Membership Committee
The Membership Committee provides strategic direction on overall membership policies, recruitment, retention and engagement strategies, as well as advises IARS on the most meaningful member and anesthesia community experiences. The Committee oversees 3 subcommittees (1. Outreach, Retention and Engagement Subcommittee, 2. International Subcommittee, 3. Online Member Community Subcommittee), each focused on specific goals and tasks around membership and engagement.
Chair
Vivianne Tawfik, MD, PhD
IARS Trustee
Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine; Director, Fellowship in Anesthesia Research & Medicine (FARM) program
Stanford University
Stanford, California
Dr. Vivianne Tawfik is a board-certified Anesthesiologist and Pain Medicine physician who specializes in the treatment of complex chronic pain disorders including chronic post-operative pain, complex regional pain syndrome and peripheral nerve injury. She is currently an Associate Professor at Stanford University in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine.
After completing her undergraduate degree at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, she obtained her MD and PhD in Neuroscience, with a focus on basic pain mechanisms, at Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, NH, USA. She then moved to California to join the Stanford Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine as an anesthesiology resident in the Fellowship in Anesthesia Research and Medicine (FARM) program, of which she now serves as the Director. After completion of her subspecialty fellowship training in Pain Medicine, Dr. Tawfik joined the faculty at Stanford and continues to research the immune contribution to persistent pain using clinically-informed basic science while also caring for patients suffering from chronic pain. Her lab uses a variety of approaches, from single cell sequencing to complex behavioral paradigms in mouse pain models, to investigate the contribution of spinal cord glial cells (microglia & astrocytes) to the transition from acute to chronic pain. She has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the IARS since 2021.
She enjoys science, sushi and snowboarding in her free time.
Vivianne Tawfik, MD, PhD
IARS Trustee
Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine; Director, Fellowship in Anesthesia Research & Medicine (FARM) program
Stanford University
Stanford, California
Dr. Vivianne Tawfik is a board-certified Anesthesiologist and Pain Medicine physician who specializes in the treatment of complex chronic pain disorders including chronic post-operative pain, complex regional pain syndrome and peripheral nerve injury. She is currently an Associate Professor at Stanford University in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine.
After completing her undergraduate degree at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, she obtained her MD and PhD in Neuroscience, with a focus on basic pain mechanisms, at Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, NH, USA. She then moved to California to join the Stanford Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine as an anesthesiology resident in the Fellowship in Anesthesia Research and Medicine (FARM) program, of which she now serves as the Director. After completion of her subspecialty fellowship training in Pain Medicine, Dr. Tawfik joined the faculty at Stanford and continues to research the immune contribution to persistent pain using clinically-informed basic science while also caring for patients suffering from chronic pain. Her lab uses a variety of approaches, from single cell sequencing to complex behavioral paradigms in mouse pain models, to investigate the contribution of spinal cord glial cells (microglia & astrocytes) to the transition from acute to chronic pain. She has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the IARS since 2021.
She enjoys science, sushi and snowboarding in her free time.
Vice Chair
Y.S. Prakash, MD, PhD
IARS Journal Liaison and Trustee
Consultant, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine; Associate Dean for Research, Midwest, Mayo Clinic; Consultant, Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering; Chair, Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Professor of Anesthesiology and Physiology, Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota
Committee Members
Calvin Johnson, MD
Online Member Community Subcommittee Chair
Professor of Anesthesia
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Dr. Calvin Johnson is Professor of Anesthesia at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. His research interests are focused on COVID and Long COVID. Dr. Johnson obtained an undergraduate degree at Dartmouth College in 1981; and was selected as a NCAA D1 Academic All-American in basketball. He obtained his medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School in 1985. Dr. Johnson completed a residency in Anesthesiology at Massachusetts General Hospital and fellowships in Pediatric Anesthesia (Harvard Children’s Hospital) and Obstetric Anesthesia (Harvard Beth Israel Hospital) in 1989. He is board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology, ABA Pediatric Anesthesia, and the American Board of Pain Medicine. Dr. Johnson is also a Former, Chair of Anesthesia and Interim Dean of the Charles R. Drew School of Medicine and Science. His wife Elaine and he serve as Deacons in the South Bay Church of Christ, in Los Angeles, CA.
Patrick N. Olomu, MD, FRCA
International Subcommittee Chair
Division Chief for Pediatric Anesthesia
Clinical Professor
University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital
Iowa City, IA
Dr. Patrick Olomu is Division Chief for Pediatric Anesthesia and Clinical Professor at University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City, IA. He undertook residencies in Nigeria, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. He is board-certified in Anesthesiology and Pediatric Anesthesiology and is a Fellow by examination of the Royal College of Anaesthetists of the United Kingdom. He also has a Diploma of Anesthesia from Nigeria.
Dr. Olomu is an internationally renowned expert in Pediatric Difficult Airway management and has taught airway management globally. He serves on the International Liaison Committee of the Society for Airway Management (SAM). In this role, he created a SAM Chapter in his home country of Nigeria. He serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the chapter.
