Committees

The Collaborative Initiatives Special Committee shall concern itself with strategic, collaborative activities including piloting innovative projects that support the ACR mission, and advancing health equity. The committee shall review and make recommendations regarding partnerships and funding opportunities to advance these aims. The committee will organize and establish such subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2–3 meetings per volunteer year (one is typically held in conjunction with the ACR Leadership Development Conference; one to be held in conjunction with ACR Convergence)
• 3–5 conference calls per volunteer year
• 30–50 hours spent on outside work per volunteer year

Committee Roster

Chair: Noelle Rolle, MBBS, Augusta, GA (2026)
Brendan Denvir, MD, Baltimore, MD (2025)
Kimberly DeQuattro, MD, Philadelphia, PA (2026)
Anita Dhanrajani, MBBS, MSc, New Orleans, LA (2026)
Charmayne Marie Dunlop-Thomas, MPH, MS, Atlanta, GA (2025)
Shivani Garg, MD, MS, Madison, WI (2027)
Steven Overman, MD, MPH, Seattle, WA (2027)
Laura Plantinga, MSc, PhD, San Francisco, CA (2027)
Lauren Smith, MD, District Heights, MD (2025)

Staff Contact: Starla Blanks

The Committee on Communications and Marketing helps shape strategic internal and external communications, marketing, and related activities through involvement in a broad variety of ongoing and special projects in the areas of public relations, media relations, patient education, content development, and technology, among others. Additionally, the Committee oversees and reviews advertising policies and opportunities. The group may also organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as deemed necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 1–2 meetings per volunteer year (may be virtual)
• 8–10 conference calls per volunteer year
• 30–50 hours spent on outside work per volunteer year
• The committee does a fair amount of time-sensitive work via email, requiring that members be extremely responsive and able to work under short timeframes.

Committee Roster

Chair: Howard Yang, MD, RhMSUS, Santa Monica, CA (2027)
Rebecca Fitzpatrick, MD, Baltimore, MD (2025)
Diana Girnita, MD, PhD, Irvine, CA (2027)
Elizabeth Graef, DO, Boston, MA (2026)
Meredith Hirsh, MBA, Delray Beach, FL (2027)
Rebecca Manno, MD, MHS, St. Thomas, USVI (2025)
Olga Petryna, MD, Harrison, NY (2026)
Laura Ray, MA, MS, Cleveland, OH (2026)
Pankti D. Reid, MD, MPH, Chicago, IL (2025)
Kiren Sahni, DO, FACR, West Long Branch, NJ (2026)

Staff Contact: Susan Case

Subject to the direction and control of the Board of Directors, the Committee on Corporate Relations shall serve as the initial clearinghouse to ensure alignment with ACR Guiding Principles for all college-wide corporate initiatives and concern itself with: Overseeing and vetting the procedures related to negotiation and acceptance of all external corporate funding, Overseeing corporate requests for collaboration with the College on project proposals that involve collaborations including, but not limited to, for education and workforce development; Vetting exhibitors at ACR meetings; Developing, reviewing and enforcing policies on matters that involve external corporate funding and third-party events held during official ACR meetings; Collaborating with other ACR committees to identify opportunities for industry support; Development of new revenue streams that can be supported by external entities. Organize and establish such subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 1 meeting per volunteer year (generally in May)
• 2–4 conference calls per volunteer year (depending on the issues)
• Much of the committee's work is just before ACR Convergence

Committee Roster

Co-Chairs: Hermine Brunner, MBA, MD, MSc, Cincinnati, OH (2025)
Angus Worthing, MD, ACR Secretary, Washington, DC (2026)
Hazel Breland, OT, PhD, Charleston, SC (2027)
John Davis, MD, MS, Rochester, MN (2026)
Petros Efhimiou, MD, East Hampton, NY (2026)
Jody Hargrove, MD, Edina, MN (2025)
Justin Levinson, MD, MBA, Madison, WI (2027)
William Robinson, MD, PhD, Stanford, AL (2026)
Steven C. Vlad, MD, PhD, Boston, MA (2025)
Madalyn Walsh, MD, BS, Iowa City, IA (2025)

Staff Contact: Stacey Chandler

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee shall concern itself with advancing ACR’s strategic goal of embedding DEI best practices in the College’s policies, processes and programs. This committee will provide insights, advice and recommendations to facilitate DEI integration in peer committee processes and programs; collaborate with peer committees on DEI messaging, education, training and forum development strategy; advise senior leadership on prioritization and resource allocation for DEI initiatives; collaborate with peer committees on DEI data collection and progress reporting; and direct the communication plan regarding the College’s DEI commitment and progress.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 3–4 meetings (at least one in-person typically held in conjunction with ACR Convergence)
• 2–3 conference calls per volunteer year, as needed
• 25–35 hours of outside work per volunteer year

