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2025–2026 Presidential Year in Review

A look back at the achievements, milestones, and impact of the American Burn Association during the 2025–2026 presidential year. 


Watch Dr. Carter's MessageExplore the Highlights

The 2025–2026 year was marked by progress, collaboration, and a shared commitment to advancing burn care. 

Together, ABA members, volunteers, burn centers, researchers, educators, and industry partners strengthened programs, expanded educational opportunities, advanced research, promoted prevention, and improved patient care. From launching a new strategic plan and website to growing membership and expanding key programs, the accomplishments highlighted throughout this report reflect the collective impact of a dedicated multidisciplinary community. 

Thank you for your leadership, expertise, and engagement. The ABA's success is driven by the individuals who contribute their time and talents in support of our mission. We invite you to explore the highlights of the past year and celebrate what we achieved together. 

Jeffrey Carter, MD, FABA
President

Ed Dellert, RN, MBA, CAE, FACEHP
Chief Executive Officer

A Year of Progress

Because of You

Every achievement highlighted throughout this report was made possible by the dedication of members, volunteers, burn center teams, faculty, researchers, prevention advocates, industry partners, and supporters. Thank you for advancing burn care and strengthening the burn care community. 

Membership & Community

The strength of ABA is its members. Together, they represent the full continuum of burn care and bring diverse perspectives, expertise, and leadership to the association.  

575

Physicians

1031

Nurses

360

Occupational & Physicial Therapists

241

APRN/PAs

40

Researchers

768

Other Professionals

Education & Professional Development

Burn Care Next: Leading Burn Care into Tomorrow

The largest Annual Meeting in ABA history brought together burn care professionals from around the world to share research, education, and innovation. 

Prevention & Advocacy

National Burn Awareness Week

This year's campaign focused on workplace burn prevention and reached audiences across multiple channels. 

80977

Total Views

10522

Facebook Views

65325

Instagram Views

4631

LinkedIn Views

469

X Views

Research & Innovation

Volunteer Leadership in Action

The strength of the ABA is rooted in the dedication of its volunteer leaders. Across the Board of Trustees, committees, and Special Interest Groups, ABA members give their time, expertise, and leadership generously to advance our mission and strengthen the burn care community.

These volunteers help shape ABA’s strategic direction, guide educational programs, support quality and verification efforts, advance research and prevention, strengthen advocacy, and create meaningful opportunities for cross-disciplinary connection. Their work reflects the best of ABA: service, collaboration, commitment, and a shared dedication to improving the lives of those affected by burn injury.

Volunteer leadership is one of ABA’s greatest strengths. These individuals represent the collective expertise, service, and commitment that make ABA the leading voice for the burn care community.

President
Jeffrey Carter, MD, FABA

President Elect
Leopoldo Cancio, MD, FABA

Treasurer
David Harrington, MD

Secretary
James Holmes, MD, FABA

Program Chair
Angela Gibson, MD, PhD, FABA

Board Members
Gretchen Carrougher, MN, RN, CBRN
Jeffrey Shupp, MD, FABA
Samuel Mandell, MD, MPH, FABA
Mikki Rothbauer, LICSW, MSW
Renée Warthman, MSOTR/L, BT-C, CHT
Emily Werthman, PhD, RN, CBRN