Ronald G. Pearl, MD, PhD
Outreach, Retention and Engagement Subcommittee Co-Chair
Dr. Richard K. and Erika N. Richards Professor
Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Stanford University, School of Medicine
Stanford, CA
Dr. Ronald Pearl is the Dr. Richard K. and Erika N. Richards Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Stanford University. After receiving his undergraduate degree in psychology from Yale University, he received a PhD in pharmacological and physiological sciences and an MD degree from the University of Chicago. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Stanford, followed by a fellowship in critical care medicine. He then joined the faculty in the Stanford Department of Medicine. Recognizing that anesthesia-trained intensivists had additional skills for critical care, he then completed his residency in anesthesiology at Stanford and became an Assistant Professor in the anesthesiology department. He served as chair of the Stanford Department of Anesthesiology for 22 years, from 1999 to 2021. During that time, he oversaw a dramatic expansion of the clinical, educational, and research missions of the department. Dr. Pearl has published more than 150 articles in peer-reviewed journals. His research involves studying the pulmonary circulation, focusing on cellular and genetic mechanisms responsible for the development of pulmonary hypertension.
He has also researched sepsis, respiratory failure, blood transfusion, and cardiovascular monitoring technologies. He has served as president of the Association of University Anesthesiologists (AUA), the Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists (SOCCA), the California Society of Anesthesiologists, the Association of Academic Anesthesia Chairs (AAAC) and the Society of Academic Associations of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine (SAAAPM). He chairs the ASA Committee on Innovation, is a delegate to the ASA, and serves on the Committee on Academic Anesthesiology, the Committee on Critical Care Medicine, the Educational Track Subcommittee on Critical Care, and the Educational Track Subcommittee on Perioperative Medicine. His clinical activities focus on cardiothoracic anesthesiology and medical, surgical and cardiovascular critical care.
Elizabeth Whitlock, MD, MSc
Outreach, Retention and Engagement Subcommittee Co-Chair
Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Care
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Dr. Elizabeth Whitlock is an Assistant Professor in the University of California, San Francisco Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Care. A clinical anesthesiologist and epidemiological researcher, Dr. Whitlock’s work centers on understanding the long-term implications of perioperative management on patient-centered cognitive and functional outcomes in older adults, with an eye towards facilitating patient-centered counseling about cognitive change as a potential outcome of surgery and anesthesia. She has received funding from the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research, the National Institute on Aging’s GEMSSTAR R03 mechanism, and is currently funded by an R01 from the NIA.
Duminda Wijeysundera, MD, PhD, FRCPC, FAHA
IARS Trustee
Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Professor, Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation
University of Toronto
Scientist, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute
St. Michael’s Hospital
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Alexander Zarbock, MD, PhD
IARS Trustee
Chair, Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy
Westfälische Wilhelms University Hospital Münster
Professor of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine
University of Münster
Münster, Germany
Dr. Alexander Zarbock is Chair and Professor of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine at University of Münster in Germany. His research focuses on neutrophil biology and molecular mechanisms of inflammation as well as on preventive and therapeutic interventions of AKI in critically ill patients. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Düsseldorf in 2003. Dr. Zarbock did a postdoc at the University of Virginia (Charlottesville) and La Jolla Institute for Immunology and completed his residency in Anesthesiology at University Hospital Münster and fellowships in Cardiothoracic Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine (University Hospital Münster).
Outreach, Retention and Engagement Subcommittee
The Outreach, Retention & Engagement Subcommittee focuses on increasing outreach to IARS members and the anesthesia community and recruiting new, active and engaged members and participants to expand the IARS membership and community while engaging and retaining current members.
Co-Chairs
Ronald G. Pearl, MD, PhD
Outreach, Retention and Engagement Subcommittee Co-Chair
Dr. Richard K. and Erika N. Richards Professor
Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Stanford University, School of Medicine
Stanford, CA
Dr. Ronald Pearl is the Dr. Richard K. and Erika N. Richards Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Stanford University. After receiving his undergraduate degree in psychology from Yale University, he received a PhD in pharmacological and physiological sciences and an MD degree from the University of Chicago. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Stanford, followed by a fellowship in critical care medicine. He then joined the faculty in the Stanford Department of Medicine. Recognizing that anesthesia-trained intensivists had additional skills for critical care, he then completed his residency in anesthesiology at Stanford and became an Assistant Professor in the anesthesiology department. He served as chair of the Stanford Department of Anesthesiology for 22 years, from 1999 to 2021. During that time, he oversaw a dramatic expansion of the clinical, educational, and research missions of the department. Dr. Pearl has published more than 150 articles in peer-reviewed journals. His research involves studying the pulmonary circulation, focusing on cellular and genetic mechanisms responsible for the development of pulmonary hypertension.
He has also researched sepsis, respiratory failure, blood transfusion, and cardiovascular monitoring technologies. He has served as president of the Association of University Anesthesiologists (AUA), the Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists (SOCCA), the California Society of Anesthesiologists, the Association of Academic Anesthesia Chairs (AAAC) and the Society of Academic Associations of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine (SAAAPM). He chairs the ASA Committee on Innovation, is a delegate to the ASA, and serves on the Committee on Academic Anesthesiology, the Committee on Critical Care Medicine, the Educational Track Subcommittee on Critical Care, and the Educational Track Subcommittee on Perioperative Medicine. His clinical activities focus on cardiothoracic anesthesiology and medical, surgical and cardiovascular critical care.
