ASDS Honors Awarded and New Board Members Elected

“There are few like you who are willing to invest the time and energy, year after year, serving in so many different capacities,” Dr. Lawrence said in honoring Dr. Alam. “So many of our achievements can be attributed to your excellent work – you are the consummate consensus builder who exemplifies leadership and contributes thoughtfully to every conversation.”

Dr. Coleman earned the President’s Award for his many contributions as an ASDS leader. In addition to serving as Editor-in-Chief of Dermatologic Surgery journal and Ex-Officio member of the ASDS Board of Directors, Dr. Coleman serves on the cosmetic surgery faculty at Tulane Health Science Center as Clinical Professor of Dermatology and Adjunct Professor of Plastic Surgery. He is the founder of the Coleman Center for Cosmetic Dermatologic Surgery in Metairie, La.

“Bill’s contributions as a leader in the organization are significant and many, as reflected in his service on the Board of Directors spanning the last 25 years, and as Editor-in-Chief of the most esteemed scientific journal in dermatology,” Dr. Lawrence said.

Ms. Madden is the Associate Director, Professional Relations at Galderma and serves on the ASDS Industry Advisory Council.

“This award is a token of my sincere appreciation and recognition of Mary’s steadfast support of the specialty, ASDS and its many programs over the years,” Dr. Lawrence said. “Without fail, Mary brings her enthusiasm, new ideas and perspectives to the table.”

Dr. Rossi specializes in Mohs Micrographic Surgery, reconstructive surgery, cosmetic dermatologic surgery and medical dermatology. In addition to practicing at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Rossi serves as an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Rossi is the ASDS Young Physician Representative to the American Medical Association and has been involved with ASDS Work Groups and advocacy efforts including the recent Patient-Centered Skin Cancer Roundtable in Washington, DC.

“Anthony’s continued service reflects his leadership abilities and commitment to our specialty,” Dr. Lawrence said. “He has taken time away from his busy practice to share his expertise and ensure ASDS members and their patients are supported.”

Dr. Roenigk is an ASDS Past President, having served in the role in 1983, and former Chairman of Dermatology at both Northwestern University and the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Roenigk was recognized “for his lifelong dedication to the advancement of dermatologic surgery through innovation, education and research,” said Dr. Lawrence.

Also presented during the 2016 Annual Meeting, Dr. Jean Carruthers was recognized with the Samuel J. Stegman Award for Distinguished Service for her work as a pioneer in the cosmetic use of botulinum toxin. Together with her husband, Alastair Carruthers, FRCPC, Dr. Carruthers spearheaded research into the use of botulinum toxin to treat glabellar furrows, or forehead frown lines.,

Originally an ophthalmologist, Dr. Carruthers initially used botulinum toxin to treat misaligned eyes and spasms, or uncontrolled blinking. But in 1987, a patient led Dr. Carruthers to a discovery that would shape the future of cosmetic dermatologic surgery.

“One of my patients got angry at me and said, ‘You didn’t treat me here,’” pointing to the ends of her eyebrows, Dr. Carruthers said. “She said, ‘Every time you inject me here, I get this beautiful untroubled expression.’ That was how it started.”

Since Dr. Carruthers’ innovative work began in the 1980s, botulinum toxin treatment has become the most widely used cosmetic procedure worldwide. In 2015, ASDS members reported performing nearly 1.5 million botulinum toxin treatments.

“I’m just happy that it’s helped so many people,” Dr. Carruthers said. “That’s why you go into medicine – to help people.”

ASDS member Derek H. Jones, MD, nominated Dr. Carruthers for the Stegman Award, which honors individuals who have made major contributions in furthering the goals of ASDS in education, organizational service, and research.

“Jean is the embodiment of innovative leadership and advocacy of dermatologic surgery, as was Sam Stegman,” whose career was marked by innovative leadership and tireless advocacy for the specialties of dermatology and dermatologic surgery, Dr. Jones said.

Dr. Carruthers also was recognized as an ASDS leader. An ocuplastic surgeon, she became the first ASDS Honorary Member in 2006, going on to earn the ASDS President’s Award in 2012, 2014, and 2015. She has served on numerous ASDS Work Groups and Committees, was Chair of the ASDS Industry Advisory Council and is a past Future Leaders Network mentor.

Dr. Carruthers’ leadership has helped ASDS grow stronger, with greater educational offerings and resources for members.

“Jean’s extraordinary efforts during her tenure as Chair of the ASDS Industry Advisory Council resulted in a doubling of annual contributions to more than $1.8 million, paving the path for explosive growth of ASDS educational offerings and membership service,” Dr. Jones said.

New Board Members and Officers

Thomas E. Rohrer, MD, began his term as President of the ASDS and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association (ASDSA) during the Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Along with his fellow officers and the ASDS/ASDSA Boards of Directors, Rohrer assumes leadership of the largest specialty organization exclusively representing dermatologic surgeons.  

Dr. Rohrer is a physician at SkinCare Physicians in Chestnut Hill, MA, and an adjunct associate professor of dermatology at Brown University in Rhode Island. He received the ASDS President’s Award in 2010 and is a past recipient of the Excellence in Education award.

“I will passionately fight for strong advocacy for all aspects of dermatology and dermatologic surgery on both the national and state level,” Dr. Rohrer said. “We must align with other organizations both within and outside of dermatology. We will be far more successful being proactive than reactive.”

Dr. Rohrer succeeds Dr. Lawrence, who becomes the Society’s Immediate Past President.

The newASDSleadership team also includes President-Elect Lisa M. Donofrio, MD, and Vice President Murad Alam, MD, MBA, as well as three new members of the Board of Directors and a new Board Secretary. Elected to three-year terms on the ASDS/ASDSA Board of Directors are: Doris Day, MD, of New York, NY; Lawrence J. Green, MD, of Rockville, MD; and Margaret A. Weiss, MD, of Hunt Valley, MD. The three new board members will serve until the 2019 ASDS Annual Meeting.

Dr. Donofrio is a partner at the Savin Center PC in New Haven, Conn. She also is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine and Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Dermatology at Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr. Donofrio has contributed to numerous ASDS efforts, including the Awards Work Group and Patient Photographic Consent Task Force. She will become ASDS President in 2017-18.  

“My goals are to create a unified voice for our specialty, to increase dermatologic surgery procedural requirements within our residency programs and to defend our position against legislative efforts that threaten to pigeonhole our scope of practice as dermatologists,” said Dr. Donofrio.

Dr. Alam, of Chicago, is Vice Chair of the Department of Dermatology at Northwestern University, where he also serves as a Professor of Dermatology, Otolaryngology and Surgery and Section Chief of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery.

“I hope to work with our physician leaders and capable staff to continue the important work of ASDS and to do my best to overcome obstacles in this time of uncertainty and change,” Dr. Alam said.

As Vice President, Dr. Alam will ascend to President-Elect in 2017-18 and President in 2018-19. He has served on numerous ASDS committees and work groups, including the Cosmetic Dermatologic Surgery Fellowship Accreditation Work Group and Task Force on Guidelines on Neurotoxin Reconstitution, Use & Storage.

 

Sue Ellen Cox, MD, also began her term as ASDS Secretary. Dr. Cox was selected by the Board of Directors to serve as Secretary until the 2019 ASDS Annual Meeting.