Research Award Program

Board of Directors | Advisory Council

Among the most notable and respected members of the dermatology community, our Board of Directors members draw upon their diverse experience across the specialty to guide the Dermatology Foundation. These exceptional individuals bring their passion for strengthening the specialty through expanding knowledge, all in the service of improving patient care. The Foundation thanks our Board of Directors for their unwavering dedication. Click on the names below to learn more about these remarkable dermatologists.

Elizabeth I. McBurney, MD, FAAD, FACP, has been an active member of the Dermatology Foundation for over four decades serving as a donor, state chair, Leaders' Society committee member, chair of Annenberg Circle committee, Executive Committee member, and chair of Board of Trustees. She has recently retired from private practice and remains on the clinical faculty of Tulane University School of Medicine as Adjunct Professor of Dermatology. Her two areas of clinical interest are cutaneous laser surgery and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. She is passionate about the Dermatology Foundation because its mission allows her to give back to her specialty of dermatology and to give forward to the future of dermatology.

Elizabeth I. McBurney, MD

Chair, Advisory Council

Janet A. Fairley, MD was the John S. Strauss Professor of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Iowa from 2007 to 2023. Dr. Fairley completed medical school, residency training, and a research fellowship at the University of Michigan. Dr. Fairley’s interests include autoimmune skin diseases, complex medical dermatology, and skin and cutaneous manifestations of systemic illness. She has published over 140 articles and book chapters. Dr. Fairley is a diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology and a member of the American Academy of Dermatology and the Society for Investigative Dermatology. Dr. Fairley is currently the President of the Dermatology Foundation and the immediate past president of the Society for Investigative Dermatology. Dr. Fairley is also an honorary member of the Société Française de Dermatologie and the recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the Medical Dermatology Society.

Janet A. Fairley, MD

President

Sewon Kang, MD, is the Noxell Professor and Chairman of the Department of Dermatology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Dermatologist-in-Chief of Johns Hopkins Hospital.

A graduate with honors from Williams College and the University of Michigan, Dr. Kang completed dermatology residency and fellowship at the Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital.

He has served on the board of several organizations including the Society for Investigative Dermatology, the Photodermatology Society, the Association of Professors of Dermatology, the Skin of Color Society, and the Dermatology Foundation. Dr. Kang has authored over 250 publications and he is an inventor of 17 patents.

Dr. Kang credits the Dermatology Foundation’s Clinical Career Development Award for launching his investigative research career, which led to several awards from the National Institutes of Health (Roadmap T32, K24, & R01). For more than two decades he has continuously volunteered and supported the Dermatology Foundation.

Sewon Kang, MD

Vice President

Renée Mathur, MD, practices dermatology in the Geisinger Health System in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania. Prior to this, she operated a solo private practice for over 20 years. Dr. Mathur is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and completed her internship and residency at Duke University Medical Center.

Dr. Mathur is very active in advocacy on behalf of our specialty. She is immediate Past President of the PA Academy of Dermatology, and serves on the AAD/A’s Congressional Policy Committee, State Policy Committee, and Grassroots Advocacy Taskforce as Deputy Chair. She has been awarded Presidential Citations by both the PAD and the AAD/A.

Dr. Mathur has served at the Dermatology Foundation as State Vice Chair, State Chair, and currently serves as Secretary-Treasurer and Leaders Society Co-Chair. Dr. Mathur understands that the impact of the Dermatology Foundation’s supported discoveries has had a direct effect on her practice and has resulted in innovative and life-changing therapies for her patients.

Renée J. Mathur, MD

Secretary-Treasurer

Members at Large

Dr. Chiu is Professor of Dermatology and Pediatrics and Vice Chair of Pediatric Dermatology at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Medical Director of Dermatology at Children’s Wisconsin. She obtained a BA in Molecule and Cell Biology from the University of California Berkeley and an MD from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. She then completed her pediatrics internship, dermatology residency, and pediatric dermatology fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She is a leader in the field of pediatric autoimmune connective tissue disease, specifically morphea but also cutaneous lupus erythematosus and juvenile dermatomyositis. In addition to her research and clinical interests in pediatric connective tissue disease, Dr. Chiu enjoys caring for pediatric patients with complex dermatologic diseases. Throughout her career, Dr. Chiu has benefited directly and indirectly from the efforts of the Dermatology Foundation. In addition to learning from DF awardees teaching at CME conferences or using research advances in clinic to treat patients, she was fortunate to receive the Fellowship in Pediatric Dermatology and the Pediatric Dermatology Career Development Award early in her career. She has been a member of the Dermatology Foundation since 2011 and is passionate about supporting the organization as a member and volunteer.

