SAGES 2020-2021 Official Ballot 1 Officers2 Board of Governors - Reappointments3 Board of Governors - New Appointments4 Bylaws Changes The President and President-Elect will each serve a one-year term, from April 6, 2020 through April 4, 2021. The 1st and 2nd Vice Presidents will each serve a two-year term. The Secretary and Treasurer will each serve a three-year term.Horacio J. Asbun, MD Miami, FL President Current Teaching/Academic Title: Professor of Surgery (Adjunct) at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Current Hospital Title: Chief of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery at Miami Cancer Institute Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Asbun has served on SAGES Board since 2006, and was previously Vice President. He was Program Co-Chair for the 2017 Annual Meeting in Houston, and previously chaired the HPB/Solid Organ task force, Global Affairs Committee and Educational Resources Committee. He was an active participant in the Safe Cholecystectomy Task Force, and also serves on the Finance Committee. He previously served on the Development, Humanitarian, Communications, Conflict of Interest and Open to MIS Committees, and contributed largely to the Top 14 Procedures, Web-Quizzes and Pearls Video Projects. He was also the SAGES representative and founding Board Member of G4 Alliance. In other professional activities, Dr. Asbun is the Editor-in-Chief of the American College of Surgeons Multimedia Atlas of Surgery, he has served in the Executive Council of AHPBA and was the Chair of the AHPBA Development Committee. He has also Chaired the Video-Based Education Committee of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Asbun is on the Editorial Board of Surgical Endoscopy and is an ad-hoc peer reviewer for several surgical journals. Dr. Asbun is a member of over 20 surgical societies including American Surgical Association and holds honorary membership of several international surgical associations. He is also a panel member of NCCN Pancreas Cancer guidelines group. Dr. Asbun is a member of multiple international expert’s surgical initiatives and expert study groups. Among them, International Study Group of Pancreas Surgery (ISGPS), Tokyo Guidelines (TG 18), European Guidelines on Laparoscopic Liver Surgery (EGMLLS), International Consensus on Laparoscopic Liver Resection (ICLLR), International Consensus on Prevention of Bile Duct Injury. He currently serves as the Chair of the Evidence-Based, International Guidelines in Minimally Invasive Pancreas Resection (IG-MIPR). Areas of Research and Publication: Dr. Asbun has published more than 150 peered-reviewed scientific articles and 110 peer-reviewed surgical videos. He is author of over 35 book chapters and editor of 6 Surgical Books. He serves as a reviewer for numerous scientific journals. His publications are in the areas of liver, pancreas, biliary and endocrine surgery, minimal invasive surgery, surgical oncology, as well as basic science research in the field of surgical oncology. Horacio J. Asbun, MD for President*Vote ForVote Against Liane S. Feldman, MD Montreal, Canada President-Elect Current Teaching/Academic Title: Professor of Surgery, McGill University Current Hospital Title: Surgeon-in-Chief- McGill University Health Centre (MUHC); Chair of the Department of Surgery, McGill University Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Feldman currently serves as SAGES Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee, and previously served as Vice President. She was the inaugural Chair of the SMART Enhanced Recovery Task Force and is past cochair of FUSE and Quality, Outcomes and Safety committees. She Co-Chaired the 2018 World Congress in Seattle. In addition to the Board & Executive Committee, she currently serves on the Finance, FUSE, and QOS Committees. Dr. Feldman is Chair of the Department of Surgery at McGill University and Surgeon in Chief at McGill University Health Centre. She was the James IV Traveller for Canada (2010) and received the Canadian Association for Medical Education Junior award for distinguished contribution to medical education (2008). Areas of Research and Publication: Surgical Care Pathways to improve quality of surgical care, measurement and improvement of patient-centered outcomes of surgical recovery, assessment of surgical performance. Liane S. Feldman, MD for President-Elect*Vote ForVote Against John D. Mellinger, MD Springfield, IL 1st Vice President Current Teaching/Academic Title: J. Roland Folse Endowed Chair in Surgery; Vice Chair, Department of Surgery; Professor and Chair of General Surgery; Director, Leadership and Excellence, Center for Human and Organizational Potential; Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Current Hospital Title: Physician Coach, Memorial Medical Center, Springfield, IL. Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Mellinger is currently SAGES 1st Vice President and serves on the Educational Resources, Finance, FES and RAFT Committees, as well as Executive Committee liaison for the Education Council. He previously Co-Chaired the FES and RAFT Committees, and previously served on the Standards of Practice, Flexible Endoscopy, Ethics, Hernia and Telemedicine Committees, as well as the Fellowship Council Upper GI Task Force. He was formerly SAGES liaison to the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS). Dr. Mellinger is Director and Vice Chair of the American Board of Surgery (ABS), and will serve as Chair in 2020-21. He previously served as APDS President, and was prior Chair of the ABS General Surgery Residency Committee. He is a member of several associations, including American Surgical Association, Southern Surgical Association, Central Surgical Association (Council Member at large), Association for Surgical Education, and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. His national teaching awards include Association for Surgical Education (ASE) Outstanding Teacher Award, Educator of the Year Award of the Christian Medical and Dental Association, and SAGES Jeffrey L. Ponsky Master Educator in Endoscopy Award; in addition to more than 30 institutional teaching awards. He is Co-Editor-in-Chief of the ACS Resources in Surgical Education and Past Chair of the ACS Flexible Endoscopy Postgraduate Course. Areas of Research and Publication: Surgical education, surgical endoscopy including ERCP, minimally invasive surgery, international surgery. John D. Mellinger, MD for 1st Vice President*Vote ForVote Against Patricia Sylla, MD New York, NY 2nd Vice President Current Teaching/Academic Title: Associate Professor of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY Associate Director, Colorectal Surgery Fellowship Program Current Hospital Title: Attending Surgeon, Department of Surgery, Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Sylla has served on SAGES Board since 2015, and is current Chair of the Colorectal Committee. She previously Chaired SAGES Conflict of Interest Task Force, and was the 2019 Annual Meeting Program Chair. She currently serves on the Alternative Funding Solutions Task Force, and the Education and Technology Councils. She won the SAGES IRCAD Fellowship Travel Award in 2007, SAGES Young Researcher award in 2013, and was the SAGES sponsored recipient of the SUS Leadership Agility Program in 2019. She previously co-chaired the NOSCAR Joint Committee with ASGE, and was a subject editor for Surgical Endoscopy. She received the Columbia University Department of Surgery Blakemore Award in 2005, and Blakemore Prize in 2006. She won 1st Prize for Poster from the New York Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons in 2007, and the SLS Young Educator Award in 2014. She is Chair of the New Technology Committee for ASCRS and a member of the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) Accreditation Committee. Areas of Research and Publication: Minimally invasive surgery for rectal cancer (laparoscopic, robotic and transanal endoscopic), Transanal Endoscopic Surgery, Transanal NOTES, Minimally invasive surgery for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Patricia Sylla, MD for 2nd Vice President*Vote ForVote Against Christopher Schlachta, MD London, Ontario, Canada Treasurer Current Teaching/Academic Title: Professor of Surgery and Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University Current Hospital Title: Medical Director, CSTAR (Canadian Surgical Technologies & Advanced Robotics) Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Schlachta has been a member of SAGES since 1997, is current 2nd Vice President and has served on SAGES Board since 2011. He currently Chairs the SAGES Technology Council, and serves as a member of the Artificial Intelligence Task Force and Finance Committee. He has served the SAGES program for years as a speaker and faculty instructor, but also as PG Course Chair for: Current Common Dilemmas in Colorectal Surgery (2015), and Equipping the Surgeon/Training the Jedi (2008). He also served as Chair of SAGES Technology Luncheon: Industry/Surgeon Partnerships in Promoting Surgical Innovation (2009), Technology into Meeting (2012), Ultimate SAGES (2013), Presidential Debates (2015), Telementoring – A new paradigm in surgical training (2016), Wild Cases presented in the Wild West (2017), Image is Everything: Near Infrared Fluorescence in Every OR? (2018), and Co-Chair of Adopting Innovations in the OR: What Lies Beneath (2019) and SAGES Stories (2020). In 2010, he was Co-Program Chair (CAGS) of the 12th World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery in Washington, DC, Chair of the SAGES Project 6 Summit (Los Angeles, 2015) and Chair of the Next Big Thing Summit (Houston, 2020). He brought SAGES resident courses to Canada, with the 29th offering (nearly 500 attendees) recently completed. Dr. Schlachta is Past-President