Update May 30, 2025
The American Board of Surgery (ABS), the national certifying body for general surgeons and related specialists, is pleased to welcome four additional surgeons to the ABS Council, with six-year terms beginning on July 1, 2025. All ABS Councilors are currently certified by the ABS and are meeting the requirements of the ABS Continuous Certification Program.
Steven L. Lee, M.D.
Dr. Steven Lee is chief of the Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery at Seattle Children’s Hospital and University of Washington (UW) Department of Surgery.
After earning his medical degree and completing general surgery training at the University of California, Davis, Dr. Lee completed a fellowship in pediatric surgery at UW. His current practice scope includes pediatric general surgery, and he has additional experience in minimally invasive surgery, colorectal surgery, general surgery, and gastrointestinal surgery. In addition, he recently received an Executive Master of Business Administration from UCLA School of Management.
Dr. Lee is active in both the ABS and the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA). He is a former chair and vice chair of the APSA Education Committee and is a member of the APSA Professional Development Committee.
Dr. Lee has served as a member of the Pediatric Surgery Board of the ABS (PSB-ABS) since 2019, when he was elected under the ABS’s former governance structure to represent the ACS Advisory Council for Pediatric Surgery. In addition to his position as a specialty board director, he also played an instrumental role in the development of the ABS’s pediatric surgery Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) by serving on the EPA Scope Council for pediatric surgery.
Dr. Lee will assume the role of chair of the PSB-ABS in September. He will also serve as a member of the Education and Training Committee of the ABS Council.
In his free time, Dr. Lee enjoys running, yoga, paddle tennis, and spending time with his wife and kids.
Malachi G. Sheahan III, M.D.
Malachi G. Sheahan III, M.D.Dr. Malachi Sheahan is a professor of surgery at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) in New Orleans, where he also serves as chair of the Department of Surgery and chief of the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. In addition, he serves as the program director for their Fellowship and Integrated Residency in Vascular Surgery.
Dr. Sheahan attended Boston University School of Medicine for his undergraduate and medical training, followed by general surgery residency training at St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center of New York. He went on to complete a clinical and research fellowship in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at Tufts University, followed by a fellowship in vascular surgery at Harvard/Beth Israel.
Dr. Sheahan’s research interests include skills testing, burnout, and assorted vascular conditions. He also writes extensively on social and political topics related to medicine and surgery as the chief medical editor of Vascular Specialist.
Dr. Sheahan’s previous experience includes serving as secretary-treasurer of the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery (APDVS) and on the executive councils of the Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery and the Southern Association for Vascular Surgery.
Dr. Sheahan will assume the role of chair of the Vascular Surgery Board of the ABS (VSB-ABS) in September. He will also serve as a member of the Assessment Committee of the ABS Council. He has been very involved with the ABS since his election to the VSB-ABS in 2017, when he was nominated under the former governance structure to represent the APDVS. Since becoming involved with the ABS, he has served as vice chair of the VSB-ABS, chair of the VSB Education/Research Committee, and as a member of the EPA Advisory Council for vascular surgery EPAs.
Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and stays busy keeping his three boys out of trouble.
Sandra Starnes, M.D.
Sandra Starnes, M.D.Dr. Sandra Starnes is chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery and Cardiothoracic Surgery, a professor of surgery, and the John B. Flege, Jr. Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio. Her research and clinical interests include lung cancer, lung cancer screening, thoracic surgery outcomes research, and surgical education.
Dr. Starnes was born and raised in Waukegan, IL, and attended the University of Illinois for undergraduate studies and medical school. She completed general surgery residency training at St. Joseph Mercy Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., followed by a research fellowship in pediatric cardiac surgery at the University of Washington and then thoracic surgery fellowship training at Indiana University.
“The most rewarding and impactful aspect of my career is training the next generation of surgeons and leaders,” shared Dr. Starnes. “I am honored to represent thoracic surgery as a councilor of the American Board of Surgery, and I look forward to working with the board to promote excellence in surgical education and practice.”
In addition to her role at the ABS, Dr. Starnes serves on the American Board of Thoracic Surgery Board of Directors, the Thoracic Surgery Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Board of Directors as a director-at-large.
In her free time, Dr. Starnes enjoys hiking, traveling, and cooking.
Nicole Stassen, M.D.
Nicole Stassen, M.D. Dr. Stassen is a professor of surgery at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York, where she has spent her entire attending career, and where she also serves as director of both the Kessler Family Burn Trauma Intensive Care Unit and the surgical critical care fellowship.
Born in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Dr. Stassen considers Philadelphia, where she attended junior high school and high school, to be her hometown. She completed medical school at the University of Medical and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) and Rutgers University’s Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Her residency training was completed at the University of Chicago in Illinois, followed by a fellowship in trauma and critical care at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. Her current practice focuses on acute care surgery, including emergency general surgery and trauma and critical care, and her research and clinical interests focus on blunt cerebrovascular injury management, management of solid organ injuries, and team simulation in critical care.
When asked about what drives her work at the ABS, Dr. Stassen said, “I believe that there are two main ways to effect change in our profession – by optimizing and innovating how we care for our patients and by ensuring that those we train are committed to technical excellence, high standards of professionalism, and lifelong learning.”
