Women's Dermatologic Society Announces 2011-2012 Leadership, Honorees and Award-Winning Initiatives

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Amidst a spate of exciting news and developments, the Women's Dermatologic Society (WDS) Is pleased to announce its 2011-2012 Officers and Board of Directors, annual honorees and initiatives, as presented at the 36th Annual Luncheon held earlier this year in conjunction with the American Academy of Dermatology's Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

New York City dermatologist Diane S. Berson, MD has assumed the role of 2011-2012 WDS President, following Immediate Past President Lisa Garner, MD (2010-2011).  Dr. Berson is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College and Assistant Attending Dermatologist, New York-Presbyterian Hospital.  Her practice focuses on  medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology and cutaneous oncology. She lectures nationally and internationally, and publishes extensively about various dermatologic topics.

WDS Officers and Members of Board of Directors Named

Other WDS Officers include: Janet Hickman, MD, President-elect; Tina Alster, MD, Vice President; Mary Maloney, MD, Treasurer; Valerie Callender, MD, Secretary; Marianne O'Donoghue, MD, Historian; Kathleen Hectorne, MD, Second-year Board Representative, and Amy Derick, MD, First-year Board Representative. Members of the WDS Board of Directors include: Kimberly Butterwick, MD; Fran Cook-Bolden, MD; Adelaide Hebert, MD; Alysa Herman, MD; Jenny Kim, MD; Alexandra Kimball, MD, MPH; Michel McDonald, MD; Ginat Mirowski, DMD, MD; Marta Rendon, MD; Neil Sadick, MD; Daniel Siegel, MD, MS; Heidi Waldorf, MD; Sarah Weitzul, MD; and Lorraine Young, MD. Also serving on the Board are: Rashmi Sarkar, MD, International  Representative to the Board; Kavita Mariwalla, MD, Young Physicians Representative: Paula Malhotra, MD, Resident Representative, and Sabra Sullivan, MD, Parliamentarian.

Distinguished physicians honored at WDS Annual Luncheon

As part of its yearly tradition of recognizing outstanding dermatologists for their unique contributions to the Specialty, the WDS honored the following individuals at the Annual Luncheon: Boni Elewski, MD, recipient of the Rose Hirschler Award; Pearl E. Grimes, MD, Mentor of the Year honoree; Lynn Drake, MD, recipient of the Wilma Bergfeld Visionary and Leadership Award, and Suzanne Olbricht, MD, President's Award winner.

Comments Dr. Berson,  "We are so fortunate to have such dynamic and dedicated physicians, leaders and mentors who comprise the WDS. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this incredible organization, which proudly stands for promoting leadership, supporting one another through mentorship and networking, and volunteering in our communities to educate the public.  As we look to the future, we are building on our core values to reach out in diverse, new ways to fulfill our mission."

Award-winning Play Safe in the Sun Campaign to continue for another three years thanks to La Roche-Posay Grant

As part of its mission,  WDS announced that its multiple award-winning Play Safe in the Sun Campaign, a national outreach conducted by WDS members throughout the USA, will be sponsored for the next three years by La Roche-Posay, thanks to a three-year grant totaling $750,000. This  volunteer initiative,  co-chaired by Mona Gohara, MD and Kavita Mariwalla, MD, will offer an array of community service efforts at professional golf and tennis tournaments; urban family festivals; member-driven grassroots activities throughout the USA, and for the first time ever, a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure ® event.

Groundbreaking International Leadership Forum offered in conjunction with the World Congress of Dermatology in Seoul, South Korea

In keeping with its commitment to promoting women leaders, the WDS presents an unprecedented International Leadership Forum, prior to the World Congress of Dermatology in Seoul, South Korea, on May 23 and 24,  2011,  led by WDS International Affairs Committee chair, Dedee Murrell, MD.

This innovative program features several distinguished WDS members from around the world on a host of leadership topics, including the following Session Chairs:  Lisa Garner, MD (USA); Luitgard Wiest (Germany); Marcia Ramos-e-Silva, MD (Brazil); Suzanne Olbricht, MD (USA); Flora Xiang, MD (China); Wendy Roberts, MD (USA) and Jean Bolognia, MD (USA).  

Additional Session speakers include: Wilma Bergfeld, MD (USA); Ulrike Blume-Peytavi, MD (Germany); Amy Paller, MD (USA); June Robinson, MD (USA); Soyun Cho, MD, PhD (Korea); Evangeline Handog, MD (Philippines); Dedee Murrell, MD (Australia); Antonella Tosti, MD (USA and Italy); Eulalia Baselga, MD (Spain); Diane Berson, MD (USA) Rashmi Sarkar, MD (India), and Susan Weinkle, MD (USA). This event is made possible through the generous support of Mary Kay, Merz Aesthetics and Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmetique.

Other innovative programs planned for 2011

The organization will present the WDS Member Renewal Forum, which will be held in Jersey City, NJ on August 2 and 3, 2011, featuring Betsy Gotbaum, former New York City Public Advocate, and Sam Horn, author and "Intrigue Expert," along with other exciting guest speakers in the works. This member event, chaired by Kathleen Hectorne, MD, is generously supported by Neutrogena.  For further information, visit: www.womensderm.org/events

Finally, the WDS is developing plans to present its fourth Media Day later this year, under the leadership of WDS past presidents and Communications Committee co-chairs Mary P. Lupo, MD and Wendy E. Roberts, MD.

The Women's Dermatologic Society is the third largest dermatological organization in the United States. For more information, visit: www.womensderm.org and www.playsafeinthesun.org.

ABOUT THE WOMEN'S DERMATOLOGIC SOCIETY (WDS)

The Women's Dermatologic Society (WDS) supports the careers and professional development of women dermatologists. Our mission is to help women in dermatology achieve their greatest potential by striving to foster, promote, and support women's issues in dermatology; identify, train, and recognize women leaders in dermatology; provide a forum for developing relationships and the exchange of ideas and research relevant to women's issues; and promote the highest possible standards of ethics, research, patient care and education, and public education.

SOURCE Women's Dermatologic Society