Leadership Advisory Forum

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The LAF provides a representation-based forum for the varied geographic, generational, gender, and specialty-based constituencies of ISHLT to discuss issues of interest and concern to their constituencies and the Society.

ISHLT members can log in to see contact information for each of the committee members and representatives listed below. Only ISHLT members have access to this information.

Headshot of Christian Benden

Christian Benden, MD, MBA, FCCP (2024)

Chair
University of Zürich
Zurich, Switzerland
Ed Cantu headshot

Edward Cantu, MD, MSCE (2026)

Member/ Education Oversight Committee Chair
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA USA
Headshot of Andrew Fisher

Andrew Fisher, FRCP, PhD (2024)

Member/ Publications Oversight Committee Chair
Newcastle University
Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Ulrich Jorde headshot

Ulrich Jorde, MD (2024)

Member/ Research Oversight Committee Chair
Montefiore Medical Center
Bronx, NY USA
Headshot of Nicolas Brozzi

Nicolas Brozzi, MD (2024)

Member/ Advanced Heart Failure and Transplantation IDN Steering Committee Chair
Cleveland Clinic Florida
Weston, FL USA
Headshot of Brian Keller

Brian Keller, MD, PhD (2024)

Member/ Advanced Lung Failure and Transplantation IDN Steering Committee Chair
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, MA USA
Headshot of Phyllis Billia

Filio Billia, MD, PhD (2024)

Member/ Mechanical Circulatory Support IDN Steering Committee Chair
University Health Network
Toronto, Canada
Headshot of Marc Simon

Marc Simon, MD, MS (2024)

Member/ Pulmonary Vascular Disease (PAH & CTEPH) IDN Steering Committee Chair
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, CA USA
Headshot of Tara Rackley

Tara Veasey Rackley, PharmD, BCTXP (2024)

Member/ Early Career & Trainees Committee Chair
Allegheny General Hospital
Pittsburgh, PA USA
Headshot of Kathleen Grady

Kathleen Grady, PhD, RN, MS, FAAN (2024)

Member/ Grants & Awards Committee Chair
Northwestern University
Chicago, IL USA
Headshot of Patricia Ging

Patricia Ging, MSc (2024)

Member/ Standards & Guidelines Committee Chair
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital
Dublin, Ireland
Headshot of Archer Martin

Archer Martin, MD (2024)

At Large Member (Anesthesiology and Critical Care Professional Community)
Mayo Clinic

Headshot of Ryan Tedford

Ryan Tedford, MD (2024)

At Large Member (Cardiology Professional Community)
Medical University of South Carolina
Mt Pleasant, SC USA
Headshot of Scott Silvestry

Scott Silvestry, MD (2024)

At Large Member (Cardiothoracic Surgery Professional Community)
AdventHealth Transplant Institute
Orlando, FL USA
Headshot of Cumara Sivathasan

Cumara Sivathasan, MBBS, FRCS (2024)

At Large Member (Cardiothoracic Surgery Professional Community)
National Heart Center, Singapore
Singapore, Singapore
Headshot of Fernanda Silveira

Fernanda Silveira, MD, MS (2024)

At Large Member (Infectious Diseases Professional Community)
University of Pittsburgh and UPMC
Pittsburgh, PA USA
Headshot of Christiane Kugler

Christiane Kugler, PhD (2024)

At Large Member (Nursing and Allied Health Professional Community)
Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg
Reute, Germany
Headshot of Sarah Schettle

Sarah Schettle, PA-C, MS, MBA (2024)

At Large Member (Nursing and Allied Health Professional Community)
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN USA
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Annalisa Angelini, MD (2024)

At Large Member (Pathology Professional Community)
University of Padua
Padova, Italy
Headshot of Estela Azeka

Estela Azeka, MD (2024)

At Large Member (Pediatrics Professional Community)
University of Sao Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil
Headshot of Joshua Diamond

Joshua Diamond, MD (2024)

At Large Member (Pulmonology Professional Community)
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA USA
Headshot of Erik Verschuuren

Erik Verschuuren, MD, PhD (2024)

At Large Member (Pulmonology Professional Community)
University Medical Centre Groningen
Groningen, Netherlands
Headshot of Adriana Zeevi

Adriana Zeevi, PhD (2024)

At Large Member (Research and Immunology Professional Community)
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA USA
Headshot of Greg Schultz

Greg Schultz,

ISHLT Chief Executive Officer
ISHLT

Aaron Adair headshot

Aaron Adair,

ISHLT Staff Liaison
ISHLT

Headshot of Juliet Osazemwinde

Juliet Osazemwinde,

ISHLT Staff Liaison
ISHLT

The ISHLT Leadership Advisory Forum (LAF) serves to provide a representation-based forum for the varied geographic, generational, gender, and specialty-based constituencies of ISHLT to discuss issues of interest and concern to their constituencies and the Society and share their perspectives with each other and the Board.

Policies

Forum Composition
Forum Composition

The ISHLT Leadership Advisory Forum (LAF) shall consist of the following:

  • The Immediate Past President, who shall serve as Co-Chair
  • The CEO, who shall serve as Co-Chair
  • The Chairs of each of the Interdisciplinary Network Steering Committees
  • The Chairs of each of the Oversight Committees
  • The Chair of the Early Career and Trainee Committee
  • Up to 15 At-Large members selected by the Interdisciplinary Network Steering Committees, subject to Board approval, to ensure representation from all of the various demographic constituencies of the Society

At-Large members may not serve simultaneously on an Interdisciplinary Network Steering Committee unless no other candidates are available and willing to serve on the LAF.

At-Large members may not simultaneously serve on the ISHLT Board of Directors, nor in a Board position for any other professional societies with overlapping membership and interest areas with ISHLT.

At-Large terms are for one year, renewable up to 3 consecutive terms, after which a one year break is required.

Forum Member Responsibilities
Forum Member Responsibilities 
  • Provides input, feedback, and advice to the Board, proactively, regarding issues including:
    • Strategic planning
    • Environmental scanning
    • Policy
    • Mega issues
    • Programs and services
  • Identify strategic opportunities to foster international and/or interdisciplinary exchanges of scientific information and collaboration with other organizations and submit to the Board for consideration
  • Discusses ongoing environmental scanning as a key topic during an annual meeting of the LAF and reports the results to the Board.- Identifies opportunities to foster international exchanges of scientific information and collaboration for submission to the Board for consideration
  • Serves as a focus group for the Board.
  • Collaborates with the Interdisciplinary Networks and Professional Communities as needed, to gather information and feedback relevant to issues under consideration/ deliberation
  • Identifies issues/interests/perspectives to bring to the attention of the Board of Directors for consideration
Key Interactions/Communications
Key Interactions/Communications
  • ISHLT members
  • ISHLT staff
  • Interdisciplinary Network Steering Committees
  • Board of Directors
Forum Member Time Commitment
Forum Member Time Commitment
  • At least two virtual meetings per year
  • One face to face LAF meeting in January
  • Regular communications throughout the year with Society members
  • Regular consultation to the Board throughout the year as issues arise
  • Individual assignments/tasks throughout the year