Dr. Walden elected as first female Aesthetic Society President in Organization’s 55 years; Board Members Elected at The Aesthetic Meeting 2022 in San Diego
Garden Grove, CA (April 25, 2022) – The Aesthetic Society announced the election of Jennifer Walden, MD a plastic surgeon practicing in Austin, TX as the new President of the 2,200 Active Member organization dedicated to aesthetic plastic surgery. Dr. Walden is the first female president of The Aesthetic Society. Her leadership team will focus on advancing The Aesthetic Society’s global relationships, as well as its diversity and inclusion.
“I am looking forward to serving The Aesthetic Society as its first female president. Born in 1971, I believe it was Title IX[1] that set the stage for me as a young girl. I was able to play sports like the boys did and developed an appreciation for competition, teamwork, victory, and defeat— with all the lessons learned therein,” explains Dr. Walden, President of The Aesthetic Society. “This year I would like to honor the 55th anniversary of The Aesthetic Society, and the 50th anniversary of Title IX that leveled the playing field in the classroom and for myself and many other women. The face of plastic surgery is changing— nearly 54% of American medical students are women[2] and I look forward to preserving its culture of meritocracy while inspiring others who may think they don't have access. Becoming the first female president is a fantastic achievement, but what matters most is that I am a board-certified aesthetic surgeon who will work to advance The Aesthetic Society into the future.”
Dr. Walden plans to promote diversity through building relationships with The Society’s global partners, and with its colleagues in the core specialties. Another key pillar of Dr. Walden’s presidency will be to modify access to The Aesthetic Society in an effort to reach younger surgeons in the specialty.
Dr. Jennifer Walden is a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is formally fellowship-trained in Aesthetic Surgery at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital with a specialization in cosmetic surgery of the face and nose (rhinoplasty). Dr. Walden founded her business Walden Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center and operates in her own fully accredited operating suite at Westlake Medical Center, where she and her team are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of patient safety. She has a full-scale cosmetic surgery practice and two medical spas in Austin (The MedSpa Austin in Westlake and The MedSpa at NW Hills), as well as a medical spa in New York City’s Midtown (Skintology MedSpa by Dr. Jennifer Walden), with another location opening in Tribeca this summer.
Dr. Walden has been an active member of The Aesthetic Society for 15 years and has served on the Executive Committee and as Commissioner of the Communications Commission. She also has participated in numerous Society committees and has served as the Chair of the Media Relations Committee, Chair of the Aesthetic Neural Network Task Force, as a Traveling Professor, on Rebranding Task Force, The Women Aesthetic Surgeons Committee, and many more.
While in New York, Dr. Walden was an Attending Surgeon in Plastic Surgery at Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital (MEETH) and Lenox Hill Hospital as well as being the Aesthetic Surgery Program Director at MEETH. Dr. Walden held the academic appointment of Clinical Instructor of Surgery (Plastic Surgery) at The Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery at New York University Langone Medical Center (NYU). Currently, Dr. Walden holds an academic appointment with The University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) as Clinical Assistant Professor in Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Walden resides in Westlake Hills (Austin, TX) with her twin boys, Houston and Rex.
Other newly named Aesthetic Society officers serving on the Executive Committee are as follows:
President-Elect: Melinda J. Haws, MD of Nashville, TN has been a member of the Society since 2006. She is also a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Haws established The Plastic Surgery Center of Nashville with Mary Gingrass, MD in 2002. She is a member of the medical staff at St. Thomas Midtown Hospital. During her tenure with The Aesthetic Society, Dr. Haws has most recently served on critical task forces including Chair of the Breast Implant Illness Task Force and Co-Chair of the FDA Breast Implant Hearing Task Force, and the Communications Commission.
Vice President: Kiya Movassaghi, MD, FACS has been a member of the Society since 2006. Based in Eugene, OR, Dr. Movassaghi came to Eugene in 2002 after 14 years in Boston where he completed his medical and surgical training at Harvard Medical School. His practice focuses on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. A 1995 graduate of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Movassaghi completed a three-year plastic surgery residency at the Harvard Combined Plastic Surgery Program. Prior to that training, he completed a residency in general surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School. He also received his DMD at Harvard Dental School, where he graduated magna cum laude. He followed this degree with a residency in maxillofacial surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Movassaghi is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery at Oregon Health & Science University’s School of Medicine in Portland. He is well versed in the latest techniques including Laser and Endoscopic Procedures with minimal scars and has authored numerous publications in leading scientific and plastic surgery journals.
Treasurer: Tracy Pfeifer, MD Dr. Tracy Pfeifer is a double board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in aesthetic plastic surgery. She opened her Upper East Side Park Avenue practice, now on 5th Avenue, in 1999, fulfilling her dream of a boutique aesthetic surgery practice delivering personalized care and exceptional results, in order to help women feel their very best. Dr. Pfeifer was thrilled to open her second office location in the Hamptons in 2011.
Secretary: Jamil Ahmad, MD is a plastic surgeon and the Director of Research and Education at The Plastic Surgery Clinic. Dr. Ahmad is known for his natural results after cosmetic surgery and is sought after for his expertise in rhinoplasty, facial rejuvenation procedures, breast surgery, abdominoplasty, body contouring after weight loss, liposuction, fat transfer, and revisional aesthetic surgery. Dr. Ahmad is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada and enjoys privileges at the University Health Network, as well as Women’s College Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital. Dr. Ahmad is the only plastic surgeon in Canada to complete his plastic surgery residency training at the world renowned, Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. In addition, he completed a fellowship in breast reconstruction at the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Toronto.
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[1] US Department of Education (ED). (2021, August 20). Title IX and sex discrimination. Home. Retrieved April 13, 2022, from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/tix_dis.html
[2] 2021 fall applicant, matriculant, and enrollment data tables. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2022, from https://www.aamc.org/media/57761/download?attachment
