ASDS Elects New Officers, Board Members

The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) announces the election of Naomi Lawrence, M.D., as Vice President as well as a new Secretary and three new board members during its Annual Meeting in Chicago. The Society's newly elected officials will join President Mitchel P. Goldman, M.D., and President-Elect George J. Hruza, M.D., and the board of directors to help lead the largest specialty organization exclusively representing dermatologic surgeons. ASDS officials also serve in the same capacity for the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association (ASDSA). The new ASDS Vice President – Dr. Lawrence of Marlton, N.J. – is a Professor of Clinical Medicine and head of the Division of Dermatology Section of Procedural Dermatology at Cooper University Health Care in New Jersey. A 2007 recipient of the Presidential Citation Award, she currently is an ASDS Visiting Professor and serves on three ASDS Work Groups. As Vice President, Dr. Lawrence will ascend to President-Elect in 2014-15 and President in 2015-16. “The ASDS is the premier organization for dermatologic surgery education and for advancing a positive public image of dermatologic surgery. Its affiliated organization, the ASDSA, excels at the political advocacy of our specialty and our patients,” Dr. Lawrence said. “I look forward to leading these vibrant, responsive organizations in these efforts.” Elected to three-year terms on the Board of Directors are: Diane S. Berson, M.D., of New York, N.Y.; Leonard H. Goldberg, M.D., F.R.C.P., of Houston, Texas; and Adam M. Rotunda, M.D., of Newport Beach, Calif. All three will serve until 2016. Dr. Berson is an Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Weil Cornell Medical College of Cornell University in New York. “I look forward to working with our volunteer members and the dedicated staff of the ASDS to help further secure our perception by the public as the experts in performing quality dermatological procedures,” she said. Dr. Goldberg is a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and the Director of the Procedural Dermatology Fellowship Program at the Methodist Hospital in Houston. “The ASDS and ASDSA must continue to play the crucial role in our branding dermatologic, cosmetic and Mohs surgeons, and we need to continue to support these efforts,” he said. “We must define our identity in a way that the public can understand and strengthen our bond with our patients.” Dr. Rotunda is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the David Geffen School of Medicine (UCLA). He is a contributing editor of the Dermatologic Surgery journal and has served as mentor in the ASDS Future Leaders Network program. “As a member of the Board of Directors, I will advocate for residents and fellows, just as I was inspired by the ASDS to grow personally and professionally at that critical and impressionable stage,” he said. Elected Secretary is Murad Alam, M.D., an Associate Professor of Dermatology, Otolaryngology and Surgery at Northwestern University in Chicago. Dr. Alam, an author of more than 100 publications and editor of 20 books, is an assistant editor of the Dermatologic Surgery journal and AMA representative to the CPT Advisory Committee. "It is a great privilege to serve as Secretary of the ASDS,” he said. Serving as President for 2013-14 is Dr. Goldman of San Diego, Calif. He is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of California-San Diego in La Jolla. President-Elect Dr. Hruza of Chesterfield, Mo., is a Clinical Professor of dermatology and otolaryngology at St. Louis University. Past President is Timothy C. Flynn, M.D., of Cary, N.C. He is a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.