The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and Foundation (AAO-HN/F) selected the following individuals for the 2023 class of the “Hall of Distinction.”
Pioneer Inductees
E. Maxine Bennett, MD
E. Maxine Bennett, MD, was a trailblazer in medicine and otolaryngology. She served as an otolaryngologist and professor emeritus of the University Medical School, University of Wisconsin, in Madison. In 1938, Dr. Bennett entered the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in Omaha where she was one of three women in her class. She graduated in 1942 and relocated to Madison for a seven-year internship specializing in otolaryngology until she qualified for and passed her medical board exams in 1949. After serving as the medical director of the Bureau for Handicapped Children (BHC) in the Wisconsin Department of Education from 1950 to 1953, she became a full-time faculty member at the University Medical School as associate professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology, where she was the only woman in the department and five years later became chair in 1958. She retired from the University Medical School in 1978 and was given emerita status and recognized by the Wisconsin Medical Society as a 50-year member. After retiring, Dr. Bennett became involved as the secretary and president of the Wisconsin Otolaryngology Society and vice president and chair of the Middle Section of the Triological Society (TRIO), where she achieved another milestone as the first woman elected to TRIO. In 1988, Dr. Bennett received the Wisconsin Medical Alumni Association Emeritus Professor Faculty Award.
Gus Gill, MD
Gus Gill, MD, was an inspirational leader and mentor to many, who demonstrated a passion for training, education, and healthcare access both in his local community and internationally. Dr. Gill was professor emeritus, chair of the Department of Otolaryngology, and senior advisor to the president at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) in Los Angeles, California. From the time that Dr. Gill became chair in 1978 until his retirement in 2005, he was the only African American chair of an otolaryngology department in the United States. In addition to his 27-year tenure as chair, he also served in other leadership positions such a president of the Faculty Council, president of the University’s Academic Senate, and director of the International Health Institute. For his historic achievements and collaborative contributions, Dr. Gill received the CDU Legacy Leaders Award in 2014 as well as the President’s Medal in 2015 (posthumously). Beyond his work at CDU, another key area of focus for Dr. Gill was the work of his international healthcare outreach programs, extending training and healthcare access in African nations and countries around the globe. Dr. Gill, who also contributed to the service of his country in the U.S. Army, earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School, where he also completed his residency.
Jack L. Gluckman, MD
Jack L. Gluckman, MD, was a natural and charismatic leader and served as AAO-HNS/F President from 2000 to 2001. Dr. Gluckman was professor emeritus and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Cincinnati (UC), in Ohio, a position he held from 1991 to 2004. During his more than 30 years on the faculty, he served in many leadership roles, including associate dean for clinical affairs and the first chief of the medical staff. He was born and raised in South Africa attending medical school at the University of Cape Town. After completing his otolaryngology residency at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, he joined the faculty at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town and then subsequently entered private practice in Port Elizabeth. In 1977 Dr. Gluckman moved to Cincinnati for a fellowship in head and neck oncologic surgery and remained on the faculty at UC. In addition to serving as AAO-HNS/F President, Dr. Gluckman also served as president of the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, board member of the American Head and Neck Society, and vice president of the Triological Society. Internationally he was Regional Secretary for North America, Mexico, and the Caribbean for the International Federation of Otolaryngologic Societies.
Howard P. House, MD
Howard P. House, MD, was a pioneering surgeon-scientist who served as AAO-HNS/F President from 1971 to 1972. Dr. House was a clinical professor of otology (1946-2000) and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology (1952-1961) at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. In 1946, he founded what is known today as the House Institute, located in Los Angeles, California. Dr. House dedicated his more than six-decade-career to the advancement of hearing research and treatment. Under his guidance of scientific exploration, the House Ear Institute developed the first cochlear implant for commercial use and also became the first medical organization to adapt movie cameras and accessories for use with a surgical microscope to create professional medical training films. Dr. House was a teacher and innovator whose accomplishments include perfecting the double blue line fenestration procedure, the wire loop technique to replace the stapes bone of the middle ear, and much more. In 1947 he directed the national study on industrial noise that set the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration hearing conservation standards. He also served as president of the Asociacion Panamericana de Otorinolaringologia, the American Otological Society, Salerni Collegium USC, and the Centurion Club of the Deafness Research Foundation. Dr. House was internationally recognized for his contributions to hearing science and received numerous honorary degrees and lifetime achievement awards.
