AAHPM News

AAHPM Announces 2025-2026 Board of Directors

AAHPM is proud to announce its board of directors for 2025-2026. The newly elected members of the board began their terms at the close of the 2025 Annual Assembly in Denver, CO, on February 8, 2025.

President
Arif Kamal,
MD MBA MHS FASCO FAAHPM

Treasurer
Elise Carey,
MD FACP FAAHPM

Past President
Vicki Jackson,
MD MPH FAAHPM

President-Elect
Kimberly Curseen,
MD FAAHPM

Secretary
Michael Barnett,
MD MS FAAP FACP FAAHPM

Chief Medical Officer
Kristina Newport, MD FAAHPM

Directors at Large

Rachelle Bernacki,
MD MS FAAHPM

Sandra Gomez,
MD FAAHPM

Dio Kavalieratos,
PhD FAAHPM

Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD PhD BCPS FAAHPM

Lindsay Ragsdale,
MD FAAP FAAHPM

Phillip Rodgers,
MD FAAHPM

Alison Wiesenthal, MD FACP FAAHPM

Gary Buckholz,
MD HMDC FAAHPM

Christopher A. Jones,
MD MBA CPC HMDC FAAHPM

Stacie Levine, MD FAAHPM

Laura J. Morrison,
MD FACP FAAHPM

Alvin Reaves, III,
MD FACP FAAHPM

Bethany Cox Snider,
MD HMDC FAAHPM

Gordon Wood,
MD MSCI FAAHPM


AAHPM Recognizes Leaders in Hospice and Palliative Medicine with Awards

Congratulations to our 2025 award winners, who were honored at the 2025 Annual Assembly in Denver, CO. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the field!

Lifetime Achievement Award

Thomas J. Smith,
MD FACP FASCO FAAHPM

For his outstanding contributions and significant publications that have helped shape the direction of the field

Gerald H. Holman Distinguished Service Award

Robert M. Arnold,
MD FAAHPM

For his outstanding and dedicated service to the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Josefina B. Magno Distinguished Hospice Physician Award

Kelley Newcomer,
MD

For providing high-quality services and innovative programs as a hospice physician and demonstrating exemplary dedication to the practice of palliative medicine in a hospice setting

Distinguished Hospice Interdisciplinary Team Member Award

Chantal Curell,
BSN RN CPN CHPPN

For providing high-quality services and innovative programs as a hospice interdisciplinary team member and demonstrating exemplary dedication to the practice of palliative care in a hospice setting

Richard Payne Outstanding Achievement in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award

VJ Periyakoil,
MD FAAHPM

For her commitment to improving care for diverse, vulnerable, and underrepresented patient populations

Humanities Award

Cory Ingram,
MD MS FAAHPM

For advancing the relationship between humanities and palliative care and improving end-of-life care through community and professional education

Award for Excellence in Scientific Research in Palliative Care

Alexander Smith,
MD MS MPH

For his many meaningful and exemplary contributions to the field of hospice and palliative care research

Award for Excellence in Education and Training

Stacie Levine,
MD CMD FAAHPM

For her significant contributions to enhancing the practice and profession of hospice and palliative care through education

Early Career Investigator Award

Jennifer Gabbard,
MD

For her work as a researcher leading and making contributions to a scientific foundation for practice and research early in his career

Presidential Citation

These individuals and organizations have made significant contributions to the field of hospice and palliative medicine and were recognized with Presidential Citations.

VitalTalk is the premier communication training organization for clinicians caring for patients with serious illness. VitalTalk has had a tremendous impact on the field of hospice and palliative care, with thousands of clinicians being educated using their evidence-based approaches to communication training. Its work contributes to a broader cultural shift in medicine toward recognizing the importance of communication in managing serious illness and integrating palliative care principles into standard medical practice. VitalTalk was established by Drs. Arnold, Back, and Tulsky.

Peggy Maguire, Cambia Health Foundation President, has played a pivotal role in establishing programs that foster leadership skills among emerging palliative care professionals. Under her leadership, the Cambia Foundation has supported innovative projects that integrate palliative care into healthcare systems. These initiatives have elevated the standard of care and encouraged the next generation from all disciplines to embrace leadership roles within the field of hospice and palliative care. She has served as a role model for scores of leaders in the field.

Tait Shanafelt, MD, Chief Wellbeing Officer, Stanford Medical Center, has significantly advanced the field of clinician well-being through his extensive research on burnout and its causes, particularly in high-stress medical environments. He has developed and implemented interventions to reduce burnout and promote resilience, emphasizing the importance of supportive workplace cultures. As a leader in well-being initiatives, Dr. Shanafelt has created educational resources for healthcare organizations, equipping them to address clinician well-being effectively. His advocacy has raised awareness of these critical issues, influencing policies that prioritize the mental health of healthcare providers and fostering a culture of compassion within the industry.


Congratulations, 2024 Fellows of AAHPM

One of the highest honors the Academy can bestow on an AAHPM member is recognition as a Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (FAAHPM). AAHPM celebrates the 70 professionals who earned the FAAHPM designation in 2024 by demonstrating significant commitment to the field of hospice and palliative medicine.

