William W. Pinsky, MD, FAAP, FACC | Acting Chair | Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
Term: September 2022 – September 30, 2027
William W. Pinsky is Chief Executive Officer of Intealth, President of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), and Board Chair of the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER), ECFMG’s nonprofit foundation. Prior to joining ECFMG in 2016, Dr. Pinsky was Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of the Ochsner Health System (OHS) in Louisiana. He also served as Executive Vice President of Ochsner International and Professor and Head of the Ochsner Clinical School, a U.S. partner of the University of Queensland School of Medicine in Australia. Dr. Pinsky retains an Honorary Professor title from the University of Queensland. Before joining OHS, he held a number of senior academic and executive roles at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan, and at the Detroit Medical Center.
Dr. Pinsky is a past board member of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, as well as the Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers, where he also served as President. In his role at Intealth, Dr. Pinsky continues to work closely with the leadership of numerous national and international organizations involved in medical education and health professions regulation.
A pediatric cardiologist, Dr. Pinsky received his medical degree from Saint Louis University School of Medicine and trained at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Cardiology, and the American College of Chest Physicians. His honors include the Leadership Award from the Faculty of Medicine and Biological Sciences of the University of Queensland, and the Founders Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Pinsky is also the founder of Racing For Kids®, a non-profit foundation that uses professional motorsports to bring awareness to the health care needs of children and children’s hospitals.
Millicent King Channell, DO, MA, FAAO, FNAOME | Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine (Rowan-Virtua SOM)
Term: October 2023 – September 29, 2029
Millicent King Channell, DO, MA, FAAO, FNAOME is a graduate of PCOM and is Board Certified in Family Medicine/OMT, and Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine / Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (NMM/OMM). Dr Channell has served in numerous academic roles, including Residency Director, and Department Chair for OMM. She has co-authored the book The 5 – Minute Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Consult, and lectures nationally and internationally on topics related to medical education, and osteopathic medicine. She is a graduate of several leadership fellowships including the ELAM Program at Drexel University College of Medicine and the Costin Institute at Midwestern University. She is actively engaged in academic medicine nationally, previously serving on the ACGME’s Osteopathic Recognition Committee, as a member of the Board of Directors for the NBOME, and as the 2023-24 president of the American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO). Currently, Dr. Channell is the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Student Services, and Professor of Family Medicine, and OMM at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine (Rowan-Virtua SOM).
Ghazaleh Gigi Hafizi, MD, FACOG | Metropolitan Women’s Center
Term: October 2022 – September 30, 2028
Dr. Gigi Hafizi is Chief Medical Officer and practicing physician at Metropolitan Women’s Center. In this role, Dr. Hafizi focuses on the development of innovative health solutions to improve the quality and delivery of healthcare to a distinct patient population. Dr. Hafizi oversees the company’s overall clinical program with the goal of providing preventive and therapeutic medical and surgical care to women of all ages. She has over twenty years of experience in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology and has a depth of knowledge and experience in health education, disease management, patient safety and evidence-based medicine. In the last decade, in additional to her clinical practice, Dr. Hafizi has served as a Medical Student Interviewer, Medical Student, Resident, and Physician’s Assistant teaching faculty at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She has held positions as Assistant Clinical Professor at GWU and VCU Schools of Medicine. Prior to joining Metropolitan Women’s Center, Dr. Hafizi was in private practice in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Dr. Hafizi attended the University of California, Los Angeles, Howard University Medical College and completed internship and residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tulane University School of Medicine. She is Board Certified by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and hold an active medical license in the state of Virginia.
Brian Kessler, DO, DHA, FACOFP | Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine at Campbell University
Term: October 2023 – September 30, 2029
Brian A. Kessler, DO, DHA, MS, FACOFP dist., is an academic physician and board-certified osteopathic family physician with more than twenty-five years of experience in medical education, healthcare leadership, and accreditation. He serves as Dean and Chief Academic Officer of the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine (MSOM) in Hagerstown, Maryland, where he oversees undergraduate medical education, clinical training, faculty development, and institutional strategy in alignment with the mission of Meritus Health and the healthcare needs of the Mid-Atlantic region.
Dr. Kessler earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Doctor of Healthcare Administration from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed postgraduate training at Crozer–Delaware County Memorial Hospital and Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital. His work emphasizes the integration of academic and clinical systems, the advancement of accreditation standards, and the development of educational programs that prepare physicians to serve rural and underserved populations.
At the national level, Dr. Kessler serves on the Executive Committee of the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) and on the Board of Directors of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME). He is also the Past President of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. Through these roles, he contributes to national efforts in accreditation, licensure assessment, and the continuous improvement of medical education.
Dr. Kessler’s academic work includes contributions to scholarship in medical education, leadership, and healthcare delivery. His career reflects a sustained commitment to advancing educational quality, strengthening institutional accountability, and improving access to high-quality healthcare.
