Randall B. Meacham, MD

PRESIDENT, 5/2/2023 – 5/6/2024

Randall B. Meacham, MD is Professor and Chief of the Division of Urology and Executive Vice Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine where he went on to complete his urology residency, as well as a fellowship in male reproductive medicine and surgery. He joined the faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 1990 and has been Chief of the Division of Urology since 2001. Dr. Meacham's primary area of clinical and academic activity is the evaluation and treatment of male infertility, with a focus on microsurgical reconstruction. He is a nationally recognized specialist in urologic microsurgery and maintains a large referral practice in the management of male reproductive disorders.

Dr. Meacham has held leadership positions within the South Central Section, including Secretary and President. In addition, he is Past-President of both the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction and the Rocky Mountain Urological Society, and has served as Medical Staff President and a member of the Board of Directors of the University of Colorado Hospital. Dr. Meacham has also served as Chair of the Urology Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Dr. Meacham is an internationally recognized thought leader in male reproductive medicine and surgery. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 scientific publications and has served on multiple editorial boards. He received the American Urological Association Distinguished Service Award in 2019. Dr. Meacham has been a member of the AUA since 1995.

Stephen Y. Nakada, MD, FACS, FRCS(Glasg)

PRESIDENT-ELECT, 5/2/2023 – 5/6/2024

Stephen Y. Nakada, MD is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Urology and the David T. Uehling Chair of Urology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, WI.  He received his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and completed his residency training at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY.  Dr. Nakada went on to complete his Endourology Fellowship at Washington University prior to joining the faculty at the University of Wisconsin in 1995.  Dr. Nakada has been the Chairman of Urology in Madison since 2001.  In 2020, Dr. Nakada was named the Chief Administrative Physician of the Practice Plan at University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation.

Dr. Nakada's research focuses on urolithiasis and renal aspects of minimally invasive urology.  He has authored or co-authored over 250 scientific articles, 50 book chapters, and he has edited more than 10 textbooks in those areas. Dr. Nakada has served on the AUA Staghorn Stone and Ureteral Stones Guidelines Committees, the AUA/ABU Examination Committee, and he served as the Chair of the AUA Laparoscopy and Robotic Surgery Committee. He has served as President of the R.O.C.K. Society, the Society of Academic Urologists, the Endourological Society and the American Board of Urology. 

Dr. Nakada received the AUA Gold Cystoscope Award in 2004, a AUA Distinguished Service Award in 2017 and the Hugh Hampton Young Award in 2020.  In 2019, he received the Ralph V. Clayman Mentor Award from the Endourological Society.  Dr. Nakada has been a member of the AUA since 1997.

Edward M. Messing, MD, FACS

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT, 5/2/2023 – 5/6/2024

Edward M. Messing, MD is Professor of Urology and Oncology at the University of Rochester. Prior to this, he was the Winfield W. Scott Professor and Chairman of the Department of Urology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry from 1995-2018, and the Deputy Director of the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center at the University of Rochester from 1996-1998.

Dr. Messing received his medical degree from New York University in 1972 and completed his surgery training at NYU-Bellevue Hospital in New York 1972-1974 and his Urology Residency at Stanford University 1974-1978. After 2 years on the faculty at Tulane University, he completed a fellowship in Urologic Oncology at UCLA in 1982. He was on the faculty of the Division of Urology at the University of Wisconsin from 1982-1995, serving as Director of their Urologic Oncology Program for the last 10 years of that period.

Dr. Messing is a renowned expert on the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cancers of the bladder, prostate, and kidney. He has conducted the largest screening study for bladder cancer in a general population and carries on extensive research in the basic biology of these cancers. He has been the principal investigator on numerous clinical studies for the detection, prevention and treatment of them, several of which have changed the standard of care for patients with these diseases.

Dr. Messing has been President of the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) and AUA Northeastern Section. He received the AUA Ramon Guiteras Award in 2018, an AUA Presidential Citation in 2013, the SUO Medal in 2016, and the SUO Distinguished Service Award in 2020. He has been a member of the AUA since 1984.