Elizabeth Whitlock, MD, MSc
Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Care
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Dr. Elizabeth Whitlock is an Assistant Professor in the University of California, San Francisco Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Care. A clinical anesthesiologist and epidemiological researcher, Dr. Whitlock’s work centers on understanding the long-term implications of perioperative management on patient-centered cognitive and functional outcomes in older adults, with an eye towards facilitating patient-centered counseling about cognitive change as a potential outcome of surgery and anesthesia. She has received funding from the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research, the National Institute on Aging’s GEMSSTAR R03 mechanism, and is currently funded by an R01 from the NIA.
Subcommittee Members
Richard Dutton, MD, MBA
Chair of Anesthesiology
University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center
Chief Quality Officer
US Anesthesia Partners
Washington, DC
Dr. Dutton is Chair of Anesthesiology at University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center, located on the Washington, DC beltway. He is also Chief Quality Officer for US Anesthesia Partners, Executive Section Editor (Trauma) for Anesthesia & Analgesia, and a member of multiple ASA, FAER, and APSF Committees. Dr. Dutton is the former Chief of Anesthesia and Chief of Clinical Operations at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center (1994-2010) and was the Founding Executive Director of the ASA Anesthesia Quality Institute.
Dr. Dutton completed his education at Harvard University and Tufts University School of Medicine, and his residency in anesthesiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He is a veteran of the United States Navy.
Paul García, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology,
Division Chief of Neuroanesthesia
Columbia University Medical Center
New York, NY
Paul García, MD, PhD, is an anesthesiologist and researcher in New York City. He studied electrical engineering and computational neuroscience at the University of Florida, before matriculating at Emory’s MD/PhD program. Through the NIH-supported Medical-Scientist Training Program (MSTP), he obtained his PhD in Bioengineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. At Emory and its affiliated hospitals, he completed his medical degree, anesthesiology residency training, and started his faculty career. In 2018, he joined the faculty of the Department of Anesthesiology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. His laboratory focuses on models of neuronal degeneration caused by age, anesthesia, or other pharmacologic exposure. Frequently this involves neurophysiologic recording from rodent brain tissue as well as behavioral testing in pre-clinical models. Dr. García has translated this research into the human/clinical realm. His clinical research projects involve investigating intraoperative EEG signatures and their association with adverse postoperative outcomes, such as pain and delirium in the recovery room. Understanding the generation of these signals can lead to improved care for patients in the care of anesthesiologists. He has maintained continuous extramural funding throughout his career (supported by the NIH, DoD, Veteran’s Affairs, and private foundations). His laboratory, translational, and clinical research combines neuromodulation techniques with pharmacology to improve clinical outcomes after surgery with general anesthesia. Dr. García’s official title is Associate Professor and Chief of Neuroanesthesia at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
Yvette N. Martin McGrew, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
Dr. Yvette Martin McGrew is an Assistant Professor in the Mayo Clinic Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine. She completed her MD-PhD at the Mayo Clinic as a part of the NIH-funded Medical Scientist Training Program. Currently, her professional roles include serving as the outpatient center Anesthesia Director, the Pharmacy & Therapeutics Medication Safety Chair, as well as being involved in scientific research focused on pharmacogenomics and adverse outcomes observed in anesthesia.
Peter Nagele, MD, MSc
Professor of Anesthesia and Critical Care;
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience;
Committee on Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
Antonello Penna, MD, PhD
Chair, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine
Associate Professor of Anesthesia
Clinic Hospital and Advanced Clinical Research Center, University of Chile
Santiago, Chile
Dr. Antonello Penna is Associate Professor of Anesthesia at the University of Chile, Clinic Hospital, Santiago de Chile. After completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Chile he obtained his MD. Then, he completed a residency in Anesthesiology and a PhD in Medical Sciences in 2010 at the University of Chile. He then obtained a postdoctoral position in Dr. Beverley Orser’s laboratory, where he remained until 2014. He decided to return to Chile where, currently, he practices his clinical work and established a research group with the focus of studying the effect of anesthesia on the brain, especially to determine if the intraoperative electroencephalographic signal can be a predictor of delirium or other postoperative neurocognitive disorders, and also the group studies certain signals to monitor intraoperative nociception. The main goal of their group is to establish a high-level research center in one of the southernmost places in the world such as Chile.
Adamina G. Podraza, MD, FASA, FAAP
Board-Certified Private Practice Anesthesiologist
Anesthesia Consultants of Morris
Morris Hospital and Health Care Center and Deerpath Surgical Center
Morris, Illinois
Dr. Adamina G. Podraza is currently the Immediate Past President Illinois Society of Anesthesia and the Illinois Society of Anesthesia’s Delegate to the American Society of Anesthesia. She is a member of the American Society of Anesthesia Committee on Geriatrics and The Committee on Anesthesia Care Team. As a board-certified private practice anesthesiologist, she takes great pride in advancing anesthesia care in her rural community. She is Chair of Pediatric and Obstetric and Women Health, Manager of Quality Improvement and President of Perioperative Services, and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Program at Morris Hospital. She is an active member on the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, Obstetrics Committee and the Professional Peer Review Committee at Morris Hospital.
