Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD, has been elected to serve as president of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) for one year beginning in March 2024. He will be installed as president-elect in March 2023.

As president, Dr. Desai will lead the world’s largest dermatologic society, representing more than 20,500 physicians who specialize in the diagnosis and medical, surgical, and cosmetic treatment of skin, hair, and nail conditions. He will also hold the same position for the American Academy of Dermatology Association, a sister organization to the AAD that focuses on government affairs, health policy, and practice information. Dr. Desai is the Academy’s youngest elected president-elect.

“I look forward to serving the membership in a way that makes them proud to be members of the Academy,” Dr. Desai says. “Now more than ever, the political issues facing our specialty, dermatologists, and all of medicine are of paramount importance. I plan to use my on-the-ground experience—in Washington, DC and at the FDA, NIH, and CMS—to tackle top-tier legislative and regulatory advocacy issues and support research, advancement, and education for our specialty.”

Dr. Desai is founder of Innovative Dermatology, a large private practice, and serves as clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas. Dr. Desai is an expert in dermatologic disease in skin of color, with a focus on pigmentary disorders. He serves on the editorial board of Practical Dermatology® magazine. He was previously elected to the AAD’s Board of Directors, serving from 2018 to 2022. He also served as chair of the AAD’s Leadership Development Steering Committee. In addition, Dr. Desai was appointed to the FDA, where he currently serves on the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee.