Newswise — Today, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Katie O. Orrico, Esq., senior vice president of health policy and advocacy for the AANS and Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), as the new AANS CEO. Ms. Orrico is set to transition to this new role by early spring 2024. Until then, AANS past president, Ann R. Stroink, MD, will serve as the interim CEO.
“I am incredibly humbled and honored to have been selected as AANS CEO and look forward to continuing to serve neurosurgery in this new role,” said Orrico. “It has been a privilege of a lifetime to head the AANS/CNS Washington Office, and I am excited for this expanded opportunity to work with our board and stellar staff to help meet the needs of our members and their patients through education, research, advocacy and outcomes science to promote the highest quality of patient care.”
With a remarkable tenure of over 38 years as the AANS and CNS representative in Washington, DC, Ms. Orrico brings an extensive array of skills, a strategic mindset and a legacy of influential leadership to this position. Her deep understanding of the intricacies of neurosurgery, coupled with her unique insights into the challenges and opportunities within the specialty, renders her an exemplary figure to lead the AANS into a future of great promise and potential.
AANS president Anthony L. Asher, MD, remarked, “Katie’s elevation to this role is a recognition of her extraordinary dedication and tireless service to the field of neurosurgery. She has long been an influential figure as the head of the AANS/CNS Washington office, where her advocacy and leadership have been pivotal in promoting the interests of neurosurgery on Capitol Hill, before the federal agencies and across the broader health care community.”
CNS president Alexander A. Khalessi, MD, MBA, added, “Katie has been a cornerstone of our advocacy efforts. Her vision and expertise have significantly elevated neurosurgery’s profile in Washington, DC. The CNS remains grateful for Ms. Orrico’s historic leadership and is excited for this new phase of our partnership. Most importantly, the CNS remains deeply committed to the efforts of our Washington Committee to inform national policy on behalf of our patients and members.”
AANS/CNS Washington Committee chair Russell R. Lonser, MD, concluded, “Katie’s profound impact on the Washington Committee is undeniable. She has been instrumental in shaping policies that benefit neurosurgeons and our patients. We are confident that her leadership as AANS CEO will further strengthen our advocacy efforts well into the future.”
The AANS, founded in 1931, and the CNS, founded in 1951, are the two largest scientific and educational associations for neurosurgical professionals in the world. These groups represent over 10,000 neurosurgeons worldwide. The CNS and AANS jointly sponsor the Washington Committee for Neurological Surgery, which serves as the voice of neurosurgery before legislative bodies, regulatory agencies, and other health care stakeholders.
The AANS and CNS have initiated a comprehensive national search for Ms. Orrico’s successor as head of the AANS/CNS Washington Office. Interested applicants can apply here.
Ms. Orrico’s leadership of the AANS enterprise includes the Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group, the scholarly journals publication arm; the Neurosurgery Education & Research Foundation, which funds research in the field of neurological surgery and the NeuroPoint Alliance, established to improve the quality of neurosurgical care through the acquisition, analysis and reporting of clinical data via registries and related studies.
Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system, including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain, and peripheral nerves. For more information, please visit www.aans.org, www.cns.org and www.neurosurgery.org.
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