Yvonne E. Chiu, MD

George Cotsarelis, MD, is the Milton B. Hartzell Professor and Chair of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. His research focuses on hair follicle stem cells, alopecia, and skin regeneration. He has published numerous high-impact research manuscripts, served on an array of grant review panels, and presented numerous invited lectures throughout the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Cotsarelis has held research support from the National Institutes of Health for over 25 years. Dr. Cotsarelis is a world-renowned clinical and research expert in alopecia and his research is inspired by his patients with hair loss. He has received numerous awards, including the SID’s Montagna lecturer and Kligman/Frost award, the AAD’s Marion Sulzberger Award, and the Mancunian Skin Club’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Cotsarelis has an honorary degree from China Medical University. Dr. Cotsarelis received a DF Clinical Career Development Award early in his career and views the DF’s mission to support junior investigators as paramount.

George Cotsarelis, MD

Eric S. Fromer, MD has served as a dermatologist at The Permanente Medical Group, in California (1999- current) and as Health Sciences Clinical Assistant Professor at UC Davis Dermatology (2000- 2020). He serves as technology lead in his department with regional projects involving dermatology virtual care delivery.

A native of the Washington DC area, Eric completed training at UC Davis Dermatology 1996-99, Duke Univ MD (1988-95) Medical Scientist Training Program, UC San Francisco Masters Microbiology Immunology (1990-94), Univ of Virginia (1984-88).

His clinical interests have included psoriasis biologic therapy, dermoscopy, dermatology virtual care, resident teaching.

Eric has served as a Leader’s Society member since 2004, Leader’s Society Committee/Advisory Council (2015-current), and Board (2023-current). Witnessing the heroic response of the research community to the HIV epidemic in San Francisco instilled in Eric an early devotion to supporting the future research careers in medicine and dermatology, which the DF makes possible.

Eric S. Fromer, MD

Stuart R. Lessin, MD, is an investigative dermatologist with over 35 years of experience in clinical care, laboratory and clinical research, and product testing.

After receiving Dermatology Foundation funding early in his career, he led a federally-funded laboratory investigation at the University of Pennsylvania that focused on the molecular biology of cutaneous lymphomas. As Director of Dermatology at Fox Chase Cancer Center, he created and directed clinical care and research programs and led a topical drug development program resulting in U.S. FDA approval. Dr. Lessin currently serves as Medical Director of KGL Skin Study Center, a Philadelphia-based, independent clinical research facility.

Dr. Lessin has been a member of the Dermatology Foundation since the completion of his Dermatology Foundation Research Fellowship and Career Development Award in 1993 and has served in various capacities. He has been a member of the leadership team since 2005.

Stuart R. Lessin, MD

Kishwer S. Nehal, MD, is a graduate of Boston University School of Medicine and completed her Dermatology residency and Mohs fellowship at New York University. She joined Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City in 1998 and developed the skin cancer surgery program. She is currently the Director of Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery and co-director of the Multidisciplinary Skin Cancer Management Program at MSKCC providing comprehensive care for patients with high risk, complex, and advanced skin cancers in a multidisciplinary setting. Dr. Nehal serves on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network panel for nonmelanoma skin cancers and development of clinical practice guidelines. She has served on the American Joint Committee on Cancer expert panel to develop staging for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Dr. Nehal has published extensively on cutaneous oncology including lentigo maligna melanoma. Her clinical research in noninvasive imaging in collaboration with the optical imaging team at MSKCC has led to advances in real time skin cancer imaging to guide surgery. Dr. Nehal is also the program director of the ACGME Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology fellowship, a training program in cutaneous oncology and Mohs and cutaneous reconstructive surgery.

