International Advisory Board (IAB)

IAB 2022

The IAB is made up of global otolaryngology—head and neck surgery societies from the Academy’s International Corresponding Societies (ICS) affiliated network.


About the International Advisory Board (IAB)

The IAB was established in 2016 as an international member network within the AAO-HNS Foundation. The IAB is made up of otolaryngologists around the world who belong to the ICS affiliated network, and serves as an important avenue of communication with the Board of Directors to help improve the programs and policies of the AAO-HNS/F. This governance structure “gives a voice” to the Academy’s global community of otolaryngologists – head and neck surgeons with the goal of fostering a global otolaryngology community to promote the highest standards in clinical care through collaboration to advance education, research, and communication.

In this spirit, the International Advisory Board (IAB) was established as a representative body designed to provide international members with an unprecedented platform to interact with the Academy.

What purpose does the IAB serve?

The IAB serves as a “voice” of international otolaryngologists—head and neck surgeons, comprising an Executive Committee and General Assembly.

What is the role of the IAB?

The IAB counsels Academy leadership on AAO-HNSF engagement with the global community of otolaryngologist—head and neck surgeons, opening up new opportunities for international communication and collaborative work.

Structure of the IAB: Officers, IAB Executive Committee, IAB General Assembly, and Staff

The IAB has two organs over which the Chair presides (in descending hierarchical order): The IAB Executive Committee and the General Assembly.

IAB Organization Chart

2024 – 2025 IAB Officers

IAB Chair: Titus Sunday Ibekwe, MBBS, FWACS, University of Abuja, Nigeria

IAB Chair-Elect: Hector de la Garza-Hesles, MD, Mexico

IAB Executive Committee (EC)

The Executive Committee (EC) is the administrative arm of the IAB and serves the Chair primarily in an advisory capacity.

IAB Chair: Titus Sunday Ibekwe, MBBS, FWACS, Nigeria

IAB Chair-Elect: Hector de la Garza-Hesles, MD, Mexico

Immediate Past Chair*: Piotr Skarzynski, MD, PhD, MSc, Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland

AAO-HNS/F Immediate Past President: Douglas D. Backous, MD

AAO-HNS/F Executive Vice President and CEO: James Denneny III, MD

AAO-HNSF Coordinator for International Affairs: Maria Suurna, MD

*Nonvoting member 

 

General Assembly

The primary organ of the IAB is the General Assembly. Its membership is divided into two categories:

  1. Delegates representing International Corresponding Societies (ICS)
    ICS are otolaryngology organizations around the world that have entered into an informal corresponding relationship with the Academy.
  2. 10 individual international members who serve as At-large Representatives for countries and/or regions not already robustly represented by ICS.

IAB Staff

Katie Stouffs Grimes, MA

Director, Global Affairs

Regulations of the International Advisory Board of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF)

At AAO-HNSF 2017 Annual Meeting & OTO Experience in Chicago, IL, IAB Delegates to the General Assembly voted to approve the IAB Regulations, which were subsequently approved by the AAO-HNSF Board of Directors.

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