Committee Roster

Chair: Ashira Blazer, MD, MSCI, New York, NY (2026)
Abby Abelson, MD, Cleveland, OH (2025)
Yen Chen, PhD, Detroit, MI (2026)
Candace Feldman, MD, MPH, Sc.D, Boston, MA (2026)
David Karp, MD, PhD, Dallas, TX (2025)
Kamala Nola, PharmD, Nashville, TN (2025)
Julia Schwartzman-Morris, MD, MS, Great Neck, NY (2026)
Manush Sondhi, MD, Seattle, WA (2025)
Aaron Stubbs, MD, Detroit, MI (2026)

Staff Contact: Michele Andwele

The Division Director Committee shall concern itself with advancing academic rheumatology, and thereby rheumatology as a whole, through support of clinical care, research, education and advocacy. The Committee shall serve as a resource to the ACR on matters related to academic rheumatology; shall identify best practices for structuring academic adult and pediatric rheumatology divisions; shall update, analyze, and disseminate data related to divisions, including the state of faculty, trainees and leadership in academic divisions of rheumatology on an annual basis; shall develop rheumatology mentoring programs and resources; shall provide a community for division directors within ACR with an annual communications plan; and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (generally in-person in conjunction with ACR Convergence and the Division Directors Conference)
• Approximately 2–3 virtual calls, approximately 2-3 hours in duration per volunteer year
• 2–10 hours spent on outside work prior to each meeting, depending on committee assignments

Committee Roster

Chair: Natasha Ruth, MD, MS, Charleston, SC (2027)
Shervin Assassi, MD, MS, Houston, TX (2027)
Anna Broder, MD, MSc, Hackensack, NJ (2025)
Cecilia Chung, MD, MPH, Miami, FL (2027)
Randy Cron, MD, PhD, Birmingham, AL (2025)
Kristen Mathias, MD, MHS, Baltimore, MD (2025)
Eyal Muscal, MD, MS, Houston, TX (2025)
Debendra Pattanaik, MD, Memphis, TN (2025)
Christine Pham, MD, St. Louis, MO (2027)

Staff Contact: Jennifer Goubeaux

The ACR Committee on Education shall concern itself with policies and/or guidelines for programs on continuing medical education (CME) in rheumatology and professional education products for specialists and primary care physicians at the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels; shall oversee the development and provide final approval for any meetings or programs for which CME credit is granted by the ACR; shall oversee the development of any educational products or materials which will bear the ACR name; and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 1 in-person meeting per volunteer year (during ACR Convergence)
• Quarterly conference calls per volunteer year
• 5–25 hours spent on outside work per volunteer year (depending on the issues)

Subcommittees

• Abstract Oversight Subcommittee
• Annual Meeting Planning Subcommittee
• Continuing Education Accreditation Subcommittee
• Enduring Content Subcommittee
• Education Partners Program Subcommittee
• Image Library Subcommittee
• Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium Planning Subcommittee
• State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium Planning Subcommittee
• Ultrasound Planning Subcommittee
• Winter Rheumatology Symposium Planning Subcommittee

Committee Roster

Chair: Marcy Bolster, MD, Boston, MA (2027)
Narender Annapureddy, MD, MS, Nashville, TN (2027)
Adena Batterman, MSW, LCSW, Harrington Park, NJ (2027)
Ibtissam Gad, MD, Plymouth, MI (2027)
Angelo Gaffo, MD, Birmingham, AL (2025)
Uzma Haque, MD, Baltimore, MD (2026)
Sandy Hong, MD, MS, Iowa City, IA (2025)
Teja Kapoor, MD, New York, NY (2027)
Adil Vural, MD, Avon, OH (2025)
Daniel White, PT, ScD, Newark, DE (2025)

Staff Contact: Myria Stanley

The Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest shall concern itself with reviewing and making recommendations regarding the ethics and professionalism of the College, its officers, directors, and members; shall address and respond to questions of conflict of interest; shall be responsible for reviewing and, from time to time, proposing modifications to the Code of Ethics and Disclosure Policy and Statement; shall review charges alleging professional misconduct by members; shall respond to requests from the Board of Directors for guidance and recommendations on matters involving ethics and conflict of interest; shall, from time to time, develop information to educate the membership concerning the Code of Ethics and conflict of interest issues and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and the Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (generally in December/January and in conjunction with ACR Convergence)
• 1–2 conference calls per volunteer year
• Members are "on call" for issues that arise requiring that members be extremely responsive and able to work under short time frames

Committee Roster

Chair: Charis Meng, MD, New York, NY (2025)
Prathyusha Chennupati, MBChB, MRCP, Basking Ridge, NJ (2025)
Jeanne Gosselin, MD, Waterburry, VT (2026)
Thomas Griffin, MD, PhD, Charlotte, NC (2026)
Kelly Kaysen, MD, Atlanta, GA (2025)
Kabita Nanda, MD, Seattle, WA (2025)
Prajakta Pradeep Masurkar, PhD, Thousand Oaks, CA (2026)
Alan Rathburn, MPH, PhD, Baltimore, MD (2027)
Katherine Terracina, MD, Houston, TX (2027)
Kimberly Trotter, MD, Chicago, IL (2027)