Kimberly Rengel, MD
Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology Crtitical Care Medicine
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Dr. Kimberly F. Rengel is an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology in the Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Anesthesia Critical Care Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). She completed her undergraduate degree at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, followed by her MD from The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. She completed her anesthesiology residency and critical care medicine fellowship both at VUMC. During residency, she was selected as a member of the BH Robbins Scholars program, a comprehensive mentored research program for early-stage physician scientists. Dr. Rengel subsequently joined the faculty of VUMC where she is a practicing anesthesiologist and intensivist.
Dr. Rengel’s research focuses on evaluating mechanisms, prevention strategies, and potential therapies to mitigate acquired disability after critical illness and major surgery, particularly in older adults. Her ongoing work characterizes skeletal muscle health throughout critical illness using ultrasound evaluation with the goal of identifying patients at highest risk for prolonged recovery and new disability. She is also evaluating the efficacy of a comprehensive perioperative cognitive and physical therapy program in reducing cognitive and physical dysfunction in older adults after major surgery.
Katie Schenning, MD, MPH, MCR
Preoperative Medicine Clinic Assistant Director;
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine,
School of Medicine
Oregon Health and Science University
Dr. Katie Schenning is an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine and the Assistant Medical Director of the Preoperative Medicine Clinic at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland, Oregon. Clinically, Dr. Schenning focuses on geriatric and neuroanesthesiology, and has spearheaded the implementation of cognitive and frailty screening in geriatric patients in the Preoperative Medicine Clinic. Dr. Schenning received her MD and MPH degrees from the University of Wisconsin and her MCR from OHSU. She completed anesthesiology residency training and a research fellowship at OHSU.
Dr. Schenning’s research focuses on the effects of anesthesia and surgery on cognition, functional status, and quality of life in older adults. She aims to bridge the gap between aging science and perioperative research to improve perioperative outcomes in older surgical patients. Dr. Schenning’s research is presently supported by the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
Abigail Smith, MD
Fellow, Anesthesia Critical Care Medicine
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
Dr. Abigail Smith grew up in Kansas City, where she obtained her Bachelor’s in neurobiology and Medical Degree at the University of Kansas and then completed residency in anesthesiology at the University of California, Davis. She is currently in Ann Arbor where she is completing a fellowship in Anesthesia Critical Care Medicine at the University of Michigan. In her free time, she likes to work on her antique cars (‘73 240Z, ‘76 Rnachero, ’85 IROC Camaro), hike and forage with her husband and dog, Phog, and relax while watching the ducks (Miss Fire, General Bayou, Kobe) run around.
Jessica Spence, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Assistant Professor, Anesthesia, Faculty of Health Sciences;
Associate Member, Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences
McMasters University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Dr. Jessica Spence is a cardiac anesthesiologist and critical care physician at Hamilton Health Sciences, an Associate Professor at McMaster University, and an Investigator at the Population Health Research Institute. She completed her residency in Anesthesiology, followed by a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine, and a PhD in Clinical Epidemiology, all at McMaster University. She also completed a fellowship in Cardiac Anesthesia at the University of Toronto. Her research relates to the impact of intraoperative non-surgical interventions on the perioperative outcomes of cardiac surgery.
International Subcommittee
The International Subcommittee focuses on developing new and innovative ways to engage the international community through IARS membership and education and research activities.
Chair
Patrick N. Olomu, MD, FRCA
Division Chief for Pediatric Anesthesia
Clinical Professor
University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital
Iowa City, IA
Dr. Patrick Olomu is Division Chief for Pediatric Anesthesia and Clinical Professor at University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City, IA. He undertook residencies in Nigeria, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. He is board-certified in Anesthesiology and Pediatric Anesthesiology and is a Fellow by examination of the Royal College of Anaesthetists of the United Kingdom. He also has a Diploma of Anesthesia from Nigeria.
Dr. Olomu is an internationally renowned expert in Pediatric Difficult Airway management and has taught airway management globally. He serves on the International Liaison Committee of the Society for Airway Management (SAM). In this role, he created a SAM Chapter in his home country of Nigeria. He serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the chapter.
Subcommittee Members
Iamze Agdgomelashvili, MD, PhD
Head of Adult and Pediatric Anesthesiology
Tbilisi State Medical University;
Ingorokva’s University Clinic of High Medical Technologies
Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
Dr. Iamze “Ia” Agdgomelashvili obtained her medical degree from the Tbilisi State Medical University (TSMU) in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. She completed her Anesthesiology residency also at TSMU. Additionally, she earned a PhD in Medicine with a concentration in Enhanced Recovery After Surgical Procedures.
Since completion of her residency training, Dr. Agdgomelashvili has undertaken several professional development and advancement training and courses at several international locations such as France, Belgium, Austria, the United States, Germany, Turkey, Belarus, Japan, Greece and Serbia.
She currently serves as the Head of Adult and Pediatric Anesthesiology at Tbilisi State Medical University and Ingorokva’s University Clinic of High Medical Technologies in Tbilisi. Besides her native Georgian, she is fluent in English, Russian, and German. She looks forward to working collaboratively with other members of the International Subcommittee and leveraging her international connections and experiences to advance the work and reach of the IARS, especially in Eurasia.
