The American Thoracic Society is pleased to announce the selection of Karen Collishaw, MPP, as its next executive director. She will join the society on April 30, 2018. The selection was made after an extensive national search, and the Board of Directors unanimously approved her appointment. She succeeds Stephen C. Crane, PhD, MPH, who has served as ATS executive director since 2007 and is retiring.
“We believe that Ms. Collishaw represents the ideal candidate to build on the outstanding achievements of Steve Crane, our retiring executive director, and to advance the mission and vision of the ATS into the future,” said ATS President Marc Moss, MD. “We all look forward to welcoming Karen into the ATS family.”
Ms. Collishaw is currently assisting the American Society for Microbiology strategically plan its policy and advocacy activities. Prior to this interim position, she was the President & CEO of the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP), an independent, not-for-profit accrediting body for community-based health care organizations.
Prior to joining CHAP, Ms. Collishaw served in executive leadership positions with two professional medical societies--the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC). At AAD she was responsible for activities related to science, research, advocacy, and established the first strategic plan for quality and patient safety.
At ACC, she was responsible for significant growth in the college’s policy function, including a restructuring of the organization’s tax status to allow for greater advocacy efforts. She also managed ACC’s annual meeting, the largest revenue source at the time. During her tenure at ACC, the organization was recognized as one of nine highly performing associations as profiled in Seven Measures of Success, What Remarkable Associations Do That Others Don’t.
“I look forward to joining the American Thoracic Society and the opportunity to work with its extraordinary members and staff to help advance its mission of helping the world breathe,” said Ms. Collishaw.
Ms. Collishaw earned a Master of Public Policy degree from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Cornell University. She is a certified association executive and past president of the American Association of Medical Society Executives.
