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.