Staff Contact: Stephanie Graham

The Committee on Finance is responsible for monitoring the financial policies, investments and expenditures of the ACR and Foundation; making recommendations for, and assisting in, the development of financial resources needed to carry out the programs of the ACR and Foundation; reviewing and approving the budgets developed by all ACR and Foundation; reviewing and approving the financial audits of the ACR and Foundation; organizing and establishing subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objective; monitoring not-for profit issues of concern to the ACR and the Foundation.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (generally in late April/early May and in late September/early October, preferred meeting day is Monday)
• 8–12 hours spent on outside work

Committee Roster

Co-Chairs: Zsuzsanna McMahan, MD, MHS, Lutherville, MD (2025)
Anne Bass, MD, ACR Treasurer, New York, NY (2025)
Nimrah Bader, MBBS, Oklahoma City, OK (2025)
Evelyn Hsieh, MD, PhD, New Haven, CT (2026)
Jane Kang, MD, MS, New York, NY (2027)
Bonita Libman, MD, Burlington, VT (2025)
Jay Mehta, MD, Philadelphia, PA (2025)
Jan Richardson, PhD, PT, OCS, Durham, NC (2025)
Jillian Rose-Smith, MPH, MSW, PhD, New York, NY (2026)
Linda Russell, MD, New York, NY (2026)
Margaret Tsai, MD, Kent, OH (2027)

Staff Contact: Colleen Merkel

The Global Engagement Committee shall concern itself with strategic, collaborative activities promoting productive interactions between the ACR and its international members and constituents. The Committee shall review and make recommendations regarding global collaborations and opportunities focusing on education, training, research, and volunteering. The Committee shall coordinate with various ACR and ARP committees on all products and programs with a global reach. The Committee will organize and establish such subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Roster

Chair: Eric Matteson, MD, MPH, Rochester, MN (2026)
Angie Botto-van Bemden, CCRC, MD, PhD, Holiday, FL (2026)
Norman Gaylis, MD, MACR, Miami, FL (2027)
Jonathan Krant, MD, MPH, Williamstown, MA (2026)
Ozlem Pala, MD, MPH, Miami, FL (2027)
Sebastian Eduardo Sattui, MD, MS, Pittsburgh, PA (2025)
Reema Syed, MD, MBBS, St. Louis, MO (2027)
Eleni Tiniakou, MD, Baltimore, MD (2027)
Ziga Vodusek, MD, Baltimore, MD (2025)

Staff Contact: Jennifer Eastin

The Committee on Government Affairs shall concern itself with developing effective liaisons with governmental and nongovernmental research support agencies; shall establish effective liaisons with congressional members and staff; shall establish effective liaison with organizations concerned with public policy aspects of health-care delivery and health-care financing; shall monitor not-for-profit issues of concern to the College and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (generally in conjunction with Advocacy Leadership Conference in May and with Advocates for Arthritis in September)
• Monthly conference calls (second Wednesday of the month)
• Periodic work on one-page position papers in groups

Committee Roster

Chair: Christina Downey, MD, Redlands, CA (2025)
Bibi Ayesha, MD, Metuchen, NJ (2025)
Julie Campbell, MD, Missoula, MT (2026)
Adela Castro, MD, Dalton, GA (2025)
Marc Hirsh, MD, RhMSUS, Delray Beach, FL (2027)
Lesley Jackson, MD, Birmingham, AL (2025)
Mark Law, PhD, Omaha, NE (2027)
Jonathan Lawton, MBA, Summerville, SC (2027)
Amanda Myers, MD, CCD, Evanston, IL (2026)
Brian Nolan, MD, Chicago, IL (2026)
Elizabeth O’Connor, APRN, Boston, MA (2026)
Rebecca Shepherd, MD, MBA, New Providence, PA (2027)
Andre Smith, BSc, Lynn Haven, FL (2025)
Robert Francis Starosta, MBA, Edina, MN (2025)
Jorge Vega, MD, Philadelphia, PA (2025)
Karla Otero-Vo, NP, Santa Clarita, CA (2025)
Mark Wener, MD, Seattle, WA (2027)

Staff Contact: Lennie Shewmaker McDaniel

The Committee on Journal Publications shall concern itself with overseeing the operations of the ACR's three peer-reviewed journals, Arthritis & Rheumatology, Arthritis Care & Research, and ACR Open Rheumatology, including monitoring relations with and the performance of the journals' common publishers, developing and reviewing policies on matters that affect all the journals, and reporting to the ACR Board of Directors on behalf of the journals.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2–3 meetings per volunteer year (one is typically held in conjunction with ACR Convergence)
• 3 conference calls per volunteer year (on average)
• 12 hours spent on outside work (on average)
• Members have typically been involved with the journal as authors and/or reviewers, with representation from both the clinical and basic sciences.

