Beginning today, Nicole L. Lohr, MD, PhD, FACC, will serve as chair of the American College of Cardiology Board of Governors (BOG) and secretary of the Board of Trustees. Her term will run one year from 2023-2024.
Lohr will lead governors from chapters representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and representatives from the U.S. health services. The BOG is the grassroots governing body of the ACC, a nonprofit cardiovascular medical society representing over 56,000 cardiologists and cardiovascular care team members around the world.
“I have spent the last 11 years finding ways to get involved in my ACC state chapter and in various ACC councils, committees and workgroups. The lessons I learned are to listen carefully, use your creativity, respect diverse opinions and create a tangible outcome,” Lohr said. “During my year as Board of Governors chair, I look forward to engaging our governors and members to use their creativity and drive to produce actionable change. I see my role as BOG chair as a facilitator of the member voice to harness their creativity to advance cardiovascular care and practice. Hearing the member voice is a privilege and a call to action.”
Prior to her new role as ACC BOG chair, Lohr has been an active member of the ACC for her entire career. She currently serves on the ACC Academic Cardiology Leadership Council and the ACC Annual Scientific Session Program Committee. Previously she has served as governor of the ACC Wisconsin (ACC WI) Chapter and the ACC WI Leadership Council. She has been a member of a number of workgroups and committees regarding clinical and quality improvement in varying areas of cardiovascular practice.
“I believe the mental and physical well-being of our members is a priority. We are confronted with managing and treating an older and sicker population with decreasing numbers of available clinicians,” Lohr said. “We are challenged by a shrinking workforce and increased demand for services. The ACC Board of Trustees and Board of Governors recognize the workforce of the future requires coordinated planning, education and advocacy. I hope to work together with the BOG to increase professional development, implement well-being initiatives and enhance statewide advocacy.”
In 2022 Lohr was appointed Professor of medicine and Division Director of cardiovascular medicine at the Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is also the director of the Comprehensive Cardiovascular Center and the Mary G. Walters Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine. Previously she was a member of the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) faculty as an associate professor in the division of cardiovascular medicine, as well as holding leadership roles in clinical trials administration and in the Veterans Administration.
She is a physician-scientist with numerous active clinical trial studies as primary investigator.
Lohr obtained her PhD and MD from MCW in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 2004 and 2006, respectively. She completed her internal medicine residency and cardiovascular medicine fellowship at MCW as well.
Other new ACC officers for 2023-2024 are President B. Hadley Wilson, MD, FACC; Vice President Cathleen Biga, MSN, RN, FACC; Board of Trustees Member Sandra J. Lewis, MD, FACC; Finance Committee Chair-Elect Akshay K. Khandelwal, MD, FACC; and Board of Governors Chair-Elect Himabindu Vidula, MD, MS, FACC.
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is the global leader in transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health for all. As the preeminent source of professional medical education for the entire cardiovascular care team since 1949, ACC credentials cardiovascular professionals in over 140 countries who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. Through its world-renowned family of JACC Journals, NCDR registries, ACC Accreditation Services, global network of Member Sections, CardioSmart patient resources and more, the College is committed to ensuring a world where science, knowledge and innovation optimize patient care and outcomes. Learn more at www.ACC.org or follow @ACCinTouch.
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