The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has elected Everett E. Vokes, MD, FASCO, a long-time member and volunteer, to serve as its President for the term beginning in June 2021. He will take office as President-Elect during the ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago in June 2020. Six new members were also elected to the ASCO Board of Directors and Nominating Committee.  

“It is a deep honor and privilege to be named President-Elect of ASCO, serving our members all over the globe who are working to conquer cancer,” Dr. Vokes said. “As we usher in the next decade of the 21st century, I look forward to helping ASCO build on its work to support cancer research, nurture a new generation of scientists, and protect oncology practice health.” 

Dr. Vokes specializes in head and neck and lung cancers. He is the John E. Ultmann Professor, chair of the Department of Medicine, and physician-in-chief at the University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences. He is the former leader of the Respiratory Committee of the Alliance (formerly Cancer and Leukemia Group B) and serves on the editorial boards of several journals. He is a past chair of the Annual Meeting Education Committee, Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee, and a member of the Conquer Cancer Development and Fundraising Committee, and the Cancer.Net Editorial Board. He served as an elected member of the ASCO Nominating Committee, and on the Board of Directors from 2009-2012.

Newly Elected ASCO Board Members

ASCO's Board of Directors is comprised of oncology leaders who are elected to positions reflecting various specialties within the oncology field. The following physicians will begin four-year terms as members of ASCO's Board of Directors starting in June 2020:

Enrique Soto Pérez de Celis, MD, Msc, has been elected to an International seat. Dr. Soto is a geriatric oncologist and researcher in the Department of Geriatrics at the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán in Mexico City. He currently serves on several ASCO committees, including the Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee, Journal of Global Oncology Editorial Board, Social Media Working Group, Conquer Cancer Grants Selection Committee, Diversity and Inclusivity Task Force, Technology Research Group, and Publishing Research Group. He received a 2019 Conquer Cancer Career Development Award. Previously, Dr. Soto has served on several other ASCO research groups and advisory panels, contributed to the ASCO Connection and ASCO Daily News, and was selected for a Journal of Global Oncology Editorial Fellowship.

Tara O. Henderson, MD, MPH, FASCO, has been elected to a Pediatric seat. Dr. Henderson is an associate professor of pediatrics, director of the Childhood Cancer Survivor Center at the University of Chicago, and director of survivorship for the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is a graduate of the 2018 President Leadership Scholars program and a 2015 graduate of the ASCO Leadership Development Program. Dr. Henderson is the chair of the ASCO Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Survivorship Work Group and a member of several ASCO committees, including the Government Relations Committee, the Survivorship Guideline Advisory Group, and Osteoporosis in Survivors of Adult Cancers Expert Panel. She is the past chair of the Cancer Survivorship Committee and a past member of multiple ASCO committees, such as the Conquer Cancer Grants Selection Committee.

Lisa A. Carey, MD, FASCO, has been elected to an Undesignated Specialty seat. Dr. Carey is chief of Hematology/Oncology, associate director of Clinical Sciences, and the Richardson and Marilyn Jacobs Preyer Distinguished Professor in Breast Cancer Research at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is also physician-in-chief of the N.C. Cancer Hospital. Dr. Carey is a member of ASCO’s Breast Cancer Guideline Advisory Group. She previously served the Society as chair of the Nominating Committee, chair of the Professional Development Committee, track leader of the Annual Meeting Education Committee, and a member of the Journal of Clinical Oncology editorial board.

Elizabeth R. Plimack, MD, MS, has been elected to an Undesignated Specialty seat. Dr. Plimack serves as chief of the division of genitourinary medical oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. She is a professor of medical oncology and the director of genitourinary clinical research at the center. She is a past member and track chair of the ASCO Scientific Program Committee, Genitourinary (Non-Prostate) Cancer track. Dr. Plimack received a Conquer Cancer Merit Award at the 2008 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.

Newly Elected Members of the ASCO Nominating Committee

The following physicians will each serve a three-year term on the ASCO Nominating Committee:

Beverly S. Mitchell MD, has been elected to the ASCO Nominating Committee. Dr. Mitchell is a hematologist and oncologist currently serving as director emeritus and senior advisor and the George E. Becker Professor of Medicine at the Stanford Cancer Institute. She has held the roles of treasurer, vice president, and president at the American Society of Hematology (ASH), as co-leader of the ASH Clinical Research Training Institute, and as vice chair of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Dr. Mitchell has been a member of several advisory boards, including a National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Counselors, and has served on the editorial board of more than six journals. Dr. Mitchell will serve as the 2022-2023 chair of the Nominating Committee.

Jordan D. Berlin, MD, FASCO, has been elected to an Undesignated Specialty seat. Dr. Berlin is a medical oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal cancers and investigational drug development. He is associate director for clinical research, an Ingram professor of cancer research, and a professor of medicine (hematology/oncology) at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. He is a past member of numerous ASCO committees, including the Scientific Program Committee, Cancer Education Committee, and Ethics Committee. He has served as an ad hoc reviewer for the Journal of Clinical Oncology and has authored or coauthored more than a dozen articles for that publication.

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The next call for nominations for open ASCO leadership positions will be in late May 2020, with the slate of candidates announced in October and voting open to eligible members in November. Members are notified to nominate colleagues and vote in the election via email, postings in the ASCO Connection and ASCO Express, and other member communication vehicles. For questions regarding the ASCO election, please contact ascoelection@asco.org.