Charles “Chuck” J. Krause, MD
Charles J. “Chuck” Krause, MD, was a consensus-building leader who served as AAO-HNS/F President from 1996 to 1997. In 1977 Dr. Krause joined the faculty at the University of Michigan as a professor of otolaryngology and served as chair of the department until 1992. He served in leadership positions in the Michigan area, including dean for clinical affairs at the medical school and chief of clinical affairs at the University of Michigan Hospitals. He served as senior associate hospital director for medical affairs from 1995 to 1996 and returned to clinical practice in the Department of Otolaryngology in 1996, remaining active on the faculty until 2000. Dr. Krause was also extremely involved in humanitarian outreach. Prior to his retirement, he established the Barbara and Charles Krause Lectureship in Humanities in Medicine. In 1999 he was awarded the Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award in recognition for his support and contributions to the promotion of cultural diversity with his establishment of the first departmental diversity committee. During his career, he also served as president of the American Society of Head and Neck Surgery, the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, and the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Krause served in the United States Air Force at the Randolph Air Force Base from 1963 to 1965.
Emily Lois Van Loon, MD
Emily Lois Van Loon, MD, was a pioneering innovator and practicing otolaryngologist. Dr. Van Loon, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, succeeded Margaret F. Butler, MD, as the chief of otolaryngology at the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMCP). She also served as assistant in bronchoscopy in the Graduate School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, associate professor of bronchoscopy at Temple University, and chief of bronchoscopy at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. During the 1930s she worked with Chevalier Jackson, MD, at the famous Jackson Clinic at Temple University, and she is credited, along with Dr. Jackson, with the development of the bronchoscope and bronchoscopic removal of foreign bodies. Dr. Van Loon received the Elizabeth Blackwell Award from the New York Infirmary—an award presented annually to a woman physician who demonstrates conspicuous professional achievement in a previously male-dominated occupation and achievement and service. Dr. Van Loon graduated in 1928 from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She, along with Juanita Pearl Johns and Mary Campbell McIntyre were the first women to receive a Masters of Medical Science degree at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The women’s undergraduate class of 1930 nominated Dr. Van Loon with three other women to the women’s Hall of Fame at the University of Pennsylvania.
Living Legends Inductees
Carol R. Bradford, MD, MS
Carol R. Bradford, MD, MS, is an extraordinary leader demonstrating an ongoing legacy of mentorship, leadership development, inclusion, and sponsorship of women and underrepresented communities in otolaryngology. She served as AAO-HNS/F President from 2020 to 2021, and her leadership was instrumental in the support and expansion of resources the Academy provided to members and the public during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Bradford is the dean of The Ohio State University College of Medicine and vice president for Health Sciences at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, a position she has held since 2020. Prior to that Dr. Bradford served as executive vice dean for academic affairs at the University of Michigan and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. From 2012 to 2018, she held the Charles J. Krause, MD, Collegiate Professorship in Otolaryngology. Dr. Bradford has been recognized for her leadership and service, such as receiving the AAO-HNS Distinguished Service Award, the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) Distinguished Service Award, and the Helen F. Krause Memorial Trailblazer Award, which recognizes an individual who has furthered the interests of women in the field of otolaryngology. Dr. Bradford was the first woman to be elected president of AHNS in 2012 and served as president of the Society of University Otolaryngologists Head & Neck Surgeons in 2017.
