Anne R. Bass, MD, Named 90th President of the American College of Rheumatology
November 7, 2026 | ACR ConvergenceACR News
New York rheumatologist and educator brings more than three decades of clinical, research, mentorship, and volunteer leadership experience to the role
ORLANDO – The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is proud to announce the appointment of Anne R. Bass, MD, as its new President, effective November 8, 2026. Dr. Bass brings a career-long commitment to patient care, research, education, and professional service to the organization’s top leadership role.
A native New Yorker, Dr. Bass attended Harvard College before earning her medical degree from Columbia University’s College of Physicians & Surgeons. She completed her internship and residency at Columbia, followed by a rheumatology fellowship at New York University Medical Center and the Hospital for Joint Diseases.
Dr. Bass is currently a Professor of Medicine at Hospital for Special Surgery and Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. A practicing rheumatologist for more than 30 years, she has also served as director of the rheumatology fellowship program at Hospital for Special Surgery for more than a decade, helping train and mentor future leaders in the specialty.
Dr. Bass’s clinical and research work focuses on rheumatic immune-related adverse events associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor cancer therapies, especially inflammatory arthritis and myositis. Her observational and translational research seeks to identify treatments that manage these complications while preserving anti-tumor immune responses. This work may also offer important insight into the mechanisms underlying other rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis.
Dr. Bass has served the ACR and its affiliated organizations in numerous leadership capacities. She was the principal investigator for the 2022 ACR Guideline for Vaccinations in Patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases. Her prior ACR leadership roles include chair of the Committee on Training & Workforce; chair of the Committee on Ethics and Conflicts of Interest; and service on the Board of Directors of both the ACR and the Rheumatology Research Foundation.
She has also contributed as a member or board liaison to the Rheumatology Research Foundation Scientific Advisory Council, Committee on Education, Division Directors Committee, and Committee on Rheumatology Care.
“Serving the ACR has been among the most rewarding experiences of my career,” said Anne R. Bass, MD. “I am deeply grateful for the professional growth, meaningful collaborations, and lasting personal relationships that have come through being a member of this community. As president, I look forward to working with ACR members to support research and education, advance excellent rheumatologic care, strengthen the rheumatology workforce, and improve the lives of people living with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.”
Media Contact
Teri Arnold
Director, Public Relations & Communications
757-272-7002
tarnold@rheumatology.org
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About the American College of Rheumatology
Founded in 1934, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is a not-for-profit, professional association committed to advancing the specialty of rheumatology that serves nearly 10,500 physicians, health professionals, researchers and scientists worldwide. In doing so, the ACR offers education, research, advocacy and practice management support to help its members continue their innovative work and provide quality patient care. Rheumatology professionals are experts in the diagnosis, management and treatment of more than 100 different types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases.
About ACR Convergence
ACR Convergence, the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, is where rheumatology meets to collaborate, celebrate, congregate, and learn. With hundreds of sessions and thousands of abstracts, it offers a superior combination of basic science, clinical science, business education and interactive discussions to improve patient care and advance the specialty. For more information about the meeting, visit the ACR Convergence page, or join the conversation on X by following the official hashtag (#ACR26).