The Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) has named Anna Polyak, RN, JD, as the new Chief Executive Officer effective April 4, 2022.
“After an extensive national search, the SSO Executive Council is excited to announce Ms. Polyak for this important leadership role,” stated Sandra Wong, MD, SSO President. “She brings significant expertise in building collaborative industry relationships in areas of research, quality and advocacy and is adept at optimizing operational processes. Her leadership skills combined with her healthcare background will enable her to successfully direct the future of SSO.”
Polyak has a background in both the healthcare sector and association management, beginning her career as a registered nurse in the operating room. She continued to work full-time as a nurse while she attended law school and concentrated on health law. After law school, she worked as corporate counsel and a compliance attorney for government and private healthcare organizations.
For the past 11 years, Polyak has served as the Senior Director of State Government Affairs and Legal for the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) in Park Ridge, IL. As a member of the executive staff, she was instrumental in developing and implementing strategic plans and leading cross-functional teams to create innovative programs aimed to support members and improve their ability to deliver patient care. She also led various advocacy initiatives and worked with 52 state associations to align and influence national legislative and regulatory issues.
“I am very impressed with the reputation and quality of programs that SSO produces for their members and the surgical oncology community. I look forward to both strengthening the identity of the Society in various market sectors and developing innovative ways to support our members in their care of patients,” said Ms. Polyak.
The Society of Surgical Oncology is a dynamic global community of cancer surgeons shaping advancements in the profession to deliver the highest quality surgical care for cancer patients. SSO promotes leading-edge research, quality standards and knowledge exchange, connecting cancer surgeons worldwide to continuously improve cancer outcomes. Our highly regarded educational resources inspire members and spur each cancer surgeon to grow, improve and thrive. These exceptional resources include the Annals of Surgical Oncology, the leading publication in surgical oncology, ExpertEd@SSO, the Society’s educational platform with numerous free-of-charge surgical oncology resources, SurgOnc Today® podcast program, featuring informative interviews with authorities in surgical oncology and signature event, the International Conference on Surgical Cancer Care.