Election Results Announced at November Board of Directors Meeting

The Board of Directors convened by conference call on November 19 to discuss a robust agenda including the 2014 election results.

Dr. Kelly J. Clark of Kentucky will become the organization’s President-Elect in April 2015 after membership confirms the entire slate during the Annual Business Meeting Breakfast in Austin.

During this election, membership had the opportunity to vote for the first Vice President. This elected officer position was created in 2012 to actively help with identifying, cultivating and soliciting donors, and succeeding the President in his or her absence. 

Dr. Mark Kraus of Connecticut will serve as the first Vice President. “I am thankful for being elected, and I am looking forward to working to further the goals and mission of our society,” Dr. Kraus said after hearing of the results. 

Dr. Margaret Jarvis of Pennsylvania will serve her second term as Secretary. “I am very excited to be on the board at a time when the opiate epidemic is facing the country. As horrible as this is, it is creating a political climate where things need to change, there is political capital behind change, and ASAM is the expert group. This gives us clout we’ve not had before,” Dr. Jarvis said.

“I'm thrilled to serve ASAM as the next Treasurer. This is a tremendously exciting time for ASAM with an array of growth opportunities requiring assiduous application of our finances. I'm privileged to contribute leadership to the Board of Directors governance of both our resources and setting our strategic agenda,” Dr. Brian Hurley of California added. Dr. Hurley currently serves as an ex-officio member of the board. 

Drs. Anthony Albanese, Paul Earley, Marc Galanter, Petros Levounis, Yngvild Olsen and John Tanner will also join the 2015 board as the new Directors-at-Large. 

The board also approved PIPMAG’s performance measure report and staff will work to implement a dissemination plan for it. ASAM’s Publications Council received approval to begin production of a clinical handbook focused on the intersection of pain and addiction, with Dr. Ilene Robeck serving as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief. The Nominations and Awards Council will honor Dr. Mark Gold as the 2015 recipient of the John P. McGovern Award on Addiction and Society, ONDCP Director Michael Botticelli as the recipient of the Public Policy Award and The Hungry Heart as the Media Award recipient. ASAM awards are presented during the Awards Luncheon in April during the Annual Conference. 

The Board of Directors will meet next in January for another conference call.