Charles W. Cummings, MD
Charles W. Cummings, MD, is a pioneering and exemplary leader who served as AAO-HNS/F President from 1992 to 1993, focusing on strengthening the Academy’s advocacy reach, the future of the specialty, and the legacy for medical students and residents. Dr. Cummings retired as chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins in 2003 and was recognized by Johns Hopkins University with the establishment of the Charles W. Cummings Professorship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Prior to that he was recruited as chair to the Department of Otolaryngology at the UW Medical School in Seattle, Washington, and he served there for 12 years. As a life-long career educator and clinician, he worked on four long-term grants from the National Institutes of Health, primarily relating to basic training and research in otolaryngology. Dr. Cummings has served as director of the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and as chair the Residency Review Committee in Otolaryngology. He is also past president of the American Association for Academic Departments of Otolaryngology, the American Bronchoesophagological Association, as well as the American Head and Neck Society. Dr. Cummings earned his medical degree from the University of Virginia. Following service in the United States Air Force, he completed residency training in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Harvard Medical School of Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.
G. Richard Holt, MD, MPH, MSE, MABE, D Bioethics
G. Richard Holt, MD, MPH, MSE, MABE, D Bioethics, is a strategic leader who served as AAO-HNS/F President from 1991 to 1992, Executive Vice President (EVP) from February 2000 to June 2002, and Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Editor in Chief from 1996 to 2000, among other leadership roles. Dr. Holt has dedicated a career to the importance of the patient-physician relationship and clinical bioethics. He is professor emeritus and founding chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and associate professor of clinical and applied science education at the University of the Incarnate Word School of Medicine. Dr. Holt’s clinical and research interests have been in trauma and cancer reconstruction, osseo-integrated implants, laryngology, congenital facial anomalies, global health and international medicine, aviation and space medicine, and bioethics. Following Dr. Holt’s tenure as EVP, the Holt Leadership Award was established to be given annually to a resident or fellow-in-training who best exemplifies the attributes of a young leader: honesty, integrity, fairness, advocacy, and enthusiasm. Dr. Holt has received numerous awards and recognition including two AAO-HNS Distinguished Service Awards, the Jerome C. Goldstein, MD Public Service Award, and a Presidential Citation from K.J. Lee, MD, in 2014. Dr. Holt is a retired colonel in the United States Army Reserves.
Ronald B. Kuppersmith, MD, MBA
Ronald B. Kuppersmith, MD, MBA, is an innovative visionary who served as AAO-HNS/F President from 2009 to 2010. Dr. Kuppersmith is in private practice with Texas ENT & Allergy and serves as professor of surgery at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. Dr. Kuppersmith demonstrates a passion for advances in healthcare, from training programs and medical devices to expanding diversity and inclusion in otolaryngology and more. Not long out of residency he was instrumental in developing the vision for the AAO-HNSF education platform, AcademyU. This led to Dr. Kuppersmith being selected to serve as the inaugural AAO-HNS/F Coordinator for Internet and Information Technology. In furthering the advances on diversity and equity issues, and in working with Duane J. Taylor, MD, Dr. Kuppersmith was appointed as Chair of the Task Force on Diversity in 2007, which became a permanent committee a year later. He is currently on the Board of the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. He has received numerous awards including the Helen F. Krause Trailblazer Award and a Presidential Citation from Dr. Taylor in 2020. He was also the named Guest Lecturer for the John Conley, MD Lecture on Medical Ethics in 2018 on surgical innovation. Dr. Kuppersmith completed his residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Baylor College of Medicine and obtained an MBA from University of Washington.