Kishwer S. Nehal, MD

Ginette A. Okoye, MD, FAAD is Professor and Chair of Dermatology at Howard University College of Medicine. Her areas of clinical and research expertise are in health disparities in dermatology and hidradenitis suppurativa. Dr. Okoye left her native Trinidad & Tobago to attend Barry University, where she earned her BS degree. She then earned her Medical Degree from Columbia University’s College of Physicians & Surgeons and completed her dermatology residency training at Yale University, where she also served as Chief Resident. She has been recognized by the American Academy of Dermatology with a Presidential Citation, a Volunteerism Award, a Patient Care Hero Award, and the 2023 Mentor of the Year Award.

Ginette A. Okoye, MD

John Seykora, MD, PhD, is a Professor of Dermatology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania who practices Dermatopathology and directs a research laboratory studying skin cancer. Dr. Seykora has a long relationship with the DF that started with a Research Career Development Award in 1999 that provided key support leading to his success in securing grants from NIH and industry. He has also received a Research Grant and Dermatopathology Research Grant. Dr. Seykora has been active in the DF since 2008 when he was a member of the Medical and Scientific Committee, chairing the committee in 2010. Dr. Seykora has been involved in the Leaders Society and helped establish the Dermatopathology Campaign in 2010. Dr. Seykora became a member of the DF Executive Committee in 2018 and is a Liaison to the Research Award Program. Dr. Seykora is a sustaining member of the Annenberg Circle and continues to support the DF because it is highly effective in promoting research and innovation in Dermatology.

John T. Seykora, MD, PhD

Jonathan S. Weiss, MD, FAAD, is an adjunct assistant clinical professor of Dermatology at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. He is President, Co-managing partner and practices at Georgia Dermatology Partners, with four offices in metropolitan Atlanta. He performs clinical pharmacology research at Gwinnett Clinical Research Center in his Snellville office. Dr. Weiss earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he also served as chief resident in the dermatology department. He maintains a full-time clinical dermatology practice and oversees an active clinical trial unit studying a wide range of dermatologic conditions and pharmaceutical compounds. Dr. Weiss has been an investigator in over 230 studies. His experiences with the pharmaceutical industry led him to work in corporate development for the Dermatology Foundation as a way to give back to and positively influence the future of our essential field of medicine.

Jonathan S. Weiss, MD

Advisory Council

Lindsey Ackerman MD

Ronald R. Brancaccio, MD

Bruce A. Brod, MD

Jennifer C. Cather, MD

Misty D. Caudell, MD

Anne Lynne Chang, MD

Emily Y. Chu, MD, PhD

Karen Connolly, MD

M. Laurin Council, MD

Connor P. Dolehide, MD

Beth A. Drolet, MD

William W. Huang, MD, MPH

Joseph C. Kvedar, MD

Manisha J. Loss, MD

Megan H. Noe, MD, MPH, MSCE

Jack S. Resneck, Jr., MD

Frankie G. Rholdon MD

Leslie Robinson-Bostom, MD

Dana L. Sachs, MD

Cory L. Simpson, MD, PhD

Valencia D. Thomas, MD

Karolyn A. Wanat, MD

Kim B. Yancey, MD

Meet the Foundation Team

Guiding the operational excellence and implementation of purpose is the DF team. Led by John E. Bournas, Executive Director, the Foundation is undergoing transformational change as it strengthens its digital, educational, fundraising, and research capabilities in support of the dermatology community and patients. With over 80 years combined professional nonprofit management, the staff brings their passion and experience to help the Foundation succeed.

John Bournas is the Executive Director of the Dermatology Foundation since September 2020. Whether working with physicians on fundraising for research, on access to medicines, advocating for patients, or forging strong collaborations with an array of stakeholders, he is consistently focused on achieving better health care outcomes.

He is of the firm belief that education, exchanges of scientific knowledge via different platforms, and diversity should be embedded in a non-profit’s DNA and are keys to their continuous growth. As the Foundation moves into a decade that promises ground-breaking treatments, Mr. Bournas’ talent, as a leader in medical, scientific, and patient-based organizations, will create the requisite momentum for success.

Mr. Bournas resides in the Greater Chicago area with his wife and children. He enjoys spending time with his family outdoors, reading, music, and coaching his son in sports.