of the Canadian Association of General Surgeons (CAGS) and a past Governor of the American College of Surgeons. He is a past section editor for Surgical Endoscopy. He has served on multiple SAGES Committees including: Global Affairs, Open to MIS, Program, Research, Resident Education, Curriculum Task Force, Co-Chair of Educational Resources and Chair of the Telementoring Task Force. Areas of Research and Publication: Simulation training and health technology assessment of minimally invasive computer assisted surgery and technologies.Christopher Schlachta, MD for Treasurer*Vote ForVote Against Brent Matthews, MD Charlotte, NC Secretary Current Teaching/Academic Title: Professor and Chair of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center Current Hospital Title: Surgeon-in-Chief, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC Senior Academic Chair of the Atrium Health Medical Group Surgery Care Division Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Matthews has been a member of SAGES since 1998, served on SAGES Board since 2013, and currently Chairs SAGES Hernia Committee. He is an active member of the Acute Care Surgery Task Force, Leadership and Professional Development Task Force (formerly We R SAGES) and RAFT Committee. He previously Chaired the Bylaws and RAFT Committees and was Co-Chair of the Program Committee. He received the SAGES Young Investigators Award in 2003 and the Inaugural SAGES Excellence in Medical Leadership Award in 2011. He has been the Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on 8 SAGES research grants. Dr. Matthews is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Past-President of the Americas Hernia Society, and a member of the American Surgical Association and Southern Surgical Association. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Fellowship Council and ERAS®USA Society. He currently serves as Chair of the Fellowship Council Accreditation Committee. Dr. Matthews is co-founder and on the Board of Directors for Surgical Outreach for the Americas, a nonprofit organization that provides surgical services in developing countries of Central America. Surgical Outreach for the Americas has completed 16 brigades and performed more than 1,400 operations in partnership with Hospital Santo Hermano Pedro in Catacamas, Honduras, Hospital Maternidad La Divina Providencia in Santiago Texacuangos, El Salvador and ILAC in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. Areas of Research and Publication: Dr. Matthews has received 6 faculty teaching awards. He has authored or co-authored 184 peer- reviewed manuscripts, 54 of these publications in Surgical Endoscopy, over 365 scientific abstracts and 14 book chapters. His clinical and basic research has focused on biomaterial for abdominal wall reconstruction, connective tissue biologic response to hernia repair and clinical outcomes and quality improvements in foregut and hernia surgery. Dr. Matthews has been funded by the National Institute of Health for the evaluation of photoacoustic imaging of Barrett’s esophagus. Brent Matthews , MD for Secretary*Vote ForVote Against Board of Governors Re-appointments - Three-year terms (April, 2020-April, 2023) Fredrick J. Brody,MD, MBA Washington, DC Re-appointed Board Member Current Teaching/Academic Title: Professor and Chair of Surgery Current Hospital Title: Chair, Department of Surgery, Washington D.C. Veterans Administration Medical Center Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Brody has been a SAGES Board Member since 2008 and currently serves as Secretary. In addition to being an active member of the Executive Committee, he also serves on the Communications, Development and Finance Committees. He previously Chaired the Membership, Communications and Development Committees, and was Program Chair for the 2013 Annual SAGES Meeting in Baltimore, MD. He has also served as Chair of the Annual Meeting Video session, Learning Center and multiple Hands-On courses. Areas of Research and Publication: Over 100 diverse peer reviewed publications regarding laparoscopic treatment of foregut, biliary, hernia, median arcuate ligament disease and solid organ disorders. He has been a member of the Fellowship Council since its inception and has trained over 20 clinical Fellows in Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery. Fredrick Brody, MD, MBA*Vote ForVote Against Matthew Goldblatt, MD Milwaukee, WI Re-appointed Board Member Current Teaching/Academic Title: Professor of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin Current Hospital Title: General Surgery Residency Program Director, Medical College of Wisconsin Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Goldblatt is currently Co-Chair for the 2020 SAGES Annual Meeting. He is an active member of the Awards, Program, RAFT and Publications Committees, as well as the Education Council. He previously Chaired SAGES RAFT Committee. In