Albert L. Merati, MD
Albert L. Merati, MD, is a consensus-building, collaborative, and strategic leader who served as AAO-HNS/F President from 2018 to 2019. He is a surgeon and chief of laryngology at UW Medicine’s Head and Neck Surgery Center, in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Merati demonstrates a passion for investing in the future, which includes an emphasis on specialty unity as well as cultivating a culture of inclusion in otolaryngology. He has been instrumental in the Academy’s focus on outreach programs for medical students and residents and exudes the message of quality in exceptional patient care, practice, and human connection. Among numerous peer reviewed publications, he is the lead editor for the Textbook of Laryngology. Other leadership positions held by Dr. Merati include Chair of the AAO-HNS/F Awards Committee and senior examiner for the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. He also served on the councils of the Triological Society and the American Broncho-Esophagological Association. Dr. Merati completed his otolaryngology training at the University of California, San Diego, including one year of National Institute of Health research training. Dr. Merati then went to Vanderbilt University to study with Robert H. Ossoff, DMD, MD, a premier training institution for academic laryngologists, including working with James L. Netterville, MD, on laryngeal framework surgery. Among countless awards and recognitions, Dr. Merati has earned two AAO-HNS Distinguished Service Awards.
Duane J. Taylor, MD
Duane J. Taylor, MD, is a collaborative trailblazer dedicating a career toward creating a culture of opportunity for a diverse inclusion and representation in medicine and otolaryngology. Dr. Taylor serves the Bethesda, Maryland, community as the medical director at Le Visage ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery LLC. He served as AAO-HNS/F President from 2019 to 2020 and offered his steadfast leadership during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Issues of diversity and inclusion, health and wellness, and international outreach have been areas of focus throughout his career. Early in his career, not long after completing his training and fellowship, Dr. Taylor was elected by the Otolaryngology Section of the National Medical Association to represent them as a governor to the AAO-HNS/F Board of Governors. Members of the Otolaryngology Section were instrumental in the creation of the William Harry Barnes Society. Dr. Taylor represented the Society for approximately 15 years. In this role Dr. Taylor helped start and fund the AAO-HNS/F Harry Barnes Society Endowed Leadership Grant and the Diversity Endowment. He was ultimately named Chair of the newly formed AAO-HNS Diversity Committee. Dr. Taylor completed his otolaryngology residency at Los Angeles County King/Drew Medical Center. He has received countless recognitions and honors including the AAO-HNS Distinguished Service Award in 2014 and a Presidential Citation from Dr. Kuppersmith in 2010.
Bobby R. Alford, MD
Bobby R. Alford, MD, was a renowned, national leader whose dedication to excellence permeated all facets of his career, leading to an amazing legacy that expanded the specialty’s scope of practice to include head and neck surgery. In 1981, he simultaneously served as the President of both the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and the American Council of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (ACO-HNS) and was instrumentational in the unification of the two organizations into the Academy we know today. During Dr. Alford 40+ year tenure as chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, he imbued generations of physicians with a deep commitment to leadership and public service. He believed strongly in the link between research and patient care. Among his many achievements, he played a significant role in the creation of the Neurosensory Center of Houston for The Methodist Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine and was a founder of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute.
Jack R. Anderson, MD
Jack R. Anderson, MD, was a visionary and dedicated leader with a passion for increasing the public visibility and understanding of otolaryngology and facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, qualities that were assets to the many organizations he served, including the American Council of Otolaryngology as President (1975-1976); American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery as President (1980); and American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as the first Secretary (1964-1969) and President (1971-1972). Dr. Anderson championed the addition of “head and neck surgery” to “otolaryngology,” noting that otolaryngology did not encompass the entire practice of the field. He was a proponent of public relations and public education and was an outspoken advocate and pioneer of the right of otolaryngologists to perform facial plastic surgery. His efforts in the 1970s and 1980s in this arena have had a long-lasting impact that is present today in defining the scope of practice for the specialty.
Reginald F. Baugh, MD
Reginald F. Baugh, MD, dedicated his life’s work to advancing the field of otolaryngology. His reach was far and wide as a physician, mentor, published author, colleague, collaborator, and more. His undoubtable passion and tireless pursuit for quality, patient care, and education was contagious and had a long-lasting impact on the countless lives who crossed his path throughout his remarkable career. The AAO-HNS/F was the honored recipient of his volunteerism. Dr. Baugh dedicated his time, expertise, and diplomacy to advancing the AAO-HNSF’s clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Specifically, his leadership led to the development of the Tonsillectomy CPG in 2011 and the Bell’s Palsy CPG in 2013, both of which he served as Chair, as well as the Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo CPG in 2008 when he served as Assistant Chair. He also served on the AAO-HNS/F Voice and Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Committees and on the Editorial Board of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.
