DermWorld Academy Insider: Assistant Secretary-Treasurer

Jun. 1, 2026

The American Academy of Dermatology is currently accepting applications for Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, a role through which you can help shape the future of the Academy and ensure that your impact is felt for the next several years — three as Assistant Secretary-Treasurer followed by three as Secretary-Treasurer. You can read information about the position or submit an application.

In this exclusive DermWorld Academy Insider interview, Keyvan Nouri, MD, MBA, FAAD, Daniel D. Bennett, MD, FAAD, and Marta Van Beek, MD, MPH, FAAD, the AAD’s three most recent Secretary-Treasurers, share their insight on the position, what it means to them, and why they believe members should apply.

DermWorld: What was your inspiration to initially apply for the role of Assistant Secretary-Treasurer?

Dr. Nouri: My lifelong goal has been to contribute to our specialty through collaboration and teamwork. This led me to pursue my work with the AAD, the largest dermatology specialty organization in the world, as means to assist dermatologists in their clinical pursuits but also to improve our care of patients. As Assistant Secretary-Treasurer/Secretary-Treasurer (AST/ST) you are afforded the opportunity to make a significant contribution to nearly every realm of our specialty’s interests.

Dr. Bennett: I had been active in the Academy, mostly in the advocacy space, but also in leadership development and quality. Through what I was doing there, I was able to see up close what the work of the Secretary-Treasurer was. I got a chance to talk to Barb Mathes, who was Secretary-Treasurer at the time, and was inspired by her opportunity to lead within the Academy.

Dr. Van Beek: I was involved in Academy in other ways, having served on several councils, committees, and task forces. I was encouraged by what the Academy was doing in trying to solve problems for all dermatologists regardless of their practice setting and I wanted to continue to be part of it.

DermWorld: What are the biggest ways the position allows you to impact the Academy’s future?

Dr. Nouri: The role of AST and ST is very important. It’s the role that gives you longitudinal perspective of all details of the Academy, which allows you to have a good grasp on how the Academy functions and contribute significantly to the goals of the Academy. The AST has different responsibilities than the ST. The AST is a gradual learning experience for you to become the ST. The ST is part of the Tripatite leadership of the AAD which also includes the President and CEO. The three meet on a weekly basis and address important issues that can impact the AAD and our specialty. AST and ST are also part of the Executive Committee of the Board of Director (BOD) of AAD. They represent and serve the BOD of AAD.

Dr. Bennett: It’s important to understand the Academy’s tripartite leadership structure. The Assistant Secretary-Treasurer is a voting officer and member of the Executive Committee and ultimately becomes the Secretary-Treasurer, who is the Board’s representative within the tripartite leadership group that includes the President, Secretary-Treasurer and the CEO. This means you have a six-year opportunity to be the continuity in leadership on the Executive Committee to ensure that what the Academy is actually doing, in terms of its budget, its operations, and its messaging, aligns with the strategy the Board approved. That is the fundamental role of this position: to represent the Board and what it has decided, primarily with a focus on budget and operations.

Dr. Van Beek: As Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, you serve on the Board and you are part of Board initiatives and decisions. As Secretary-Treasurer, in addition to many other roles, you serve as an ex-officio member of all of the Academy CCTFs. This is important for several reasons, because the ST is the conduit between the board and the CEO and management staff. Not only does the term of the AST-ST enable a valuable historical perspective, the role also allows visibility to the entire picture of what’s happening in communications, advocacy, science and research, and membership—to confirm those things are all working synergistically from a member perspective.

DermWorld: During your time as AST, what were some of the position’s most personally fulfilling aspects?

Dr. Nouri: I was fulfilled by the leadership and mentorship opportunities to impact the next generation. Many of the things we do are tailored toward mentoring future leaders, and as AST/ST you have a significant impact by serving as a role model for the younger generations who aspire to develop their leadership skills and advance their careers. I also got a deep understanding of AAD and all of its great contributions to our members and had the opportunity to work with great AAD staff who are not only very competent but also very kind and professional. I also had an opportunity to collaborate and learn from and make close friendship with our board members and member leaders, leadership conferences, and our meetings.