addition, he is a Subject Editor for Bariatric Surgery for Surgical Endoscopy. Dr. Goldblatt is actively involved with the Association for Academic Surgery, Society of University Surgeons and the Americas Hernia Society. He was a founding Board Member for the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative. In addition, he is a Castle Connolly America’s Top Doctor. Areas of Research and Publication: Hernia outcomes, ERAS protocols and outcomes, Foregut and Bariatric outcomes, Resident Education Matthew Goldblatt, MD*Vote ForVote Against Archana Ramaswamy, MD, MBA Minneapolis, MN Re-appointed Board Member Current Teaching/Academic Title: Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Minnesota Current Hospital Title: Staff Surgeon, Minneapolis VA Hospital Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Ramaswamy currently Chairs SAGES Communications Committee, and serves as a member of the Facebook Task Force, Hernia and Program Committees. She previously Co-Chaired the Open to MIS Task Force. Outside of SAGES, she is actively involved with Americas Hernia Society serving on the Board of Governors. She also serves on the editorial board of JLAST- Videoscopy and International Journal of Abdominal Wall and Hernia Surgery. Areas of Research and Publication: Dr. Ramaswamy’s areas of research and publication include Hernia, Bariatrics, and Endoscopy. Archana Ramaswamy, MD, MBA*Vote ForVote Against Dimitrios Stefanidis, MD, PhD Indianapolis, IN Re-appointed Board Member Current Teaching/Academic Title: Professor of Surgery and Vice Chair of Education, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine Current Hospital Title: Chief, MIS/Bariatric and GI Surgery; Department of Surgery, Indiana University, Medical Director, Bariatric Program, Indiana University Health North Hospital Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Stefanidis has been an active member of SAGES since 2005 and has served the Board since 2017. He currently Chairs the SAGES Guidelines committee, and actively contributes to the SAGES Safe Chole and Alternative Funding Task Forces, as well as the Education and Technology Councils. He Co-Chaired the 2015 SAGES Quality Summit, has taught in numerous SAGES courses, participated in several SAGES review panels, the SAGES Learning Center, has represented SAGES in a variety of venues, and contributed to 17 guidelines of the organization. He was awarded the SAGES Excellence in Medical Leadership Award in 2018. Outside of SAGES, Dr. Stefanidis is a Board Member of the Association for Surgical Education (ASE) and serves as its Secretary and the ASE Recorder for the American Journal of Surgery. He also Co-Chairs the Research Committee of the ASMBS and the Research and Development Committee of the ACS Accredited Education Institute Consortium. He is an Associate Editor for the Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and received a SSH Presidential Citation for his contributions to the field of simulation. Last year, he was also inducted to the ACS Academy of Master Educators. Areas of Research and Publication: Dr. Stefanidis has published over 170 peer reviewed publications, written over 15 book chapters, given more than 200 presentations worldwide, and received numerous competitive research grants. His areas of research interest include MIS and bariatric surgery outcomes, guideline development, surgical performance optimization, and simulator-based skill acquisition. Dimitrios Stefanidis, MD, PhD*Vote ForVote Against New Board Members-Three-year terms (April, 2020-April, 2023) Adnan Alseidi, MD, EdM San Francsico, CA New Board Member Current Teaching/Academic Title: Vice Chair of Education, University of California, San Francisco Current Hospital Title: HPB & Endocrine Surgery, University of California, San Francisco Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Alseidi currently Chairs SAGES HPB Committee, and will Co-Chair the SAGES 2021 Annual Meeting. He also serves as a member of the Education Council, Guidelines, Oncology and Program Committees. Dr. Alseidi attended medical school at Pennsylvania State University and completed his general surgery residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He then served as a general/trauma/thoracic surgeon in the US Navy and as Co-Director of the Surgery Department at the US Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Japan. Dr. Alseidi completed an HPB and advanced GI fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, MO and earned a master’s degree in surgical education at Southern Illinois University/University of Illinois-UC. Dr. Alseidi is an attending surgeon on the HPB and Endocrine Surgery Service. Nationally, Dr. Alseidi has held multiple leadership positions, including currently serving as the Vice President of the Association of Surgical Education, 2nd Vice President for the Fellowship Council, and is a member of multiple education and leadership