Membership Committee

Aims of the Committee

Advise the board in determining the eligibility of Proposed Membership applicants. Plan and implement novel strategies to promote new Proposed Membership.

Responsibilities:

• This committee is charged with actively encouraging membership by developing marketing plans for increased visibility of the IAC to attract and recruit new members
• Provide consultation regarding all new applications for membership and oversee the acceptance of new members.
• The names of cytopathologists and cytotechnologists recommended to be accepted as IAC members by the committee are presented to the GM annually for ratification by a vote of acceptance by simple majority.
• The committee is to be consulted when requests or proposals for elevation to Emeritus status or Honorary Fellowship are received. The recommendations of the committee should be presented to the BoD for final approval.
• Create unique ways to retain and keep the current membership engaged with the academy
• Explore creative ways to reach out to training programs and recruit junior members
• Make joint efforts with the communication committee as well as with the liaison committee to find unique ways to increase new membership
• Monitor membership numbers at quarterly intervals

Massimo Bongiovanni, MD, FIAC (Switzerland)

Dr. Bongiovanni is head of Cytopathology at SYNLAB Pathology in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is member of the Pathology Expert Group, at SYNLAB International, Member (MIAC) and then Fellow (FIAC) of the International Academy of Cytology since 2016. He is the author of more than 200 scientific articles and 15 book chapters. He was Vice President of the Swiss Cytology Society (2015-2021) and a member of the Endocrine Tumor Group of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). He is associate editor of the journal Acta Cytologica and participates in the editorial board of the journal Diagnostic Cytopathology. He is currently co-chair of the scientific committee of the European Federation of Cytology Societies (EFCS).

Maria Dolores Lozano, MD, MIAC (Spain)

Professor of Pathology at the School of Medicine, University of Navarra and Director of the Department of Pathology, Clínica University of Navarra. Currently President of the Spanish Society of Pathology (SEAP-IAP) and the Spanish division of IAP.

She is Past President of the Spanish Society of Cytopathology and a member of the working group of Cytopathology of the European Society of Pathology (ESP). Also a member of the Scientific Committee of the American Society of Cytopathology (ASC) and a member of the editorial boards of several journals: Cytopathology, Journal of Molecular Pathology, Frontiers in Medicine-Advances in Molecular Cytopathology, Diagnostic Cytopathology, Journal of Clinical Translational Pathology.

Editor of the WHO Pancreaticobiliary Cytology Blue Book.  Author of several chapters (ancillary techniques) of the WHO Pancreaticobiliary Cytology and the WHO Pulmonary Cytology

As a researcher, Dr. Lozano serves as a principal investigator (PI) and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams at the university, national, and international levels.

She has a significant interest in and extensive experience in cytopathology, particularly lung, pleura, mediastinum, pancreas, and soft tissue cytopathology.

Her work focuses on new approaches to fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and developing and applying ancillary and molecular techniques to cytological samples and small specimens obtained through minimally invasive methods. She also has experience in studying tumor microenvironment in lung and pancreatic tumors using cytological samples and small biopsies. Additionally, he is dedicated to surgical pathology of the lung, pleura, and mediastinum.

Author of over 200 articles in national and international scientific journals. Presented more than 500 communications at meetings. Authored ten book chapters. Conducted numerous conferences and courses.

Dr. Israh Akhtar, FIAC (U.S.A.) 

Dr. Israh Akhtar is a Professor of Pathology, Director of Cytopathology, and Fellowship Program Director at Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, USA. With extensive clinical experience, Dr. Akhtar combines diagnostic expertise with a dedication to education, aiming to empower the next generation of cytopathologists.

Her main focus is cytopathology and surgical pathology particularly breast and thoracic pathology. She is the recipient of several teaching awards and is well-published in peer-reviewed journals. She is a member of the Scientific Committee of the American Society of Cytopathology (ASC) and editorial board of Archives of Pathology and Lab medicine (Pulmonary section). She is invited speaker for several meetings including Cytopathology board review courses in United Kingdom and USA.

As an active member and fellow of the International Academy of Cytology (FIAC), Dr. Akhtar aims to actively recruit, guide, and expose aspiring cytopathologists to global opportunities and knowledge that will help them to develop their skills and advance their careers on a wider stage.

Dr. Mihir Gudi FRCPath,DipRCPath ( Cytol), MBBS, MD, DMS, MIAC (Singapore) 

Dr. Mihir Gudi is senior consultant at the KK Women’s and Children Hospital, and clinical associate professor at Duke Nus Medical School, Singapore. He is also the President Society of Cytology Singapore, as well as a council member of SGIAP. Dr. Gudi is also the Associate Program Director, Singhealth Residency Program. 

Dr. Merce Jorda, MIAC (USA)