Ezzat Samy Aziz, MBBCh, FRCA, FFARCSI, MD, MSc, DA (UK)
Professor of Anesthesia and Intensive Care
Faculty of Medicine
Cairo University Hospital
Cairo, Egypt
Dr. Ezzat Samy Aziz is currently serving as a Professor of Anesthesia and Intensive Care at the Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University Hospital. After completing his undergraduate degree at Cairo University, he was appointed as Anaesthetic Resident at Cairo University Hospitals where he gained extensive experience in various anesthetics sub-specialties.
He conducted his PhD thesis in University of Amsterdam, focusing on neonatal intensive care, which resulted in the attainment of his MD degree. His international experience involved working in different hospitals in the Republic of Ireland and the UK, where he gained exposure to European healthcare practices and successfully passed the Royal College of Anaesthetists fellowship examination in Ireland and the UK. In 2002, he was appointed as Professor of Anesthesia, a position that afforded him nearly four months of leave annually. This opportunity enabled him to establish himself as a Visiting Consultant Anaesthetist in Chesterfield, UK, a role he dedicated himself to for 20 years.
He actively engaged in teaching and research, participating in numerous research projects. His expertise was recognized as he was appointed as an examiner for Master and MD degrees in Anaesthesia at Cairo University, as well as for the fellowship exam in Dublin, Ireland. He further extended his reach as an external examiner in various countries around the world.
Professionally, he founded the African Society of Regional Anaesthesia (AFSRA) in 2011 and currently serves as its president. AFSRA spreads knowledge of regional anesthesia across Africa through annual meetings and workshops. Dr. Aziz has also held leadership roles in international anesthesia congresses and joined the committee of Professional Well Being for the WFSA in 2016.
In his free time, Dr. Aziz indulges in collecting vintage watches and enjoys leisurely activities such as traveling and swimming.
Xueqin Ding, MD, PhD, FASA
Staff Anesthesiologist at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center;
Associate Professor at Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH
Dr. Xueqin Ding got her MD and PhD in China and competed postdoctoral fellowship training at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, USA. Her research work focuses on the effect of anesthetics on the pulmonary venous circulation. Currently, she is a Staff Anesthesiologist at University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center and Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at Case Western University. She has published more than 50 manuscripts and book chapters. Additionally, Dr. Ding has been serving on some ASA subcommittees and has been an editorial board member of Frontiers in Medicine, Open Anesthesia Journal, Hindawi Anesthesiology Research and Practice, and BMC Anesthesiology. Her clinical interests include thoracic, neuro, vascular and regional anesthesia. Dr. Ding’s current clinical research focuses on awake craniotomy and acute pain management.
Bradley Fritz, MD, MSCI
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology
Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
St. Louis, MO
Dr. Bradley Fritz is an assistant professor of anesthesiology at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. He received his BS in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University before completing medical school, anesthesiology residency, and critical care medicine fellowship at Washington University. His research interests include the use of machine learning and innovative care pathways such as telemedicine to prevent postoperative complications, as well as treatments to improve the mental health of surgical and critical care patients.
Mada Helou, MD
Program Director for Anesthesiology,
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center;
Associate Professor, Anesthesiology
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Cleveland, OH
Mada Fares Helou, MD, earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with honors from the University of Cincinnati, and her medical degree from the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. She completed her training in Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic where she received the Excellence in Teaching Award upon graduation. She is board certified in both fields. She joined the University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center staff in 2015 and is an Associate Professor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She is the Program Director for Anesthesiology, and previously served as Associate Program Director for Anesthesiology and Medical Student Clerkship Director. She also serves on multiple education committees for the residency and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, as well as hospital and national societies. Her clinical interests include liver transplant, thoracic and vascular anesthesiology and her research interests include innovative teaching methods and faculty development. She is a Cleveland native, dedicated to her hometown and the local community.
Yuguang (Gary) Huang, MD
Director, Division of Anesthesiology,
Professor, Department of Anesthesiology
Peking Union Medical College Hospital
Beijing, CHINA
Professor Yuguang (Gary) Huang currently holds the esteemed position of Director of the Division of Anesthesiology at Peking Union Medical College. In addition to this, he serves as both a Doctoral Supervisor and a Clinical Postdoctoral Supervisor. His dedication to education is evident as he is also the Director of the Education Committee at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. His contributions extend beyond academia. Professor Huang is the Director of the Anesthetic Quality Assurance Center under the National Health Commission (NHC) of the People’s Republic of China. He also plays a pivotal role as the Vice Chairman of the China Day Surgery Cooperation Alliance and is the Chairman of the Anesthesia Professional Committee of the China Medical Training College. On an international scale, Professor Huang is a Council Member of the World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists (WFSA) and has previously served as the President of the International Society for Anaesthesthetic Pharmacology (ISAP). Furthermore, he is the National Project Leader of the International Federation of Outcomes Research Consortium. His dedication and contributions to the field have earned him numerous accolades. He was honored as one of the 6th “National Outstanding Science and Technology Workers” and was recognized as an “Outstanding Contribution Young Expert” by the National Health Commission. In a testament to his global impact, he was also bestowed the title of Honorary Academician by the Irish College of Anesthesiologists.
