Reza Ghavamian, MD

Dr. Reza Ghavamian is the System Eastern Region Director of Urology for Northwell Health. He is also the Chairman of the department of Urology at Northwell’s Huntington Hospital. Dr. Ghavamian is a Professor of Urology at the Zucker school of medicine at Northwell / Hofstra. Prior to his appointment at Northwell, Dr. Ghavamian was a Professor of Urology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

Dr. Ghavamian completed his undergraduate studies at Boston University and subsequently graduated from the Boston University School of Medicine. He completed his Urological training at UMASS Medical Center. During his residency, he completed a 1-year rotation at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children in London, UK. He subsequently completed advanced fellowship training in Urologic Oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. 

Dr. Ghavamian is an experienced Urologic Oncologist with expertise in major open, laparoscopic and robotic oncologic urologic operations. He is an academic physician with over 100 peer reviewed publications, chapters and editorials. He is on the Editorial Board of Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations, Videourology, Urology Practice and JU Open Plus. He is a member of the Society of Urologic Oncology, the American Urological Association and the Endourologic Society.

Dr. Ghavamian has been nationally active with the American Urologic Association (AUA) being an alumnus of its second leadership program. He has served on several committees at the AUA. He has been an active member of the New York section of the AUA and served on the board of directors of the section for many years. He subsequently served as the President of the New York Section of the AUA in 2019. He most recently served and completed a 4-year term on the Board of Directors of the national AUA as the New York Section representative.

Christopher M. Gonzalez, MD, MBA, FACS

Dr. Chris Gonzalez graduated from Denison University in Granville, Ohio with a BS degree in 1989. Afterwards he obtained his MD degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine in Iowa City, Iowa.  Dr. Gonzalez then completed both his general surgical and urologic residency training at the McGaw Medical Center, Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Gonzalez served in the US Army National Guard from January 1991 – January 2001. He joined the Northwestern University Department of Urology in 2000. He served as Chief of Urology for the VA Lakeside from 2003 – 2006 and completed his MBA degree from the Northwestern Kellogg School of Management in 2006.  He was the Director of Surgery for the Northwestern Medicine Surgical Services from 2014 - 2015. In 2015 Dr. Gonzalez was named the Lester Persky Professor and Chair of the Urology Institute at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio where he served until 2018. Currently he is the Albert J. Jr. and Claire Speh Professor and Chair of Urology for the Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC) and the Stritch School of Medicine. He also serves as the Chief of Surgery for the LUMC. He is the Associate Editor for the Genitourinary Reconstruction Section of Urology, and the Section Editor for Urology Practice. He is a member of the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons and was awarded the Barringer medal by the organization in 2022. He is a trustee of the American board of urology, and chair of its certifying examination committee.

E. Ann Gormley, MD

Dr. Ann Gormley is a Professor of Surgery (Urology) at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. She received a BA in English and her MD at the University of Saskatchewan. While completing her residency in Urology at the University of Alberta, she earned an MSc in Experimental Surgery. She then completed a fellowship in Female Urology and Voiding Dysfunction. Dr. Gormley is a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and is Board Certified by the American Board of Urology (ABU) with sub-certification in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Gormley’s interests are in female urology, voiding dysfunction and resident education. She was the Program Director for the Urology Program at Dartmouth-Hitchcock from 2001-2019 and now serves as the Associate Program Director. She is a core faculty member for the Gynecology based fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Gormley was on the ACGME Residency Review Committee. She was awarded the ACGME “Courage to Teach” Award and she is an American College of Surgeons Master Surgeon Educator. She recently completed a term as the Chair of the Appointments, Promotions and Titles Committee for the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

Dr. Gormley was the Chairman of the NIDDK’s Urinary Incontinence Network. Dr Gormley is a Past President of the Society for Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU). She is a Past President of the Society of Urology Chairmen and Program Directors. Dr. Gormley is a Past President and former Secretary of the New England Section. As the New England Section representative to the Board of Director of the American Urologic Association (AUA) she was the first woman to serve on the board. She served on the AUA/ABU Exam Committee as a member and consultant, and she is an oral board examiner for the ABU. Dr. Gormley previously served on the AUA Stress Incontinence Guidelines Committee and Chaired the AUA Overactive Guidelines Panel. She is a former Assistant Editor for the Journal of Urology and Urology Practice. She is the former Editor for AUA Updates. Dr. Gormley became a trustee of the American Board of Urology in 2021. As chair of the URPS committee she represents the ABU at AGOG’s URPS division meetings. Dr. Gormley is a member of the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons.

