Whyte to helm medical group
The American Medical Association announced John Whyte has been named the next CEO and executive vice president of the $468M-revenue group, effective July 1. He will succeed James Madara, who announced last June his intention to step down at the conclusion of his contract.
“Dr. Whyte is an exceptionally qualified leader who has distinguished himself across many fronts. He is uniquely positioned to lead the AMA at this pivotal time and offers a deep and nuanced understanding of the AMA’s mission, governance, and evolving role — ensuring both continuity and meaningful progress toward the association’s goals,” said AMA Board Chair Michael Suk.
Whyte has spent the past nearly seven years at WebMD, where he served as chief medical officer. Previously, he was director of professional affairs and stakeholder engagement for the Food and Drug Administration Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. He also served as chief medical expert and vice president of health and medical education at the Discovery Channel.
He has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in health policy and management from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a medical degree from the Drexel University College of Medicine.
Heidrick & Struggles assisted in the search.
Lachance named permanent leader of science group
The American Geophysical Union announced Janice Lachance has been named executive director and CEO of the $79M-revenue group. Lachance has served as interim executive director and CEO of AGU since May 2023.
“Janice has served as an exceptional interim executive director and CEO during the last two years,” said AGU President Brandon Jones. “She has demonstrated the leadership qualities and skills required to lead our complex, global scientific enterprise into the next decade.”
Prior to leading AGU on an interim basis, Lachance served as the organization’s executive vice president of strategic leadership and global outreach and interim chief operating officer. She also was interim executive director of the American Library Association’s Washington Office, where she spent eight years. Previously, she spent over a decade as CEO of the Special Libraries Association.
She has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Manhattanville University and a law degree from Tulane University Law School.
Vetted Solutions assisted in the search.
Poindexter appointed CEO of animal health group
The Animal Health Institute announced Martha Scott Poindexter has joined the $5.4M-revenue group as CEO.
“(Martha’s) impressive background in global agriculture and trade, coupled with her extensive experience on Capitol Hill, positions her as an exceptional leader to advance our mission of establishing the United States as the global leader in the development and production of innovative animal health products,” said Richard R. DeLuca, Jr., chair of the AHI Board of Directors.
Poindexter spent the past nearly four years as chief operating officer of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. Previously, she served as vice president of government and industry affairs at agribusiness company Bunge, where she spent six years. She also worked for the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
She has a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University.
Russell Reynolds Associates assisted in the search.
Staff Arrivals
Airports Council International – North America—Seth Cutter has joined $19M-revenue ACI-NA as vice president of industry affairs, effective May 20. He previously served as vice president of public affairs at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, where he spent nearly eight years.
American Beverage—Lindsey Kolb has been named $106M-revenue American Beverage’s vice president of paid media. She joins the group from strategic communications agency Rational 360, where she served as co-head of digital.
American Exploration & Production Council—Zach Gillan has joined $7M-revenue AXPC as vice president of communications. He previously served as vice president of strategic communications at government relations firm S-3 Group, where he spent over six years.
Blockchain Association—Jessica Martinez has joined the $7.3M-revenue Blockchain Association as senior director of government relations. Most recently, she served as staff director for the U.S. Joint Economic Committee, where she spent two years.
Chamber of Progress—Kathleen Farley has joined the $8.7M-revenue Chamber of Progress as vice president of litigation. She previously spent six years at law firm Davis Wright Tremaine, where she served as a media and First Amendment associate.
Children’s Hospital Association—Blake Schofield has joined $46M-revenue CHA as general counsel. He spent the past seven years at nonprofit health system Lee Health, where he served as senior legal counsel.
Entertainment Software Association—Stan McCoy has joined $36M-revenue ESA as senior vice president and general counsel. He previously spent over a decade at the Motion Picture Association, where he served as president and managing director of the group’s Europe, Middle East and Africa regional subsidiary.
Zero Emission Transportation Association—Pat Halpin has been hired as ZETA’s regulatory director and general counsel. He spent the past decade at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, most recently as deputy assistant chief counsel.