Dr. Stassen was elected to the Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care Board of the ABS (TBSCCB-ABS) in 2022. She will begin her role as chair of the TBSCCB-ABS in September, and she will also serve as a member of the Assessment Committee of the ABS Council.
In addition, Dr. Stassen has served as the educational development committee chair for the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and as past president of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma. She currently serves on the American College of Surgeons Board of Governors.
In her free time, Dr. Stassen enjoys reading, gardening, baking, and spending time with family.
The American Board of Surgery (ABS), the national certifying body for general surgeons and related specialists, is pleased to welcome five new councilors to the ABS Council. Each councilor will serve a six-year term beginning on July 1, 2025. All ABS Councilors are currently certified by the ABS and are meeting the requirements of the ABS Continuous Certification Program.
Eunice Yuee-Dean Huang, M.D.
Eunice Yuee-Dean Huang, M.D.Dr. Eunice Yuee-Dean Huang is executive vice chair and a professor of the Department of Pediatric Surgery, as well as vice chair of surgical quality and patient safety of the Section of Surgical Sciences, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. In addition, she is the associate surgeon-in-chief and chief surgical quality and innovations officer of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
Dr. Huang received her medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and then completed residency training at the Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center. She also completed a pediatric surgery fellowship at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis.
“I have tremendous respect for the American Board of Surgery’s vital work in serving the public and ensuring that certified surgeons in North America meet the highest standards of excellence,” shared Dr. Huang. “Supporting strong, dynamic learning environments for trainees and practicing surgeons is a passion of mine. I’m excited for the opportunity to contribute to the ABS and help advance best practices in surgical training and certification.”
In addition to her new role as a councilor of the ABS, Dr. Huang serves on the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) Board of Governors and is currently the specialty governor for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Surgery for the American College of Surgeons (ACS).
As a member of the ABS Council, Dr. Huang will also serve as a member of the Research Committee and as a director of the Pediatric Surgery Board.
Dr. Huang’s research and clinical interests include outcomes research in pediatric surgery, especially in the area of care of patients with complex Hirschsprung’s Disease or anorectal malformations, and surgical quality improvement. Outside of the hospital, she spends her time playing piano, traveling, coaching and building teams, and playing volleyball with her children.
Hee Soo Jung, M.D.
Hee Soo Jung, M.D.Dr. Hee Soo Jung is an associate professor of surgery, program director of the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, and director of surgical critical care services at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics in Madison. His practice focuses on acute care surgery, including trauma, emergency general surgery, and surgical critical care.
“It’s a great honor to have an opportunity to contribute to the American Board of Surgery’s mission of service to the public and to the specialty of surgery,” said Dr. Jung. “My personal goal as a surgical educator has been to optimize patient outcomes by identifying ways for more effective assessment and feedback. I am excited to channel my passion for innovative strategies in medical education to the council’s work in advancing surgical training, assessment, and certification.”
After earning his medical degree from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Dr. Jung completed residency training at Saint Louis University. He then continued his training with a surgical critical care fellowship at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Jung’s current research and clinical interests focus on reducing preventable errors in patient care by improving interdisciplinary team communication through the development of novel assessment methods.
Dr. Jung currently serves as vice chair of the Surgical Education Research Committee of the Association for Surgical Education (ASE) and chair of the Trauma Prevention Coalition. He has previously served as chair of the Graduate and Resident Education Committee of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and chair of the Injury and Violence Prevention Committee of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST).
As a member of the ABS Council, Dr. Jung will also serve as a member of the Assessment Committee and as a director of the Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care Board.
His previous volunteer experience at the ABS includes serving as an examination consultant for the General Surgery Continuous Certification Assessment, acting as an examiner for the General Surgery Certifying Examination, and assisting in the development of surgical critical care Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) as part of the EPA Writing Group.
In his free time, Dr. Jung enjoys playing video games with his son and golfing.
Fady M. Kaldas, M.D., FACS
Fady M. Kaldas, M.D., FACSDr. Fady Kaldas is a professor of surgery, the Kelly Lee Tarantello Chair in Liver Transplantation, and program director of the Transplant & Hepatobiliary Surgery Fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In addition, he serves as UCLA’s director of Liver Transplant Service and co-director of the Heart-Liver Disease Program.
Dr. Kaldas specializes in the surgical management of benign and malignant liver disease, including resection of liver tumors and bile duct cancer, to complex primary and redo adult and pediatric liver transplantation. His research and clinical interests include ischemia reperfusion injury of the liver, heart-liver transplantation, cholangiocarcinoma, prognostic modeling in high acuity, and complex liver transplantation.
Dr. Kaldas received his undergraduate degree from UCLA and earned his medical degree at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. He completed residency training at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, then returned to UCLA to complete a fellowship in multi-organ transplant and hepatobiliary surgery after which he was retained as faculty.
