Philadelphia-based dermatologist to lead AAD as 2025 president

Key takeaways:

• Susan C. Taylor, MD, FAAD, will assume the role of American Academy of Dermatology president-elect in 2024 before becoming president in 2025.
• Taylor previously received a lifetime achievement award from the AAD.

The American Academy of Dermatology has named Susan C. Taylor, MD, FAAD, its 2025 president, according to a press release. Taylor previously served on the organization’s board of directors and as the vice president from 2020 to 2021.

The Philadelphia-based, board-certified dermatologist and Bernett L. Johnson Jr. Endowed Professor of Dermatology at Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, will be installed as president-elect in March 2024 and begin her 1-year tenure in March 2025. Taylor will lead both the AAD and its sister organization, the American Academy of Dermatology Associated.

“It is an honor and a privilege to have been elected by my peers to serve as president, and I look forward to leading the academy as we advocate for our specialty and for our patients,” Taylor said in the release. “I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience into this position, and I plan to use that to tackle some of the most pressing issues dermatologists are facing.”

Taylor received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her medical degree from Harvard University. She completed residencies at Pennsylvania Hospital and Columbia Presbyterian.

With a specialization in alopecia, Taylor is actively involved in advocacy and mentorship concerning this condition. Additionally, the AAD awarded Taylor with its John Kenney Jr., MD, Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.

In addition to being the sixth woman to take the helm as AAD president-elect, Taylor is also the first dermatologist of African American descent to hold the position, according to the release.