Committee Roster

Chair: Betty Tsao, PhD, Charleston, SC (2027)
Elana Bernstein, MD, MSc, New York, NY (2027)
Krati Chauhan, MD, MPH, Burlington, VT (2026)
Cynthia Crowson, PhD, Stewartville, MN (2027)
Daniel B. Horton, MD, MS, New Brunswick, NJ (2025)
Suraj Rajasimhan, PharmD, Columbia, MD (2025)
Faria Sami, MD, Birmingham, AL (2025)
Himanshu Vashistha, PhD, MBA, Great Neck, NY (2026)

Staff Contact: Maggie Parry

The Committee shall consider appeals from adverse determinations that an applicant does not meet the examination eligibility requirements; appeals alleging that the examination was administered in an unfair, arbitrary, or inaccurate manner; and appeals alleging failure to comply with the Program’s accreditation standards and procedures. Such as appeals shall be conducted according to procedures developed by the Program Oversight Committee and approved by the Board of Directors.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• Participate in webinars, conference calls, and emails as needed
• 10-30 hours on outside work
• Members are “on call” for issues that arise, requiring that members be extremely responsive and able to work under short timeframes

Staff Contact: Lawrence Cunningham

Committee Description and Charge
The ACR Musculoskeletal Certification Program Oversight Committee shall have responsibility for the organization and implementation of the ACR Musculoskeletal Certification Program. The Committee shall:

• Develop, implement, and monitor program eligibility requirements
• Develop and implement certification policies and procedures
• Review and approve all examination items
• Develop and implement standards for recertification
• Review domains and tasks annually to ensure relevance/accuracy
• Review testing data and make recommendations for research studies

The Committee shall also select and appoint members of the Examination-Item Development Group, Examination Assembly and Review Group, Examination-Criterion Group, Job Analysis Group, and other groups and sub-committees as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives. All such appointments shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• Participate in webinars, conference calls, and emails as needed
• 30–50 hours on outside work
• The committee does a fair amount of time-sensitive work via email, requiring that members be extremely responsive and able to work under short timeframes

Committee Roster

Chair: Housam Sarakbi, MD, Detroit, MI (2027)
Member-at-Large: Liudmilla Kastsianok, MD, Denver, CO (2027)
Member-at-Large: Christina Schutt, MD, Rochester, NY (2027)
Member-at-Large: Tamika Webb-Detiege, MD, New Orleans, LA (2027)
Public Member: Amy Baron, Cincinnati, OH (2026)

Committee Eligibility Criteria Including Special Positions
The ACR Musculoskeletal Certification Program Oversight Committee will consist of five (5) members plus the Director, Certification, who will serve ex officio as a nonvoting member.

Initial appointments of Oversight Committee members are made by the ACR Board of Directors, as follows: One member will be appointed as Chair of the Oversight Committee; one member will be appointed as Chair of the Examination Group(s); two members will be appointed as at-large appointees, and the fifth member will be appointed as a representative of the public.

The term of office for Oversight Committee members will be four (4) years and staggered, with the opportunity to be re-appointed for one additional term.

The following expectations pertain to the nomination and appointment of all members of the Oversight Committee:

• All members of the Oversight Committee must strongly support the vision of the certification program and be committed to ensuring its successful implementation.
• Membership on the Oversight Committee is volunteer based.
• All appropriate stakeholders should be involved – candidates, certificants, patients, and the public, with due consideration to gender and all other facets of diversity, to the fullest extent possible.
• All members must sign a confidentiality agreement committing to strict confidence and not to use or disclose any confidential information.
• Five or more years as an educator or direct supervisor (does not apply to public member).

The following expectations pertain to the nomination and appointment of the public member of the Oversight Committee:

• The public member represents the direct and indirect users of certificants’ skills and/or services. Because this may be defined broadly, a rotating system for representation of various publics may be implemented over time.
• The public member may be a professional, but should not have similar credentials to certificants.
• The public member may be or have been a potential consumer of the certificants’ skills or services.
• The public member should also have experience with public advocacy.

Committee Member Conflict of Interest Policies
Members of the Oversight Committee have fiduciary responsibility for the certification of qualified individuals who meet its standards related to the performance of musculoskeletal ultrasound in their practice of rheumatology. The primary obligations are to stakeholders (e.g., patients, employers). In order for Oversight Committee members to ensure their decisions uphold these obligations, all Oversight Committee members will abide by the following requirements concerning conflict of Interest:

• Members whose primary employment is in commercial entities or health care insurance companies are not eligible to serve on the Oversight Committee.
• Members of the Oversight Committee must be free of conflict of interest relevant to the subject matter throughout the length of their term and for 12 months following the end of their term.
• Members of the Oversight Committee cannot serve as course directors or planning committee members for any CME granting musculoskeletal ultrasound instructional courses including ACR courses throughout the length of their term and for 12 months following the end of their term.*
• Members of any entity that provides training that fulfills RhMSUS Program eligibility criteria cannot serve on the Oversight Committee.
• Members cannot serve as members of the ACR Committee on Education or the ACR Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Planning Committee throughout the length of their term and for 12 months following the end of their term.

*The Chair of the Examination Group(s) cannot serve as faculty for any musculoskeletal ultrasound instructional course including CME and non-CME courses and ACR courses throughout the length of their term and for 12 months following the end of their term.

