ASCO Election 2026: Meet the 11 Candidates for Leadership Positions

ASCO Election 2026: Meet the 11 Candidates for Leadership Positions

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has announced the candidates for its upcoming leadership election, marking an important opportunity for members to participate in shaping the Society’s future direction.

The ASCO Nominating Committee has selected 11 distinguished members to compete for open leadership positions within the organization. The election provides eligible ASCO members with an opportunity to elect representatives who will contribute to the Society’s strategic priorities, professional initiatives, and continued advancement of oncology care and research.

Voting is open to eligible members in good standing as of October 13, 2026, who hold a qualifying doctoral-level degree. Members who participate in the election will also receive one point toward the Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (FASCO) designation.

The voting period will close on December 2, 2026, at 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST), with all online and paper ballots required to be received before the deadline.

Here are the 11 candidates selected for the 2026 ASCO Election.

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Taofeek K. Owonikoko, MD, PhD, FASCO

University of Maryland, Baltimore
UM Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center

Dr. Owonikoko is the Executive Director of the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Senior Associate Dean of Cancer Programs at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and the Associate Vice President of Cancer Programs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He served on the ASCO Board of Directors from 2021-2025 and as the Society Treasurer from 2024-2025. He is a past Chair of the Annual Meeting Education Program Committee (2021), past member of the Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee, and a graduate of ASCO's Leadership Development Program (2015). He also served on the Audit, Finance, and Compensation Committees and contributed to the work of several key ASCO Board task forces. Most recently, he served on the ASCO Board Task Force on ABIM Maintenance of Certification (MOC) and Recertification, as well as the ASCO Board Task Force on Engaging Patient Advocates.

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David R. Spigel, MD, FASCO

Sarah Cannon Research Institute 
SCRI Oncology Partners 

Dr. Spigel is President and Chief Medical Officer at Sarah Cannon Research Institute as well as a medical oncologist at SCRI Oncology Partners. He has held several volunteer positions including as Chair of the Cancer Communications Committee and Annual Meeting Education Committee. He has also served as a member of the Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee and Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee.

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Ashley Love Sumrall, MD, FACP, FASCO

Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute

Dr. Sumrall is a Clinical Associate Professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Associate Professor and Section Chief of Neuro-Oncology at Atrium Health Department of Medicine. She has held several volunteer positions including serving as a past Chair of the ASCO Government Relations Committee and as a member of the Association for Clinical Oncology Board of Directors.

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Todd M. Morgan, MD

University of Michigan 

Dr. Morgan is Chief of Urologic Oncology and a tenured Professor in the Department of Urology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and serves as Co-Director of the Ronald Weiser Center for Prostate Cancer, Michigan Medicine. His ASCO volunteer service includes serving as Chair of the GU Cancers Symposium Program Committee and as a member of multiple ASCO guideline panels, including the Molecular Biomarkers in Localized Prostate Cancer and Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer guidelines.

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Flavio G. Rocha, MD

Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute 

Dr. Rocha is the Hedinger Professor of Surgical Oncology and Physician-in-Chief of the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University. He has held several ASCO volunteer positions, including serving as the Gastrointestinal Cancer - Gastroesophageal, Pancreatic, and Hepatobiliary track chair on the Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee and as a member of the the GI Cancers Symposium Program Committee, and Gastrointestinal Guideline Advisory Group.

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Dawn L. Hershman, MD, MS, FASCO

Columbia University

Dr. Hershman is a tenured Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, Chief in the Division of Hematology and Oncology and Deputy Director of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. A longtime ASCO volunteer, Dr. Hershman is a Co-Chair of the CDK Study Advisory Group. She is former Chair of the Quality Care Symposium Planning Committee and has served on the Annual Meeting Education and Scientific Program Committees. She has chaired the Conquer Cancer Foundation Grants Selection Committee, served as an IDEA Mentor, participated in many working groups, guidelines and policy statements, and is a graduate of ASCO's Leadership Development Program. She has been recognized by ASCO with the David Karnofsky Science of Oncology Award and the Women Who Conquer Cancer Mentorship Award.

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Sumanta (Monty) Pal, MD, FASCO

City of Hope

Dr. Pal is the Vice Chair of Academic Affairs for the Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutic Research at City of Hope and an Adjunct Professor in the Division of Integrated Cancer Genomics at Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). He is a past Chair of the Cancer Communications Committee, and has served as a member of the Nominating Committee and Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee. He has served as an Associate Editor of ASCO’s Cancer.Net and currently hosts the ASCO Daily News Podcast. He has served as a mentor of the ASCO Leadership Development Program for two consecutive years and has also served as a mentor for the ASCO International Development & Education Award (IDEA) program, ASCO Virtual Mentoring Program, ASCO-Japanese Society of Clinical Oncology (JSCO) Fellowship Program, and ASCO Oncology Summer Internship. He has mentored several successful ASCO Career Development Award and Young Investigator Award recipients.

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Petros Grivas, MD, PhD, FASCO

Fred Hutch Cancer Center, University of Washington

Dr. Grivas is a Professor of the Clinical Research Division and the Medical Director of Local/Regional Outreach and of the International Program at Fred Hutch Cancer Center, and Professor at the Division of Hematology Oncology University of Washington in Seattle. He currently serves as Chair-Elect of the ASCO Patient Information Advisory Committee and a Member of the TAPUR Scientific Advisory Group; he has also served as a member of the Annual Meeting Scientific and Education Program Committees, and is a graduate of the ASCO Leadership Development Program.

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Herbert Loong, MBBS, FRCP, FASCO

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Dr. Loong is an Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Oncology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, holds a conjoint appointment as Honorary Consultant in the Department of Clinical Oncology at Prince of Wales Hospital/Hospital Authority Hong Kong, and is the Medical Director (Oncology) of the Phase 1 Clinical Trial Centre at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. His ASCO volunteer work includes serving as Chair of the International Affairs Committee and as a member of the Education Council, Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee and Breakthrough Program Committee.

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Rami Manochakian, MD, FASCO

Mayo Clinic 

Dr. Manochakian is a Professor of Medicine, Thoracic Oncologist, Vice Chair for Education, and Fellowship Program Director at the Division of Hematology/Oncology, at the Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida. He is a member of the Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination Committee, and the Director of the Cancer Center Grand Rounds at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. He has held several ASCO volunteer positions including as Chair of the Oncology Training Programs Committee, member of the CME subcommittee, and the Small-Cell Lung Cancer guideline panel. He is a past graduate of the ASCO Education Scholars Program, a participant of ASCO’s Virtual Mentoring Program, and a co-founder of the ASCO Medical Education Community of Practice.

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Mina Sedrak, MD, MS, FASCO

University of California, Los Angeles

Dr. Sedrak is a geriatric oncologist, Director of the Center for Cancer and Aging, and co-lead of the Cancer Control and Survivorship Program at UCLA. He is Past Chair of the ASCO Clinical Research Committee and has served as track leader for the Symptom Science/Palliative Care and the Quality Care/Health Services Research tracks of the Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee. He serves on the CDK Study Advisory Group and co-chairs the ASCO-Friends of Cancer Research-FDA joint task force on Improving Older Adult Participation in Cancer Clinical Trials. He is a graduate of the Leadership Development Program.

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Vahe Grigoryan
Fact checked by Vahe Grigoryan MD, Editorial Director
Vahe Grigoryan
Medically reviewed by Vahe Grigoryan MD, Editorial Director