The final five at-large directors of the proposed independent Board of Cardiovascular Medicine were announced on July 11, completing the 15-member Board of Directors.

The five new directors join those previously announced in April and include Kathryn "Katie" Berlacher, MD; Renee Bullock-Palmer, MD; Esther Kim, MD; William Roach Jr.; and Karen Stout, MD. The new members bring with them a diverse range of competencies and perspectives, including adult congenital cardiology, multimodality imaging, training program expertise, and more. Together, the full Board of Directors includes expertise across the cardiovascular profession.

The Board of Directors will lead the transition to the new Board, if approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), and is responsible for solidifying bylaws that outline the Board's structure and decision-making processes; establishing committees to manage specific Board processes and subspecialties; and defining and implementing tailored policies and procedures for attaining and maintaining cardiovascular certification.

The announcement comes just prior to the close of the ABMS open comment period on July 24. The open comment period is an important part of the ABMS application review process and offers the opportunity for cardiologists, health systems, patients and other stakeholders to share their feedback on the proposed Board.

The 15 members of the Board of Directors are as follows:

• Jeffrey T. Kuvin, MD, President and Chair
• Mark H. Drazner, MD, Treasurer
• Jodie L. Hurwitz, MD, Secretary
• Kathryn "Katie" Berlacher, MD
• Renee Bullock-Palmer, MD
• Peter L. Duffy, MD
• David P. Faxon, MD
• Edward T. A. Fry, MD
• Judith S. Hochman, MD
• Esther Kim, MD
• Michelle Maya Kittleson, MD
• Daniel M. Kolansky, MD
• Gregory F. Michaud, MD
• William Roach Jr.
• Karen Stout, MD