Gianni R. Lorello, MD, FRCPC, PhD(c)
Staff Anesthesiologist
University Health Network – Toronto Western Hospital
Chair of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion,
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
2SLGBTQIA+ Health Theme Lead for the MD Program
University of Toronto
Clinician-Educator, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Dr. Gianni R. Lorello is a staff anesthesiologist at University Health Network – Toronto Western Hospital and just promoted to Associate Professor at the University of Toronto. He was the inaugural Chair of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University of Toronto and Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee at the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society (CAS). He is currently the 2SLGBTQIA+ Health Theme Lead for the MD Program at the University of Toronto and a Clinician-Educator at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He is a Cross-Appointed Researcher at the Wilson Centre and an Adjunct Scientist at the Women’s College Research Institute. He is currently a Health Professions Education Research PhD candidate at the Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, learning critical social theory.
Through his research, Dr. Lorello aspires to start illuminating and describing ruling relations that organize sex and gender minority physicians while taking an intersectional lens.
Marina Moguilevitch, MD
Professor, Department of Anesthesiology (Transplant Anesthesiology); Chief, Department of Anesthesiology Division of Transplant Anesthesiology
Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Montefiore Medical Center
Dr. Marina Moguilevitch graduated her residency in Anesthesiology at Montefiore Medical Center. She was instrumental in creating the Anesthesia Transplant Program at Montefiore Medical Center and has been serving as the Director of Transplant Anesthesia since 2011. She has been an active member of the International Liver Transplant Society (ILTS) for more than ten years, where she serves on the Committees on Diversity and Inclusion and later at the Anesthesia and Intensive Care committee. She is a member of Transplant Committee at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) since 2015. She is actively involved in the Society for the Advancement of Transplant Anesthesia (SATA) where she is serving as a head of the Pediatric organ transplant interest group. She has published scientific papers on important topics in transplantation related to coagulation management of end stage liver disease patients, brain dead donor and kidney transplant recipient management, and pediatric organ transplantation. She is actively involved with the Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance Group to create national guidelines for DCD organ donor management. Her main research interests are in the areas of ERAS in liver transplantation, blood and coagulation management and organ donation.
Hiroshi Morimatsu, MD, PhD
Director of Intensive Care Unit,
Director of Perioperative Management Center
Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Resuscitology,
Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Okayama University
Okayama, Japan
Martin Schläpfer, MD, M.Sc.
Attending Physician, Institute of Anesthesiology,
University Hospital Zurich;
Senior Researcher, Institute of Physiology,
University of Zurich
Zurich, Switzerland
Dr. Schläpfer is a graduate of the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, and completed a master’s degree in medical biology at the University of Zurich. He completed his residency in anesthesiology at the Kantonsspital Baden and the University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland. Dr. Schläpfer conducted several research projects related to organ protection in general and the study of volatile anesthetics in particular in parallel to his Master’s degree and his residency. His knowledge of organ protection was further deepened when he was awarded a one-year research fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation to pursue his research at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Currently, Dr. Schläpfer is a senior physician at the University Hospital of Zurich and divides his time between research and clinical activities. His clinical work focuses on anesthesia in visceral, thoracic, and transplant surgery.
Kristin L. Schreiber, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Anesthesia,
Harvard Medical School
Vice Chair of Faculty Development,
Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine,
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Boston, MA
Kristin L. Schreiber, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, and Vice Chair of Faculty Development in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She completed her MD and a PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota, investigating reciprocal neural-immune interactions involved in infection and the development of persistent pain. She completed residency training at the University of Pittsburgh, and fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where she practices clinically as a Regional Anesthesiologist and Physician Scientist, receiving funding from the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), as well as National Science Foundation (NSF) and other funding agencies. Her current clinical translational research program investigates the development of chronic pain after surgical injury, as well as worsening of chronic pain after cancer diagnosis or during social isolation. She employs pragmatic assessment of psychosocial and psychophysical phenotypic factors, in addition to biomarkers, clinical characteristics, and socio-demographics, to better predict which individual patients are most at risk. Her perioperative interventional studies incorporate dense biopsychosocial assessment of individual patients into their design, to allow more nuanced assessment of differential efficacy of preventive perioperative interventions among patients, ranging from regional anesthesia and ketamine to yoga-based exercise and open-label placebo. In her quantitative sensory testing lab, she investigates differences in pain processing among individuals, including how subjective experience of pain relates to changes in physiology, and what aspects of pain processing are modulated by non-opioid analgesic techniques.
Bhatia Shagun Shah, MBBS, DA, DNB, FIMSA, MNAMS, Cert. TEE
Senior Consultant Anaesthesiologist
Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre
Dr. Bhatia Shah Shagun, MBBS, DA, DNB, FIMSA, MNAMS, Cert. TEE, is a motivated, dedicated and competent anesthesiologist with 21 years of experience in the field of anesthesia. Presently she is a Senior Consultant onco-anesthesiologist at Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre (a premiere tertiary care institute and the largest exclusive oncology setup of Northern India) and a thesis guide for DNB students. She has authored 94 publications in peer reviewed indexed journals besides 11 Book Chapters. She is especially interested in recent advances in anesthesia like USG guided procedures, difficult airway, advanced haemodynamic monitoring, ERAS protocol and anesthesia for robotic surgery. She is certified in TEE (Trans esophageal echocardiography) and utilizes it for managing cardiac patients undergoing noncardiac oncosurgery. She is ready to walk that extra mile with post-operative and terminally ill cancer patients to alleviate their pain and suffering.