Past Presidents
Robert Cartotto, MD
Sharmila Dissanaike, MD

Secretary Elect
Kathleen Romanowski, MD, FABA

ABLS Advisory Committee
Lourdes Castañon

Aftercare and Reintegration Committee
Lindsay Burnett
Sandra Cramolini

Archives Committee
Lucy Wibbenmeyer

Audit & Compliance Committee
Steven Wolf

Awards Committee
Jeffrey Carter

Burn Prevention Committee
Clifford Sheckter

Burn Therapist Certification Committee
Marla Robinson

Bylaws Committee
James Holmes

Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee
Robert Cartotto

Conflict of Interest Committee
Linwood Haith

Disaster Committee
Carl Flores

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Arpana Jain

Economics & Access Committee
Taryn Travis

Education Committee
Miranda Yelvington

Ethical Issues Committee
Alice Fagin

Fellow of the ABA (FABA) Committee
Linwood Haith

Finance & Investment Committee
David Harrington

Global Health Committee
Vimal Murthy

Government Affairs Committee
Ryan Fey

Industry Partnerships Committee
David Harrington

Membership Advisory Committee
Betsey Ferrerira

Nominating Committee
Ingrid Parry

Nursing Committee
Sylvia Dao

Organization & Delivery of Burn Care Committee
Kathleen Romanowski

Program Committee
Angela Gibson

Quality & Burn Registry Committee
Nicole Bernal

Reconstruction Committee
Sigrid Blome-Eberwein

Rehabilitation Committee
Matthew Godleski

Research Committee
David Burmeister

Verification Committee
J. Kevin Bailey

APRN/PA SIG
Amber Kohler

Burn Camps SIG
Kelly McElligott

Burn Program Leaders SIG
Emily Krebsbach

Burn Psychosocial SIG
Kelly McElligott

Canadian SIG
Claudia Malic

Disaster SIG
Philip Chang

Firefighters SIG
Joe Brooks

Nursing SIG
Nicole Pachon

Nutrition SIG
Beth Shields

OT/PT SIG
Lori Connolly

Pediatric Burns SIG
Daniel Marx

Pharmacy SIG
Rita Gayed

Physicians SIG
Roselle Crombie

Prevention/Epidemiology SIG
Angela White

Quality & Burn Registry SIG
Farrah Parker

Reconstructive SIG
Justin Gillenwater

Reintegration SIG
Jill Sproul

Research SIG
Rachel Nygaard

Substance Use Disorder (SIG)
Jeremy Goverman

Thank You to Our Industry Partners

The ABA is deeply grateful to our industry partners for their ongoing support and shared commitment to the burn care community.

Their partnership is more than sponsorship. It is an important part of how ABA advances its mission, strengthens education and research, supports prevention and quality initiatives, and creates opportunities for collaboration across the full continuum of burn care.

Together, we are supporting the burn care professionals, burn survivors, and their families that make up this community and advancing the work needed to improve the lives of those affected by burn injury.

Strategic Organizational Partners

ABA is grateful to our strategic organizational partners for their collaboration and support throughout 2025–2026. These partnerships help strengthen burn care, advance education and preparedness, support research and quality improvement, and expand ABA’s ability to serve patients, survivors, families, burn centers, and the broader burn care community.

2025–2026 Strategic Organizational Partners

  • American Board of Plastic Surgery 

  • American College of Surgeons, Board of Governors

  • American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma 

  • American Medical Association (RUC)

  • Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority / Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response 

  • Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing 

  • Canadian Burn Association 

  • Coalition for National Trauma Research 

  • Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma

  • Eastern Great Lakes Region

  • International Association of Burn Camps

  • International Association of Fire Fighters 

  • International Society for Burn Injuries

  • Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium

  • Midwest Burn Region

  • National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 

  • Northeast Burn Region

  • Pediatric Pandemic Network 

  • Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors 

  • Southern Burn Region

  • Trauma Center Association of America

  • Western Burn Region

Financial Stewardship

Responsible financial stewardship ensures the ABA can continue investing in programs, services, and initiatives that advance burn care. 

$6.6M

Revenue for 2025

$6.48M

Expenses for 2025

$0.13M

Change in Net Assets for 2025

$3.23M

Total Net Assets for 2025

Looking Ahead: 2026-2027 President, Leopoldo Cancio, MD, FABA

State of the Science

Coming in 2027

A scientific conference designed to identify the most important unanswered questions in burn care and establish research priorities for the field.

Thank You for Advancing Burn Care

The achievements highlighted throughout this report reflect the dedication, expertise, and generosity of an extraordinary community committed to improving the lives of those affected by burn injury. 

Together, we are advancing burn care and building a stronger future.