Sujatha Ramachandran, MD, MACM | Montefiore Medical Center | Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Term: October 2023 – September 30, 2029
Dr. Sujatha Ramachandran is a Professor of Anesthesiology and the Vice Chair for Education at Montefiore Medical Center/ Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Ramachandran received her MBBS from the Dr. MGR Medical University, India and completed her Anesthesiology residency and Cardio-thoracic anesthesia fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center. She has also earned a master’s degree in Academic Medicine from University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Ramachandran has an extensive experience in graduate medical education, having served as the Residency Program Director for over a decade. In this role she has interviewed hundreds of applicants for residency and fellowships, overseen the residency program’s accreditation and developed innovative curricula. Dr. Ramachandran’s expertise in education has been recognized nationally by way of awards for distinguished educators. She also serves as a board examiner for the American Board of Anesthesiology. Dr. Ramachandran serves on the DE&I committee for the American Society of Anesthesiology. She is Board Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology and holds an active license in the State of New York.
Barbara L. Schuster, MD, MS, MACP, FRCP (Edin.) | University of Georgia
Term: September 2022 – September 30, 2027
Dr. Schuster is a Clinical Professor in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Georgia. She completed a BA in Biology and an MS in Education at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She received her MD at the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY after which she completed a Primary Care Internal Medicine residency in Rochester.
After completing her residency and a year’s position caring for students and university staff at the University Health Service at the University of Rochester, Dr. Schuster accepted the position of the first Assistant Program Director for the Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency. Over 15 years, Dr. Schuster grew from Assistant, to Associate, and then to the Director of the Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency. During her leadership in the Primary Care Internal Medicine program, she grew the Internal Medicine/Pediatrics program in Rochester, New York from an opportune for a few students to an organized residency. Working with a colleague from the University of North Carolina, they developed guidelines for Internal Medicine/Pediatrics programs, with support of the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics. During this time, Dr. Schuster became active in the American College of Physicians and voted by the membership to the Board of Regents where she was active in education of students, residents, and members.
After 15 years as a program director, Dr. Schuster moved to the Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio as Professor and Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. After delving into the world of postgraduate medical education in Rochester and her activities in the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine including Council Member and President, the position of Department Chair refocused her energy toward undergraduate medical education, the breadth of research in medical schools, the role of clinician educators, and how the local and national politics influence physician education. She became a member of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) becoming the Chair of the Council of Academic Societies (now CFAS) and a member of the Board. Dr. Schuster also became the President of the Association of Professors of Medicine, the first female president.
Twelve years being a Department Chair ended with a year of sabbatical spent at the AAMC allowing her to reflect on her career and decide her next step. Will it be working with a national organization or find a challenging opportunity. Dr. Schuster accepted the latter, the position of Founding Campus Dean of the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership. Founding a 4-year medical campus in a university city with two community hospitals, previously few medical students working in the hospitals or in private ambulatory practices, a new curriculum with small group learning, and both the University of Georgia and Augusta University wishing to have control over the ‘partnership’ was indeed a challenge.
Since retiring, Dr. Schuster has been involved in advising and mentoring undergraduate students interested in a healthcare careers, advising medical students, residents, and junior faculty, and in early retirement, supervising in a clinic for the medically uninsured. Dr. Schuster continues to teach in a pre-health seminar for undergraduates at the University of Georgia, and when asked, teach a seminar in the MPH Global Health Leadership program at the University of Haifa. She has been a consultant with the English language medical school at the Technion in Israel. Dr. Schuster continues to be an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Medicine.
Anthony Shadiack, DO, FAMSSM, CAQ-Sports Medicine |Grand Strand Medical Center
Term: September 2024 – September 2028
Dr. Anthony Shadiack is the Associate Program Director of Family Medicine and the Family Medicine Research Director at Grand Strand Medical Center in Myrtle Beach SC. Dr. Anthony Shadiack received his Osteopathic degree from the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine (Now Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine). He completed his Family Medicine residency and Primary Care Sports Medicine fellowship at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School where he worked with two Division I college athletic programs.
Dr. Shadiack has completed over 100 scholarly projects including grant funded projects where he served as the Principal Investigator. For over 5 years he was a question writer for the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing (COMLEX) examinations. He also served as a subject matter expert for the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians (AOBFP) certification exam and a question writer for the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) CAQ ITE exam. He has been involved with Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) and aided in creation of a national Family Medicine curriculum for Addiction Medicine. In addition, he has contributed to developing interactive curricula for the STFM and AFMRD Family Medicine Residency Curriculum resource. He is a reviewer for peer reviewed journals including HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine, American Family Physician and Evidence Based Practice. He has given several podium and poster presentations at local and national meetings.
Dr. Anthony Shadiack is proud to have helped create an Osteopathic Family Medicine residency program in Ocala FL and a Primary Care Sports Medicine fellowship program in Conway SC. Dr. Shadiack is the Chair of HCA’s South Atlantic Division Physician Advisory Board where he leads a group of physician leaders to improve patient care in this division which spans three states. Dr. Anthony Shadiack is one of the Founding Board of Trustees and acting Secretary for the South Carolina Chapter of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (SCACOFP). He has been a medical volunteer for several events including marathons and the World’s Strongest Man competition.