Linda S. Brodsky, MD
Linda S. Brodsky, MD, is lauded for her dedication to and advocacy for the equitable treatment of all who practice in the specialty and was a driving force behind the creation of the Women in Otolaryngology (WIO) Section. She was also one of the major supporters of the AAO-HNSF WIO Endowment and one of the first to pledge a Millennium Society Life Member commitment to help seed the endowment. This action set an example of her philanthropic leadership, which inspired others to contribute to provide funding for research activities that supported the advancement of women in the specialty. Dr. Brodsky also founded Women MD Resources, an organization dedicated to helping women physicians navigate the medical work environment and offering mentorship to early-career women in medicine. Throughout her life, Dr. Brodsky strived for excellence in her commitment to quality patient care. She established the “Brodsky Classification” of tonsillar disease, a diagnostic tool utilized by medical professionals throughout the globe.
William Wayne Montgomery, MD
William Wayne Montgomery, MD, a world-renowned professor at Harvard Medical School and a surgeon at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, had a major influence on the development and transformation of the specialty through his ingenuity and innovation, writing, mentorship, and teaching. The breadth of his scientific contributions and illustration is demonstrated in his two-volume book and atlas, Surgery of the Upper Respiratory System. These works helped shape contemporary otolaryngology-head and neck surgery and displayed his broad portfolio of seminal contributions to otology and neurotology; cranial base surgery; head and neck surgery and reconstruction; laryngology; rhinology, especially frontal sinus surgery; and pediatric otolaryngology. Dr. Montgomery was the inventor of the tracheal T-tube, the laryngeal keel, a facial nerve stimulator, and one of the first stapes prostheses. He introduced the frontal sinus obliteration procedure in the United States and was an early advocate of the use of closed suction drains in head and neck surgery.
Joseph H. Ogura, MD
Joseph H. Ogura, MD, whose surgical innovations forever changed the treatment of laryngeal cancer, was chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, and a legend in the field. Dr. Ogura helped change the direction of the specialty by serving as a national pioneer progressing otolaryngology into more advanced head and neck surgery. Dr. Ogura developed many surgical techniques in head and neck cancer surgery, especially conservation surgery of the larynx. During a distinguished career spanning nearly 40 years, he did more than improve surgical technique and patient care. He was a prolific researcher, writer, and lecturer. The extent of his legacy also reaches the lives he touched during his professional career—the patients who benefited from his surgical brilliance, his residents who were inspired to pursue excellence through his mentorship, and his colleagues who achieved more supported by his strength and encouragement.
Charles D. Bluestone, MD
Charles D. Bluestone, MD, is a pioneering leader in the formalization and recognition of pediatric otolaryngology as a subspecialty, particularly for his contributions as founding chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Pediatric Otolaryngology Section, which provided an educational venue between otolaryngologists and their pediatric colleagues that continues today; as a charter member and past president (1990-1991) of the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology; and as a founder of both the Society for Middle Ear Disease and the NIH-funded Pittsburgh Otitis Media Research Center. Dr. Bluestone in collaboration with Sylvan Stool, MD, also created the first formal pediatric otolaryngology fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh from 1975-1976. Additionally, he, David J. Lim, MD, and Ben H. Senturia, MD, organized the first of 10 quadrennial international symposia in 1975 on advances in otitis media. Dr. Bluestone’s distinguished career and leadership earned him the first University of Pittsburgh Eberly Professor of Pediatric Otolaryngology. Dr. Bluestone passed away on June 15, 2024.