John E. Bournas, MA, MBA

Executive Director

Christine M. Boris joined the Dermatology Foundation in 2003 after 15 years of building broad management experience in nonprofit organizations. This included proven expertise in developing national member programs and leading marketing initiatives at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Ms. Boris oversees the annual delivery of the DF’s Research Award Program, its educational programs (including the Clinical Symposia), its day-to-day financial activities, and a wide variety of communication and publication projects. She has found it deeply rewarding to work closely with so many dedicated volunteers and insightful research award recipients, and values her front-row seat witnessing the powerful impact of the DF.

Ms. Boris enjoys road trips with her husband and their two dogs — especially visits to their three children in New York and Washington, DC.

Christine M. Boris, MBA

Deputy Executive Director

Maria DeCrosta is the Director of Development at the Dermatology Foundation, bringing with her over 20 years of experience in elevating relationship management and leading transformational fundraising initiatives. Her leadership in the non-profit sector is characterized by a genuine passion, authentic charisma, and expertise in driving impact through strategic partnerships and community engagement. Her adeptness extends to fundraising for research, advocating for constituents, and establishing robust collaborations with diverse stakeholders to consistently achieve superior outcomes.

Maria holds degrees in Psychology and Education from Duquesne University. She resides in the Greater Pittsburgh area with her husband, two teenage children, and two brachycephalic dogs. In her leisure time, Maria enjoys traveling, outdoor dining, and unwinding near water. While she has always enjoyed paper crafting, she has recently begun knitting.

Maria DeCrosta, MSEd

Director of Development

Erica Gardner is the Communications Program Manager at the Dermatology Foundation, bringing with her over 8 years of experience in the education field with a background in communications and marketing. She has a strong passion for writing and has a keen interest in implementing and utilizing social media trends to maximize an organization's visibility.

Erica attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she obtained a degree in Communications (specializing in Health and Organizations) and Spanish. During her time at the University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign, she worked on various research projects, one of which being Dual Immersion Programs in Elementary Schools. In her research, she focused on behaviors, classroom dynamic, interactions, language patterns, Spanish competency and proficiency among youth in elementary schools. It was an eye-opening experience for her, as she got to study the intersectionality between communication, Spanish, and youth.

In the early onsets of COVID, she pursued her Master's in Organizational Leadership from National Louis University. Erica loves sports, especially the WNBA. She also enjoys traveling, her family, trying new restaurants, and walks by the lake.

Erica J. Gardner, MS

Communications Program Manager

Petra A. Prins joined the Foundation as the Research Award Program Manager and is responsible for administering our research funding opportunities. Ms. Prins has over 10 years of program management experience and a solid scientific background in global clinical trials in emerging infectious diseases, oncology, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition to her experience in non-profit organizations, Ms. Prins has obtained degrees in both Biomedical Sciences and Biology. She strongly believes that non-profit organizations play an important role in improving the lives of patients, families, and communities through education, support, and scientific research.

She resides in Missouri City, Texas with her family. She enjoys spending time with her family traveling, doing fun things with her 2 boys, walking her dogs, reading many books, listening to music, and painting.

Petra Prins, PhD, MSc

Research Award Program Manager

Alejandra Lule-Rivera joined as Office Operations Associate of the Dermatology Foundation in January 2021. Ms. Lule-Rivera graduated with Bachelors of Art from University of Illinois at Chicago and Masters in Management degree from North Park University. She has extensive nonprofit experience, which includes work at the International Office of American Academy of Pediatrics, St. Nicholas Church in Evanston, and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Ms. Lule-Rivera is excited to be part of the Dermatology Foundation.

She lives in Evanston with her husband and daughter and loves being close to the lake and the city of Chicago.

Alejandra Lule-Rivera, MM

Membership Administrator

Kathleen Foskett joined the Dermatology Foundation in 2024. Ms. Foskett graduated from DePaul University with a bachelor's degree in psychology. She has more than 25 years of administrative experience. Ms. Foskett lives in Chicago with her cat and loves reading and walking by the lake.

Kathleen Foskett

Executive Assistant

When we unite and share knowledge, the potential of dermatology is limitless.

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