Meet the 2023 Election Cadidates

Bios

• Kellie Brown 
• Keith Calligaro 
• Thomas Forbes
• Palma Shaw 

Service & Leadership Roles

• Kellie Brown 
• Keith Calligaro 
• Thomas Forbes
• Palma Shaw 

Q&A #1

• Kellie Brown
• Keith Calligaro
• Thomas Forbes 
• Palma Shaw

Kellie Brown, MD

Dr. Brown is a tenured Professor of Surgery in the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wis. She joined the MCW faculty in 2002 and established a national reputation in the field of Vascular Surgical Education. Dr. Brown is a Distinguish Fellow of the Society for Vascular Surgery, and the current Vice Chair of the Vascular Specialist.

Within her institution, Dr. Brown has established a reputation as an accomplished technical surgeon and surgical educator. She is the Fellowship Program Director of MCW Vascular Surgery Fellowship, the Division Chief of Vascular Surgery at the Zablocki VA Medical Center, and the Chief of Staff at Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, the main academic teaching hospital for the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Outside of the SVS, Dr. Brown has also served as Past President, Treasurer and committee chair of the Midwestern Vascular Surgical Society and is currently the Vice-Chair of the Vascular Surgery Board.

Keith Calligaro, MD

Dr. Calligaro has maintained a community private practice at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, PA for 33 years and served as Chief of Vascular Surgery and Program Director of the Vascular Fellowship.  He is a Professor of Clinical Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Dr. Calligaro served as President of the Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, President of the Eastern Vascular Society, and a member of the Executive Boards of the APDVS and the Vascular Surgery Board. He also was Assistant Editor of the Journal of Vascular Surgery. He has given more than 300 invited lectures, presented more than 200 abstracts at regional and national vascular meetings, and published more than 160 articles in peer-reviewed journals. He has organized the Annual Pennsylvania Hospital Vascular Symposium for 29 years.

Dr. Calligaro has served as Chair of 7 and a member of 18 Committees and Councils for the Society for Vascular Surgery. He was elected SVS Treasurer three years ago and will complete his term in June 2023.

Thomas Forbes, MD

Dr. Forbes is the Surgeon-in-Chief & James Wallace McCutcheon Chair of the Sprott Department of Surgery at the University Health Network, and Professor & Vice-Chair (Finance & Advancement) of the Department of Surgery, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Vascular Surgery, and a Section Editor of Rutherford's Textbook of Vascular Surgery.

He's published over 300 peer-reviewed papers, editorials and book chapters and given over 100 invited lectures or guest professorships. He's a Distinguished Fellow of the Society for Vascular Surgery and Chair of the Quality Council and a Fellow of the American Surgical Association. He's Past-President of the Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery, a former Residency Program Director and former vice-Chair of the Vascular Surgery Specialty Committee of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He obtained my medical degree in 1990 from the University of Toronto and completed general surgery and vascular surgery training at Western University.

Palma Shaw, MD

Palma Shaw is a Professor of Surgery at State University of New York and a member of the Division of Vascular Surgery at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, NY. She is Program Director of the Vascular Fellowship and leads the Limb Preservation Program. She has a Master of Business Administration. She is board certified in General and Vascular Surgery.

She was Visiting Research Fellow with Dr. Frank Veith at Montefiore Medical Center. She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a Distinguished Fellow of the Society for Vascular Surgery, and Secretary General of the World Federation of Vascular Societies. She is President-Elect for the International Society for Endovascular Specialists, Member-at-large for Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, Treasurer for the Eastern Vascular Society, Advisory Liaison to Society for Vascular Surgery Executive Board and is Co-Founder of the SVS Women's Section. Her clinical expertise includes aortic surgery, peripheral and venous intervention, Diabetic foot management and wound care.

Kellie Brown, MD

Local:

1. Division Chief, Vascular Surgery, Zablocki VA Medical Center
2. Medical Director, Froedtert and MCW Comprehensive Vein Clinic
3. Chief of Staff, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital
4. Senior Medical Director, Perioperative Services, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital
5. Vice-Chair, Department of Surgery, Perioperative Services, The Medical College of Wisconsin
6. Program Director, Vascular Surgery Fellowship, The Medical College of Wisconsin

Regional:

1. Chair, New Horizons Program Committee, Midwest Vascular Surgical Society
2. Treasurer, Midwest Vascular Surgical Society
3. President-elect, Midwest Vascular Surgical Society
4. President, Midwest Vascular Surgical Society

National:

1. Vice-Chair, Vascular Surgery Board
2. Chair, Postgraduate Education Committee, SVS
3. Chair, Education Committee, SVS
4. Chair EMR Subcommittee, SVS Physician Wellness Committee
5. Vice Chair, Education Council, SVS

