Department Announces Second Vice Chair Cohort
July 15, 2026
Stanford Surgery announced its second class of Associate Vice Chairs (AVC), effective September 1st:
Opportunity and Engagement – Dr. Lizzie George
Clinical Affairs – Dr. Stephanie Chao
Research – Dr. Amanda Kirane
Innovation – Dr. Travis Miller
Professional Development – Dr. Amanda Filiberto
Education – Dr. Cara Leibert is staying for another year to transition our new Vice Chair
Academic Affairs – Dr. Deshka Foster
Wellness – Dr. Crystal Chang will stay on as Associate Director
The Associate Chair pathway in the Department of Surgery complements and enhances the current School of Medicine leadership training programs by providing hands-on, practical leadership training for mid-level faculty across the Department.
“I am so grateful for our inaugural Associate Chairs for their wonderful contributions,” said Department Chair Dr. Mary Hawn in her announcement to the faculty. “It has been so impactful to bring our junior faculty voices into our leadership and governance.”
The outgoing AVCs are: Drs. Varia Kirchner, Lisa Knowlton, David Hindin, and Dan Delitto. Additionally, outgoing AVC of Clinical Affairs Dr. Joe Forrester will stay on as the Performance Improvement leader for Stanford Health Care.
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