David F. Penson, MD, MPH

SECRETARY, 5/2/2023 – 5/24/2027

David F. Penson, MD is the Hamilton and Howd Chair in Urologic Oncology, Director of the Center for Surgical Quality and Outcomes Research and Professor and Chair, Department of Urology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He obtained his MD from Boston University and completed his urology residency at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. He then was awarded a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar fellowship at Yale University and also obtained an MPH at Yale. He currently maintains a clinical practice in urologic oncology at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. 

Dr. Penson’s specific research interests include the comparative effectiveness of treatment options in localized prostate cancer and the impact of the disease and its treatment on patients’ quality of life. He has received federal grant funding from the National Cancer Institute, the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. He previously chaired the National Institutes of Health’s Health Services Outcomes and Delivery (HSOD) study section, which reviews almost all health services research grant submitted to the NIH.

Dr. Penson served as AUA Public Policy Chair (2012-2016) and AUA Science & Quality Chair (2018-2022). He has been a member of the AUA since 1997.

Thomas F. Stringer, MD, FACS

TREASURER, 9/14/2021 – 5/5/2025

Thomas F. Stringer, MD is Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Urology at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville and also serves as Associate Chairman of Philanthropy and Alumni Affairs. Dr. Stringer received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and his medical degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He completed his residency in surgery and urology at the UF College of Medicine in 1980.

Dr. Stringer is Past-President the AUA Southeastern Section (2009 - 2010) and the Florida Urological Society (2006 - 2007). He served on the AUA's Finance, Bylaws and Investment Committees and was Chairman of the AUA Compensation Committee. He served as the Southeastern Section representative to the AUA Board of Directors (2014 – 2019). He is a past contributing author to the AUA's Core Curriculum and was co-author of “The Complete Business Guide for a Successful Medical Practice”. Dr. Stringer has served as Director for the AUA Annual Meeting course on Physician Contract Negotiation for Employment and Ownership since 2012. In June of 2016, Dr. Stringer was honored with the 2016 UF Department of Urology Resident Teaching Award, as well as received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Urological Society in 2021. He was awarded the AUA's prestigious Presidential Citation in 2010. He writes and lectures nationally on the business of urology. He has been a member of the AUA since 1984.

Kurt A. McCammon, MD

MID-ATLANTIC SECTION REPRESENTATIVE, 5/19/2020 – 5/6/2024

Kurt A. McCammon, MD is the Devine Chair in Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgery and Chairman and Professor of the Department of Urology at Eastern Virginia Medical School, where he also serves as Urology Residency Program Director and fellowship director of the adult and pediatric genitourinary reconstructive surgery program. He received his medical degree from the Medical College of Ohio, completed residency at Eastern Virginia Medical School and a two-year fellowship in genitourinary reconstructive surgery also at EVMS.

Dr. McCammon is a past president of the Society of Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgeons and is the past Chair of the Board of IVUmed. He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Toledo in 2011 and the 2017 Christina Manthos Mentoring Award from the Society of Women in Urology. In 2022, he was recognized by the Caribbean Urologic for career achievements and was awarded the Albert Schweitzer International Teaching Award from the Society international urology. His clinical interests include female urology, pelvic reconstruction, urethral reconstruction, and male incontinence. He has been a member of the AUA since 1997.

Arthur E. Tarantino, MD

NEW ENGLAND SECTION REPRESENTATIVE, 9/14/2021 – 4/29/2025

Arthur E. Tarantino, MD is a Senior urologist in the Hartford Healthcare Medical Group, Tallwood Urologic and Kidney Institute, Hartford Hospital. He is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He continues to serve on multiple committees at Hartford Hospital and was Vice President and then President of the Medical Staff from 2001-2005.

Dr. Tarantino received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his medical degree from Georgetown University. He completed his preliminary surgical training at the University of Rochester-Strong Memorial Hospital, and his urologic training at the Lahey Clinic in 1988.

Dr. Tarantino is a past president of the Connecticut State Urology Society. He was Treasurer and then President of the AUA New England Section. He has served on several AUA Committees including past Chair of the Practice Management and State Advocacy Committees.

A native of Washington, D.C., Dr. Tarantino has had a lifelong interest in Health Policy and Advocacy. He has been a member of the AUA since 1990.