Dr. Gormley is a co-PI on a multi-institutional PCORI grant for the treatment of overactive bladder in older women. She serves on the Urologic Diseases in America Contract Management Board for the NIDDK. 

Jean V. Joseph, MD, MBA, FACS

Dr. Jean Joseph currently serves as W.W. Scott Professor and Chairman of the department of Urology, and Professor of Oncology at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Dr. Joseph completed his college education at Boston University. He later attended the University of Rochester School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency in 1998. He received fellowship training at the University College London (England) in reconstructive urologic surgery. He completed a master class in laparoscopic prostatectomy at the Institute Mutualiste Montsouris (Paris, France). Dr. Joseph completed a Master’s in Business Administration in 2004 at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Dr. Joseph specializes in robotic surgery for urologic diseases, particularly prostate cancer. His research interests have focused on surgical innovation, applications of novel robotic technology, simulation, and patient outcomes. He serves as investigator in several clinical trials and is a member of the executive committee of ConDuc (Consortium on Disparities of Urologic Conditions) an organization committed to developing strategies to address health inequities and improve outcomes.

Dr. Joseph is a pioneer in the field of robotic surgery, and has served as President of the Society of Urologic Robotic Surgery. He has participated as surgeon for several international live robotic surgery demonstrations, including the first live robotic prostatectomy transmission to the American Urological Association in 2010. He has authored numerous medical journal articles on topics related to robotics and minimally invasive surgery. He has served as course director for several courses at the American Urological Association, and World Congress of Endourology annual meetings. Dr. Joseph has edited multiple books, authored numerous book chapters, and scientific publications. He is the founding editor of Doctors Advice.

Dr. Joseph has served in a number of leadership positions. He served on the Board of the University of Rochester Medical Center, the Society of Academic Urologists, the Endourology Society, the Northeastern Section of the American Urological Association as Secretary, and the American Board of Urology as a certifying examiner. Service on non-academic boards included Cerebral Assessment Systems, Camp Good Days, and the Monroe County Sheriff Foundation.

Jennifer Miles-Thomas, MD, URPS, MBA

Dr. Jennifer Miles-Thomas is the Vice Chair of Regional Integration and Innovation in the Department of Urology at Northwestern Medicine. She previously served as President and CEO of Urology of Virginia and as Medical Director of the Pelvic Health program at Chesapeake Regional Healthcare. Dr. Miles-Thomas specializes in female reconstructive surgery, pelvic prolapse, incontinence, complex urinary disorders, and neurologically related urinary conditions. Eager to expand her leadership and strategic acumen, she earned and completed her MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2024.

In addition to her clinical and administrative roles, Dr. Miles-Thomas is deeply involved with the AUA.  She has served as a mentor in the AUA Leadership Program, contributed to the AUA Leadership & Business Education Committee, hosted multiple AUA podcasts focused on the Business of Urology and sat on the Mid-Atlantic AUA Board of Directors.  Dr. Miles-Thomas has been a member of the AUA since 2005.

Margaret S. Pearle, MD, PhD

Dr. Margaret Pearle is Professor and Vice Chair of Academic Affairs in the Department of Urology with a dual appointment in Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and holder of the Ralph C. Smith Distinguished Chair in Urologic Education. She has been involved in numerous academic initiatives in stone disease, including serving as chair of the AUA Medical Management of Kidney Stones Guideline Panel in 2014 and as President of the ROCK Society in 2007. She received the AUA Gold Cystoscope Award in 2003, the Robert C. Flanigan Education Award in 2012, the Hugh Hampton Young Award in 2016, the Barringer Medal from the prestigious American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons (AAGUS) in 2018 and the St. Paul’s Medal from the British Association of Urologic Surgeons (BAUS) in 2020. She served on the Board of Trustees of the American Board of Urology, becoming President in 2013-14. She served as Secretary General of the Endourological Society for 6 years, then ascended to President of the Society in 2023. She is an honorary member of both the AUA and the Endourological Society. Finally, she is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, Glasgow. 

Christopher R. Porter, MD, FACS

Dr. Christopher Porter is on staff at Ali’i Health in Kona Hawaii. He was Clinical Professor of Urology at the University of Washington (retired) and previously was the Director of the Urologic Oncology Fellowship. 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.