Keith Calligaro, MD 

• Chairman and Organizer, Annual Pennsylvania Hospital Vascular Symposium
  • 1993 - present (XXIXth Annual Symposium - April 2023).
• Program Director, Vascular Surgery Fellowship, Pennsylvania Hospital, 1993 - 2023.
• Chief, Section of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Pennsylvania Hospital, 1994 - present.
• Member, Society for Vascular Surgery 1996 - present
• Member, SVS Program Committee 1996-1999
• Editorial Board, Annals of Vascular Surgery 1996-2011
• Examiner, Certifying Examination for Vascular Surgery 1996-2020 (intermittently)
• Vascular Surgery Sub-Board, American College of Surgeons 1999-2002
• President, Delaware Valley Vascular Society 1997-98
• Associate Editor. Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 2002 - present.
• Distinguished Fellow, Society for Vascular Surgery, 2003 - present
• Member, SVS Clinical Practice Council 2004-2007
• SVS Representative, Eastern Vascular Society 2004-2007
• Member, SVS Professional Conduct Committee 2004-07
• Chair, SVS Clinical Practice Council 2005-2007
• Member, SVS Nominating Committee 2006-2007
• Member, SVS International Committee 2006-2007
• President, Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery 2007-00
• Chair, SVS Professional Conduct Committee 2007-2017
• President, Eastern Vascular Society 2008-09
• Editorial Board, Journal of Vascular Surgery 2008-2011, 2014-2017
• Chair, SVS Chairs in Vascular Surgery 2009-2011
• Member, SVS Program Committee 2015-2017
• SVS Presidential Citation Award 2017
• Member, SVS Audit Committee 2017- 2021
• Member, SVS Appropriateness Committee 2018- 2022
• Member, SVS Conflict of Interest and Professional Conduct Committee 2018 - 2021
• Member, SVS Vascular Center Certification Task Force 2018-2021
• Member, SVS Document Oversight Committee 2019- 2022
• Executive Council - Councilor, Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery (APDVS) 2015-2017
• Assistant Editor, Journal of Vascular Surgery 2018 - 2022
• Treasurer, SVS 2020-23
• Treasurer, SVS Foundation 2020-23
• Chair, SVS Finance Committee 2020-23
• Liaison, SVS, Clinical Practice Council 2020-23
• Chair, SVS Awards and Distinctions Committee 2021-23
• Member, SVS Community Practice Section 2022-present
• Member, Eastern Vascular Society Constitution and Bylaws Committee 2023
• Chair, SVS Compensation Survey Work Group 2023

Thomas Forbes, MD

SVS Leadership Positions (Current)

• Chair, Quality Council
• Vice-Chair, VS Foundation Development Committee
• Member, Strategic Board of Directors
• Member, Vascular Center Verification & Quality Improvement Program Member, Awards & Distinctions Committee

SVS Leadership Positions (Previous)

• Chair, Document Oversight Committee
• Member, Program Committee
• Member, Clinical Practice Council Member International Relations Committee
• Member, SVS VISTA Pilot Projects Subcommittee

Leadership Positions In Vascular Journals/Textbooks

• Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Vascular Surgery (current)
• Section Editor, Rutherford's Vascular Surgery, 8th, 9th, 10th editions

Palma Shaw, MD

• Vice-President of the New England Society for Vascular Surgery, September 2020-2021
• Councilor at Large for Eastern Vascular Society Executive Council, 2021-2022
• Treasurer of the Eastern Vascular Society, 2022-present
• Member-at-Large for Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery Executive Council, 2021-2024
• Eastern Vascular Society Representative to the Society for Vascular Surgery Strategic
• Board, 2021-2024
• Society for Vascular Surgery Advisory Liaison to the Executive Board, 2022- present
• Secretary General of the World Federation of Vascular Societies (2021-2024)
• President-Elect, International Society of Endovascular Specialists (2021 -2023)

Kellie Brown, MD

Vascular surgery faces multiple significant challenges in the near term, including workforce shortages, declining reimbursement, and the need to demonstrate quality as payors shift to a focus on quality rather than quantity of care. Among the most important challenges facing the specialty of vascular surgery in the next 5 years is recruitment and retention of our workforce. The average age of current vascular surgeons is over 50, and many are planning to retire early. Burnout is rampant, and it is difficult to recruit young medical students and residents because they are intimidated by the number of hours the average vascular surgeon works.  SVS can help with these issues by putting forth meaningful interventions for burnout, continuing and increasing our lobbying efforts in Washington for meaningful changes in billing, coding, insurance preauthorization and other important issues, helping to further develop the identity of vascular surgery as a unique and valuable specialty, and by coordinating and assisting the ongoing recruitment efforts being done by so many of our members.  The vascular center verification program will help ensure quality, and a robust roll out of that program in the next 12 to 24 months is imperative. In addition, SVS can help foster interest in vascular surgery with outreach to medical students and surgery residents, with information, interest groups, education, and simulation. The pandemic changed our landscape, and how much of this work is accomplished has changed with the overwhelming adoption of online technology, such that the SVS has the ability to reach out to many diverse groups of stakeholders with customized content more easily.  

