The Academy Advisory Board: An Overview
DermWorld spotlights the Academy’s Advisory Board and how members can get involved.
Feature
By Matthew Walsh, Member Communications Specialist, June 1, 2025
The American Academy of Dermatology/Association’s Advisory Board is a critical part of the Academy governance structure and has a major role in navigating the Academy through and into the future. Yet, many members are unclear about exactly what the role of the Advisory Board is and, perhaps more importantly, how they can get involved with it.
Amy J. Derick, MD, FAAD, became Advisory Board chair in 2024 and offers a clear description of the entity she’ll lead for the remaining three years of her four-year term.
“The Advisory Board is a committee of the AAD/A Board of Directors,” said Dr. Derick. “The mission of the Advisory Board is to protect, promote, and preserve the interests of the individual practitioner of dermatology.”
The Advisory Board accomplishes its mission by three main methods. First, the Advisory Board provides a forum for members to present policy proposals for consideration by the Board of Directors. This typically occurs during two in-person Advisory Board meetings, one each at the Annual Meeting and the Innovation Academy.
Second, the Advisory Board serves as a source of information between the Advisory Board, the represented societies, and the Board of Directors. The sheer number of local, state, and regional representatives from across the country make it infeasible for there to be direct contact with the Board of Directors. Thus, the Advisory Board serves as the intermediary to ensure the concerns of the societies are being heard by the Board of Directors.
Finally, the Advisory Board disseminates information on Academy policies and other issues vital to members’ patients and practices to Advisory Board members. This is accomplished mainly through a monthly newsletter sent to Advisory Board members, but other types of direct communication can be involved.
The Advisory Board is comprised of representatives from local, state, and regional dermatologic societies in the United States and Canada. Each society can send up to two representatives, who must each be an AAD member, to serve as a representative and an alternate representative.
“Anyone who has an interest in being directly involved with the Academy should consider the Advisory Board,” said Dr. Derick. “Individual processes will differ from society to society, so members who are interested in serving on the Advisory Board can contact their individual society for information on its process.”
“The mission of the Advisory Board is to protect, promote, and preserve the interests of the individual practitioner of dermatology.”
Meetings of the Advisory Board are overseen by the Advisory Board Executive Committee, which consists of a subset of Advisory Board members.
“The Advisory Board Executive Committee is comprised of seven elected voting members from among the representatives of the constituent societies,” said Dr. Derick. “The constituent societies’ representatives nominate and elect the seven members to the Advisory Board Executive Committee, who then serve four-year staggered terms. And of course, the Advisory Board chair and vice chair serve as voting members, as do the chair-elect and vice chair-elect, when applicable.”
For one year following the conclusion of their term, the immediate past chair serves as a non-voting, ex-officio member of the Advisory Board, as does the current AAD/A vice president, who serves as the Board of Directors liaison for the duration of their term. In addition, one non-voting resident member is appointed to serve a term that runs concurrently with their residency.
“Representatives can run for the Advisory Board Executive Committee if they have attended at least two meetings as a voting member of the society and are currently the primary representative of the society prior to being considered for the position,” said Dr. Derick.
The Advisory Board is led by the chair, who runs the Advisory Board meetings, sets agendas, and facilitates communication between the Advisory Board and the Board of Directors. The chair also serves as an ex-officio director on the Board of Directors for the duration of their term. The vice chair, who does not sit on the Board of Directors, supports the chair and assists when requested, and, if the chair is absent, the vice chair steps into the role as chair.
The Advisory Board chair serves a four-year term. When the current chair begins their fourth year in office, the Advisory Board elects a new chair and vice chair from its membership.
The Advisory Board’s work is accomplished through the resolution process.
“A resolution is a formal, written motion and all Academy members, as well as state, local, and regional dermatology groups, are welcome and encouraged to submit proposed resolutions on important issues in dermatology practice and regulations,” said Dr. Derick. “Resolutions often encourage the Academy to take further action, and it is strongly recommended that members work with their dermatologic societies to bring resolutions forward for consideration.”
Resolutions can be submitted year-round, but they are only presented at the Advisory Board Reference Committee and voted on at the Advisory Board General Business Meeting during the Academy’s Innovation Academy and Annual Meeting. All resolutions that are passed are then presented to the Board of Directors for further consideration.
The Advisory Board is a relatively straightforward element of the AAD/A governance structure, but its impact is deep and long-lasting. Get more information about the Advisory Board, its roles, functions, and responsibilities, and how to get involved.
