Elizabeth A. Mittendorf has been elected ASCO President for 2026-2027 Term: New Era of Leadership

Elizabeth A. Mittendorf, MD, PhD, MHCM, FASCO, has been elected as the president of ASCO for the 2026-2027 term.

She will begin her term as president-elect immediately after the ASCO Annual Business Meeting on June 2, 2025, in Chicago. Additionally, six members have been elected to serve on ASCO’s Board of Directors and Nominating Committee.

“I’m honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve as president of ASCO and help guide this multifaceted organization as we work to conquer cancer through research, education, and promotion of the highest quality, equitable patient care. I look forward to supporting this global membership and our collective efforts to improve outcomes for our patients,” – said Dr. Elizabeth Mittendorf

Dr. Mittendorf holds the Robert and Karen Hale Endowed Chair in Surgical Oncology and serves as vice chair for research in the Department of Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, part of Mass General Brigham.

Her longstanding service with ASCO includes a term on the Board of Directors from 2019 to 2023, during which she served as treasurer (2022-2023). Dr. Mittendorf has also chaired the Conquer Cancer Grants and Awards Selection Committee and participated on several committees, including the Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee and Best of ASCO Planning Committee.

Career

Elizabeth A. Mittendorf, MD, PhD, MHCM, FASCO, is the Director of the Breast Immuno-Oncology Program and Co-Director of the Breast Cancer Clinical Research Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (FASCO) distinction recognizes members for their volunteer engagement, and commitment to ASCO.

Elizabeth A. Mittendorf has built a career as a surgeon, researcher, and leader in the field of breast cancer and surgical oncology.

Her early career included serving as an Attending Surgeon at both the Malcolm Grow Medical Center at Andrews Air Force Base and Walter Reed Army Medical Center from 2001 to 2005, where she gained valuable experience in military medical settings.

Following this, she joined MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, where she worked as a Clinical Specialist and later as an Attending Surgeon in the Division of Surgery from 2005 to 2017.

During her time at MD Anderson, Dr. Mittendorf held several leadership roles, including Deputy Chair of the Department of Surgical Oncology’s Research Division from 2014 to 2017, and Director of Breast Surgical Oncology Research.

She was also appointed Co-Leader of the Breast Cancer Moon Shot initiative, a major focus at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Her commitment to advancing cancer care continued as she became the Director of Research for Breast Surgical Oncology at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center in Boston in 2018.

She has served on the External Advisory Boards for the NCI-designated Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Breast Cancer at both Duke and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and she continues to be an active member of several other research initiatives.

Furthermore, she is involved in professional societies including the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO), the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), and the American College of Surgeons.

Education

Elizabeth A. Mittendorf’s academic journey began with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University in 1992. She then earned her MD from Case Western Reserve University in 1996, before returning to academia for a PhD in Immunology at the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in Houston, which she completed in 2012.

In 2021, she furthered her expertise in healthcare leadership by earning a Master of Healthcare Management from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Her postdoctoral training includes an internship and surgical residency at Case Western Reserve University, where she was appointed Chief Resident in 2001.

She then completed a fellowship in Surgical Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she also served as Chief Administrative Fellow.

Awards and Honors

• ASCO Foundation Merit Award
• ASCO Breast Cancer Symposium Excellence in Clinical Research (2007)
• 9th Annual Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium Fellow Travel Grant
• Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium Excellence in Clinical Research (2008)
• Clinical Trainee of the Quarter, MD Anderson Cancer Center – Excellence in Patient Care (2008)
• Lotzova Memorial Research Prize, MD Anderson Cancer Center – Graduating Fellow in
• Recognition of Excellence in Research (2008)
• Advanced Care Practitioners Appreciation Award, MD Anderson Cancer Center – Graduating
• Fellow in Recognition of Excellence in Patient Care (2008)
• Charmingly Pink Breast Cancer Global Affair Award, Charmingly Pink Foundation
• Outstanding Research in Breast Cancer (2012)
• R. Lee Clark Fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center – Excellence in Research (2014–2016)
• Faculty Scholar Award, MD Anderson Cancer Center – Excellence in Research (2016)
• Komen Scholar, Susan G. Komen – Leader in Breast Cancer Research and Advocacy (2017–2026)
• Pillars of Excellence Award, Mass General Brigham (BWH, DF/BWCC) – Awarded for Optimizing Collaboration (2020)

New ASCO Board Members

– Melissa S. Dillmon, MD, FASCO: Medical oncologist and chair of oncology at Harbin Clinic LLC, part of Advocate Health. Active in ASCO leadership roles, including chairing the Clinical Practice and Innovation Committee, and involved in the Georgia Society of Clinical Oncology.

– Sonali M. Smith, MD, FASCO: Elwood V. Jensen Professor and chief of Hematology/Oncology at the University of Chicago. Past chair of several ASCO committees, 2022 Annual Meeting Program chair, and ASCO Excellence in Teaching Award recipient.

– Nathan A. Pennell, MD, PhD, FASCO: Thoracic medical oncologist at Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center. Editor-in-chief of the ASCO Educational Book, with leadership roles in ASCO committees, including the Road to Recovery Task Force.

New ASCO Nominating Committee Members

– Suzanne Cole, MD, FACP, FASCO: Medical director of community oncology at UT Southwestern Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. Active in ASCO committees and a graduate of the Leadership Development Program.

– Erika P. Hamilton, MD: Medical oncologist and director of the Breast Cancer Research Program at Sarah Cannon Research Institute. Chair of the Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee and a leader in breast cancer research.

– Rana R. McKay, MD, FASCO: Medical oncologist at the University of California, San Diego. Holds leadership roles in ASCO’s Genitourinary Cancer programs and serves on the Conquer Cancer Grants Selection Committee.

ASCO:

“Congratulations to Dr. Elizabeth A. Mittendorf on being elected to serve as ASCO President for the 2026-2027 term! Six additional members were elected to positions on the ASCO Board of Directors & Nominating Committee.”

Paolo Tarantino:

“Terrific news for ASCO and the whole oncology community!

Congrats Elizabeth A. Mittendorf!!!”

Antonio Giordano:

“She is going to be such a good ASCO President! Congrats Elizabeth A. Mittendorf.”

Estela Rodriguez:

“Congratulations to newly elected ASCO President Elizabeth A. Mittendorf and new Board members Soni Smith and Melissa Dillmon, and Nominating Committee members Erika Hamilton, Suzanne Cole and Rana McKay.”

Fangyuan Chen:

“Thrilled to see Dr. Mittendorf officially announced as the 2026-2027 ASCO President! Honored to be part of the T-hub team and much inspired by her leadership.”

Chiara Corti:

“An incredible leader, mentor, and inspiration who embodies integrity, service, humanity, and scientific rigor.

My heartfelt congratulations Elizabeth Mittendorf.”

Jame Abraham:

“Congratulations to Elizabeth A. Mittendorf, President elect ASCO, Nathan A. Pennell, Erika Hamilton, Drs. Makay, Cole, Smith and all the newly elected members of the board and committee !!”

Pramesh CS:

“Congratulations to Dr Mittendorf and the newly elected Board and Nominating Committee members!”

Further Reading:

ASCO Annual Meeting 2025

ASCO Annual Meeting 2024

Elizabeth A. Mittendorf – Candidate for President Elect for ASCO