The Examination Group(s) will carry out the review and approval of all examination items on behalf of the Oversight Committee. Except for the Chair of the Examination Groups, members of the Oversight Committee shall not review the examination in its entirety or any individual questions unless their opinion regarding an individual question is specifically requested by the psychometric consultant, other committee leaders within RhMSUS, the ACR staff member for RhMSUS or the ACR board.

Staff Contact: Lawrence Cunningham

The ACR Committee on Nominations and Appointments shall make nominations for ACR Volunteer positions: Secretary/Treasurer, who will become President-Elect at the end of the Secretary/Treasurer term, then President in the following year; Members-at-Large of the Board of Directors of the ACR; Chairs and Members of ACR Committees; with the exception of the Committee on Nominations and Appointments.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 1 meeting per volunteer year (generally in July)
• 20+ hours before the meeting to extensively review applications

Committee Roster

Chair: Deborah Dyett Desir, MD, Woodbridge, CT (2025)
Kristen Demourelle, MD, PhD, Golden, CO (2025)
Elizabeth Ferucci, MD, MPH, Anchorage, AK (2025)
Andrew Laster, MD, Charlotte, NC (2025)
Aileen Ledingham, PT, MS, PhD, Cambridge, MA (2025)
Deborah Levy, MD, MS, Toronto, Ontario (2026)
Kanika Monga, MD, Houston, TX (2025)
Didem Saygin, MD, PhD, Pittsburgh, PA (2025)
Namrata Singh, MD, MSc, Bellevue, WA (2026)
Mohammad Ursani, MD, RhMSUS, Spring, TX (2026)
Austin Wheeler, MD, Omaha, NE (2025)

Staff Contact: Stephanie Graham

The Committee on Pediatric Rheumatology shall concern itself with advancing pediatric rheumatology through the support of clinical care, research, education and advocacy. The Committee shall implement initiatives designed to improve the recruitment of pediatricians into the field of rheumatology; shall initiate or support the communication efforts to the ACR pediatric membership; shall support the practice needs of pediatric rheumatologists through contributions to activities of ACR standing committees, as needed; and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (one is typically held in conjunction with ACR Convergence)
• 2–3 conference calls per volunteer year

Subcommittees

• Pediatric Rheumatology Residents Program
• AMIGO ACR/CARRA Mentoring Program

Committee Roster

Chair: Ekemini Ogbu, MD, MSc, Cincinnati, OH (2027)
Melissa Argraves, MD, Med, Columbus, OH (2027)
Minal Aundhia, MD, Cincinnati, OH (2025)
Miriah Gillispie-Taylor, MD, Houston, TX (2025)
Melissa Lerman, MD, PhD, Philadelphia, PA (2026)
MaiLan Nguyen, MD, Austin, TX (2027)
Brit Richard, PA-C, MMS, Winston Salem, NC (2026)
Kerry Spichiger, DNP, APRN, BSN, Ardmore, PA (2027)
Stacey Tarvin, MD, MS, Indianapolis, IN (2027)
Sheetal Vora, MD, MS, Charlotte, NC (2026)
Leandra Woolnough, MD, MS, Gainesville, FL (2025)

Staff Contact: Connie Herndon

The Committee on Quality of Care shall concern itself with quality-related activities including the development of classification and response criteria, practice guidelines, and guidance documents. The Committee will organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 3 meetings per volunteer year (webinars in January and May/June, and in conjunction with ACR Convergence)
• 8–10 other hours per year, variable depending on manuscript reviews (e.g., reviewing meeting materials or manuscripts submitted for ACR endorsement)

Subcommittees

• Classification and Response Criteria Subcommittee
• Practice Guideline Subcommittee
• Guidance Subcommittee

Committee Roster

Chair: Tuhina Neogi, MD, PhD, Brookline, MA (2025)
John FitzGerald, MD, PhD, Los Angeles, CA (2025)
Michael George, MD, MSc, Philadelphia, PA (2025)
Ofelya Gevorgyan, MD, University Place, WA (2025)
Shraddha Jatwani, MD, RhMSUS, Citrus Heights, CA (2027)
Linda Li, PT, PhD, Vancouver, British Columbia (2027)
Grant Louie, MD, MHS, Wheaton, MD (2026)
Maneesh Mannem, MD, Flowood, MS (2025)
Nancy Pan, MD, New York, NY (2026)
Kimberly Steinbarger, DHSc, MHS, PT, Surry, ME (2026)
Zahi Touma, MD, PhD, Toronto, Ontario (2027)

Staff Contact: Amy Turner

The Committee on Registries and Health Information Technology shall concern itself with health information technology (IT) issues within the field of healthcare and the subspecialty of rheumatology. The committee will work to support and advance the appropriate use of health IT within rheumatology practice and clinical research to provide safe, timely, efficient, effective, equitable, and patient-centered care. The committee will oversee the ongoing growth and development of the Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) registry for quality improvement, research, advocacy, and appropriate payment programs, and shall take part in the development and use of defined rheumatology data standards.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year
• Monthly conference calls per volunteer year