Her major achievements are tabulated below
- Best Original Article Award (2018) published in Indian Journal of Anaesthesia
- Best Researcher’s Award: (2017) RGCIRC
- Best Oral Paper award at Best of SABCS (2019) DELHI
- Award for Best Poster (International Cancer Congress; ICC)
- Best Teachers Award (ISACON-Delhi 2022)
- Organizing Secretary RGCI COAT Program Onco anaesthesia update 2023
- GC Member North Zone Society of Oncoanaesthesia and Palliative Care (SOAPC)
- Member International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS) International Committee
- Associate editor: 3 journals; Section editor 2 journals; Reviewer: 4 journals
- Faculty/Speaker/Moderator/Chair at national and international Conferences
(ISC: Toronto; Canada (2017); IARS: Chicago; USA (2018); IASC: Valencia; Spain (2021); IARS Hawai; USA (2022); IARS Denver; USA (2013); ISACON National: Shillong (2022); Ahmedabad (2021); Agra (2018); ICACON National: Delhi; SOAPCCON: Mumbai; Hyderabad; Kolkata; ISACON Delhi; RSACPCON Rohtak)
Coridalia Wald, MD
Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine and Surgery
UMass Chan Medical School
Worchester, MA
Online Member Community Subcommittee
The Online Member Community Subcommittee focuses on championing the Online Member Community in DocMatter to IARS members and the anesthesia community and increasing overall engagement in the community.
Chair
Calvin Johnson, MD
Professor of Anesthesia
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA
Dr. Calvin Johnson is Professor of Anesthesia at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. His research interests are focused on COVID and Long COVID. Dr. Johnson obtained an undergraduate degree at Dartmouth College in 1981; and was selected as a NCAA D1 Academic All-American in basketball. He obtained his medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School in 1985. Dr. Johnson completed a residency in Anesthesiology at Massachusetts General Hospital and fellowships in Pediatric Anesthesia (Harvard Children’s Hospital) and Obstetric Anesthesia (Harvard Beth Israel Hospital) in 1989. He is board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology, ABA Pediatric Anesthesia, and the American Board of Pain Medicine. Dr. Johnson is also a Former, Chair of Anesthesia and Interim Dean of the Charles R. Drew School of Medicine and Science. His wife Elaine and he serve as Deacons in the South Bay Church of Christ, in Los Angeles, CA.
Incoming Co-Chair
Christian Guay, MD
Clinical Fellow in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology,
Massachusetts General Hospital,
Harvard Medical School
Member, Neuroscience Statistics Research Laboratory,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Boston, MA
Dr. Christian Guay is an anesthesiologist-intensivist, currently serving as Clinical Fellow in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He is also a member of the Neuroscience Statistics Research Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Guay’s research focuses on translational neuroscience in the operating room and intensive care unit, with a special interest in closed loop control systems.
Subcommittee Members
Jill F. Arthur, MD, FAAP
Pediatric Anesthesiologist
CHU de Bordeaux
Bordeaux, France
Sharon Ashley, MD, MPH, MBA, DABA, FASA
Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
University of California, Davis
Davis, CA
Dr. Sharon A. Ashley is a Pediatric Anesthesiologist who has been practicing for over 30 years. She has achieved the rank of Health Sciences Clinical Professor, Step 3, in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University of California, Davis, and the Department of Surgery at Charles R. Drew University Medicine and Science. Dr. Ashley has established herself as a premier educator of trainees and a leader in quality and health care equity. She has demonstrated her passion for education by making crucial contributions to the Pediatric Education Sub track at the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Dr. Ashley has served as the Chairman of the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee at UC Davis for two years and serves on many hospital committees and site visits.
A Champion in organized medicine, Dr. Ashley has served as a former Vice Speaker of the House of Delegates at the California Society of Anesthesiologists and has served as a District Director and Chairman of the Bylaws Committee. She was an essential leader within the California Society of Anesthesiologists, serving on the Committee on Women in Medicine, Legislative Committee, and Chair of the Bylaws Committee. Her efforts have been unwavering as she has worked as a Delegate and Alternate Delegate for the American Society of Anesthesiology with a major contribution to the Political Action Committee.
Dr. Ashley has been a trailblazer in postgraduate medical education. She has served on the Planning Committee for the Anesthesiology Section of the National Medical Association, the oldest medical association established for African Americans in 1895.
In addition to her professional achievements, Dr. Ashley is deeply committed to community service. She actively volunteers and contributes to grassroots organizations that promote health equity, mentor aspiring healthcare professionals, and improve access to care for underserved populations.
Cameron Bosinski, MD, MS
Resident Physician, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Boston, MA
Dr. Cameron Bosinski completed a BS in Biology and Psychology at Stony Brook University and a MS in Neuroscience from the University of Hartford. While a medical student at Upstate Medical University, he completed a FAER Summer Research Fellowship on electroencephalography in the Kelz/Proekt lab at the University of Pennsylvania and studied Sudden Death in Epilepsy Patients in the Auerbach lab. Dr. Bosinski is currently an anesthesiology resident in the research track at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. His research interests include neuromonitoring and mechanisms of anesthesia.
