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 Association of va surgeons

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Welcome to the AVAS

The Association of VA Surgeons was established in 1967. We are dedicated to improving healthcare for veterans, medical education and research conducted by surgeons within the VA.

Our goals are:

  • to promote the interchange of ideas and issues that affect VA surgeons
  • to provide a forum for discussion of issues of concern to the membership
  • formulation of an organized representation


Officers (2024 - 2025)

President: Danny Chu, MD

President-Elect: Edith Tzeng, MD


Past President: Mary Hawn, MD


Vice-President: Jason Johanning, MD

Secretary: Nader Massarweh, MD

Treasurer: Kathleen Raman, MD


Recorder: James Maloney, MD

Governor, ACS: Seth Spector, MD

Committees

Archives Committee

Chair: Kenneth Lipshy, MD (2026)

Members:

  • Kamal Itani, MD (2025)
  • John Tarpley, MD (2025)
  • Walter Longo, MD (2026)
  • Gordon Telford, MD (2026)
  • Vanita Ahuja, MD (2027)
  • Eugene Choi, MD (2027)

Audit Committee

Chair: Mary Hawn, MD (2026)


Members:

    • George Sarosi, MD (2025)
    • Raj Dhupar, MD (2025)


    Awards Committee

    Chair: Michael Amendola, MD  (2026)


    Members:

    • Brian Smith, MD (2025)
    • Sherry Wren, MD (2025)
    • Mary Carr, MD (2026)
    • Louisa Pecchioni, MD (2026)
    • Cristina Sanger, MD (2027)
    • Luke Brewster, MD (2027)

    Bylaws Committee

    Chair: Dan Hall, MD (2026) 

    Members:

    • Vivienne Halpern (2025)
    • Konstantin Makris, MD (2025)
    • George Sarosi, MD (2025)

    • Mary Hawn, MD (2026)

    • Hana Mikdachi, MD (2026)

    Communications Committee

    Chair: Edward Jones, MD (2025)
    Members:
    • Viraj Pandit, MD (2025)
    • Tom Masterson, MD (2025)

    • Heather Evans, MD (2026)

    • Lorraine Cornwell (2026)

    AVAS Council of Chiefs

    Chair: Lindsay Goldstein, MD (2026)

    Vice-Chair: Anil Bahadursingh, MD (2026)

    AVAS Foundation

    Chair: George Sarosi, MD (2027)

    Members:
    • Alan Dardik, MD (2025)
    • Jason Johanning, MD  (2025)
    • Melissa Perkal, MD (2025)
    • ​James Maloney, MD (2025)
    • Kathleen Raman, MD (2025)

    Local Arrangements Committee

    • 2025 - Nader Massarweh (Atlanta, GA)
    • ​2026 - Brian Smith, MD (Southern CA)


    Membership Committee

    Chair: Robert Krouse, MD - Philadelphia, PA (2025)

    Members:

    • Courtney Balentine, MD (2025)
    • Kelly McCoy, MD (2025)
    • Mitchell Sally, MD (2026)
    • Frank Davis, MD (2026)
    • Melissa Abercrombie, MD (2026)
    • Andrew Eppstein, MD (2027)
    • Chris LaRocca, MD (2027)
    • Ex Officio: Nader Massarweh, MD (2025)

    Nominating Committee

    Chair: Mary Hawn, MD (2026)

    Members:

    • George Sarosi, MD (2025)
    • Olamide Alabi, MD (2025)
    • Elizabeth Paulus, MD (2025)
    • Eric Marderstein, MD (2025)

    Program Committee

    Chair: Shipra Arya, MD (2025)

    Vice-Chair:  Brad Schmit, MD (2026)

    ​

    Members:

    • Naixin Kang, MD (2025)
    • Melissa Perkal, MD (2025)
    • Elizabeth Paulus, MD (2025)
    • Mathew Hiro, MD (2026)
    • Jean Marie Ruddy, MD (2027)
    • Dan Eisenberg, MD (2027)
    • Ex Officio: Nader Massarweh, MD
    • Ex Officio: James Maloney, MD

    Research Committee

    Chair: Jonathan Mitchem, MD (2026)

    Members:
    • Emily Spangler, MD (2025)
    • Courtney Balentine, MD (2025)
    • Scott Robinson, MD (2026)
    • Syed Ammer Shah, MD (2026)
    • Tamara McKenzie-Jophnson, MD (2026)
    • Nicholas Osborne, MD (2027)
    • Karleen Giannitrapani (2027)


    ACS Committee on Trauma Representative

    • Amelia Maiga, MD (2027)

    Diversity and Inclusion Committee 

    Chair: Olamide Alabi, MD (2025)

    Members:

    • Fatima Wilder, MD (2025)
    • Amelia Maiga, MD (2025)
    • Courtney Morgan, MD (2026)
    • Julie Lopez, MD *2026)

    Publications Committee

    Chair: Gale Tang, MD (2026)

    • Vice-Chair: James Maloney, MD - Madison, WI (2026)
    • Ex-officio (President) Danny Chu (2025)
    • Ex-officio (Program Chair) Shipra Arya (2025)
    • Ex-officio (Recorder) James Maloney (2027)

    Members:

    • Daniel Hall, MD - Pittsburgh, PA
    • Vanita Ahuja, MD - West Haven, CT
    • Jussuf Kaifi, MD - Columbia, MO
    • Jacquelyn Quin, MD - West Roxbury, MA
    • Nader Massarweh, MD - Houston, TX
    • David Berger, MD - Brooklyn, NY
    • Leila Mureebe, MD - Durham, NY
    • Christopher Larocca, MD - Minneapolis, MN
    • Elizabeth Paulus, MD - Miami, FL
    • Bard Cosman, MD - San Diego, CA

    Association of VA Surgeons

    6817 208th St SW #90
    Lynnwood, WA 98046
    T: (206) 707-5336
    admin@vasurgeons.org

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