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Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your ACS member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your ACS colleagues. It's all here.

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Professional Growth

2026 Leadership and Advocacy Workshops

Workshop 1 - Leadership in Action: Making the Most of Your Communications Opportunities—From Published Research to Media Interviews 

  • Saturday, February 28, 12:00–2:50 pm
    Independence Ballroom East
  • Thomas K. Varghese Jr., MD, MS, MBA, FACS, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Salt Lake City, UT; Brian Edwards, Vice President, External Communications, ACS Division of Integrated Communications, Chicago, IL
  • Fee - $100 (includes lunch) 

The ACS Division of Integrated Communications is offering an interactive workshop to share best practices on research manuscript submission and sharpen your presentation and media interview skills. Dr. Thomas K. Varghese will discuss how to increase your chances of publication in JACS, answer your questions about the process, and explain how to effectively present published research to drive greater visibility and impact among peers and patients. 

Brian Edwards will guide attendees on developing and delivering effective messages, whether it’s through public presentations, media interviews, or on social media. In an era of information overload, it’s more important than ever to be able to convey clear and convincing messages to all of your audiences. This session will help hone your communication skills, perfect media interview techniques with hands-on practice, and identify opportunities to effectively promote your research.

Workshop 2 - Building Your Leadership Brand to Increase Impact

  • Saturday, February 28, 3:00–5:00 pm
    Independence Ballroom GHI
  • Kimberly A. Whitler, MBA, MS, PhD, Frank M. Sands Sr. Professor of Business Administration, University of Virginia Darden School of Business, Charlottesville, VA
  • Fee - $100

In today’s healthcare environment, technical excellence alone isn’t enough. Leaders must also intentionally craft their professional brands. In this interactive session, Dr. Kimberly A. Whitler will guide participants through the essential steps to position themselves for greater leadership impact within their institutions and across the healthcare landscape.

This workshop will equip surgeons with the tools to move from clinical excellence to thought leadership—becoming visible, credible, and impactful change agents across the healthcare industry.