National Leadership

Current Leadership

American Heart Association (AHA)

Elan Burton, MD

Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia Committees:
- CVSA Leadership Committee, Member at Large (2021 - 2023)
- Fellows in Training Committee (2021 - 2023) 

Joseph Woo, MD

Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia Committees, CVSA Leadership Committee, Liaison (2004 - Current)

Michael Fischbein, MD, PhD

Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia Committees, CVSA Leadership Committee, Liaison, and Nominating Committee Chair; CVSA Education and Publication Committee, Member-at-large (2011 - Current)

William Hiesinger, MD

Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia Committees, CVSA Leadership Committee, Member at Large (2020 - Current)

Yasuhiro Shudo, MD, PhD

CVSA Membership & Communications Committee of the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia, Member (2019 - Current)

JW MacArthur, MD

Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia Committees, CVSA Leadership Committee, CVSA Education and Publication Committee, Member (2022 - 2023)

National Lung Cancer Roundtable of the American Cancer Society (NLCRT)

Leah Backhus, MD, MPH, FACS

Lung Cancer in Women Task Group, Chair (2018 - Current)    

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)

Leah Backhus, MD, MPH, FACS

Board of Directors, Director-at-Large (2019 - Current)

Western Thoracic Surgical Association (WTSA)

Michael Fischbein, MD, PhD

President (2023-Present)
Vice-President of WTSA (2022-2023 second half)
Secretary (2019-2023)
Local Arrangements Chair (2017)
Program Chair (2014)
Program Committee (2012-2015)

Joseph Woo, MD

Secretary (2023-Present)
Councilor-at-Large (2022-2023)

Women in Thoracic Surgery (WTS)

Leah Backhus, MD, MPH, FACS

Board of Directors, Director-at-Large (2023 - 2025)

American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS)

Joseph Woo, MD

AATS Board Director (2019 - 2023)

Past Leadership

American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS)

Leo Eloesser, MD

(1936 - 1937)
19th President

Frank L.A. Gerbode, MD

(1972 - 1973)
53rd President

Presidential Address

D. Craig Miller, MD

(2007 - 2008)
88th President

Presidential Address

Emile Holman, MD

(1953 - 1954)
33rd President
(Emile Holman was Chair of Surgery at the time)  

Norman E. Shumway Jr., MD, PhD

(1986 - 1987)
67th President

Presidential Address

American Heart Association (AHA)

Michael Fischbein, MD, PhD

Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia Committees, CVSA Leadership Committee:
- CVSA Vice Chair (2017 - 2019)
- CVSA Chair (2019 - 2021)

Joseph Woo, MD

Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia, Chair, Scientific Sessions Program Committee

Western Thoracic Surgical Association (WTSA)

Norman E. Shumway Jr., MD, PhD

President (1978 - 1979)

D. Craig Miller, MD

President (1994 - 1995)

Robert C. Robbins, MD

President (2011 - 2012)

James Fann, MD

President (2016 - 2017)

James B.D. Mark, MD

President (1992 - 1993)

R. Scott Mitchell, MD

President (2005 - 2006)

Thomas Burdon, MD

President (2013 - 2014)

Women in Thoracic Surgery (WTS)

Leah Backhus, MD, MPH, FACS

Board of Directors, Director-at-Large (2014 - 2019)

Board of Directors, Secretary/Treasurer (2019 - 2022)