Keith Calligaro, MD

My strategic vision for the future of the SVS includes listening to our members, accounting for budgetary restraints, and being appropriately innovative. I favor focusing on the following issues: 

1) Advocacy for vascular surgeons 
Mount an intense professional public education effort with the public, government officials, and health care providers to confirm that vascular surgeons are the vanguard of treating patients with vascular disease. To demonstrate our concern for patient welfare, we must... 

2) Address appropriateness of care provided by vascular surgeons and other vascular interventionalists with direct input from community practice vascular surgeons. 
The SVS should strive to publish more SVS guidelines and support regional and national databases. We are obligated to provide appropriate care but must be careful not to antagonize our members through misinterpretation of our efforts. 

3) Reimbursement threat to vascular surgeons 
I fully support the efforts the SVS has demonstrated thus far, including creation of committees and task forces and hiring of a political consultant. I would also encourage more in-person discussions with our congressional representatives, such as the upcoming meeting prior to VAM in Washington, DC. 

4) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 
I fully support the efforts of the SVS addressing this issue and I encourage additional measures. Not only is DEI beneficial by leading to more varied opinions and ideas, but it is also the right thing to do. I also believe that those individuals who devote significant time and effort to our specialty should be fully, and equitably, recognized. 

Thomas Forbes, MD

The SVS is THE organization leading the provision of vascular care and advocating for our members as well as patients. However, at times with our messaging and dialogue I think we risk prioritizing the former over the latter. We are a membership organization of practitioners and advocacy for our members is paramount, but not in isolation. Our messaging, both internally and externally, should be clearer that advocacy, education, etc for our members is a surrogate and enabler to better vascular care for patients. This may be obvious but I believe it requires a renewed focus. 

These priorities will be advanced with collaboration with regional societies as well as other specialties, when appropriate. Industry partnerships have been essential both through general support but also through targeted access issues identified with the VISTA program as it was initially named. In our advocacy efforts we should continue to identify "vascular surgery deserts" as examples of what can be expected from a patient perspective when there is no access to care by a vascular surgeon. Of course, our own house must be in order and we need to ensure that our quality programs are strengthened and that we have a sufficient workforce to meet the needs of our population. Collaboration is necessary, but leadership more so and the SVS has never shied away from such a leadership position. 

As an organization the SVS needs to continue to advance the care of patients with innovative and flexible strategies to deliver care beyond the walls of hospitals. These innovative care strategies include OBL's where SVS members provide exemplary and necessary care. The future of the majority of vascular care is undoubtedly outside the hospital and that's where our priorities should be aligned. 

Palma Shaw, MD

As the Society has grown, it has developed a strategic focus involving six domains. These are designed to support the crucial facets of being a vascular surgeon. As our noble purpose is to provide quality care based upon high quality research and continued education, the SVS aims to ensure that this is available for the busy vascular surgeon conducting his/her practice. Our efforts deserve fair equitable compensation, and a top priority is commitment to advocacy. As most vascular surgeons are busy caring for their patients, the SVS will continue to work towards this end utilizing consultants in D.C. to navigate challenging legal terrain. A sharp and agile team is necessary to focus on efforts that avoid cuts to reimbursement.

Woven through all activities must be a purposeful inclusivity and equity to support a diverse membership. There are a slowly growing number of women and under-represented minorities who will need to have a voice through committees and officer roles. 

Often the SVS leadership interacts with various specialties, some which are supportive of our mission and others who are in competition. Careful interaction and negotiation can make these productive relationships for the SVS. At times a mutual agreement is reached and there are other instances where we need to stand firm and avoid compromise of our commitment to quality, appropriate use guidelines and our identity as vascular surgeons. 

Relationships with our industry partners who do support several of our educational efforts such as the Vascular Annual Meeting are important. Industry helps introduce us to new technology which can help provide better outcomes for our patients. Our actions should be conducted in an organized way to address the growing need for more vascular surgeons to care for our aging population. To maintain all of its efforts, the SVS must remain organizationally and financially whole.