We are pleased to announce the results of the election held recently by the AGA Institute Council, the driving force behind AGA’s programming at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2025.
We welcome five members into their roles as section vice chairs, joining the existing 21 council members.
We are also pleased to announce the members joining nominating committees during the 2027 election cycle. The chairs of the nominating committee will be the immediate past section chairs, whom we also recognize and thank for their leadership and dedication to the section and AGA.
Cellular & Molecular Gastroenterology (CMG)
Arthur Beyder, MD, PhD
Vice Chair
Mayo Clinic
“The field of cellular and molecular gastroenterology is undergoing transformative advances in how we understand fundamental mechanistic processes in GI biology, which results in unprecedented opportunities for scientific progress and innovation. If selected as vice chair, I would prioritize the development of dynamic and cutting-edge DDW programming that highlights the latest discoveries and fosters intellectual exchange.”
Nominating committee:
- Michele A. Battle, PhD, Chair, NC State University
- Clara Abraham, MD, Yale University Dept of Medicine
- Melinda Engevik, PhD, Medical University of South Carolina
- Ravinder Gill, PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago
- Nicholas Zachos, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Esophageal, Gastric & Duodenal Disorders (EGD)
Nirmala Gonsalves, MD
Vice Chair
Northwestern University - Feinberg School of Medicine
“My clinical and research area of expertise is in esophagology, specifically eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders. I currently serve as the Director of the Northwestern Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders Program and have also served in national leadership roles in the EGD community. Furthermore, I have submitted abstracts, delivered oral and poster presentations, been invited to speak at numerous symposia, breakfast sessions, postgraduate sessions, and topic sessions, and have also served as moderator for these events.”
Nominating committee:
- Sachin B. Wani, MD, AGAF, Chair, University of Colorado Hospital Anschutz Medical Campus
- Joan Chen, MD, MS, Michigan Medicine/University of Michigan
- Leila Kia, MD, Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health
- Dan Li, MD, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
- Anh Nguyen, MD, Center for Esophageal Diseases at Baylor University Medical Center
Gastrointestinal Oncology (GIONC)
Bryson Katona, MD, PhD
Vice Chair
University of Pennsylvania
“AGA has been my professional home since I was a trainee, and during my time involved with the association, I’ve seen firsthand how important DDW and DDW content is for shaping the lives and careers of trainees and early career individuals. Furthermore, DDW helps to stimulate learning, establish new collaborations, and spark novel research among established professionals. GIONC is critically important for both DDW and AGA, as the content in this section appeals to many outside of GI and has the potential to have a broad reach. I look forward to increasing interest in GI oncology among our community as well as bringing more individuals from outside of the GI community to DDW.”
Nominating committee:
- Elena M. Stoffel, MD, AGAF, Chair, University of Michigan
- Rachel Issaka, MD, MAS, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Fay Kastrinos, MD, MPH, Columbia Univ College of Physicians & Surgeons
- Jonathan Katz, MD, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
- Joel Rubenstein, MD, MS, VA Medical Center
Neurogastroenterology & Motility (NGM)
Kara Margolis, MD
Vice Chair
New York University & NYU Langone Medical Center
“The parts of medicine and research that I most enjoy are constructing and/or being parts of teams that are oriented toward similar goals of building our fields. I’ve been fortunate to be part of the NGM community and value its vision and goals to advance the field and nurture the next generation of clinicians and scientists.”
Nominating committee:
- Shanthi Srinivasan, MD, AGAF, Chair, Emory University School of Medicine
- Walter Chan, MD, MPH, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
- Daniela Jodorkovsky, MD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Leila Neshatian, MD, MSc, Stanford University
- Anisa Shaker, MD, University of Southern California
Pancreatic Disorders (PAN)
Shounak Majumder, MD
Vice Chair
Mayo Clinic
“I am dedicated to treating pancreatic diseases and aim to use my clinical knowledge to improve their diagnosis and management globally. If selected for this role, I look forward to developing and advocating for informed and innovative strategies that advance the field of pancreatic diseases, promoting a national and global community of clinical, translational, and basic research in pancreatology, and working toward fulfilling the needs of AGA members by advancing their clinical, scientific, and academic aspirations as it relates to pancreatic diseases.”
Nominating committee:
- Vikesh Singh, MD, MSc, Chair, Johns Hopkins University
- Saurabh Chawla, MD, Emory University School of Medicine
- Tamas Gonda, MD, NYU Langone Health
- Nagaraj Nagathihalli, PhD, University of Miami School of Medicine
- Nadav Sahar, MD, TriHealth
