Organization
AO Spine operates under its own governance model managed by the AO Spine International Board.
AOSpine's governing bodies consist of:
- the AO Spine International Board
- the Global Education, Research and Community Development Commissions
- five regional boards
- numerous country councils
Boards, commissions, and councils
Boards, commissions, and councils are composed of elected representatives and comply with the AO Foundation’s Code of Ethics and Shared Values. Additional committees and task forces may be appointed.
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Boards
Holds strategic and operational decision-making capacity and budgetary control within its defined sphere of influence.
The five regional boards (Asia Pacific, Europe and Southern Africa, Middle East and Northern Africa, Latin America, and North America) are responsible for overseeing and planning the full range of actions and activities in the respective region. Moreover, they provide regional input to the respective commissions. Each region its own budget, leading to quicker decision-making and ensuring all activities are relevant to the specific regional needs.
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Commissions
A global, fixed steering group with an open duration, subordinate to the AO Spine International Board.
The three commissions - Education, Research and Community Development - operate globally and are responsible for establishing standards, leveraging resources, and ensuring best practice knowledge transfer across the regions. The commissions help to define, integrate, and implement coherent policies for the general good of the organization.
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Councils
Administrative and decision-making unit of an AO Spine Country Chapter. It may or may not have budgetary control.
All regional boards operate country councils. This provides opportunities for local members to get involved in the organization.
Regional boards
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AO Spine International Board
Chairperson
Asdrubal Falavigna
Past Chairperson
Shanmuganathan Rajasekaran
Education Commission Chairperson
Emre Acaroğlu
Research Commission Chairperson
Charles Fisher
Community Development Commission Chairperson
Michael Dittmar
AO SAP Chairperson
Abhay Nene
AO SESA Chairperson
Pedro Berjano
AO SMENA Chairperson
Amer Azis
AO SLA Chairperson
Juan Emmerich
AO SNA Chairperson
Michael Daubs
Director
Jayr Bass -
AO Spine Europe and Southern Africa Board
The AO Spine Europe and Southern Africa Board (AO SESA) is the operational body of AO Spine International focused on activities within Europe. AO SESA is a body of surgeons, who have responsibility and accountability for delivering valued products and services to European and Southern African members. The AO SESA Board is elected by the members of the AO SESA Country Chapters.
Chairperson
Pedro Berjano
Past Chairperson
Lorin Benneker
Education
Alpaslan Senkoylu
Network development
Riccardo Cecchinato
Research
Aron Lazary
Regional Manager
Jayr Bass -
AO Spine Asia Pacific Board
The AO Spine Asia Pacific Board (AO SAP) is the operational body of AO Spine International focused on activities within Asia Pacific. AO SAP is a body of surgeons, who have responsibility and accountability for delivering valued products and services to Asia Pacific members. The AO SAP Board is elected by the members of the AO SAP Country Chapters.
Chairperson
Abhay Nene
Past Chairperson
Manabu Ito
Education (Ortho)
Masato Tanaka
Education (Neuro)
Seung-Hwan Yoon
Community development
Rushama Tandon
Research
Daisuke Sakai Dsa
Spine centers and fellowships
Abhay Nene
Regional Manager
Florence Cheng -
AO Spine Latin American Board
The AO Spine Latin American Board (AO SLA) is the operational body of AO Spine International focused on activities within Latin America. AO SLA is a body of surgeons, who have responsibility and accountability for delivering valued products and services to Latin American & Central American members. The AO SLA Board is elected by the members of the AO SLA Country Chapters.
Chairperson
Juan EmmerichChairperson-elect
Nestor TaboadaEducation
Luiz Gustavo Dal Oglio da RochaEducation-elect
Cristiano MenezesNetwork development
Ratko YuracResearch
Nelson AsturRegional Manager
Antonio Machado -
AO Spine Middle East and Northern Africa Board
The AO Spine Middle East and Northern Africa Board (AO SMENA) is the operational body of AO Spine International focused on activities within the Middle East and Northern Africa. AO SMENA is a body of surgeons, who have responsibility and accountability for delivering valued products and services to Middle East and Northern African members. The AO SMENA Board is elected by the members of the AO SMENA Country Chapters.
Chairperson
Amer AzizPast Chairperson
Mohammad El-SharkawiEducation
Muzahem TahaResearch
Waleed AwwadCommunity development
Ali Abou-MadawiSpine centers and fellowships
Muzahem Taha (interim)Regional Manager
Thomas Welte -
AO Spine North America Board
The AO Spine North America Board (AO SNA) is the operational body of AO Spine International focused on activities within North America. AO SNA is a body of surgeons, who have responsibility and accountability for delivering valued products and services to North American members. The AO SNA Board is elected by the members of North America.
Chairperson
Michael DaubsPast Chairperson
Darrel BrodkeEducation
Richard BransfordResearch
Dan SciubbaCommunity development
Brandon LawrenceFellowships
Eric KlinebergMember at Large
Michelle ClarkeExecutive Director
Sharon Kneebone
Commissions
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Community Development Commission
The AO Spine Community Development Commission (AO SCDC) is the Marketing Steering body of AO Spine International. It's role is to:
- develop consistent and practical marketing programs, strategies, and tools for implementation by the AO Spine Regions
- leverage and share marketing resources across the AO Spine Regions
- enforce AO Spine's brand and corporate identity
- manage alliances been AO Spine and other academic bodies
- develop and run the AO Spine website
The Commission consists of a Chairperson, who is an Executive Member of the AO Spine International Board, the past Chairperson, and marketing representatives of each of the AO Spine Regional Boards.
Chairperson
Michael Dittmar
Past Chairperson
Norman Chutkan
Commission members
Ali Abou-Madawi
Brian Hsu
Riccardo Cecchinato
Ratko Yurac
Joseph Cheng
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Education Commission
The AO Spine Education Commission (AO SEC) is the education steering body of AO Spine International. Its role is to:
- develop consistent and practical educational programs, strategies, and tools for implementation by the AO Spine Regions
- leverage and share educational resources across the AO Spine Regions
- plan and manage multi-regional educational events
The Commission consists of a Chairperson, who is an Executive Member of the AO Spine International Board, the past Chairperson, and an education representative (one per region) of each of the AO Spine Regional Boards.
Emeritus Chairperson:
Germán OchoaChairperson
Emre AcaroğluChairperson-elect
Richard BransfordCommission member
Muzahem TahaCommission member
Richard BransfordCommission member
Luiz Gustavo Dal Oglio da RochaCommission member
Alpaslan SenkoyluCommission member
Masato Tanaka -
Research Commission
Responsible for global research initiatives, sharing expertise, and leveraging resources across regions. This body defines, integrates, and implements coherent research-related policies for the good of the whole organization.
Chairperson
Charles Fisher
North America Representative
Shekar Kurpad
Middle East Representative
Waleed Awwad
Asia Pacific Representative
Daisuke Sakai
Europe Representative
Aron Lazary
Latin America Representative
Nelson Astur
Knowledge Forum Deformity Representative
Stephen Lewis
Knowledge Forum Tumor Representative
Laurence Rhines
Knowledge Forum Degenerative Representative
S. Tim Yoon
Knowledge Forum Spinal Cord Injury Representative
Brian Kwon
Knowledge Forum Trauma Representative
Klaus Schnake
AO Research Institute Representative
Sibylle Grad -
Technical Commission
Chairperson
Maarten SpruitCommission member
Emre Acaroğlu
Commission member
Richard BransfordCommission member
Christian MazelCommission member
Jean A. OuelletCommission member
Bangping QianCommission member
Kota WatanabeCommission member
Jack Zigler