Sujana S. Chandrasekhar, MD
Sujana S. Chandrasekhar, MD, is a dynamic influencer in leadership and an extremely effective ambassador for the specialty. She was instrumental in transforming the Women in Otolaryngology (WIO) Committee into the WIO Section. And through her collaboration and determination, helped to establish the WIO Endowment, raising over $400,000 in pledges and gifts in four days. Dr. Chandrasekhar served as the Chair of the AAO-HNS Board of Governors (2012) and then was elected to serve as the AAO-HNS/F President (2015-2016). She brought an energy level and excitement to her presidency and leadership in general and instilled a vision that put diversity and inclusion at the forefront of the Academy’s Strategic Plan. Her contributions to the Academy and specialty continue to flourish and expand. In her commitment to patient care, Dr. Chandrasekhar served as Chair to the Guideline Development Group for the Clinical Practice Guideline: Sudden Hearing Loss, and she has worked as a content expert for ENThealth.org, among many other contributions.
James C. Denneny III, MD
James C. Denneny III, MD, is an innovative visionary who has contributed decades of service to the specialty and patient care. He served as both AAO-HNS/F President (2007-2008) and AAO-HNS Board of Governors Chair (1998-1999). Immediately prior to his appointment as Executive Vice President/CEO (2014)—a position he currently holds—he was simultaneously the Coordinator of Socioeconomic Affairs, Co-chair of the Physician Payment Policy Workgroup, and Chair of the Ad Hoc Payment Model Workgroup. He has been instrumental in prioritizing specialty unity to maximize the Academy’s effectiveness in education, research and quality, advocacy, and member services. His leadership has positioned the Academy at the forefront of the global otolaryngology community, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an increased international presence and collaboration; has focused on enhanced value for members, their practices, and their patients through varied mechanisms, such as Reg-entSM; and has strengthened the voice of the specialty within the house of medicine and with decision-makers in the ongoing climate of healthcare reform.
Richard M. Rosenfeld, MD, MPH, MBA
Richard M. Rosenfeld, MD, MPH, MBA, is a trailblazer in research and quality patient care, having substantial impact on the implementation of evidence-informed research and measures in the specialty. His notable contributions are significant, demonstrated by being only one of two individuals to have received five AAO-HNS Distinguished Honor Awards in the Academy’s history. His leadership is demonstrated by his service as Editor in Chief of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (2006-2014); Senior Advisor for Quality and Guidelines; and Chair of the Research Committee (now CORE), Guidelines Task Force (GTF), Science and Education Council (SEC), Cochrane Scholars Program, and the Subspecialty Advisory Council (SSAC). Dr. Rosenfeld has been a driving force behind the AAO-HNSF clinical practice guideline (CPG) program. He is the lead author of the “AAO-HNSF Guideline Development Manual,” and he has authored or co-authored a considerable number of CPGs. Among other leadership roles, Dr. Rosenfeld founded the Guidelines International Network North American Community.
Pablo Stolovitzky, MD
Pablo Stolovitzky, MD, is a dedicated champion of the international otolaryngology community who has contributed decades of service to the Academy and the specialty. Among many leadership roles, he served as Chair of the AAO-HNS Board of Governors (2007-2008), Coordinator for International Affairs (2017-2021), and President of the XXXVII Pan American Congress of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (2022). During his term as Coordinator, he had a profound influence in enlarging the Academy’s international footprint leading to increased membership and expanded global partnerships. His vision and work toward a more collaborative global otolaryngology community has resulted in expanded education opportunities with the International Corresponding Societies through joint meetings and the creation of the Global Grand Rounds—both in person and virtual—as well as for individuals with the International Visiting Scholars program and the AAO-HNSF journals. His contributions toward weaving the international otolaryngology community into the threads of the AAO-HNSF International Affairs Program is significant with everlasting impact.