Subcommittees

• Research and Publications Subcommittee
• Quality Measure Subcommittee

Committee Roster

Chair: Christie Bartels, MD, MS, Verona, WI (2026)
Dahima Cintron, MD, MSc, Durham, NC (2025)
Jamie Collins, PhD, Boston, MA (2026)
Titilola Falasinnu, PhD, Palo Alto, CA (2025)
Thomas Grader-Beck, MD, Baltimore, MD (2027)
Joseph Huffstutter, MD, Signal Mountain, TN (2025)
April Jorge, MD, Boston, MA (2026)
Danette Ko, MD, Murray, UT (2025)
Jiha Lee, MD, MHS, Ann Arbor, MI (2027)

Staff Contact: Tom Tack

The Committee on Rheumatologic Care shall concern itself with economic, technical, and ethical issues that bear on the practice of rheumatology and allied health professionals related to rheumatology; shall work with the Committee on Education to ensure that training recommendations reflect the changing scope of rheumatology practice; shall oversee the publication of practice-related materials and other publications as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors; shall provide the ACR membership with information concerning the future changes in medical care organization, health-care delivery, health-care financing, and health-care technology as they may affect the provision of care to patients with rheumatic disease; shall develop a government relations agenda; shall appoint a liaison to the Committee on Government Affairs; and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• A one-hour virtual meeting each month
• Attendance at the two-day (optional, but preferred) ACR Advocacy Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. each May, and one meeting generally held during ACR Convergence
• Members are asked to revise, draft, and/or review position statements in working groups with staff assistance
• It is important for members to be practicing physicians or other healthcare professionals in practice settings

Subcommittees

• Affiliate Society Council
• Insurance Subcommittee

Committee Roster

Chair: Christopher Phillips, MD, Paducah, KY (2026)
Brinda Basida, MD, North Augusta, SC (2025)
Meggan Baudek, NP, West Salem, WI (2025)
Jon Michael Burnham, MD, MS, Philadelphia, PA (2025)
Jayanth Doss, MD, MPH, Durham, NC (2027)
Tracy Emmanuel, MBA, Summerville, SC (2027)
Haidy Galous, MD, Dallas, TX (2026)
Rebecca Gillett, MS, OT, Centennial, CO (2026)
Jason Liebowitz, MD, Englewood, NJ (2025)
L. Manuela Marinescu, MD, Smithtown, NY (2026)
Smita Maruvada, MD, MBBS, Temple, TX (2027)
Vivek Mehta, MBBS, Anchorage, AK (2026)
Meriah Moore, MD, MS, Columbus, OH (2025)
Stephanie Ott, MD, Lancaster, OH (2027)
Elena Weinstein, MD, Englewood, CO (2027)
Mark William Niemer, MD, Dubuque, IA (2025)
Susan Williams-Judge, ARNP, MN, Seattle, WA (2025)
Louisa Ziglar, MD, Rockville, MD (2025)

Staff Contact: Adam Cooper

The RheumPAC Committee is responsible for developing all political fundraising content and related marketing efforts as well as creating the criteria for how PAC funds can best be used to advance the ACR’s policy priorities. Committee members will strategize ways to educate and engage potential new donors on the importance of RheumPAC, identify which advocacy issues best resonate with different sects of the ACR/ARP membership, brainstorm ideas to incentivize donors and plan donor appreciation events, draft educational content for ACR@Work or The Rheumatologist, directly solicit individuals via email or phone, and assist in creating disbursement budget to maximize impact of political donations.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 1-hour virtual meetings each month
• Attendance at 2-day Advocacy Leadership Conference event in Washington, DC each May
• Time may also be spent on your own brainstorming ideas, drafting educational content, and soliciting donations

Committee Roster

Chair: Kaitlyn Brittan, MD, Elkhorn, NE (2027)
Belinda Birnbaum, MD, Bryn Mawr, PA (2027)
Khalil Bourji, MD, PhD, Las Vegas, NV (2025)
Donna Everix, PT, MPH, BS, Hayward, CA (2027)
Gatr-alnada Gheriani, MD, MBChB, Tiffin, IA (2026)
Marla Guzman, MD, West Orange, NJ (2025)
Jeff Li, MD, Houston, TX (2025)
Audrey Liu, MD, Loma Linda, CA (2025)
Irene Tan, MD, Philadelphia, PA (2026)
Suraj Timilsina, MD, Davis, CA (2026)

Staff Contact: Paige Colston

The Committee on Training shall concern itself with developing educational resources for rheumatology learners and educators, creating opportunities for networking and collaboration among rheumatology training program directors, faculty, educational scholars, and rheumatology trainees, promoting career development in rheumatology education, and collaborating with other committees and external organizations in support of rheumatology education and training. The Committee shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 3 meetings per volunteer year (one is typically held in conjunction with ACR Convergence)
• Approximately 2–3 virtual calls, approximately 2-3 hours in duration per volunteer year
• 2–10 hours spent on outside work prior to each meeting, depending on committee assignments