Mercè Jordà, M.D, Ph.D., M.B.A. is the Chair of Pathology & Laboratory
Medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She is a board-
certified Anatomic and Clinical Pathologist and Cytopathologist, who has worked
for over 25 years at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine serving as
a senior academic, consultative pathologist, and as medical director of several
UHealth facilities mainly focused on cancer care, with direct impact in laboratory
healthcare management.
Dr. Jordà obtained her medical degree from the Autonomous University of
Barcelona School of Medicine in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. She completed her
European residency training in Anatomic Pathology and her Ph.D. in Pathology
at the University of Seville School of Medicine, in Seville, Spain. She later joined
the Department of Pathology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
as a research fellow in Molecular Pathology. She completed her USA residency
training in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at Jackson Memorial
Hospital/University of Miami, in Miami, Florida. Her education included fellowship
training in Cytopathology in the same institution. In 2012 Dr. Jordà, obtained her
Master of Business Administration, specializing in Health Sector Management
and Policy from the University of Miami Herbert Business School.
Dr. Jordà served as Vice Chair of Anatomic Pathology from 2014 to 2018,
Director of Cytopathology from 2015 to 2019, and Director of Genitourinary
Pathology Service from 2009 to 2022. She was named Interim Chair of the
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the University of Miami in
June 2018, and Permanent Chair in March 2020.
Dr. Jordà’s areas of research interest include genitourinary and cytopathology.
She is the co-principal investigator for multiple awarded grants, a member of
several major editorial boards and cancer journals, and author and co-author of
more than 200 journal articles and book chapters.
The true passion of Dr. Jordà is to influence change through servant leadership.

Dr. Fabiano Mesquita Callegari, MD, MIAC (Brazil)

Dr. Fabiano Callegari is a Brazilian pathologist with over 30 years of experience in fine-needle aspiration (FNA), head and neck pathology, and cytopathology, with a particular focus on thyroid and salivary gland diseases. He serves as an assistant pathologist at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), where he coordinates the FNA outpatient clinics for endocrinology and head and neck surgery and is actively involved in resident education. Dr. Callegari is a contributor to both The Milan System for Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology and The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology. He is also co-director of Cytolog, a private diagnostic laboratory specialized in FNA. 

Dr. Shahid Pervez, MD, MIAC (Pakistan)

Dr Shahid Pervez is a Professor & Senior Consultant Histopathologist at AKUH. His major diagnostic and research interests include Breast Pathology, Neoplastic Hematopathology and Predictive Pathology. He has supervised several FCPS & PhD students and published extensively with over 230 research publications, several book chapters. He is also Editor of ‘Atlas of Diagnostic & Predictive Histopathology’, the 2^nd edition of which is published by ‘Springer’ in 2020. He has served in various leadership positions and was elected ‘Councillor’ of College of Physicians & Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP)’ and ‘Editor’ of CPSP official journal (JCPSP) having an impact factor of over 1.  He is also ‘Country Advisor & Senior Examiner of Royal College of Pathologists, UK’. He played a pivotal role in establishing vibrant and active Pathology forums and is the Founder President of ‘IAP-Pakistan Division’, ‘Histopathology & Cytology Society of Pakistan (HCSP)’ & ‘SAARC Academy of Cytology & Histopathology (SACH)’. Dr Pervez also played a pivotal role in reviving ‘Karachi Cancer Registry (KCR)’ and is the ‘Chair of KCR’ and ‘Vice Chair of National Steering Committee for Cancer Registry’.

Dr. Wendy Raymond, FIAC

Dr. Wendy Raymond is an anatomical pathologist and cytopathologist in public and private practice in Adelaide, is Associate Professor in the School of Medicine, Flinders University of South Australia, and is a Fellow of the International Academy of Cytology. She is currently Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) Chair of the Breast Pathology Quality Assurance Committee and a member of the Cytopathology Advisory Committee.

Dr. Cioly Rivero-Colmenarez, MIAC (Luxembourg) 

Dr. Rivero is a medical doctor originally from Venezuela, who received her pathology residency training at La Paz University Hospital (Madrid, Spain). With a special interest in Cytopathology, and in promoting its identity and development, she was appointed as Head of the Cytology Unit in June 2024 at Laboratoire National de Sante, Luxembourg. She is currently co-chair of the residents and early career (YoungEFCS) committee and the quality assurance committee of the council board of the EFCS (European Federation of Cytology Societies).

Dr. Fernando Schmitt, MD, FIAC (Portugal)

Professor Fernando Schmitt is a Professor of Pathology at the Medical Faculty of University of Porto, Senior Researcher and Head of Molecular Pathology Unit at IPATIMUP, Director of RISE (Clinical and Translational Research Network of the Medical Faculty), Past-President of the International Society of Breast Pathology and President of the International Academy of Cytology (IAC).

dr. Syed Z. Ali, MD, FRCPath, FIAC (USA)

Prof. Ali serves as Professor of Pathology and Radiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine as well as the Director of the Division of Cytopathology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He received his Pathology residency training at North Shore University Hospital/Cornell University in New York with fellowships in Oncologic Surgical Pathology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and Cytopathology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

Known globally as an innovative educator, Prof. Ali has well over 375 invited lectures, keynote speeches and visiting professorships all over the world. In collaboration with international societies and universities, he directs or co-directs several annual major cytopathology tutorials.

Prof. Ali has published extensively with over 335 peer-reviewed articles in major scientific journals, over 35 books, book chapters and electronic media. Known for his expertise in “Thyroid” and “Pancreatic” cytopathology, his monograph on “The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology” (now in its 3rd edition) has been translated in 8 languages and is extensively used in medical practice all over the world. He is the founding editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Society of Cytopathology (JASC) and a past-President of the American Society of Cytopathology (ASC). Presently, he serves as the President of the International Academy of Cytology (IAC) and Chair of the International Board of Cytopathology of the IAC. He is a fellow of both the Royal College of Pathologists (UK) and the IAC. He is recipient of the ASC’s “Warren R. Lang Award” in 1996, “President’s Award” in 2012, “Excellence in Education Award” in 2015, the IAC’s “Maurice Goldblatt Award” in 2019, Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology’s “LC Tao Educator of the Year Award” in 2022 and the ASC’s “Papanicolaou Award” in 2023.