ASCO announced the election of Elizabeth A. Mittendorf, MD, PhD, MHCM, FASCO, to lead as its President beginning in June 2026, as well as an additional six ASCO members to serve on its Board of Directors and Nominating Committee.
2026–2027 ASCO President-Elect
Dr. Mittendorf, a long-time ASCO member and volunteer, will take office as President-Elect immediately following the ASCO Annual Business Meeting in Chicago on June 2, 2025.
Dr. Mittendorf currently serves as the Robert and Karen Hale Endowed Chair in Surgical Oncology and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital; Director of the Breast Immuno-Oncology program and Co-Leader of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; and Co-Leader of the Breast Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Cancer Center.
Dr. Mittendorf’s extensive volunteer history with ASCO includes serving on the ASCO Board of Directors from 2019 to 2023 and as the Society Treasurer from 2022 to 2023. She is also a past Chair of the Conquer Cancer Grants and Awards Selection Committee, and past member of the Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee and Best of ASCO Planning Committee.
“I’m honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve as President of ASCO and help guide this multifaceted organization as we work to conquer cancer through research, education, and promotion of the highest quality, equitable patient care,″ emphasized Dr. Mittendorf. “I look forward to supporting this global membership and our collective efforts to improve outcomes for our patients,” she continued.
New ASCO Board Members
ASCO′s Board of Directors comprises oncology leaders who are elected to positions reflecting various specialties within the oncology field. The following physicians will begin 4-year terms as members of ASCO′s Board of Directors starting in June 2025:
- Melissa S. Dillmon, MD, FASCO, has been elected to a Designated Community Oncologist seat. Dr. Dillmon is a medical oncologist and Department Chair of Oncology at Harbin Clinic, LLC, which is now part of Advocate Health. She is Chair of the Clinical Practice and Innovation Committee, a past Chair of the Government Relations Committee and State Affiliate Council, past member of the Association for Clinical Oncology Board of Directors, and currently serves on the PAC Advisory Council. She is on the Executive Board for the Georgia Society of Clinical Oncology and is Chair of its legislative committee. She is a graduate of the Leadership Development Program.
- Sonali M. Smith, MD, FASCO, has been elected to the Designated Medical Oncologist seat. Dr. Smith is the Elwood V. Jensen Professor and Chief of the Hematology/Oncology Section at the University of Chicago. She is a past Chair of the Cancer Communications Committee and Professional Development Committee, Scientific Committee Program Chair for the 2022 Annual Meeting, member of the Diversity and Inclusivity Task Force, and serves on the Conquer Cancer Grants Selection Committee. She is a past recipient of the ASCO Excellence in Teaching award.
- Nathan A. Pennell, MD, PhD, FASCO, has been elected to an Undesignated Member seat. Dr. Pennell serves as Professor and a thoracic medical oncologist, Vice Chair of Clinical Research, and Director of the Lung Cancer Medical Oncology Program at the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center. He is a member of the Joint Special Awards Selection Committee, past Chair of the Road to Recovery Task Force on Cancer Research, and past member of the Nominating Committee, Cancer Communications Committee, Annual Meeting Education Program Committee, and Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee. He is a graduate of the Leadership Development Program. Dr. Pennell is also the Editor-in-Chief of the ASCO Educational Book.
New ASCO Nominating Committee Members
Members of the Nominating Committee are tasked with developing a slate of candidates for elected ASCO positions. The following physicians will each serve a 3-year term on the ASCO Nominating Committee, beginning in June 2025:
- Suzanne Cole, MD, FACP, FASCO, has been elected to a Designated Community Oncologist seat. Dr. Cole serves as Medical Director of Community Oncology, Rural, and Underrepresented Minority Research at the UT Southwestern Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Cole has served in numerous roles within ASCO as a member of the Cancer Communications Committee, Diversity and Inclusivity Task Force, Practice Guidelines Implementation Network, State Affiliate Council, Annual Meeting Education Program, and Meeting and Member Publications Editorial Board. She is a graduate of the Leadership Development Program.
- Erika P. Hamilton, MD, has been elected to an Undesignated Member seat. Dr. Hamilton is a medical oncologist and Director of Breast Cancer Research Program at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute. She serves as Chair of the Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee, a member of ASCO’s Research Committee, a former journal peer reviewer, and a graduate of ASCO’s Leadership Development Program. She has also been a previous track leader of ASCO’s Scientific Committee, Breast.
- Rana R. McKay, MD, FASCO, has been elected to an Undesignated Member seat. Dr. McKay is a medical oncologist and Professor of Medicine and Urology at the University of California, San Diego. She is a member of the Conquer Cancer Grants Selection Committee, current track leader of the Annual Meeting Education Program Committee Genitourinary Cancer–Kidney and Bladder track, a past track leader of the Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee Genitourinary Cancer–Kidney and Bladder track, a past member of the Journal of Clinical Oncology Editorial Board, and a graduate of the Leadership Development Program.