M. Eugene Tardy, Jr., MD
M. Eugene Tardy, Jr., MD, is a proactive, pioneering leader who identified and addressed several significant issues facing the specialty and helped guide the Academy onward after the merger with the American Council of Otolaryngology. During his term as AAO-HNS President (1985-1986), the Academy drafted and formally approved its first code of ethics. He also initiated a fundraising campaign to support the building fund for an Academy-owned headquarters, providing financial stability to support enhanced programs and services. Dr. Tardy has demonstrated a commitment to encouraging specialty unity to preserve the highest level of quality in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery and was able to integrate that vision as President of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (1982) and President of the American Board of Otolaryngology. Dr. Tardy’s dedication to education and the advancement in quality patient care has defined his professional life and influence on the specialty and those who had the opportunity to learn from him and work with him.
William Harry Barnes, MD
William Harry Barnes, MD, was truly a pioneer in American medicine throughout his career and clearly a man of great determination. He attended medical school at the University of Pennsylvania in his hometown of Philadelphia after receiving the first scholarship awarded to an African American. After receiving his medical degree, he became the first African American to be board certified in any specialty in 1927. He subsequently studied bronchoesophagology under Dr. Chevalier Jackson and moved to Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, DC. He then became president of the National Medical Association in 1936. His career has been a true inspiration to many that followed after him.
John J. Conley, MD
John J. Conley, MD, was a true giant in otolaryngology in all respects. He was known as a great surgical innovator in head and neck surgery as well as facial plastic surgery, and his artistic drawings of new procedures are legend. A genuine Renaissance man, he lectured internationally and promoted ethics in medicine, endowing the John Conley, MD Lecture on Medical Ethics at the AAO-HNS. He served as president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology Otolaryngology in 1974, as well as president of the American Society of Head and Neck Surgery and the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He received innumerable awards from major medical organizations worldwide.
Antonio De la Cruz, MD
Antonio De la Cruz, MD, was the first President of Hispanic origin in the history of the AAO-HNS when he presided from 1997 to 1998. He moved from his native Costa Rica and received his medical training at the University of Miami. As a member of the prestigious House Ear Institute as a private practitioner, he was also well respected in academic circles as an author, educator, researcher, and mentor in otology and neurotology and lectured extensively worldwide. He was an ardent supporter of the expansion of the AAO-HNSF international program and particularly active in the Pan-American Association of Oto-Rhinolaryngology. He was known as a consensus builder who could get things done.
Hal Lovelace Foster, MD
Hal Lovelace Foster, MD, is considered the founder of the precursor organization to the AAO-HNS. In 1896 he invited over 500 otolaryngologists and ophthalmologists to a meeting of the Western Ophthalmological, Laryngological, Rhinological Association in Kansas City, Missouri. He personally covered the $400 expense of the meeting and later stated, “The money I spent in calling those specialists together was the best investment I ever made.” He remained a driving force in the organization until 1941 even though he never agreed to serve as President. He was known as a quiet man who worked behind-the-scenes but was instrumental to AAO-HNS/F’s continual development. He was also a charter member of the American College of Surgeons.
Chevalier Jackson, MD
Chevalier Jackson, MD, has a profound legacy in laryngology. Through his leadership, innovation, and educational efforts, laryngology advanced significantly during his career. Thousands of lives were saved through his work with foreign bodies and caustic poisons. His work resulted in the Federal Caustic Poison Act of 1927. He was also ahead of his time in training female physicians in a specialty field and became president of the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. In addition to his scientific expertise, he was an accomplished artist. Some of his works are displayed at Academy headquarters, and his extensive foreign body collection is housed at the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Helen F. Krause, MD
Helen F. Krause, MD, was an exemplary, energetic leader in otolaryngology for more than 40 years who was always there when you needed her. As a private practitioner, she was very active in the Board of Governors (BOG) as well as in her field of expertise, allergy. She was Chair of the Allergy and Immunology Committee and president of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy. In 2003, she received the BOG Practitioner Excellence Award. She was also an exceptional advocate for women in the specialty, which was commemorated by the WIO Trailblazer Award being named after her. Her dedication and persistence elevated all those around her. She also particularly liked to get involved with advocacy efforts and patient education.