committees within AHPBA and ACS. Areas of Research and Publication: Dr. Alseidi’s research interests include global assessment of psychomotor skills, linkages between surgical education and patient outcomes, complex MIS training, and surgical performance improvement. His clinical interests are in expanding surgical therapies for patients with locally advanced pancreas cancer, splenic preservation techniques, immunology studies, and minimally invasive HPB surgery. Adnan Alseidi, MD, EdM*Vote ForVote Against Michael Awad, MD, PhD St Louis, Missouri New Board Member Current Teaching/Academic Title: Dr. Awad is an Associate Professor of Surgery, Section of Minimally Invasive Surgery, at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis Current Hospital Title: Director of Robotic Surgery and Education, Barnes-Jewish Hospital Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Awad’s academic interests are primarily in the fields of surgical and medical education, surgical ergonomics and laparoscopic, robotic and endoscopic foregut surgery. In surgical/medical education, he has focused on the reformation of surgical residency training in the United States and the transition from medical school to residency. At Washington University in St. Louis, he has served as the Program Director for the General Surgery Residency and Associate Dean for Medical Student Education, and now serves as Director of the Washington University Institute for Surgical Education (WISE), Simulation Fellowship Director, Clerkship Director, and Director of Robotic Surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Nationally he has held leadership positions in the American Board of Surgery (ABS), the Surgical Council on Resident Education (SCORE), and the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS). He is the current treasurer of the Association of Surgical Education (ASE). Within SAGES he currently serves as the Chair of the Resident and Fellow Training (RAFT) Committee, Co-Chair of the Education Council Curriculum Committee, and has served on the Awards, Robotics, FES, and We R SAGES Committees. Areas of Research and Publication: Dr. Awad’s research interests have similarly focused on the development of online curriculum development tools; new paradigms in surgical training including OSATS, REACTS, ACES, and the Academy Model; and the ergonomics of operating using laparoscopic, robotic, endoscopic and open surgical platforms. Clinically, his research has focused on the advancement of minimally invasive approaches to benign diseases of the foregut including achalasia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hiatal hernias and gastroparesis. Notable accomplishments in this area include the first general surgery robotic surgery in the state of Missouri, the establishment of the POEM program (an incision-less, natural orifice technique for the treatment of achalasia), and the maintenance of the Enterra gastric neurostimulator program for the treatment of medically refractory gastroparesis. These educational, research and clinical efforts have been supported by a number of grants from federal, society, and industry sources. He has been recognized for this work through invited presentations at the national and international levels, and through several publications and book chapters in these fields. Michael M. Awad, MD, PhD*Vote ForVote Against S. Scott Davis, Jr., MD Atlanta, GA New Board Member Current Teaching/Academic Title: Associate Professor of Surgery, Director, Emory Endosurgery Unit Current Hospital Title: Co-Medical Director, Emory Perioperative Services Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Davis has been a SAGES member since 2004 and currently serves as Chair of the Publications Committee. He also serves on the Education Council and Communications Committee. He is the 2020 Annual Meeting Poster Chair, and previously served as Learning Center Chair. Dr. Davis has several editorial roles for our society, serving as the Foregut Surgery Subject editor for Surgical Endoscopy. He is also a member of the Joint Journal Committee overseeing the editorial process for the journal. In other professional activities, Dr. Davis is Co-Editor of Surgical Laparoscopy, Endoscopy, and Percutaneous Techniques, and serves on the Editorial Board for Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases. Locally at Emory, he is the Director of the Emory Endosurgery Unit, the longest standing fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery, and is Co-Medical Director of Perioperative Services for Emory University Hospital, overseeing operations and strategy for the operating rooms and endoscopy suites. Areas of Research and Publication: Dr. Davis has nearly 60 published manuscripts and more video abstract presentations covering topics in hernia, foregut, and bariatric surgery. He was also Co-Editor for the SAGES Manual of Hernia Surgery, Volume 2, published