The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) has announced the upcoming departure of its CEO, Kathleen T. Craig, following 23 years of dedicated service — the last seven as CEO.
“I am honored to have served this outstanding organization and to be an integral part of its mission — a mission so crucial to our society,” said Craig in a statement to AANS staff. “I appreciate our talented and dedicated staff and know that our leaders are committed to supporting staff and leading this organization in its next evolution.”
This move corresponds with the completion of a comprehensive, yearlong strategic planning process through which the association identified several opportunities to reimagine, expand and elevate its activities to better meet the present and future needs of its members, neurosurgical patients and other stakeholders. Craig decided, with the full support of the AANS Board of Directors, that this was an ideal time for the AANS to transition to a new senior leader, and for her to revitalize her own career by applying her unparalleled experience to different career endeavors.
The AANS also announced the immediate appointment of Ann R. Stroink, MD, FAANS, as the organization’s executive vice president, who, along with AANS President Anthony L. Asher, MD, FAANS, and the Executive Committee, will facilitate a coordinated and efficient transition to new executive leadership. Dr. Stroink, the current AANS past president, will also assume the role of interim CEO, effective December 31, 2023, upon Craig’s departure and will work with Dr. Asher to initiate a search process for the next administrative leader.
In announcing the appointment, AANS president Anthony L. Asher, MD, FAANS, stated, “We are tremendously appreciative of Ms. Craig’s dedicated service and numerous contributions to the AANS during a critical period in our long history, and we wish her great success in her future endeavors. We are at a critical juncture in the history of our venerable 92-year-old organization. Given Dr. Stroink’s role in developing the AANS’ bold new strategic plan for the 21st century, she is well-positioned to work with the board of directors in executing the strategic and tactical activities in alignment with this visionary plan and the AANS mission.”
The AANS enterprise includes the Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group, the scholarly journals publication arm; the Neurosurgery Education & Research Foundation, which funds research in the field of neurological surgery and the NeuroPoint Alliance, established to improve the quality of neurosurgical care through the acquisition, analysis and reporting of clinical data via registries and related studies. Along with its partner society, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the AANS also sponsors the Washington Committee for Neurological Surgery, which serves as the voice of neurosurgery before legislative bodies, regulatory agencies and other health care stakeholders.
“I am truly honored to serve as the new AANS executive vice president. Implementing the key pillars of the AANS strategic plan is critical to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery through education, research, outcomes science and advocacy to promote the highest quality of patient care. Meeting the needs of our members and their patients and expanding our global reach is fundamental to the future strength of the AANS, and I look forward to continuing to work with our board of directors and professional staff to execute this vision,” Dr. Stroink remarked.
The AANS Executive Committee has formed a search committee to identify a permanent CEO.
###
Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 13,000 members worldwide. The AANS promotes the highest quality of patient care and advances the specialty of neurological surgery. Fellows of the AANS are board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, A.C. Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the spinal column, spinal cord, brain, nervous system and peripheral nerves.
For more information, visit www.AANS.org.