Dr. Bennett: I got a lot of fulfillment from the opportunity to. I had worked in the advocacy space and in leadership development, but serving as Assistant Secretary-Treasurer and then as Secretary-Treasurer gave me deep exposure to all of the Academy’s programs. I learned a lot about the Academy and our specialty, about how to run non-profits, about publishing, about the operations of meeting planning, etc. These are things I never in a million years would have had an opportunity to learn about were it not for this role. A unique aspect about my term specifically is that I was AST and ST during the throes of the COVID pandemic, which was stressful, but it was exciting to quickly pivot to meet our members’ needs in that environment. I’m very proud of what we did. I was also fulfilled by connections the role allowed me to make across all facets of the specialty. I just got to know so many people, and not just in the U.S., but internationally as well.

Dr. Van Beek: What I found most personally fulfilling was building relationships and collaborating with members of the Board, Council Chairs, and management staff at the AAD. The Academy has tremendously talented staff who have terminal degrees in their fields and are experts in their professional realms, such as marketing and communications, advocacy, policy, and adult education, etc. Learning that there are best practices behind all of those aspects of running an organization was fascinating and incredibly enriching. As AST-ST, I was afforded the opportunity be part of some specialty changing initiatives. The process of executing Board initiatives with the expert staff, and in tandem with membership volunteers was incredibly inspiring.

DermWorld: What qualities make for an effective Assistant Secretary-Treasurer?

Dr. Nouri: A good Assistant Secretary-Treasurer is an individual who embodies service in their leadership style. An effective AST must be very collaborative, a good listener, a visionary of what goals the Academy should achieve, and must have a detailed understanding of the Academy’s leadership structure. It is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual to impact our specialty’s trajectory into the future. One must also note it is a significant time commitment so one must love to problem solve and collaborate with many different stakeholders.

Dr. Bennett: I think an ideal Assistant Secretary-Treasurer is someone who will not know everything, but still knows a lot about the Academy and about dermatology, and someone who will be committed to working on behalf of dermatologists. It’s also important to be someone who doesn’t have a lot of ego. The Secretary-Treasurer and the president are partners in leadership, but the president is the external face of the organization. The Secretary-Treasurer is internally facing, so you have to be someone who wants to work very hard but not necessarily get a lot of credit for it. You should also be someone who has strong attention to detail, because a lot of work is about ensuring that budget, policies and operations are aligning with the Board’s.

Dr. Van Beek: The role calls for a patient listener, an effective communicator, and someone who loves the work. The AST-ST is the worker-bee behind the scenes. While the time commitment is significant, it is worth the experiences you gain, the things you learn, and the relationships you develop. I would do it again; it was a fantastic experience.

DermWorld: Why should other members apply for this position?

Dr. Nouri: Severing as Secretary-Treasurer has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have had during my career. It’s a big commitment: six years to the Academy! But overall, I have found working for the largest dermatology organization in the world and having the opportunity to help dermatologists take better care of their patients to be one of the most fulfilling things I have undertaken. I am grateful for the learning journey this position has afforded me and I hope that I made a small impact on our specialty’s progress.

Dr. Bennett: For the right person, who has space for it in their life, this is the best job in organized medicine. You get the opportunity to learn and make connections, while making a real impact, not just the organization but on actual people, for six years.

Dr. Van Beek: The Academy serves a diverse membership, ranging from solo private practice, private equity, academic practice, industry, etc. The Academy provides resources for dermatologists to offer the best care for patients in their particular practice environment, but doing so is complex and requires a nimble organization that can accommodate those different practices and advocate on their behalf. Anybody who wants to make their colleagues’ lives easier and strengthen the profession’s ability to maintain the integrity of the patient-physician relationship should apply. They won’t regret it.