in 2018, including 49 chapters from international authors covering all modern hernia techniques and with over 28,000 downloads to date. He has been invited to be guest faculty for several surgical society programs and Hands-On courses. S. Scott Davis, Jr., MD*Vote ForVote Against Jacob Greenberg, MD Madison, WI New Board Member Current Teaching/Academic Title: Associate Professor of Surgery, General Surgery Residency Program Director Current Hospital Title: Medical Director of the UW Health Comprehensive Hernia Center Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Greenberg currently Co-Chairs the Business and Technology arm of the Education Council, and as a member of the Communications, Hernia and RAFT Committees. He previously served on the Publications Committee, and has Chaired several panel sessions for the SAGES annual meeting. He is Co-Chair of the Hernia ADOPT Hands-On course at the 2020 SAGES meeting. In other professional activities, Dr. Greenberg is a Governor for the Americas Hernia Society and a Member-at-Large for the Executive Board of the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative. He is actively involved in the Association for Program Directors in Surgery as well as the Association for Academic Surgery and the Society of University Surgeons. Dr. Greenberg is on the editorial board for the Journal of Surgical Education as well as the Journal of Laparoendoscopic and Advanced Surgical Techniques. Areas of Research and Publication: Dr. Greenberg has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts, and 16 book chapters. He has co-authored 66 abstracts/posters for presentation at national and international meetings. He has been an invited guest speaker at over 50 national and international meetings, including meetings in Europe as well as Australia. His publications have been in the areas of surgical education, minimal access surgery, benign foregut disease, and ventral and inguinal hernia repair. Jacob Greenberg, MD*Vote ForVote Against Caitlin Halbert, DO, MS Wilmington, DE New Board Member Current Hospital Title: Medical Director, Bariatric Surgery Program; Assistant Program Director, General Surgery Residency Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Halbert currently serves as Chair of the Community Practice Task Force, and on the Facebook and Leadership and Professional Development Task Forces (formerly We R SAGES). She previously Co-Chaired the Membership Committee and continues to serve the committee as a member. Dr. Halbert is a clinical assistant professor at both the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson College and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is the current President-Elect of the Delaware Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Surgical Fellowships. She has a passion for leadership education and Co-Chairs the Annual Women’s Leadership in Surgery Conference. At ChristianaCare, she serves many administrative roles, including the Medical Director of the Bariatric Surgery Program. Areas of Research and Publication: Dr. Halbert has a strong clinical practice but does have a focus on clinical research related to bariatric and general surgery. She has authored several publications and book chapters. Caitlin Halbert, DO, MS*Vote ForVote Against James R. Korndorffer, Jr., MD, MHPE Stanford, CA New Board Member Current Teaching/Academic Title: Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Surgery at Stanford University. Current Hospital Title: Attending Faculty Stanford Hospital and Palo Alto Veterans Administration Medical Center Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Korndorffer has been active in SAGES for over 16 years. He is currently serving as the Co-Chair for the SAGES Education Council, and on the FES and FLS Committees. He has previously served on numerous SAGES Committees including Resident Education, Guidelines, Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery, Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery, and Development. Additional past service to SAGES includes Co-Chair and Chair of the Curriculum Task Force, a member of the OWLS Task Force, and Chair/Co-Chair or Faculty for numerous SAGES Annual Meeting Sessions and SAGES courses. In other professional activities, Dr. Korndorffer is the Associate Editor of the Journal of Surgical Education, serves on the editorial board of the Surgical Council on Resident Education, Chair of the research division for the Association for Program Directors in Surgery, and previously served as a member of the Committee on Validation of Surgical Knowledge and Skills for the American College of Surgeons. He is a member of numerous professional societies including the American Surgical Association and the Southern Surgical Association. Areas of Research and Publication: Dr. Korndorffer has published over 70 papers in peer reviewed journals, editor of 2 published books, contributed to 6 