First Female President of APMA Invigorates Podiatry Leadership in 2010-11
Bethesda, MD – History was made during the 90th Annual House of Delegates of the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC, as the APMA elected its first female president in the Association’s 98-year existence.
Kathleen M. Stone, DPM, will immediately assume the office of President, replacing Ronald D. Jensen, DPM. Other officer positions filled include: Michael J. King, DPM, as President-Elect; Joseph M. Caporusso, DPM, as Vice President; and Matthew G. Garoufalis, DPM, as Treasurer. David G. Edwards, DPM, Ira Kraus, DPM, and Frank Spinosa, DPM, were all re-elected to three-year terms on the Board of Trustees. Jeffrey DeSantis, DPM, was elected for a two-year term.
“I will strive each and every day to promote podiatry as the premier profession for foot and ankle care. This is an exciting time for us—and I have no doubt that we will make great progress in the coming year to educate lawmakers, peers in the medical community and the general public about the vast scope of our profession," said Dr. Stone. "As the podiatric medicine’s first female president, along with the help of our newly elected leadership, we will continue to strongly advocate for podiatry.”
The House of Delegates consists of APMA member podiatrists representing all 50 states and additional territories, who elect Association members to serve on the organization’s Board of Trustees. The Board provides leadership and guidance to APMA by maintaining a high level of accountability and accuracy in its decisions and communications with consumers, members, students, employers, educational institutions, and government.
ELECTED LEADERSHIP:
President Stone, of Glendale, Arizona, most recently served as chair and treasurer of APMA’s Member Finance Committee, as well as chair of the Development Committee. Dr. Stone, recognized in 2008 by Phoenix Magazine as one of the area’s top local doctors, is a member of the Arizona Podiatric Medical Association and the American Association for Women Podiatrists.
President-Elect King, of Fall River, Massachusetts, most recently served on several APMA committees, including the Membership, Education, and Legislative Committees. In addition, he is also a past president of the Massachusetts Podiatric Medical Society and also chaired the APMA Health Policy Committee and Coding Committee.
Vice President Caporusso, of McAllen, Texas, most recently served as Board liaison to both the State Advocacy and Member 2015 Committees. Fluent in both English and Spanish, he is currently a clinical associate of the University of Texas Health Science Center’s Department of Orthopedics in San Antonio, Texas, and is a past president of the Texas Podiatric Medical Association.
Treasurer Garoufalis, of Chicago, Illinois, most recently has served as chair of the Development Committee. A past president of the Illinois Podiatric Medical Association, he has also served as both chair of and Board liaison to APMA’s Clinical Practice Advisory Committee.
ELECTED TRUSTEES:
Trustee Edwards, of Logan, Utah, most recently served on APMA’s State Advocacy Committee. He has also served on APMA’s Marketing Committee and Career Development Committee. He is a past president of the Utah Podiatric Medical Association.
Trustee Kraus, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a past president of the Tennessee Podiatric Medical Association. Most recently, he has served as a member of APMA’s Membership Committee, as well as chair of the Policy Oversight Committee. He also recently received the Kennison Award for outstanding contributions to the American Podiatric Medical Students’ Association.
Trustee Spinosa, of Shelter Island, New York, has served as chair for several APMA committees, most recently the APMA Annual Meeting Committee and Vision 2015 Committee. He was also named one of Podiatry Magazine’s “150 Most Influential Podiatrists.”
Trustee DeSantis, of Orange, California, most recently served on APMA’s Resolutions Committee and Vision 2015 Committee. Additionally, he is a past president of the California Podiatric Medical Association, and was named “Podiatric Physician of the Year” in 2007 by the organization.
The APMA House of Delegates, which serves as the Association’s governing body, meets annually to decide on proposed resolutions, proposed changes to APMA Bylaws and Administrative Procedures, and elect officers and trustees.
Founded in 1912, the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) is the nation's leading and recognized professional organization for doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs). DPMs are podiatric physicians and surgeons, also known as podiatrists, qualified by their education, training and experience to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot, ankle and structures of the leg. The medical education and training of a DPM includes four years of undergraduate education, four years of graduate education at an accredited podiatric medical college and two or three years of hospital residency training. APMA has 53 state component locations across the United States and its territories, with a membership of close to 12,000 podiatrists. All practicing APMA members are licensed by the state in which they practice podiatric medicine. For more information, visit www.apma.org.
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