Alan Cohen has been named neurosurgeon-in-chief and chair of Children’s Hospital Boston’s Department of Neurosurgery. Cohen joins Children’s from UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio where he was the chief of pediatric neurological surgery and surgeon-in-chief for 17 years. He is a leader in developing minimally invasive techniques to enhance the safety and efficacy of selected neurosurgical procedures in pediatrics. Cohen has had a national leadership role in the field of pediatric neurosurgery, serving as chair of the AANS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery and as a director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery. He also directs the annual Practical Course on Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery sponsored by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons for the past 18 years.
Mary Jane Houlihan, HMS assistant professor of surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, received the Cancer Liaison Physician Outstanding Performance Award from the American College of Surgeon’s Commission on Cancer. The award recognizes clinicians who exceed expectations for improving and providing direction to their cancer program. This is the second time in three years Houlihan has received the award.
Kamal Khabbaz, HMS assistant professor of surgery and chief of cardiac surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, was recently elected to the American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Members are surgeons who have a proven record of distinction within the international cardiothoracic surgical field and have made meritorious contributions to the profession.
Romesh Nalliah, HSDM instructor in restorative dentistry and biomaterials sciences, was recently selected as one of 12 members of the American Dental Association’s Institute for Diversity in Leadership. The goal of the Institute is to provide a diverse group of dentists with education and experience so that they can set new leadership paths within the profession and their communities. Over the course of the year, Institute inductees will attend three leadership training sessions conducted by faculty from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management at ADA Headquarters in Chicago. Nalliah is also a participant in the Massachusetts Dental Society Leadership Institute and is active in providing free oral health care to individuals with special needs and to homeless individuals.
Sharon-Lise Normand, HMS professor of health care policy and HSPH professor in the Department of Biostatistics, was awarded the Long-Term Excellence Award given by the Health Policy Statistics Section of the American Statistical Association. The award is the section’s highest honor and was awarded “in recognition of her outstanding leadership and sustained contribution to the development and application of statistical methods in health care policy and health services research, and for her service to the Section.”
Frank Sacks, HMS professor of health care policy and HSPH professor in the Department of Biostatistics, is the recipient of the 2011 Research Achievement Award of the American Heart Association. The award has been conferred annually since 1953 in recognition of distinguished scientific achievement in the field of cardiovascular research. Sacks was presented with a special citation and an honorarium of $2,500 in recognition of his work.
Nancy Tarbell, HMS dean for academic and clinical affairs, received an Award for Excellence from the Society for Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (SELAM). SELAM International presents two Awards for Excellence to national leaders who have made outstanding contributions to the development and promotion of women leaders in the academic health professions. Awardees are also selected for their mentorship of women faculty and outstanding service as role model for other administrators in their efforts to advance women’s leadership.
