American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians Announces 2024-2025 Board of Governors

CHICAGO, IL / ACCESSWIRE / April 3, 2024 / The American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) announces its new Board of Governors, following their election on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, during the ACOFP Congress of Delegates in New Orleans. New appointments include:

• President Brian A. Kessler, DO, DHA, FACOFP dist.
• President-Elect Gautam J. Desai, DO, FACOFP dist.
• Secretary/Treasurer Greg D. Cohen, DO, FACOFP dist.
• New Physician-in-Practice Governor Ryan Michael Smith, DO
• Resident Governor Ryan C. Quinn, DO
• Student Governor Ciarra Robb, OMS-III

The following members were reelected to their positions:

• Governor Peter F. Bidey, DO, MSEd, FACOFP
• Governor David A. Connett, DO, FACOFP dist.
• Governor Traci-lyn Eisenberg, DO, FACOFP
• Governor Rebecca D. Lewis, DO, FACOFP
• Governor Saroj Misra, DO, FACOFP dist.
• Governor Derrick J. Sorweide, DO, FACOFP
• Congress of Delegates Speaker Elizabeth A. Palmarozzi, DO, FACOFP
• Congress of Delegates Vice Speaker Antonios J. Tsompanidis, DO, FACOFP

David J. Park, DO, FAAFP, FACOFP dist. automatically becomes immediate past president.

Immediate Past President Bruce R. Williams, DO, FACOFP dist., Past President Nicole H. Bixler, DO, MBA, FACOFP dist., Resident Governor Heather Shanks, DO, and Student Governor George Yang, OMS-III, are all outgoing Board members.

More About Board of Governor New Appointment Members
Dr. Park, ACOFP immediate past president, is the vice president and founding dean of the Rocky Vista University (RVU) Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine, previously serving as the vice president and campus dean on the RVUCOM Southern Utah campus. He joined the ACOFP Board of Governors in 2014.

Dr. Kessler, ACOFP president, is Dean at Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine and professor of Family Medicine in Buies Creek, North Carolina; previously he was Dean at Lincoln Memorial University and Director of Medical Education at Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital. He joined the ACOFP Board of Governors in 2015.

“It is an honor to lead ACOFP and the dedicated Board of Governors, many with decades of experience as practicing osteopathic physicians and association leadership,” said Brian A. Kessler, DO, FACOFP dist., ACOFP president, 2024-25 term. “I look forward to working with the students, residents, physicians and others who make up ACOP membership as we celebrate the organization’s 75^th anniversary and look ahead to sustaining and growing the profession.”

Dr. Desai is the professor, division of primary care at Kansas City University, where he also serves as director, honors track in global medicine. He was elected to the ACOFP Board of Governors in 2016.

Dr. Cohen practices at Lucas County Health Center Medical Clinics in Chariton, Iowa. He has served the ACOFP on the Gun Safety Task Force, the Rural Family Practice Residency Task Force, the Delphi Long-Term Planning Committee, the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, the Federal Legislation Committee, and has been Chair of the Preceptorship Committee. He has been a member of the Board of Governors since 2017.

Dr. Smith practices at Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital in Warren, Michigan, where he serves as Core Faculty in the family medicine residency program. He completed his medical degree at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and residency at Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital, where he also served as a Chief Resident.

Dr. Quinn is a resident at the Greenbrier Valley Medical Center in West Virginia and earned his degree in osteopathic medicine from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Student Doctor Robb is currently an osteopathic medical student at Rocky Vista University College of Medicine in Southern Utah. She is president of her student association and received the 2024 Marie Wiseman Outstanding Student of the Year Award from the ACOFP Auxillary.

“It has been a privilege to serve as President of ACOFP. Our goal this year was to increase opportunities within our membership to grow the organization in both numbers and strength of our collective action,” explained ACOFP Immediate Past President David J. Park, DO, FAAFP, FACOFP dist. “We also invested in discussions and seminars on physician health and wellness, to ensure our members had resources to best meet the needs of their patients, without ignoring their own well-being.”

About the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
Founded in 1950, the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) is a community of more than 26,000 current and future family physicians that champions osteopathic principles and supports its members by providing resources such as education, networking and advocacy, while putting patients first. ACOFP empowers its members with education and resources that allow them to adapt to new models of care and quickly changing government policy. For more information, visit acofp.org.

Contact Information

Emily Bennett
Director of Communications & Engagement
emilyb@acofp.org
(847) 952-5537

SOURCE: American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians

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