book chapters and has presented at over 100 national meetings. His research interests include surgical education, surgical simulation, patient safety, and patient care quality. James R. Korndorffer, Jr., MD, MHPE*Vote ForVote Against Dean Mikami, MD, MHPE Honolulu, HI New Board Member Current Teaching/Academic Title: Professor of Surgery, Division Chief of General Surgery, University of Hawaii Current Hospital Title: Assistant Chief of Surgery at the Queen’s Medical Center, Honolulu HI Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Mikami is currently the Chair of the SAGES Educational Resources Committee, and serves on the Education Council, FUSE and Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Committees. He won the SAGES Brandeis Award in 2017. Dr. Mikami attended college at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and medical school at the University of Kansas. He completed his general surgery training and minimally invasive fellowship at The Ohio State University, and remained on the faculty at Ohio State from 2004 to 2016. He returned home to be Chief of Surgery for the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Dr. Mikami has continued his work in minimally invasive surgery of the GI tract, hernia repair, bariatric surgery and advanced endoluminal therapies. In addition to SAGES, he is an active member of the American College of Surgeons, the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, and serves as Chair of the ASMBS Emerging Technology & Procedures committee. Areas of Research and Publication: Dr. Mikami has authored over 130 peer-review manuscripts and book chapters. He has been invited as Guest Speaker to over 230 local, national and international surgical meetings. Dr. Mikami key focus are in the areas of minimally invasive surgery, surgical endoscopy, hernia repair, bariatric surgery and surgical education. Dean Mikami, MD, MHPE*Vote ForVote Against John Romanelli, MD Westfield, MA New Board Member Current Teaching/Academic Title: Professor of Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School – Baystate Medical Center Current Hospital Title: Medical Director, Baystate General Surgery; Director, Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr. Romanelli currently Chairs SAGES Awards Committee, and previously Chaired SAGES Quality, Outcomes, Safety Committee. He serves as an active member of the Development and QOS Committees, and previously served on the Bariatric and Technology Committees. He serves on the Foregut and General Surgery Committee of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and Co-Chaired and Chaired the International NOSCAR Summit on behalf of SAGES. Areas of Research and Publication: Bariatric surgery, natural orifice surgery, POEM, foregut surgery, hernia surgery. John Romanelli, MDVote ForVote Against Bylaws ChangesRecommended Changes to SAGES Bylaws – January, 2020 (proposed changes/additions in BOLD) Proposed Changes:ARTICLE VI. Committees Section 1. Standing committees shall be selected by the President and may include the following: Advocacy and Health Policy, Awards Committee, Bylaws Committee, Colorectal Committee, Communications Committee, Community Practice Committee, Conflict of Interest Committee, Continuing Education Committee, Development Committee, Educational Resources Committee, Ethics Committee, Finance and Assets Management Committee, Flexible Endoscopy Committee, Foregut Committee, Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery (FES) Committee, Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) Committee, Fundamental Use of Surgical Energy (FUSE) Committee, Global Affairs Committee, Guidelines Committee, Hernia Committee, HPB/Solid Organ Committee, Liaison Committee, Liaison Groups, Membership Committee, Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Committee, Military Committee, Nominating Committee, Pediatric Committee, Program Committee, Publications Committee, Quality Outcomes Safety Committee, Research and Career Development Committee, Resident and Fellow Training Committee, Robotics Committee, and Technology and Value Assessment Committee (TAVAC). The Executive Committee is a standing committee whose composition is described in Article XV, Section 4.Approve*YesNoARTICLE XIII. Membership Section 1. Membership shall consist of Active, Associate Active, Senior, International, Honorary, Candidate, Affiliate and Medical Student. Active, Associate Active, Senior, International, and Candidate Members are entitled to a vote. The Society does not discriminate on the basis of gender, sexual preference, disability, religion, ethnicity, politics, or nationality. Code of Conduct: SAGES is dedicated to providing a safe, inclusive, and welcoming experience for everyone. We encourage diversity of thought and expression. Civility and professionalism are expected at every SAGES sponsored event. SAGES members, meeting/event attendees and guests will neither engage in, nor condone, any discrimination or harassment that contributes to an uncomfortable, ineffective, or hostile environment. Section 13. Maintenance of SAGES Membership The SAGES Board of Governors may expel, request for the resignation, or otherwise discipline any member if a majority of voting members of the Board of Governors finds that the conduct of a member fails to maintain acceptable standards. The following are considered grounds for such disciplinary action: 1. Being convicted of a felony or of any crime relating to or arising out of the practice of medicine. 