As the professional association for hospice and palliative medicine physicians and allied healthcare professionals who care for patients with serious illness and their families, AAHPM relies on the strategic guidance and leadership of hundreds of member volunteers to carry out its mission.
Governance Structure
The Academy’s governance structure directly aligns with the five strategic goals confirmed in 2024 as priorities for the following 3-5 years. Strategic Coordinating Committees (SCCs) provide the oversight required to advance the goals associated with the Academy’s strategic plan. SCCs coordinate the charges, projects, and timelines of numerous subordinate committees and facilitate communication across strategic areas and between the committees and the board of directors.
Board of Directors
AAHPM’s board of directors is the governing body of the Academy. It comprises a 6 member executive committee (officers) and 14 directors at large. Nominations for the board of directors and nominating committee are accepted each spring, and elections for open positions occur each Fall.
We are excited to announce the 2025-2026 Board of Directors. The newly elected members will officially start their terms at the conclusion of the 2025 Annual Assembly.
President
Arif Kamal, MD MBA MHS FAAHPM FASCO
President-Elect
Kimberly Curseen, MD FAAHPM
Treasurer
Elise C. Carey, MD FACP FAAHPM
Secretary
Michael Barnett, MD MS FACP FAAP FAAHPM
Past President
Vicki Jackson, MD MPH FAAHPM
Directors-at-Large
Rachelle Bernacki, MD MS FAAHPM
Gary Buckholz, MD HMDC FAAHPM
Sandra Gomez, MD FAAHPM
Christopher A. Jones, MD MBA HMDC FAAHPM
Dio Kavalieratos, PhD FAAHPM
Stacie Levine, MD FAAHPM
Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD PhD BCPS FAAHPM
Laura J. Morrison, MD FACP FAAHPM
Lindsay Ragsdale, MD FAAP FAAHPM
Alvin Reaves, III, MD FACP FAAHPM
Phillip Rodgers, MD FAAHPM
Bethany Cox Snider, MD HMDC FAAHPM
Alison Wiesenthal, MD FACP FAAHPM
Gordon Wood, MD MSCI FAAHPM
For AAHPM Board Members
Members of the AAHPM Board of Directors can login related to upcoming board meetings and additional information.
Committees
AAHPM committees are a volunteer service and is primarily completed through a combination of e-mail correspondence and conference calls to advance specific committee charges. Committee members are appointed to serve a two-year term.
Staff
Meet the AAHPM professional team that collaborates closely with each another and volunteers to enhance learning, cultivate knowledge and innovation, strengthen evidence-based practice and research, build a strong and diverse workforce, and advocate for public policy to achieve our vision.
Call for Nominations
Officer and Board Positions
The annual call for officer and board positions nominations closed on July 18 at 11:59pm PT. Voting for the AAHPM elected officials took place in the November.
Awards
The annual call for awards closed on August 19 at 11:59pm PT.
The 2025 awardees will be recognized at the Annual Assembly, February 5-8, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. All eligible nominations will be forwarded to the Awards Committee for consideration.
Incorporation
AAHPM is a 501c(3) nonprofit professional association founded in 1988, governed by the association’s bylaws. AAHPM’s core purpose is to improve the care of patients with serious or life-threatening conditions through advancement of hospice and palliative medicine. AAHPM is incorporated in the state of Florida and is headquartered in Chicago, IL.