Dr. Anthony Shadiack prides himself on being a community physician, mentor, and innovative teacher. He is a proud father of two wonderful children. In his personal time, he enjoys spending time with family, playing board games, driving go karts, trying new recipes, SCUBA diving and surfing.
Kenneth Simons, MD | University Hospitals
Terms: September 2022 – September 30, 2027
Dr. Kenneth Simons is Executive Director and Designated Institutional Official, Emeritus for the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals, Inc. (MCWAH).
Dr. Simons earned his medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine, completed a residency in Ophthalmology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill and a fellowship in Ophthalmic Pathology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California Los Angeles. Dr. Simons is a diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology. He is a past chair of the AMA Section on Medical Schools Governing Council, and served as the Section’s delegate. He is a past member of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Board of Directors, serving on its Executive Committee and as chair for the Policies and Procedures Committee and the Committee on Requirements. In March 2011, Dr. Simons was appointed to the Wisconsin State Medical Examining Board in 2011, elected Chair in 2013, and served as Chair through May 2020. He has also served as Chair of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission (IMLCC). Dr. Simons was elected to the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) Board of Directors in April 2017 and a past Chair of the organization.
Dr. Simons has previously served on the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Board of Directors and served as its Secretary-Treasurer. He was elected to the board of the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME) and re-elected, completing his service in 2021 and currently serves as a Field Secretary. He also served as Chair of the ACGME-I Surgical and Hospital based Review Committee from 2016-2021 which accredits international residency and fellowship training programs. Dr. Simons previously was the Executive Director & DIO for the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals as well as Sr. Assoc. Dean for GME & Accreditation and a tenured professor of Ophthalmology and Pathology at the Medical College of Wisconsin as well as having served as Vice President for Education and Designated Institutional Official for University Hospitals and Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education and Professor of Ophthalmology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
Dr. Simons’ passion is ensuring that trainees are educated in supportive educational environments so that they will be able to provide safe, quality care to their patients. In his free time, Dr. Simons enjoys spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren, as well as traveling.
Tracey Straker, MD | Montefiore Medical Center | Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology
Term: April 2022 – September 30, 2027
Dr. Tracey Straker is a Professor of Anesthesiology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and an Attending Physician at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York. She attended a 7year BS/ MD program – Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, based at City College in Harlem, New York. She graduated from New York Medical College with a combined MD and MPH in Medical Administration.
She completed her Master’s in Science in Health Information Technology from Georgetown and completed her CBA in Business Administration from Northwestern through the American Society for Anesthesiologists. She serves as the Vice Chair of Clinical Operations Anesthesiology, Director of Workplace Standards and Civility and the Director of the Advanced Airway Fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center. She also holds the rank of Adjunct Clinical Professor of Medicine at CUNY School of Medicine in New York City.
Dr. Straker serves as the Vice Speaker of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. She presently serves as the Immediate Past President of the New York State Society for Anesthesiologists (NYSSA), Immediate Past President for the Anesthesia Section of the National Medical Association and Past President of the Society for Head and Neck Anesthesia (SHANA). She serves as the Chairwoman of the Impact Committee at the Society for Education in Anesthesia (SEA). She has authored several publications, and presented at multiple international and national meetings,
Her passion is linear mentorship. I genuinely believe in giving back, but more importantly, getting people to a place where they can give back, and sponsor. It is so extremely important to extend a hand and elevate people. As you lift people, you are lifted as well.
Stephen Symes, MD, FACP | University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Term: November 2022 – September 30, 2028
Dr. Stephen Symes is an Associate Professor of Medicine – Division of Infectious Diseases – with the Miller School of Medicine. He completed his medical education at Howard University in 1989 and Internal Medicine residency at Jackson Memorial Medical Center in 1992. Dr. Symes joined the faculty at UM in 1997 as Associate Director, and then Program Director for the Internal Medicine residency, until 2015. With his main clinical activities in HIV and AIDS, he developed a pathway to train future physician leaders in global and domestic health program administration and advocacy. Dr. Symes has served in institutional UME and GME leadership, with experience managing accreditation issues for medical school, residency programs and institutions. With medical students at Miller, and JMH Internal Medicine residents, Dr. Symes started the Human Rights clinic at San Juan Bosco for asylum seekers who are victims of torture and abuse. Dr. Symes also served as primary care clinician in T.H.R.I.V.E. a UM-JMH clinic for victims of Human Trafficking here in South Florida, and works 2 half-days per week at the community-based Center For Haitian Studies, providing free care to uninsured patients in the North Miami community. Dr. Symes served as Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at Miller, emphasizing workforce development, from 2015-2020, in arguably one of the most diverse population centers in the United States.
Dr. Symes continues to work on curriculum at the medical school clerkship, and residency level. His background as a medical educator, and work with disadvantaged populations, allows him to mentor young scholars toward advocacy and health equity in patient care and public health.