2. Limitation or termination of any right associated with the practice of medicine in any state, province, or country, including the imposition of any requirement for surveillance, supervision, or review, by reason of violation of a medical practice act or other statute or governmental regulation, disciplinary action by any medical licensing authority, entry into a consent order, or voluntary surrender of license. 3. Participating in communications to the public, SAGES members, medical societies, vendors or hospital and university administration which convey false or deceptive information through statements, testimonials, photographs, graphics, or other means including expert testimony, or which omit material information without which the communication is deceptive. In particular, testifying as an expert witness in a case where SAGES membership is material to the member’s status as an expert is considered grounds for disciplinary action if the content of the testimony is false or deceptive. 4. Failure or refusal to cooperate reasonably with an investigation by SAGES of a disciplinary matter. Disciplinary questions shall be investigated by or under the supervision of the SAGES President. Any case which in the opinion of the SAGES President may warrant further consideration of disciplinary action shall be referred to the Ethics Committee. If the Ethics Committee decides that disciplinary action should be taken in any case, its recommendation as to the action to be taken shall be submitted in writing to the SAGES Board of Governors. The Ethics Committee shall not make a recommendation for disciplinary action with respect to a SAGES member unless written notice with a description of the nature, scope and alleged infraction has been sent to the member by registered or certified mail, or by any other means of delivery that provides SAGES with evidence of receipt, not less than thirty (30) days prior to a meeting of the Ethics Committee: (a) stating the time and place of such meeting, and (b) informing the SAGES member that disciplinary action will be considered at such meeting and offering the SAGES member an opportunity to appear in person with counsel if so desired and to submit such evidence as the SAGES member deems proper to show that disciplinary action should not be taken. At the conclusion of the meeting of the Ethics Committee, a written recommendation for disciplinary action will be forwarded to the Board of Governors for consideration and final action. The Board of Governors may adopt or reject the recommendation of the Ethics Committee or may impose such other disciplinary action as it deems appropriate. The SAGES member will be notified of the final action taken by the Board of Governors in writing within thirty (30) days after the Board meeting. The notice will be mailed to the SAGES member by registered or certified mail, or by any other means of delivery that provides SAGES with evidence of receipt. The SAGES member will have thirty (30) days to request reconsideration, and may, within such thirty (30) day period, submit additional written information for review and consideration. The SAGES President and the Chair of the Ethics Committee will review any material submitted and will determine if reconsideration by the full Board of Governors is warranted. The SAGES member will be notified of their final determination, and any additional disciplinary proceedings or determinations, by certified or registered mail or by any other means of delivery that provides SAGES with evidence of receipt. SAGES Board of Governors who are members of the Ethics Committee shall not be disqualified by reason of their membership in such committee from voting on any matter presented to the Board of Governors by the Ethics Committee. 5. SAGES members, meeting/event attendees and guests have an obligation to act if they notice unethical or inappropriate conduct in other SAGES members, attendees of SAGES meetings/events or their guests. If directly approaching the individual(s) is insufficient to resolve the problem, this obligation includes reporting the conduct to the SAGES Executive Committee, Executive Director and/or Ethics Committee. The disciplinary process outlined in SAGES Bylaws, Article XIII, Section 13 will then be followed. Approve*YesNoPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.