Nicola D’Attellis, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology and Surgery, Director of Cardiovascular Anesthesiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, California
Dr. Nicola D’Attellis trained at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York. He was recruited as Director of Cardiac, Vascular and Transplant Anesthesiology at Broussais Hospital and George Pompidou Hospital at the University of Paris VI, with the renowned cardiac surgeon Prof. Carpentier. Having transferred to Cedars Sinai, Dr. D’Attellis has over the years assumed multiple leadership positions, Immediate Past Director of the Cardiac Surgery ICU and Program Director of the Adult Cardiothoracic Fellowship. Dr. D’Attellis is currently Director of Cardiovascular Anesthesiology at Cedars-Sinai where he oversees a team of 22 cardiac and dual trained cardiac and ICU faculty.
Praveen Dharmapalan Prasanna, MBBS, FCARCSI
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
Program Director for Anesthesiology Residency
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
Dr. Praveen Dharmapalan Prasanna is a Board-Certified Anesthesiologist in Virginia and serves as the program director for anesthesiology residency at Virginia Commonwealth University. He graduated from Medical College Thiruvananthapuram (India), following which he received postgraduate training in England (National Health Service UK). He completed Anesthesiology residency at Baystate Medical Center, MA before joining as anesthesiology faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University. His academic interests include patient safety and quality, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery and education in anesthesia.
Joseph Max Hendrix, MD, FASA, FASE, F-SAMBA
Associate Professor, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, TX
Dr. Joseph Max Hendrix is a highly skilled and accomplished physician with over 17 years of experience providing exceptional patient care and leading in medical settings. He has demonstrated leadership skills, strategic vision, and a passion for advancing healthcare outcomes. Dr. Hendrix is dedicated to enhancing patient care, streamlining processes, and optimizing medical operations through strategic planning, collaboration, and innovative solutions, committed to fostering a collaborative environment that empowers medical teams and optimizes organizational performance.
Kathleen Parr, MD, FASA
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine;
Vice Chair for Quality
Peri-operative Safety Officer
George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Washington, DC
Dr. Parr is currently an Associate Professor of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine in the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, DC. She serves as the Vice Chair for Quality in the Department and as a cardiac anesthesiologist. She also serves as the Peri-operative Safety Officer and is a member of the Medical Executive Committee for the George Washington University Hospital. Nationally, she serves on the ASA Committee on Equipment and Facilities and the SCA Quality Safety Value Committee. She also serves as an ASA Alternate Delegate for the DC Society of Anesthesiologists. Prior to her arrival at GW, she worked as a cardiac anesthesiologist at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, MD where she was assistant chief of the Department of Anesthesia. Immediately after training, she worked as an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins. She completed her cardiac anesthesia fellowship and anesthesia residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA, where she served as Chief Resident. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Princeton University. A native of Pennsylvania, she currently lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, son and a goldendoodle.
Jarna Shah, MD
Subcommittee Journal Liaison
Social Media Editor, Anesthesia & Analgesia;
Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, AR
Dr. Jarna Shah received her Bachelor of Arts in biology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and her medical degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. She then completed her fellowship in interventional pain management at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2020, Dr. Shah joined the faculty at UAMS, where she serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology. She primarily focuses on multimodal pain management using minimally invasive procedures, spinal cord stimulation, and vertebral augmentation. Her specific research interests include neuromodulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, obstetric related chronic pain, and medical education.
Shalini Shah, MD
Professor and Vice-Chair, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care, Enterprise Director of Pain Services
University of California Irvine Health
Irvine, CA
Dr. Shalini Shah currently serves as Professor and Vice-Chair for the Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care and Enterprise Director of Pain Services for University of California Irvine Health. She completed her MBA in 2021 from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Professionally, she has taken the classical clinician-scientist development track, with research in utilizing Botox for chronic migraine as well as cannabis. She possesses a strong love for operations and efficiency, and is intimately involved in programming, budgeting, forecasting and strategic planning for her division, department and opening of their new hospital. Some of her professional accomplishments she is most proud of is having her research gain public attention with the patients that they try to serve through scientific discovery. Her research has been featured in Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, LA Times, The Washington Post, The Doctors, NBC Nightly News, Business Insider and most recently, the Economist. She believes strongly in healthcare advocacy for both patients and physicians, and currently serves as President, California Society of Interventional Pain Physicians and the President-Elect, Orange County Medical Association.
Ceasar Sy, MD, DPBA, FPSA
Senior Staff Specialist
Southern Philippines Medical Center
Davao City, Philippines
Mohammed Adinoyi Usman, MBBS, MSc
Lecturer, Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics,
Federal University of Dutse,
Consultant Anaesthesiologist,
Rasheed Shekoni Teaching Hospital,
Jigawa, Nigeria
Dr. Mohammed Adinoyi Usman is a graduate of the University of Maiduguri, Bornu, Nigeria, and completed a master in pharmacology and therapeutics at the college of health sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria. Presently, he is a PhD student in pharmacology and therapeutics at the same University. He had his residency training at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria, where he was awarded a fellowship of the West African College of Surgeon (Anaesthesia). He practiced as a consultant anaesthesiologist at Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa, Nigeria, before recently joining the Federal University of Dutse and the Rasheed Shekoni Teaching Hospital because of his interest in academics. His academic interests include rational use of ketamine, neuropharmacology, intensive care and pain medicine.
International Anesthesia Research Society
GuideStar/Candid