Press Release: ASTRO restructures, names four new vice-presidents

Fairfax, Va., August 31, 2010 – The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is pleased to announce its staff has been restructured into four divisions: Advocacy and Clinical Affairs, Member Relations and Communications, Education, and Finance and Administration. As such, four talented individuals have been promoted to the ranks of vice-president to head up each of these new divisions.

"Over the past year, ASTRO has been engaged in an extensive review of our strategic priorities to help the organization deal with the challenges that lay ahead for the specialty," Laura I. Thevenot, ASTRO CEO, said. "As part of that process, and at the recommendation of the Board of Directors, a Board Governance Task Force was formed to evaluate our current council and leadership structure and the nominating process. Also as a result of the strategic planning process, it became clear to me that our staff structure also needed to change to accommodate our new strategic plan and to help integrate and facilitate our work."

Emily Wilson is now vice-president of Advocacy and Clinical Affairs overseeing the organization's strategic efforts in health policy, research, government relations and quality. Anna Arnone is the vice-president of Member Relations and Communications managing ASTRO's communications, marketing, corporate relations and membership efforts. Lynn Brown is the vice-president of Education with responsibility for all education and meetings functions. Terry Karras is now vice-president of Finance and Administration. His division includes IT, accounting, finance and administration.

"I am delighted to promote these four talented and hard-working individuals," Thevenot said. "I know their visions will enable ASTRO to continue its critical role in helping our members use life-saving radiation therapy treatments to cure patients of their cancer."

ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through education, clinical practice, advancement of science and advocacy. For more information on radiation therapy, visit www.rtanswers.org. To learn more about ASTRO, visit www.astro.org.

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