American College of Rheumatology Announces 2025 Award Recipients

CHICAGO – The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ARP) proudly recognize 44 recipients of its 2025 Master of the ACR and ARP designations, ACR Awards of Distinction, and ARP Awards of Merit and Appreciation during ACR Convergence 2025, the ACR’s annual meeting. These awards are presented annually to members who are leading researchers, thought leaders and practitioners making outstanding contributions to the ACR, the ARP, and the field of rheumatology.

The Presidential Gold Medal, the highest award that the ACR can bestow, is awarded in recognition of outstanding achievements in rheumatology over an entire career. Established by the past presidents of the ACR, candidates will have made important contributions in multiple areas such as clinical medicine, research, education or administration. Funding support for this award of distinction is provided by the Rheumatology Research Foundation.
Recipient: Eric L. Matteson, MD, MPH, Division of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

The ACR Awards of Distinction recognizes leading researchers, clinicians, mentors, and other professionals exhibiting superior commitment to the advancement of the field of rheumatology with the Awards of Distinction honors. Winners of this year’s awards are as follows:

The Distinguished Basic/Translational Investigator Award is awarded to a basic or translational investigator making outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology.
Recipient: Richard F. Loeser, Jr., MD, MACR, University of North Carolina

The Distinguished Clinician Scholar Award is awarded to a rheumatologist who has made outstanding contributions in clinical medicine, clinical scholarship or education.
Recipient: Atul Deodhar, MD, MRCP, FACP, FACR, Oregon Health & Science University

The Henry Kunkel Early Career Investigator Award is awarded to an early career physician scientist, who is 12 years post Rheumatology certifying examination eligibility, who has made outstanding and promising independent contributions to basic, translational or clinical research in the field of rheumatology.
Recipient: Deepak Rao, MD, PhD, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School

The Distinguished Clinical Investigator Award is awarded to a clinical scientist making outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology. This award was known as the Clinical Research Award prior to 2006.
Recipient: Maureen D. Mayes, MD, MPH, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Houston

The Distinguished Fellowship Program Director Award is awarded to a current or former rheumatology program director that has made outstanding contributions in the mentoring and training of future rheumatologists. ACR members in good standing who are current or former rheumatology program directors for a minimum of five years and who participate in related ACR educational activities.
Recipient: Kenneth S. O'Rourke, MD, MACR, Rheumatology Associates and Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine, and formerly Wake Forest School of Medicine

The Distinguished International Rheumatology Professional Award is awarded to a rheumatologist or rheumatology health professional outside of the US and Canada for exceptional contributions in public service and advocacy to the global rheumatology community.
Recipient: Rohini Handa, MD, DNB, FRCP (Glasg), Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi

The Distinguished Service Award is awarded to an ACR member for outstanding and sustained service to the ACR.
Recipient: Carlos J. Lozada, MD, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

The Excellence in Investigative Mentoring Award recognizes the importance of the mentor/mentee relationship. A dedicated mentor can significantly influence the successful development and career of a mentee. This award honors an active ACR or ARP member for their contributions to the rheumatology profession through outstanding and ongoing mentoring. Funding support for this award of distinction is provided by the Rheumatology Research Foundation.
Recipients: Pamela Weiss, MD, MSCE, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Tuhina Neogi, MD, PhD, Boston University School of Medicine

Master of the ACR Designation is one of the highest honors that the College bestows on its distinguished members. The designation of Master is conferred on ACR members, age 65 or older, who have made outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology through scholarly achievement and/or service to their patients, students, and the rheumatology profession. These honorees have devoted their long careers to furthering rheumatology research and improving clinical standards in the treatment of rheumatic diseases.

The 2025 recipients of the Master of the ACR designation are:

• Alan L. Epstein, MD, MACR, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
• Angelo Ravelli, MD, MACR, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini
• Brian Feldman, MD, MSc, FRCPC, MACR, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto
• Christine Thien Nga Pham, MD, MACR, Washington University School of Medicine
• Christopher R. Morris, MD, MACR, Arthritis Associates of Kingsport, Tennessee
• Deborah Dyett Desir, MD, MACR, Yale School of Medicine
• Gillian Hawker, MD, MACR, University of Toronto
• Kenneth G. Saag, MD, MSc, MACR, The University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Luis M. Vilá, MD, MACR, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus
• Mary Nakamura, MD, MACR, UCSF/SFVAHCS
• Philip J. Hashkes, MD, MSc, RhMSUS, MACR, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
• Richard K. Vehe, MD, MACR, Retired
• Ronald van Vollenhoven, MD, PhD, MACR, Amsterdam University Medical Center
• Thomas A. Pressly III, MD, MACR, Willis-Knighton Health Center
• Vivian P. Bykerk, MD, FRCPC, MACR, Hospital for Special Surgery
• Yoshiya Tanaka, MD, PhD, MACR, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan

The Distinguished Fellow Award recognizes up to ten clinical and research fellows who are in a rheumatology fellowship training program and who have performed meritoriously.