Reza Ghavamian, MD

NEW YORK SECTION REPRESENTATIVE, 5/19/2020 – 5/6/2024

Reza Ghavamian, MD is the Eastern Regional Director of Urology for Northwell Health in New York and Professor of Urology at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra / Northwell. He is a Urologic Oncologist and also Chairman of Urology at Northwell's Huntington Hospital. Dr. Ghavamian completed his undergraduate studies at Boston University and subsequently graduated from Boston University School of Medicine. He completed his Urological training at UMASS Medical Center. He subsequently completed advanced fellowship training in Urologic Oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN.

Dr. Ghavamian is a Past President of the AUA New York Section and a graduate of AUA’s leadership program. He has served on several AUA committees including New Technologies & Imaging Committee. An academic physician, he has been intricately involved in medical student, resident and fellow education throughout his academic career.

Dr. Ghavamian has authored and coauthored numerous original manuscripts, book chapters and has been a frequently invited speaker nationally and internationally. He has also edited two textbooks and two special issues in prominent urologic publications. He has been a member of the AUA since 1997.

James C. Ulchaker, MD, FACS

NORTH CENTRAL SECTION REPRESENTATIVE, 5/19/2020 – 5/6/2024

James C. Ulchaker, MD is the Vice-Chairman of the Department of Urology at the Cleveland Clinic, as has been on staff at the Urologic Oncology/Prostate Center for the past 22 years. Dr. Ulchaker graduated from Baldwin Wallace College, Case Western University School of Medicine, and completed his residency at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation where he was awarded the Bruce H. Stewart award for being the top resident there.

The majority of Dr. Ulchaker’s research has been in the field of new technologies associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, tumor markers, and the socioeconomic implications of today’s healthcare environment. He is a Past President of the AUA North Central Section, the Cleveland Urological Society, and the Ohio Urological Society. Dr. Ulchaker served as chair of the AUA’s Young Urologists Committee and AUA Legislative Affairs Committee. He was also named the 2011 AUA Gallagher Health Policy Scholar and is the former Vice-Chair of UROPAC. He has been a member of the AUA since 1997.

Hassan Razvi, MD, FRCSC

NORTHEASTERN SECTION REPRESENTATIVE, 9/14/2021 - 4/29/2025

Hassan Razvi, MD is Professor in the Division of Urology, Department of Surgery at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. He most recently served as Chairman of the Division of Urology at Western from 2005-2019. He is also an Associate Scientist in the Clinical Research Division of the Lawson Health Research Institute.

Dr Razvi’s clinical and research interests include the metabolic and surgical aspects of urinary stone disease, and surgical device development. He has authored or co-authored 18 book chapters and published over 190 peer-review articles. He has held research grant support from the Canadian Kidney Foundation, the Canadian Urological Association Scholarship Foundation, the US National Institutes of Health and the US Department of Defense. He has been involved in several important and impactful Endourology-focused initiatives including two Société Internationale d'Urologie- International Consultation on Urologic Disease stone disease panels in 2008 and 2014 and the 2016 AUA-Endourology Society Surgical Management of Stones Guideline.

Dr. Razvi is a past president of the AUA Northeastern Section and Canadian Urological Association, and a board member of the Endourology Society. He has been a member of the AUA since 1998.

Damara L. Kaplan, MD, PhD

SOUTH CENTRAL SECTION REPRESENTATIVE, 5/17/2022 – 5/6/2024*

Damara L. Kaplan, MD, PhD is an attending physician in the urology division of the New Mexico Cancer Center. After earning her PhD in Pharmaceutical Science with an emphasis in renal toxicology, Dr. Kaplan attended the University of New Mexico Medical School. She completed her urology residency in 2001 at the University of New Mexico. Upon graduation, she started a solo practice in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She then became one of the founding members of Albuquerque Urology Associates, the largest independent urology practice in New Mexico.