M. Jennifer Derebery, MD
M. Jennifer Derebery, MD, is a true trailblazer in otolaryngology beginning with her innovative combination allergy and otology practice at the House Ear Institute. Her clinical and advocacy expertise led to her election as president of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy from 1999 to 2000. She subsequently was elected President of the AAO-HNS/F and served as the first woman President in the 113-year history of the organization from 2003 to 2004. During her presidency, federal and private payer advocacy was at the forefront. She continues to be a strong advocate for the promotion of women in otolaryngology and equality in pay for the same work.
K.J. Lee, MD
K.J. Lee, MD, emigrated from Malaysia at age 17 and from there prepared himself to embark on a remarkable medical career taking him through Harvard under the tutelage of Harold F. Schuknecht, MD. He then entered private practice with the renowned Howard W. Smith, MD, in New Haven, Connecticut, where he honed his skills in practice management and the socioeconomics of medicine and technology and became an effective advocate for all in these areas. He was elected Secretary-Treasurer, At-Large Board of Directors member, and then served as President of the Academy from 2001 to 2002. Dr. Lee has always been a great advocate of international collaboration and has been instrumental in the Academy’s international efforts.
Eugene N. Myers, MD, FRCS Edin (Hon)
Eugene N. Myers, MD, FRCS Edin (Hon), dedicated his career and life to advancing otolaryngology-head and neck surgery on a global basis. Dr. Myers has given hundreds of presentations around the world promoting education, as well as being a prolific author. He served as President of the AAO-HNS/F from 1994 to 1995 and was president of the American Board of Otolaryngology in 1996. He was responsible for creating the Academy’s international program and served as its first coordinator from 1996 to 2002. His advice has led to expansion of the Academy’s international efforts on two occasions. The Eugene N. Myers, MD International Lecture on Head and Cancer remains the premier yearly event in head and neck cancer education.
James L. Netterville, MD
James L. Netterville, MD, is a humble man who has dedicated his life and career to education, training future otolaryngologists, and humanitarian activities. In addition to his extensive contributions in laryngology and head and neck surgery, he is never too busy to help a patient, resident, or community-based colleague in need. He has organized many humanitarian missions during his career and was awarded the AAO-HNSF Distinguished Award for Humanitarian Service in 2004. He served as an At-Large member of the Boards of Directors and was subsequently elected and served as President of the AAO-HNS/F from 2012 to 2013 where he was involved in global education, the Choosing Wisely® campaign, and the “Community of Otolaryngology” promotion.
Gavin Setzen, MD
Gavin Setzen, MD, has spent his career advocating for better practice conditions for academic and private practice otolaryngologists both at the state and national levels. His activity in the AAO-HNS Board of Governors propelled him to be elected Chair from 2009 to 2010. He was then elected AAO-HNS/F Secretary-Treasurer where he continued to demonstrate his proficiency in advocacy enabling the Academy’s relationship with the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Computed Tomography Laboratories that allowed office-based CT scanners to be paid for in physician’s offices. He then served as President from 2017 to 2018, where he started the Future of Otolaryngology Task Force that was so critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has continued to work actively for the specialty after completing his term.
Gayle E. Woodson, MD
Gayle E. Woodson, MD, stayed in Texas to train at Baylor University under Bobby R. Alford, MD, AAO-HNS/F Past President from 1980 to 1981, and a giant in the specialty. He served as a role model and mentor leading Dr. Woodson to a great career of her own, both clinically and as a leader of our specialty. She served as chair of three different otolaryngology departments. She was elected AAO-HNS/F President and served from 2014 to 2015. She was instrumental in expanding the international program as well as promoting specialty unity. She and her husband K. Thomas Robins, MD, started a residency program in Tanzania for otolaryngology during this time period as well.