Julia Lynn Agne
MD FAAHPM

Jennifer E. Allen
MD FAAHPM

Mark Beiter
DO FACP FAAHPM

Sandhya Bhalla
MD FAAHPM

Mollie A. Biewald
MD FAAHPM

April Renee Christensen
MD MS FACP FAAHPM

Dustin Dillon
MD HMDC FAAP FAAHPM

Jeremy V. Edwards
DO FAAP FAAHPM

Perihan El Shanawany
MD MBA HEC-C FAAHPM

Ellen Fulp
PharmD MSPC BCGP FAAHPM

Jon P. Furuno
PhD FSHEA FAAHPM

Melissa Ann Gaines
MD FACP FAAHPM

Alexander P. Gamble
MD FAAHPM

Richard D. Goldstein
MD FAAHPM

Eric R. Goodlev
MD FAAHPM

Sundeep Grandhe
MD FAAHPM

Erin M. Haley
MD PhD FAAHPM

Jodi L. Hannan
MD FAAHPM

Jacinda Hays
DO FAAP FAAHPM

Elizabeth A. Higgins
MD FAAHPM

J. Janet Ho
MD MPH FASAM FAAHPM

Jill Ann Jarrell
MD MPH FAAHPM

Jasmin Jerez-Marte
MD HMDC FAAHPM

Ahashta Johnson
MD FAAHPM

Steven Katzman
DO FACOI FAAHPM

Mariana Khawand-Azoulai
MD FAAHPM

Neha Morparia Kramer
MD FAAHPM

Grace N. La Torre
DO MS FACP FAAHPM

Ashima Lal
MD FAAHPM

Kathleen A. Lee
MD FAAHPM

Richard E. Leiter
MD MA FAAHPM

Bethany J. Lockwood
MD FAAHPM

Karrie L. Lu
MD FAAHPM

Patricia Ann Maani-Fogelman
DNP ACHPN FNPC FAAHPM

Ravindra Persad Maharaj
MBBS MSc MRCP FAAHPM

Dominick Mastroianni
MD FAAHPM

Sally E. Mathew-Geevarughese
DO FAAHPM

Linda S. May
MD FAAFP FAAHPM

Thomas E. McNalley
MD MA FAAHPM

Kathleen Mechler
MD FAAFP FAAHPM

Stephen M. Meyer
MD HMDC FAAHPM

Amanda R. Mihalik
MD FAAHPM

Julie L. Mitchell
DO FAAHPM

Jeffrey D. Myers
MPH MMSc PA-C DFAAPA FAAHPM

Kyle Neale
DO FAAHPM

Kelley F. Newcomer
MD FAAHPM

Eberechi Nwogu-Onyemkpa
MD FACP FAAHPM

Linsey D. O’Donnell
DO FAAHPM

Lori Olson
MD FAAHPM

Daniel K. Partain
MD FACP FAAHPM

Pina M. Patel
MD HMDC FAAHPM

Vishesh K. Pathak
DO FAAHPM

Catherine Ann Pham
MD HMDC FAAHPM

Dimitris Platis
MD MBA HMDC FAAHPM

Akhila Reddy
MD FAAHPM

Zachary Rossfeld
MD MA FAAHPM

Mayuko Sakae
MD FAAHPM

Laura A. Schoenherr
MD FAAHPM

Shana Semmens
MD FAAHPM

Megan J. Shen
PhD FAAHPM

Myrick C. Shinall, Jr.
MD PhD FAAHPM

Noam Stern
MD FAAP FAAHPM

Mona Tareen
MD MS FAAHPM

Sternlate Tshililiwa
MD HMDC FACP FHM FAAHPM

Glen Varns
MD HMDC FAAHPM

Alifia Waliji-Banglawala
PharmD MBA FAAHPM

Keith Wilson
MD HMDC FACEP FAAHPM

Amanda Wilson Morris
MD FAAHPM

David Neal Wyatt
DO HEC-C FAAHPM

Ali J. Zarrabi
MD FAAHPM


Welcome, 2025-2026 PC-FACS Editorial Board

AAHPM recently issued a call for volunteers for its PC-FACS Editorial Board. Editor in Chief Abby Rosenberg, MD MS MA FAAP FAAHPM, and Associate Editor in Chief Jason Webb, MD DFAPA FAAHPM, reviewed applications and made seven appointments.

Senior Section Editors

Pediatrics
Scott Maurer, MD FAAHPM

Psychosocial
Corey Tapper, MD

Associate Editors

Bioethics, Humanities, and Spirituality
Deborah Ejem, PhD

Health Equity
Lawson Marcewicz, MD

Pediatrics
Rachel Kentor, PhD
Puja Umaretiya, MD

Psychosocial
Andrew Lawton, MD FACP FAAHPM

New terms began at the close of the Annual Assembly in Denver, CO, on April 8, 2025. Thank you to all AAHPM members who have served or continue to serve on the PC-FACS Editorial Board. We greatly appreciate your service to the Academy.