Leadership
Meet the AAAAI Foundation Council
The governance structure of the AAAAI Foundation allows for direct and frequent reporting to the AAAAI Board of Directors. The members of the AAAAI Foundation Council each have a specific role and lead efforts in Annual Giving, Research and Long Range Planning, Annual Meeting Special Events, Lectureship Fundraising and the upcoming Capital Campaign.
AAAAI Foundation Council Chair – William W. Busse, MD, FAAAAI
As the Chair of the AAAAI Foundation Council, Dr. Busse works with the Council to set overall goals, spearheads strategic planning efforts, leads Foundation Council meetings and presents recommendations to the Board of Directors. He is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and a Past President of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
AAAAI President-Elect – Robert A. Wood, MD, FAAAAI
As President-Elect of the AAAAI, Dr. Wood serves as a direct link between AAAAI leadership and the Foundation Council, and encourages the Board’s involvement in AAAAI Foundation events and initiatives. He is Professor of Pediatrics and International Health and Director of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
AAAAI Secretary/Treasurer – David M. Lang, MD, FAAAAI
As Secretary/Treasurer of the AAAAI, Dr. Lang serves as a direct link between the AAAAI Board of Directors and the Foundation Council, and provides guidance on Foundation initiatives. He is Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, where he teaches evidence-based medicine. He also serves as Chairman of the Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Co-Director of the Asthma Center, and Director of the Allergy/Immunology Fellowship Training Program in the Respiratory Institute at Cleveland Clinic.
Annual Giving Chair – Sharon B. Markovics, MD, FAAAAI
Dr. Markovics provides guidance on annual fundraising, develops new approaches for fundraising, and leads the GAIN Campaign (Grow Allergy & Immunology Now). She is in private practice with Manhasset Allergy and Asthma Associates, a division of ProHealth Care Associates, LLP, and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, Hofstra University. Dr. Markovics is also a past Governor and Chair of the AAAAI Federation of Regional, State and Local Allergy and Immunology Societies and is currently serving on the Board of Directors of the AAAAI.
Capital Campaign Co-Chair – Kevin J. Kelly, MD, FAAAAI
Dr. Kelly offers guidance on the development of a capital campaign consistent with our mission statement that includes research, understanding industry trends, and the multi-leveled groundwork necessary for success. He is the Pediatrician in Chief of the University of North Carolina (UNC) Children's Hospital and a Professor of Pediatrics at UNC at Chapel Hill.
Capital Campaign Co-Chair – R. Stokes Peebles, Jr., MD, FAAAAI
Dr. Peebles offers guidance on the development of a capital campaign consistent with our mission statement that includes research, understanding industry trends, and the multi-leveled groundwork necessary for success. Early in his career, Peebles received a Faculty Development Award from the ERT (now the AAAAI Foundation) which he credits with furthering his career. He is Professor of Medicine, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Section Chief for Allergy/Immunology, Fellowship Training Program Director, and the Elizabeth and John Murray Chair in Medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
Lectureships and Major Gifts Chair - Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD, FAAAAI
Dr. Bernstein provides leadership and guidance on the development of Foundation Lectureships and works with major donors to provide funding for the Foundation’s grants and overall mission. He is Co-Owner of Bernstein Allergy Group, Inc. and Bernstein Clinical Research Center, LLC and a Professor of Medicine, Division of Clinical Research at the University of Cincinnati Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunology/Allergy Section. Bernstein is also the Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Asthma, and has served on the Board of Directors of the AAAAI.
Research and Long Range Planning Chair – Mariana C. Castells, MD, PhD, FAAAAI
Dr. Castells guides the efforts of the AAAAI Foundation's grant review and awarding process consistent with our mission statement, oversees tracking and reporting of our grant impact, and identifies future leadership for the Council. She is the Director of the Drug Hypersensitivity and Desensitization Center, the Director of the Allergy Immunology Training Program and the Associate Director of the Mastocytosis Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Castells has also served on the Board of Directors of the AAAAI.
Special Events Chair – Joseph D. Diaz, MD
Dr. Diaz oversees the AAAAI Foundation’s Benefit and Run/Walk events at the Annual Meeting and helps increase contributions through improved member participation in the activities. He is the Medical Director of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Associates of South Texas.