In addition to his role at the ABS, Dr. Kaldas serves as chair-elect of the Fellowship Training Committee of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS). He is also the founder of UCLA’s third year medical student transplant clerkship and serves as a scientific reviewer for the American Society of Transplantation (AST) Research Network Scientific Review Committee and an Ad-Hoc reviewer for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
As a member of the ABS Council, Dr. Kaldas will also serve as a member of the Research Committee and as a member of the Transplantation Advisory Council.
In his spare time, Dr. Kaldas enjoys biking, swimming, and reading.
Erin King-Mullins, M.D.
Erin King-Mullins, M.D.Dr. Erin King-Mullins is the founder and CEO of Colorectal Wellness Center in Atlanta, Ga. She practices colorectal surgery and her research and clinical interests include women’s colorectal health, anal cancer screening, health equity, and surgical nutrition.
Dr. King-Mullins earned her medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, followed by general surgery residency training at Orlando Health in Orlando, Fla. She then returned to Atlanta to continue her training with a colorectal surgery fellowship at Northside Hospital.
When asked about her motivation to join the ABS Council, Dr. King-Mullins said, “Knowing the overwhelming majority of patients are cared for outside of academia, it is my goal as an ABS Councilor to ensure the surgeons caring for them have adequate and equitable representation on the board, because their patient’s lives depend on it.”
Dr. King-Mullins currently serves as a member-at-large on the Executive Council of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) and as president-elect of the Society of Black Colon and Rectal Surgeons. In addition, she is the co-chair of the Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) Communications Committee.
As a member of the ABS Council, Dr. King-Mullins will also serve as a member of the Diplomates and Surgeons in Practice Committee and as a director of the General Surgery Board.
In her free time, Dr. King-Mullins enjoys spending quality time with her family, connecting with colleagues, writing, and traveling.
Raghu Motaganahalli, M.D.,FRCS, FACS, DFSVS
Raghu Motaganahalli, M.D.,FRCS, FACS, DFSVSDr. Raghu Motaganahalli is a professor of surgery and the division chief of vascular surgery in the Division of Vascular Surgery within the Department of Surgery at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
Dr. Motaganahalli received his medical degree from Bangalore University in India. He then continued his education with surgical residency training at both St. John’s Medical College – Bangalore and St. Louis University Medical Center. He completed a vascular surgery fellowship at St. Louis University, in addition to a visiting fellowship at the Cardiovascular Institute of Buenos Aires and in Dusseldorf, Germany.
“My goal is to work with the ABS in upholding the public trust and confidence in our profession as surgeons,” shared Dr. Motaganahalli. “In the era of artificial intelligence, we have an obligation to ensure a fair and transparent evaluation and assessment process for our trainees.”
Dr. Motaganahalli currently serves as a director of Vascular Surgery Board of the ABS, as a member of the Diplomates and Surgeons in Practice Council Committee of the ABS, and as an examiner for the Vascular Surgery Certifying Examination. He has previously served as president of the Midwestern Vascular Surgical Society (MVSS), president of the Indiana State Chapter of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), and chair of the Curriculum Committee of the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery (APDVS).
In his free time, Dr. Motaganahalli is currently pursuing a Physician’s Master of Business Administration degree at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and enjoys traveling when he is able.
In Thanks
The ABS gratefully acknowledges the dedication and commitment of the following outgoing councilors, whose term on the ABS Council will end this June:
- Peter Angelos, M.D., Ph.D. – Chair, Complex General Surgical Oncology Board; Member, Education and Training Committee; Member, Chairs Committee
- Kellie R. Brown, M.D. – Chair, Vascular Surgery Board; Member, Assessment Committee; Member, Chairs Committee
- Rabih A. Chaer, M.D. – Director, Vascular Surgery Board; Chair, Research Committee; Member, Chairs Committee
- Joseph T. Jenkins, M.D. – Director, General Surgery Board; Member, Diplomates and Surgeons in Practice Committee
- Kelly M. McMasters, M.D., Ph.D. – Director, Complex General Surgical Oncology Board; Member, Assessment Committee
- John D. Mitchell, M.D. – Director, Complex General Surgical Oncology Board; Member, Diplomates and Surgeons in Practice Committee
- Kim M. Olthoff, M.D. – Chair, Transplantation Advisory Council; Member, Diplomates and Surgeons in Practice Committee
- Allison J. Robinson, M.D. – Director, General Surgery Board; Member, Education and Training Committee
- Deborah M. Stein, M.D. – Chair, Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care Board; Member, Research Committee; Chair, Chairs Committee
- Jennifer F. Tseng, M.D. – Director, Complex General Surgical Oncology Board; Member, Research Committee
- Kasper S. Wang, M.D. – Chair, Pediatric Surgery Board; Member, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee; Member, Chairs Committee
About the ABS
The American Board of Surgery is an independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1937 for the purpose of certifying individuals who have met a defined standard of education, training and knowledge in the field of surgery. Surgeons certified by the ABS have completed at least five years of surgical training following medical school and successfully completed a written and oral examination process administered by the ABS. They must then maintain their board certification through ongoing learning and practice improvement activities.
The ABS offers board certification in general surgery, vascular surgery, pediatric surgery, surgical critical care, and complex general surgical oncology. It is one of the 24 member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties.
APRIL 23, 2025 |