Subcommittees

• Adult Rheumatology In-Training Exam Subcommittee
• Fellows-in-Training Subcommittee
• E-Learning Subcommittee
• Educators Resource Subcommittee

Committee Roster

Chair: Anisha Dua, MD, MPH, Chicago, IL (2027)
Juliet Aizer, MD, MPH, New York, NY (2026)
Imelda Balboni, MD, PhD, Palo Alto, CA (2027)
Ann Cameron Barr, MD, Durham, NC (2025)
Mathilde Pioro, MD, Seattle, WA (2025)
Laura Pratt, MD, Columbus, OH (2025)
Laura Sampson, PA-C, Skokie, IL (2025)
Bernadette Siaton, MD, Ellicott City, MD (2027)
Meredith White, MPAS, PA-C, Columbus, OH (2026)
Kristen Young, DO, Phoenix, AZ (2026)

Staff Contact: Jennifer Goubeaux

The ACR Workforce Solutions Steering Committee shall innovate and implement workforce solutions to train and sustain high quality adult and pediatric rheumatology care in underserved communities, while partnering with the local stakeholders.

• Improving access to care for our rheumatology patients
• Supporting our rheumatology colleagues and healthcare teams
• Providing ACR oversight for our workforce shortages

Committee Member Time Commitments

• The committee meets every other month
• Intervention teams overseeing projects meet every month

Committee Roster

Chair: Beth Jonas, MD, Chapel Hill, NC (2027)
Amanda Schnell Alexander, MD, Homewood, AL (2025)
Colleen Correll, MD, MPH, Minneapolis, MN (2026)
Christopher Morris, MD, Kingsport, TN (2027)
Beth Laurie Jonas, MD, Chapel Hill, NC (2026)
Marc Phillpotts, MBBS, San Diego, CA (2026)
Chrisana Pokorny, MD, Webster, NY (2025)
Christine Stamatos, DNP, ANP-C, Cold Springs Harbor, NY (2027)

Staff Contact: Connie Herndon

The ACR/ARP Membership and Awards Committee shall oversee membership and promote the annual awards program and make nominations for the Awards of Distinction, ACR Masters and Distinguished Fellows.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 1 meeting per month per volunteer year
• 15+ hours of review before in-person award deliberations
• 1 two-day in-person meeting per year

Committee Roster

Co-Chairs: William Harvey, MD, MSc, Boston, MA (2025)
Becki Cleveland, PhD, Chapel Hill, NC (2025)
Roberto Caricchio, MD, Shrewsbury, MA (2026)
Linda Ehrlich-Jones, PhD, RN, Aurora, IL (2025)
Heather Finlayson, PA-C, Littleton, CO (2025)
Masataka Kuwana, MD, PhD, Tokyo, Japan (2027)
Sharad Lakhanpal, MD, MBBS, MACR, Dallas, TX (2026)
Janet Poole, OT, PhD, Albuquerque, NM (2027)
Rosalind Ramsey-Goldman, MD, MACR, Chicago, IL (2026)
Gregg Silverman, MD, New York, NY (2027)
Carolyn Smith, MSN, CPNP, Birmingham, AL (2027)
Nadia Sweet, MD, Madison, WI (2025)
Swamy Venuturupalli, MD, Beverly Hills, CA (2027)
Tiphanie Vogel, MD, PhD, Houston, TX (2027)

Staff Contact: Kye Sutphin

The ACR/ARP Committee on Research shall concern itself with research, research training in rheumatology, and the research needs of the interprofessional team, including the development and dissemination of products and services; shall encourage basic, clinical and health services research on topics that affect patients with rheumatic diseases; shall appoint a liaison to the Committee on Government Affairs and work with that committee on advocacy; shall appoint a liaison to the Annual Meeting Planning Committee to develop and promote research content therein; shall collaborate with other committees as relevant; shall work to coordinate the research efforts of the ACR and the Rheumatology Research Foundation; and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (generally in-person in conjunction with ACR Convergence and the Rheumatology Research Workshop)
• Approximately 2–3 virtual calls, approximately 2-3 hours in duration per volunteer year
• 2–10 hours spent on outside work prior to each meeting, depending on committee assignments

Committee Roster

Chair: Linda Hiraki, MD, ScD, Toronto, Ontario (2026)
Matthew Baker, MD, MS, Palo Alto, CA (2026)
Sonali Bracken, MD, PhD, Apex, NC (2025)
Tejpal Gill, PhD, Portland, OR (2025)
Sarthak Gupta, MD, Bethesda, MD (2026)
Donna Marie Krause, OT, PhD, Las Vegas, NV (2027)
Christine Pellegrini, PhD, Columbia, SC (2027)
Hiral Master, MPH, MPT, PhD, PT, Nashville, TN (2026)
Alisa Mueller, MD, PhD, Boston, MA (2027)
Kai Sun, MD, MS, Durham, NC (2025)
Sadiq Umar, PhD, Chicago, IL (2027)

Staff Contact: Jennifer Goubeaux

The ARP Annual Meeting Planning Subcommittee’s (AMPC) charge is to identify, support, and promote health professional education at the ACR Convergence meeting. The ARP AMPC will develop an educational program that meets the needs of the diverse ARP membership. The ACR AMPC and the ARP AMPC will collaborate to develop a fully integrated, seamless program that meets the College’s mission and purpose.

