraser, MD, FACS, is medical director of the Trauma Center at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach in California. Dr. Fraser is a trauma surgeon who has been with MemorialCare since 2023. Previously, he served as the chief of trauma at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada (UMCSN) in Las Vegas, directed surgical resident and fellowship-level postgraduate training programs as division chief of acute care surgery at UMCSN, and worked for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as a tactical physician to provide support to the SWAT team and search and rescue officers

Johnston Moves to Wake Forest

Fabian M. Johnston, MD, MHS, FACS, is chair of the Department of Surgery at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. A general surgeon, Dr. Johnston previously was chief of the Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology, director of the Complex General Surgical Oncology Program, and an associate professor in the Department of Surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland.  

Smith Accepts Leadership Role with WTSA

Michael A. Smith, MD, FACS, has been named vice-president/president-elect of the Western Thoracic Surgical Association (WTSA). A cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Smith is associate chief of thoracic surgery and surgical director of lung transplantation for Norton Thoracic Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona.  

Maithel Will Take Over as Chief of Surgical Oncology

Shishir K. Maithel, MD, FACS, will join the Department of Surgery at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, as the division chief of surgical oncology in January 2025. He also will serve as chief surgical oncology officer of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. Dr. Maithel, who is a general surgeon, currently is a professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology at the Emory University School of Medicine, scientific director at the Emory Liver and Pancreas Center, and director of the Surgical Oncology Research Fellowship Program at the Emory Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta, Georgia.

Have you or an ACS member you know achieved a notable career highlight recently? If so, send potential contributions to Jennifer Bagley, MA, Bulletin Editor-in-Chief, at jbagley@facs.org. Submissions will be printed based on content type and available space.