With today’s shifting landscape, it’s more important than ever to select leaders who are shaping the policies and advocacy efforts that will positively impact you, your patients, and our profession.
Eligible* members will receive an email on March 13 from eBallot, our election partner, that contains this year’s ballot for the Governing Board, Nominating Committee, and AGA Institute Council Sections.
First, get to know this year’s slate of candidates, then vote to ensure that your voice is part of the conversation.
Michael Kochman, MD, AGAF
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Secretary | Treasurer-Elect
Notable accomplishments: Among other honors, Kochman was honored with the Master Endoscopist award by ASGE and the Distinguished Academic Clinician from AGA. He’s also published more than 250 articles, chapters, and videos, and edited 19 books.
Fasiha Kanwal, MD, MSHS, AGAF
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Councillor, At-Large
Research: Kanwal focuses on the structure, processes, and outcomes of care, health-related quality of life, viral hepatitis, and chronic liver disease.
Brijen Shah, MD, AGAF
Mount Sinai
New York, NY
Councillor, Education & Training
Professional interests: Shah focuses on developing a culture of safety and professionalism, creating systems to enhance provider performance, and working with leadership to better integrate advanced practice providers into the health care system.
Russ Arjal, MD, AGAF
WovenX Health
San Luis Obispo, CA
Councillor, Development & Growth
Professional interests: Arjal works at the intersection of venture capital, private equity, and clinical gastroenterology, giving him a unique perspective on innovation and growth opportunities. He’s focused on scaling growth-oriented, consumer-forward solutions that enhance access, efficiency, and patient experience.
Mohammad Bilal, MD
UCHealth, Anschutz
Denver, CO
Early-Career Practice Member
Research: Bilal’s primary research focuses on early detection and the management of early stage GI tract cancers and the techniques to improve early detection of GI tract cancers, and how to focus on evaluating techniques on minimally invasive strategies in managing early stage GI cancers.
Victor Chedid, MD
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
Early-Career Research Member
Research: Chedid addresses inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) health disparities in sexual and gender minority populations.
Meenakshi Bewtra, MD, PhD, MPH
University of Pennsylvania,
Penn Valley, PA
Committee Member
Notable accomplishments: Giving to the next generation, Bewtra has served as a primary research mentor to more than 20 trainees including undergraduates, residents, and post-doctoral fellows who have since been awarded a NIH K23 award, a NIH Loan Repayment Grant, an ACG Clinical Research Award, and four Masters of Science in Clinical Epidemiology degrees.
Peter Liang, MD, MPH
NYU Langone Health
New York, NY
Committee Member
Research: Liang examines sociodemographic and geographic disparities in colorectal cancer screening and outcomes, the comparative effectiveness of different screening strategies, novel methods to increase screening adherence, and early-onset colorectal cancer.
Declane McCole, PhD, AGAF
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA
Committee Member
Notable accomplishments: McCole’s lab was the first to identify that the IBD candidate gene, PTPN2, protects intestinal epithelial barrier function from the effects of inflammation. The lab also identified the critical roles of PTPN2 in regulating homeostatic and pathologic interactions between intestinal epithelial cells and gut macrophages that influence gut permeability and mucosal innate immune function.
Shivan Mehta, MD
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Penn Valley, PA
Committee Member
Notable accomplishments: Mehta has led and evaluated more than 30 pragmatic trials of health care delivery to improve population health outcomes in areas such as cancer screening, chronic disease management, hepatitis C screening, and vaccine outreach.
Carol Murakami, MD, AGAF
Kaiser Permanente
Bainbridge Island, WA
Committee Member
Volunteer work: Murakami has worked with the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community that helps to preserves the memory of Japanese Americans who were interned there in 1942.
Brian Riff, MD, AGAF
Associated Gastroenterology Medical Group
Anaheim, CA
Committee Member
Professional interests: Riff spends his time on endoluminal stenting of the esophagus, duodenum and colon; radiofrequency ablation for Barrett’s Esophagus; endoscopic ultrasound; endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP); endoscopic mucosal resection and complex polypectomy. He has lectured and published original research and book chapters on many gastrointestinal disorders.
Vice Chair
- Arthur Beyder, MD, PhD
- Eunyoung Choi, PhD
- Simon Hogan, PhD
- Andrei Ivanov, PhD
Nominating Committee Member
- Clara Abraham, MD
- Robert Barrett, PhD
- Jennifer Brazil, PhD, MSc, BSc
- Melinda Engevik, PhD
- Ravinder Gill, PhD
- Hamid Said, PhD, PharmD
- Sarah Short, PhD
- Nicholas Zachos, PhD
Vice Chair
- Julian Abrams, MD, MS
- Nirmala Gonsalves, MD
- Dhyanesh Patel, MD
Nominating Committee Member
- Joan Chen, MD, MS
- Yash Choksi, MD
- Francis Edeani, MD
- Leila Kia, MD
- Dan Li, MD
- Wai-Kit Lo, MD, MPH
- Anh Nguyen, MD
Vice Chair
- Bryson Katona, MD, PhD
- Mingyang Song, MBBS, ScD
Nominating Committee Member
- Ashley Faulx, MD
- Rachel Issaka, MD, MAS
- Fay Kastrinos, MD, MPH
- Jonathan Katz, MD
- John Kisiel, MD
- Nataliya Razumilava, MD
- Joel Rubenstein, MD, MS
Vice Chair
- Madhusudan Grover, MBBS
- Kara Margolis, MD
Nominating Committee Member
- Subhankar Chakraborty, MD, PhD
- Walter Chan, MD, MPH
- Daniela Jodorkovsky, MD
- Abraham Khan, MD
- Leila Neshatian, MD, MSc
- Anisa Shaker, MD
- Kristen Smith-Edwards, PhD
Vice Chair
- Elham Afghani, MD, MPH
- Shounak Majumder, MD
Nominating Committee Member
- Yan Bi, MD, PhD
- Saurabh Chawla, MD
- Tamas Gonda, MD
- Nagaraj Nagathihalli, PhD
- Nadav Sahar, MD
Whether it’s setting standards, developing programming, or advocating for policies, your vote ensures that your voice is part of the conversation, and that AGA works for you. Voting runs March 13 through April 14.
For questions about the Governing Board and Nominating Committee elections, email us at executiveoffice@gastro.org. Direct Council Section inquiries to agacouncil@gastro.org.
* To vote for Governing Board positions, you must be a physician or scientist member. To vote for Nominating Committee positions, you must be a full or senior member or an early career member in practice and research. To vote, you must use the ballot you receive in the email from eBallot.