Committee Member Time Committments

This committee meets monthly beginning at ACR Convergence each year. An in-person planning meeting is held annually in January over three days; attendance is mandatory. Committee members may be asked to complete work in preparation for meetings.

Chair: Priscilla Calvache, LCSW, MSW, New York, NY (2025)
Jennifer Trizuto, DPT, San Mateo, CA (2027)
Kimberly Kimpton, PT, Centennial, CO (2025)
Aimee Chen-Weiner, APRM, MSN, Daytona Beach, FL (2025)
Joshua Stefanik, PhD, PT, Boston, MA (2025)
Louise Thoma, DPT, PhD, Chapel Hill, NC (2026)
Janet Bahr, NP, La Crosse, WI (2026)
Matthew Bunyard, MD, RhMSUS, Moreland Hills, OH (2026)
Clare Peckenpaugh, RN, PhD, Salt Lake City, Utah (2025)

Staff Contact: Jennifer Wells

The ARP eLearning Subcommittee is charged to identify, support, oversee, and promote the ARP Online Rheumatology Education Portfolio using state-of-the-art technologies and interactive learning strategies to advance and promote online education for all rheumatology professionals.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• This committee meets monthly via conference call. One in-person meeting may take place at ACR Convergence. Committee calls are typically scheduled on Thursdays; however, this may change according to member availability throughout the year.

Committee Roster

Chair: Adena Batterman, LCSW, MSW, Harrington Park, NJ (2025)
Bharati Bhardwaja, PharmD, Lafayette, CO (2027)
Christopher Estes, APRN, FNP-BC, RhMSUS, Boston, MA (2027)
Shelby Clare Jones, APRN, MSN, NP, Houston, TX (2025)
Linda Bobby, APRN, Sugarland, TX (2025)
Ashley Holden, BS, M.Ed., CHES, Bossier City, LA (2026)
Danielle LaCour, PA-C, Skokie, IL (2026)
Dina Jones, PhD, PT, Morgantown, WV (2026)
Joel Thompson, MA, DPT, Cary, NC (2025)
Sehreen Mumtaz, MD, MBBS, Jacksonville, FL (2025)
Donald Kimpel, MD, Charlottesville, VA (2027)
Misti Paudel, MPH, PhD, Boston, MA (2025)
Meredith White, MPAS, PA-C, Worthington, OH (2026)

Staff Contact: Courtney Cook, M.Ed

The ARP Nominations and Appointments Committee is responsible for overseeing the nominations process to ensure the election and appointment of qualified leaders, representative of the diversity of the membership. The committee is responsible for reviewing nominations and presenting a slate of qualified candidates for ARP elected and appointed volunteer positions.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• This committee meets bi-monthly via conference call with one in-person meeting annually in the summer. Conference calls are typically during the week; this allows for changes according to member availability throughout the year.

Committee Roster

Chair: Aileen Ledingham, PT, MS, PhD, Cambridge, MA (2024)
Adam Goode, DPT, PhD, PT, Durham, NC (2025)
Kaleb Michaud, PhD, Omaha, NE (2025)
Laurie Hughell, PA-C, MPH, Urbandale, IA (2027)
Ann Conway, MPAS, PA-C, Newton, MA (2027)
Bethany Walker, CRNP, Trussville, AL (2025)
Brendan Antiochos, MD, Clarksville, MD (2026)

Staff Contact: Anita Albritton

The ARP Interprofessional Practice & Management Committee includes representatives from each of the major disciplines in the Association. The Committee oversees the rheumatology practice papers and ensures that all ARP educational products and programs meet the practice needs of membership. The Committee explores member needs regarding clinical practice issues and promoting the interprofessional model of care. It is the oversight committee for all ARP practice issues.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• This committee meets virtually throughout the year with an in-person meeting during ACR Convergence.

Committee Roster

Chair: Annelle Reed, MSN, CRNP, Tuscaloosa, AL (2025)
Charles Haberkern, MBA, Willow Grove, PA (2027)
Linda Rodamaker, NP, Denver, CO (2027)
Katharine McCarthy, PharmD, Rochester, NY (2025)
Tracey Emmanuel, MBA, Summerville, SC (2027)
Laura Sampson, PA-C, Skokie, IL (2025)
Anna Lawrence, MBA, MS, Lawrenceville, GA (2026)
Leila Khalili, APRN, FNP, MSN, New York, NY (2026)
Raeann Whitney Bowman, MD, RhMSUS, Gardendale, AL (2025)
Lisa Carnago, FNP-C, Hillsborough, NC (2025)
Tabitha Dougherty, CMA, New Bloomfield, PA (2025)

Staff Contact: Courtney Cook, M.Ed