Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD, a Texas-based board-certified dermatologist, has been elected to lead the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). He will be installed as president-elect in March 2023 and hold the office of president for one year beginning in March 2024.
Dr. Desai will not only lead the AAD, he will also hold the same position for the American Academy of Dermatology Association, a sister organization to the AAD that focuses on government affairs, health policy and practice information.
Dr. Desai is an expert in dermatologic disease in skin of color, with a focus on pigmentary disorders. He previously served on the AAD’s Board of Directors, from 2018 to 2022. He also served as chair of the AAD’s Leadership Development Steering Committee.
Dr. Desai is the Academy’s youngest elected president-elect.
Other Elected Officers include:
Cyndi J. Yag-Howard, MD, FAAD, will be installed as vice president-elect in March 2023 and hold the office of vice president for one year beginning in March 2024. She is an affiliate clinical professor at the University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine. Currently a member on the Academy’s Board of Directors, Dr. Yag-Howard sits on the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD) editorial board and serves as a member of the AADA’s Council on Government Affairs and Health Policy. She also served as vice president of the Women’s Dermatologic Society and is the current president of the Florida Academy of Dermatology, formerly known as the Florida Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery.
Board members:
Board members will each serve a four-year term beginning in March 2023.
Bruce A. Brod, MD, MHCI, FAAD, is clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. He currently serves as chair of the AADA’s Council on Government Affairs and Health Policy. He previously served as president of the Pennsylvania Academy of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, Philadelphia Dermatological Society, and American Contact Dermatitis Society.
Brent Moody, MD, FAAD, is in private practice in Nashville, Tennessee. He recently served the Academy as chair of the AADA Patient Access and Payer Relations Committee. Dr. Moody was chairman of the Tennessee Dermatology Society and currently serves the Tennessee Medical Association as treasurer of the organization’s political action committee. In addition, Dr. Moody has published over 30 dermatology peer-reviewed publications and led more than 20 dermatology presentations.
Todd Schlesinger, MD, FAAD, is founder and director of the Dermatology & Laser Center of Charleston and the Clinical Research Center of the Carolinas. Dr. Schlesinger has academic appointments as affiliate assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine where he also serves as clinical preceptor at the university’s college of health professions. In addition, Dr. Schlesinger is clinical instructor at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. Currently serving as editor-in-chief of the AAD’s Dialogues in Dermatology podcast, Dr. Schlesinger is also a member of the Academy’s Corporate Relations Committee. Dr. Schlesinger previously served as president of the South Carolina Medical Association.
Allison T. Vidimos, MD, RPh, FAAD, is chairman of the department of dermatology at Cleveland Clinic and professor of dermatology at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and Case Western Reserve University. She served on the JAAD Editorial Board and as chair of the AAD’s Scientific Assembly Committee. In addition, Dr. Vidimos is president-elect of the Ohio Dermatological Association and previously served as president of the American College of Mohs Surgery.
Nominating Committee Member Representative:
Neal Bhatia, MD, FAAD, is the director of clinical dermatology at Therapeutics Clinical Research in San Diego, and serves as chief medical editor of Practical Dermatology. He previously served as vice president of the AAD and as a member of its Board of Directors. Dr. Bhatia currently serves as secretary-treasurer of the Noah Worcester Dermatological Society. Dr. Bhatia will serve effective immediately.
