Organization

View the elected officials of the AO Spine Boards and Commissions
AO Spine governance structure, July 2024

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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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

  • AO Spine International Board

    Chairperson
    Juan Emmerich

    Past Chairperson
    Asdrubal Falavigna

    Education Commission Chairperson
    Richard Bransford 

    Research Commission Chairperson
    Klaus Schnake

    Community Development Commission Chairperson
    Michael Dittmar

    AO SAP Chairperson
    Abhay Nene

    AO SESA Chairperson
    Pedro Berjano

    AO SMENA Chairperson
    Muzahem Taha

    AO SLA Chairperson
    Nestor Taboada 

    AO SNA Chairperson
    Eric O Klineberg

    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

    Chairperson-Elect
    Alpaslan Senkoylu

    Education
    Markus Loibl

    Community development
    Marcel Ivanov

    Research
    Aron Lazary

    Member at Large:
    Susana Núñez Pereira

    Regional Manager
    Simona Giger

  • 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

    Chairperson-Elect
    Jason Cheung

    Education (Ortho)
    Masato Tanaka

    Education (Neuro)
    Seung-Hwan Yoon

    Community development
    Ajoy Shetty Prasad

    Research
    Daisuke Sakai

    Member at Large
    Luo Zhuojing

    Regional Manager
    Joanne Leung

  • 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
    Nestor Taboada 

    Education
    Cristiano Menezes

    Community development
    Ratko Yurac 

    Research
    Alfredo Guroy

    Regional 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
    Muzahem Taha

    Education
    Sameh Abolfotouh

    Research
    Kabir Abubakar

    Community development
    Mohamed F Khattab

    Member at Large
    Faisal Konbaz

    Regional Manager
    TBD

  • 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
    Eric O Klineberg 

    Past Chairperson
    Michael Daubs

    Education
    Michelle Clarke

    Research
    Jefferson Wilson

    Community development
    Ryan Spiker

Commissions

  • Community Development Commission

    The mission of the AO Spine Community Development Commission is to enhance patient care by connecting spine surgeons and researchers globally.

    It promotes and provide platform for knowledge exchange, professional networking, and career development through the AO Spine Membership Program, which grants access to the leading international spine care community.

    The AOSCDC works with regional teams to align global strategies on member acquisition and retention, ensuring knowledge sharing and networking opportunities at local, regional, and international levels

    Chairperson
    Michael Dittmar

    Chairperson-Elect
    Riccardo Cecchinato

    Commission members
    Mohamed F Khattab
    Ajoy Shetty Prasad
    Marcel Ivanov
    Ratko Yurac
    Joseph Cheng

    Community Development Commission Manager
    Barbora Field
  • 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 Ochoa

    Chairperson
    Richard Bransford

    Past Chairperson
    Emre Acaroğlu

    Commission member
    Sameh Abolfotouh

    Commission member
    Michelle Clarke

    Commission member
    Cristiano Menezes

    Commission member
    Alpaslan Senkoylu

    Commission 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
    Klaus Schnake

    Past Chairperson
    Charles Fisher

    North America Representative
    Jefferson Wilson

    Middle East Representative
    Kabir Abubakar

    Asia Pacific Representative
    Daisuke Sakai

    Europe Representative
    Aron Lazary

    Latin America Representative
    Alfredo Guiroy

    Knowledge Forum Deformity Representative
    Stephen Lewis

    Knowledge Forum Tumor Representative
    Ilya Laufer

    Knowledge Forum Degenerative Representative
    S. Tim Yoon

    Knowledge Forum Spinal Cord Injury Representative
    Shekar Kurpad

    Knowledge Forum Trauma and Infection Representative
    Greg Schroeder

    AO Research Institute Representative
    Sibylle Grad

  • Technical Commission

    Chairperson
    Maarten Spruit

    Commission member
    Richard Bransford

    Commission member
    Peter Derman

    Commission member
    Christian Mazel

    Commission member
    Jean A. Ouellet

    Commission member
    Chung Check Wong

    Commission member
    Kota Watanabe

    Commission member
    Jack Zigler

View the people responsible for managing the day to day operations of AO Spine

Meet the team