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Become a member and receive career-enhancing benefits

Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your ACS member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your ACS colleagues. It's all here.

Become a Member
Become a member and receive career-enhancing benefits

Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your ACS member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your ACS colleagues. It's all here.

Become a Member
ACS
Events

2025 Agendas

All events are in-person only. Times indicated are Eastern.

Preconference Workshops

Saturday, April 5

7:00 am-6:00 pm

Onsite Registration

5B Registration Desk (across from Independence Ballroom)

10:00 am–1:00 pm    

 

1:00–2:50 pm

Sustaining Lifelong Surgeon Competency

Independence East

Todd K. Rosengart, MD, MBA, FACS, vice president for hospital operations and quality improvement, professor and chair, DeBakey Bard Chair of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; Peter Angelos, MD, PhD, FACS, MAMSE, Linda Kohler Anderson Professor of Surgery and Surgical Ethics, director, Maclean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL; Jennifer Rosen, MD, FACS, regional chief of endocrine surgery, MedStar Washington Hospital Center and Georgetown University Medical Center, Associate Professor of Surgery, Georgetown University School of Medicine Washington, DC

3:00–4:50 pm

The Human Margin: Building the Foundations of Trust

Independence GHI

Katherine A. Meese, PhD, founder and CEO, HuMargin Group, assistant professor, director of research, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) department of health services administration, Birmingham, AL

Additional Events

Saturday, April 5

11:30 am-1:00 pm

Women in Surgery Luncheon–Managing Up

 

Featuring keynote speaker, Liane Feldman, MD, FACS, Edward W. Archibald Professor and Chair, department of surgery, McGill University; followed by facilitated small group discussion. 

Hosted by the ACS Women in Surgery Committee and the Society of Surgical Chairs Women's Group. This luncheon is for mid-career woman surgeons. Registration required.

5:00-6:30 pm

Leadership Summit Networking Event

Grand Foyer (Level 1B)

Leadership Summit
Times indicated are Eastern.

Sunday, April 6

7:00 am–5:00 pm

Onsite Registration

5B Registration Desk (across from Independence Ballroom)

7:30–8:30 am

Breakfast

Independence Ballroom East FGHI  

General Session

Independence Ballroom West BCDE

8:30–8:40 am

Welcome and Agenda for the Day

 

Michael J. Sutherland, MD, MBA, FACS, Senior Vice President, Division of Member Services, American College of Surgeons, Chicago, IL

Section 1 – Surgical Leadership

8:40–9:10 am

Leading at the Federal Level – How Surgeons Lead in Big Environments

 

Eric Elster, MD, FACS, CAPT, MC, USN (Ret.), dean, school of medicine, EVP for medical affairs, professor of surgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD       

9:10–9:40 am

The Impact of Surgical Disciplines United: House of Surgery

 

Anthony Atala, MD, FACS, director, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, W. Boyce Professor and chair of urology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC

9:40–10:10 am

Knowing Your Worth As a Surgical Leader and Negotiating Accordingly

 

Joshua M. V. Mammen, MD, PhD, FACS, Merle M. Musselman Centennial Professor of Surgery, chief, department of surgery, division of surgical oncology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Sponsored by the ACS Young Fellows Association (YFA)

10:10–10:30 am

BREAK

Independence Ballroom Foyer

10:30 am–12:00 pm

Panel Session: Pathways to Leadership – Learning How to Lead at Every Level

 

Moderator: Kimberly M. Lumpkins, MD, MBA, FACS, surgeon in chief, University of Maryland Children’s Hospital, Dr. J Laurance Hill Endowed Professor in Pediatric Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

 

Panelists: John (Jack) Flowers, MD, FACS, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, GBMC, Healthcare, Inc., President, GBMC Health Partners, Baltimore, MD; Paula Ferrada, MD, FCCM, FACS, MAMSE, chair, department of surgery, Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, division and system chief for trauma and acute care surgery, Inova Healthcare System, professor, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Falls Church, VA; Rachel R. Kelz, MD, MSCE, MBA, FACS, William Maul Measey Professor of Surgery, executive vice chair, department of surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Deanna Sasaki-Adams, MD, MBA, professor and chair, department of neurosurgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Little Rock, AR       

12:00-1:00 pm

LunchIndependence Ballroom East FGHI

Section 2 – Developing & Sustaining Surgical Leaders

1:00–1:30 pm

Career Development as a Surgeon: The Value of Advanced Degrees

 

KMarie King, MD, MS, MBA, FACS, Henry and Sally Schaffer Chair, chief of surgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY

1:30–2:00 pm

Succession Planning: A Key Element for Organizational Success

 

E. Christopher Ellison, MD, FACS, MAMSE, Robert M. Zollinger Professor of Surgery Emeritus, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH

2:00–3:00 pm

Panel Session: Emotional Intelligence as a Leadership Tool

 

Moderator: Sharon L. Stein, MD, FACS, adjunct professor, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH

 

Panelists: Carlos A. Pellegrini, MD, FACS, professor and chair emeritus, department of surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; Mary T. Killackey, MD, FACS, chair and professor of surgery, Robert & Viola Lobrano Chair in Surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA; Harry T. Papaconstantinou, MD, FACS, FASCRS, chair, department of surgery, Glen E and Rita K Roney Endowed Chair in Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, Temple, TX

3:00–3:30 pm

Executive Director & CEO’s Update

 

Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS, Executive Director & CEO, American College of Surgeons, Chicago, IL

3:30–4:20 pm

Advocacy and Health Policy Abstract Presentations

4:20–4:30 pm

Closing Comments

 

Michael J. Sutherland, MD, MBA, FACS, Senior Vice President, Division of Member Services, American College of Surgeons, Chicago, IL

Advocacy Summit
Times indicated are Eastern.

