The ACC has announced the appointments of Athena Poppas, MD, FACC, and Jeffrey T. Kuvin, MD, FACC, to the newly created positions of ACC Annual Scientific Session chair and vice chair, respectively.  Both positions will start in 2015.

I personally can’t think of two better people to fill these new and vitally important roles at the College. Dr. Poppas is a member of the ACC’s Board of Trustees and chair of the ACC Sections Steering Committee. She, like me, also served on the Board of Governors. In her “spare time,” she is director of the Echocardiography Laboratory at Rhode Island Hospital, director of Cardiovascular Imaging at Lifespan Cardiovascular Institute and is an associate professor of medicine at Brown Medical School. Her clinical and research expertise in echocardiography, valvular heart disease and heart disease during pregnancy is unparalleled. Dr. Kuvin is an associate professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. At Tufts Medical Center, he serves as associate chief medical officer for graduate medical education, associate chief of the division of cardiology, director of cardiovascular education and fellowship training, and co-director of the Center for Adults with Congenital Heart Disease. He is widely recognized as an expert in preventive cardiology and adult congenital heart disease.

The ACC Annual Scientific Session is the world’s premiere meeting for cardiovascular medicine. For more than 60 years it has brought together the best minds in cardiology, the latest late-breaking clinical research and unprecedented educational opportunities. In order to continue to meet the needs of the entire cardiovascular community during a time of rapid and constant changes in health care delivery, digital technology and education, it’s critical that the College have strong and consistent leadership to ensure the meeting in line with the College’s overall strategic planning.

These new positions are designed to provide that leadership! Developed by a presidential task force, the chair position is a two-year commitment, while the vice chair role is a progressive four-year position, with Dr. Kuvin assuming the role of chair in years three and four of his term. I’m positive that under the guidance and leadership of Drs. Poppas and Kuvin our Annual Scientific Session will not just continue to grow and improve, but far exceed our expectations.