The 2025 recipients of the Distinguished Fellow Award are:

• Abhimanyu Amarnani, MD, PhD, New York University
• Amanda Moyer, MD, Stanford
• Andrew Grim, MD, University of Michigan
• Arissa Young, MD, UCLA
• Gregory J. Challener, MD, MGH
• Kristen Mengwasser, MD, PhD, UCSF
• Lauren He, MD, University of Michigan
• Mehmet Hocaoglu, MD, UPMC & University of Pittsburgh
• Siva Kasinathan, MD, PhD, Stanford University School of Medicine
• Yakir Reshef, MD, PhD, BA, Brigham and Women's Hospital

ARP Awards of Appreciation

The ARP President's Award is awarded to the ACR/ARP member or team performing outstanding service within the present year in advancing the goals, ideals, and standards of the ARP. This year, the ARP President’s Award is presented to all members of the ARP Governance Task Force.
Recipient: Christine Stamatos, DNP, APN-C, Northwell Health, Division of Rheumatology

The ARP Awards of Merit recognize the following: Lifetime Achievement Award, President’s Award, Addie Thomas Service Award, Distinguished Scholar Award, Outstanding Student in Rheumatology Award and Master Designation. Winners of this year’s awards are as follows:

The ARP Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a current or former member of ARP whose career has demonstrated a sustained and lasting contribution to the field of rheumatology and rheumatology health professionals.
Recipient: Thea Vliet Vlieland, MD, PT, PhD, Leiden University Medical Center

The ARP Addie Thomas Service Award is presented to an ARP member in honor of our Association's first president and recognizes individuals who have been an active volunteer involved with local, regional/state, national, and/or international arthritis-related activities.
Recipient: Linda Rodamaker, NP, University of Colorado

The ARP Distinguished Scholar Award is presented to an ARP member who demonstrates exceptional achievements in scholarly activities pertinent to arthritis and rheumatic diseases.
Recipient: Afton L. Hassett, PsyD, University of Michigan, Department of Anesthesiology

The ARP Distinguished Clinician Award is presented to an ARP member who is engaged in clinical practice and demonstrates outstanding clinical expertise in arthritis and rheumatic diseases.
Recipient: Laura Nemoy, PA-C, Arnold Arthritis & Rheumatology

The Designation of the ARP Master is one of the highest honors that the College bestows. The designation of Master is conferred on ARP members, age 65 or older, who have made outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology through service to the ACR/ARP and advancements in research, practice, education, and/or advocacy.
Recipient: Leigh F. Callahan, PhD, MARP, Thurston Arthritis Research Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

The Outstanding Student in Rheumatology Award recognizes outstanding students and residents who have made significant contributions to rheumatology research.
Recipient: Sidney Liles, MS, PT, DPT, University of Delaware

All nomination submissions are reviewed by the ACR’s Membership and Awards Committee, a joint committee composed of both ACR and ARP volunteers. Nominees are considered for an award based on criteria that range from their academic and scholarly representation to their rheumatology service record both inside and outside the College.

See more information on each of these awards and view past recipients >

Media Contact
Teri Arnold
Director, Public Relations & Communications
tarnold@rheumatology.org
757-272-7002

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About ACR Convergence
ACR Convergence, the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, is where rheumatology meets to collaborate, celebrate, congregate, and learn. With hundreds of sessions and thousands of abstracts, it offers a superior combination of basic science, clinical science, business education and interactive discussions to improve patient care and advance the specialty. For more information about the meeting, visit the ACR Convergence page, or join the conversation on X by following the official hashtag (#ACR25).

About the American College of Rheumatology
Founded in 1934, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is a not-for-profit, professional association committed to advancing the specialty of rheumatology that serves over 10,000 physicians, health professionals, researchers and scientists worldwide. In doing so, the ACR offers education, research, advocacy and practice management support to help its members continue their innovative work and provide quality patient care. Rheumatology professionals are experts in the diagnosis, management and treatment of more than 100 different types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases.

About the Association of Rheumatology Professionals
The Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ARP) is a division of the American College of Rheumatology built by rheumatology professionals, for rheumatology professionals. Our goal is to empower rheumatology professionals by providing education, advocacy, and practice management tools. For more information, visit rheumatology.org/about.

About the Rheumatology Research Foundation
The Rheumatology Research Foundation is the largest private funding source of rheumatology research and training programs in the U.S. Established in 1985, the Foundation is focused on advancing patient care and accelerating discoveries in rheumatic diseases. More information about the Foundation can be found at rheumresearch.org.