Sunday, April 6

6:00–9:00 pm

Advocacy Summit Welcome Reception and Keynote Dinner

Reception: 6:00–7:00 

Dinner: 7:00–9:00 

Keynote Speaker: Margaret Brennan, moderator of Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan on CBS News

Monday, April 7

7:00–8:00 am

All Attendee Breakfast

8:00–8:15 am

Advocacy Welcome and Introductions

Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS
Executive Director & CEO, American College of Surgeons

 

Christian Shalgian
Senior Vice President, Division of Advocacy and Health Policy, American College of Surgeons (DAHP, ACS)

8:15–9:15 am

Panel: Changing Healthcare Landscape at the Payor, Physician, and Employer Levels     

 

Moderator: Christopher Childers, MD, PhD, assistant professor of hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery, University of Washington

 

Panelists: Ann Bittinger, JD, health law attorney, The Bittinger Law Firm; Jessica Minesinger, CMOM, CMPE, FACMPE, BBC, president and CEO, Surgical Compensation & Consulting 

9:15–10:15 am

Panel: Digital Transformation and Evolving Surgery Policy

 

Moderator: Gabriel Brat, MD, FACS
assistant professor of surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, assistant professor in biomedical informatics, Harvard Medical School

 

Panelists: Sarah Gilbert, chief of staff to Representative Neal Dunn, MD, FACS (R-FL-02); Genevieve Melton-Meaux, MD, PhD, FACMI, FACS, FASCRS, associate professor of surgery and health informatics, University of Minnesota, chief health information officer, University of Minnesota Health and Fairview Health Services; Aliza Silver, JD, MPH, senior director, health policy and government affairs, Oracle

10:15–10:30 am

Break

10:30–11:30 am

Panel: Advocating for Quality in Value-Based Care and APMs 

 

Moderator: Melissa Medeiros, MPP, vice president, health systems innovation and payment, Hart Health Strategies, Inc.

 

Panelists: Clifford Ko, MD FACS, Director of the Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care, American College of Surgeons; Conor Sheehey, senior health policy advisor, U.S. Senate Finance Committee; Sarah Levin, deputy staff director, House Committee on Ways and Means, Health Subcommittee

11:30–11:45 am

Break (transition to luncheon)

11:45 am–1:00 pm

Luncheon Sponsored by ACSPA - SurgeonsPAC

Speakers: TBD

1:15–2:05 pm

Panel: Advocacy 101

 

Moderator: Matt Duckworth, vice president, Government Relations, Hart Health Strategies Inc.

 

Panelists: Don J. Selzer, MBA, MD, FACS, 2024 SurgeonsVoice Advocate of the Year, Willis D. Gatch Professor of Surgery, chief of the division of general surgery, associate chair of the department of surgery, Indiana University; Christian Shalgian, Senior Vice President, Division of Advocacy and Health Policy, American College of Surgeons; Catherine B. Hayes, MPP, executive director, GOP Doctors Caucus; Asha Samuel, senior health policy advisor to Representative Ami Bera, MD (D-CA-13)

2:05–2:45 pm

Review of Congressional Asks

Carrie Zlatos
Chief, Legislative and Political Affairs, Division of Advocacy and Health Policy, American College of Surgeons (DAHP, ACS)

Emma Zimmerman
Senior Congressional Lobbyist, DAHP, ACS

Matthew Brown
Congressional Lobbyist, DAHP, ACS

Hallie Koch
Congressional Lobbyist, DAHP, ACS

2:45–3:45 pm

Advocacy Training

Christopher Kush
CEO, Soapbox Consulting

3:45–5:00 pm

Congressional Speakers

4:00 pm: Rep. John Joyce, MD (R-PA-13)

4:30 pm: Rep. Buddy Carter, RPh (R-GA-01)

7:009:00 pm

ACSPA - SurgeonsPAC Reception (2025 PAC contributors invited)

Offsite Location

 

 

Tuesday, April 8

7:008:00 am

Welcome to Lobby Day Breakfast

8:00 am

Buses Depart for Capitol Hill

9:00 am–3:30 pm

Congressional Visits

11:00 am–3:30 pm

Lunch and Congressional Visit Debriefing Room

Location:

Cannon House Office Building
Cannon Caucus Room
27 Independence Ave SE,
Washington, DC 20003

Note: Only active US/domestic ACS members are eligible to participate in the congressional visits to Capitol Hill.

Agenda and speakers are subject to change. The views expressed by the individual speakers are their own and don't necessarily reflect those of the American College of Surgeons.