Chief Operating Officer

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

Originally founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a national professional medical association dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurosurgery through education, research, advocacy, and professional development. The AANS was originally organized as a 501(c)(3) tax‑exempt organization but modernized its structure in 2003 due to the increasing number of political and legislative issues affecting its members and established a companion entity, structured as a trade association under Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.

To capitalize on the positive name recognition of AANS, the new 501(c)(6) entity assumed the name “American Association of Neurological Surgeons,” while the 501(c)(3) entity adopted the name “American Association of Neurosurgeons.” While many of the activities and functions remain under the 501(c)(3), the AANS serves as the umbrella organization, coordinating political activities and sponsoring major income‑generating programs.

Today, representing approximately 12,000 members worldwide, the AANS operates through a multi‑entity structure, including AANS and its affiliated nonprofit entities, including:

• NeuroPoint Alliance
  :
  Established in 2008 to improve the quality of neurosurgical care, the NeuroPoint Alliance (NPA) is a 501(c)(6) affiliate nonprofit organization of the AANS. The NPA supports evidence development, performance assessment, comparative effectiveness studies and adoption of new treatments into routine clinical practice.
• Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation
  :
  The Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation (NREF) is a not‑for‑profit 501(c)(3) organization created in 1980 by the AANS. The NREF supports basic science and clinical research, as well as lifelong education, to foster improved outcomes for our patients with neurosurgical diseases.
• Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group
  :
  The Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group (JNSPG) is the scholarly journals publication arm of the AANS; a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance the practice of neurosurgery worldwide. Since 1944, the Journal of Neurosurgery has been recognized worldwide for its authoritative articles on clinical and laboratory research, and innovative surgical techniques and instruments, as well as its rigorous focus on the highest‑quality presentation of scientific and medical advances.
  
  The JNSPG consists of six publications:
  Journal of Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgery:
  Spine, Journal of Neurosurgery:
  Pediatrics, Neurosurgical Focus, Neurosurgical Focus:
  Video, and Journal of Neurosurgery:
  Case Lessons.
• Neurosurgery PAC
  :
  Established in 2006, Neurosurgery
  
  PAC is the AANS political arm whose mission is to support candidates for federal office who support issues important to neurosurgery. Neurosurgery
  
  PAC is nonpartisan and does not base its decisions on party affiliation; instead, it focuses on candidates’ voting records and campaign pledges.

The overarching strategic goals of the AANS are to ensure that the:

• AANS and its affiliated organizations will be broadly recognized as essential to the advancement of patient care, patient outcomes and research and education in neurosurgical science;
• AANS will support members in gaining the knowledge, expertise and experience needed to drive innovation, improve health and health care and sustain a thriving career; and
• AANS will be the preferred source of data and resources that enable patients and their health care providers to make informed decisions about neurosurgical care.

The AANS also partners with the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) under its umbrella, including:

• AANS/CNS Joint Sections:
  The eight Joint Sections reflect designated scientific disciplines and other areas of interest within neurological surgery. They are the:
  Cerebrovascular Section, Section on Neurotrauma & Critical Care, Section on Pain, Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery, Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, Section on Stereotactic and Functional Surgery, Section on Tumors, and Section on Women in Neurosurgery.
• AANS/CNS Washington Committee…