Dr. Kaplan is a Past President of the AUA South Central Section. She is a graduate of the 2011 AUA Leadership Program. Dr. Kaplan has served on numerous AUA committees, including By-laws committee, Medical Student Education committee, and History committee. She has been active in health policy and organized urology and is the immediate past president of the American Association of Clinical Urologists. Dr. Kaplan has been involved with resident and medical student education and served as the site director of the residency program at Presbyterian Hospital for 13 years.  She has been a member of the AUA since 2003.

Glenn M. Preminger, MD, FACS

SOUTHEASTERN SECTION REPRESENTATIVE, 1/7/2023 - 4/29/2025*

Glenn M. Preminger, MD is the James F. Glenn Distinguished Professor of Urologic Surgery at Duke University Medical Center. He received his medical degree from New York Medical College and urologic training at the University of North Carolina. He was an AUA Scholar in Mineral Metabolism at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, concentrating on the medical management of nephrolithiasis.

His clinical interests include the minimally invasive management of urinary tract stones including SWL, percutaneous and ureteroscopic stone removal. He directs the metabolic evaluation and preventative medical treatment offered at the Duke Comprehensive Kidney Stone Center.  He has extensive experience in developing endoscopic instrumentation for minimally invasive urologic procedures and holds nine patents in SWL design.  Dr. Preminger has published more than 360 manuscripts, 100 book chapters and 10 books.

Dr. Preminger’s career highlights include activities on multiple committees and guideline panels, including Chair of the AUA Office of Education from 2006 to 2009. He also received the AUA Residents Committee Teaching Award in 2008, the AUA Flannigan Education Award in 2015, was the AUA John K. Latimer Lecturer in 2021, received the AUA Ramon Guiteras Award in 2022, the AUA Urology Care Foundation Distinguished Scholar Alumnus Award in 2022, and is currently the Secretary/Treasurer for the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons. Dr. Preminger has been a member of the AUA since 1986.

Christopher R. Porter, MD, FACS

WESTERN SECTION REPRESENTATIVE, 5/2/2023 - 4/29/2025*

Christopher R. Porter, MD is Clinical Professor of Urology at the University of Washington; he is the Director of Urologic Oncology and Fellowship Director in Urologic Oncology at Virginia Mason Fransiscan Health (VMFH). In addition, he serves as the Medical Director for Research for VMFH. He graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in Microbiology and Philosophy and received his medical degree from Rush University in Chicago, surgical training in urology at Brown and completed his Fellowship in Urologic Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering. During his fellowship Dr. Porter worked closely with Dr Fair, investigating novel methods of prostate cancer detection. This work spurned his interests in prostate cancer imaging and led to him participating and Chairing the Urologic Diagnostic and Therapeutic Imaging Committee at the AUA.

Dr. Porter joined the faculty at Georgetown after his Fellowship, before moving to Seattle to join the faculty at Virginia Mason in 2002. Chris has had a lasting passion for research having authored more than 100 peer reviewed manuscripts and book chapters on prostate cancer, diagnostic imaging and testicular cancer. Chris has won a number of awards and honors, including the AUA Leadership Award, Outstanding Service Award at the Western Section AUA and served as Western Section President.  Dr. Porter has been an AUA member since 1999. 

Michael T. Sheppard, CPA, CAE

Chief Executive Officer

Mike Sheppard is a business professional with over 30 years of corporate leadership experience. As the Chief Executive Officer of the AUA, he is responsible for AUA's four corporate entities, including the Urology Care Foundation, AUA’s official foundation for urologic patient education and research. In over 25 years with the AUA, Mr. Sheppard has held several executive-level positions and has served as AUA's CEO since 2005.

Prior to joining the AUA, Mr. Sheppard served in senior-level business positions at USF&G Realty Advisors, Inc., as a real estate portfolio controller, and C.W. Amos and Company, LLC as a senior independent public auditor. In addition, he is a retiree of the U.S. Naval Reserves Service. He has numerous professional affiliations, including memberships with the American Society of Association Executives, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Greater Washington Society of Association Executives and Institute of Management Accountants Association. Mr. Sheppard received his MBA from Loyola College's Sellinger School. He is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Association Executive. Mr. Sheppard is the recipient of several awards, including many military honors. He has written a number of published articles and participates on several committees for medical-related organizations, including current President of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies and Board member of Verana Health.