Women in Thoracic Surgery Elects Dr. Leah Backhus as Vice President and Dr. A. Claire Watkins as Member-at-Large for 2025
by Roxanna Van Norman
January 29, 2025
The Women in Thoracic Surgery (WTS) announced its newly elected leaders and committee members for 2025 during the WTS Annual Reception at the Society of Thoracic Surgeon (STS) 61st Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, Calif. Leah Backhus, MD, MPH, Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery (Thoracic Surgery), was elected to serve on the WTS Board of Directors as vice president, and A. Claire Watkins, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery (Adult Cardiac Surgery), as Member-at-Large.
Dr. Backhus, the Thelma and Henry Doelger Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery, practices at Stanford Hospital and is Chief of Thoracic Surgery at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Hospital. Her surgical practice consists of general thoracic surgery with special emphasis on thoracic oncology and minimally invasive surgical techniques. Her current research interests are in imaging surveillance following treatment for lung cancer and cancer survivorship. Dr. Backhus will take on her role as WTS vice president from 2025 to 2027, putting her in line to be the next WTS president from 2027 to 2029.
Stanford faculty and trainees at the 2025 STS and WTS Extraordinary Women in Cardiothoracic Surgery Award event. Photo credit: Carolyn Chang
Dr. Watkins practices at Stanford Hospital and specializes in cardiothoracic surgery, including endovascular aortic repair, transcatheter aortic valve replacement, heart valve surgery, coronary artery bypass grafting, aortic aneurysm and dissection repair. Her clinical and research interests surround endovascular therapy of cardiac surgical disease. She specializes in catheter-based therapies for structural heart disease and complex aortic endograft. She investigates clinical outcomes of endovascular surgery and aortic surgical device development and leads clinical trials for new endovascular devices. Dr. Watkins will hold the position of Member-at-Large from 2025 to 2027.
WTS is dedicated to supporting and advancing women in cardiothoracic surgery through networking, professional advice, and collaborative problem-solving. The society also works to improve the overall standing of all cardiothoracic surgeons, with a strong emphasis on advocating for women in the profession.
In 2023, Dr. Backhus was awarded the inaugural STS and WTS Extraordinary Women of Cardiothoracic Surgery for her notable contributions to the specialty. In 2022, Natalie Lui, MD, Assistant Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery (Thoracic Surgery), received the WTS Foundation Carolyn E. Reed Traveling Fellowship Award. Other WTS members include Elan Burton, MD, MHA, Clinical Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery (Adult Cardiac Surgery), currently serving as Member-at-Large from 2023 to 2025.
Dr. Leah Backhus
Dr. A. Claire Watkins