[Front row: Timothy J. Lynch, Jessica Perlo, Furman S. McDonald, Jaime McClennen, Vincent J. Mandes.] [Back row: John Held, Randl Dent, Nicholas J. Mackara, Amy Gastinger, Katherine Sepulveda]
Dr. McDonald, a board-certified internist, is President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and the ABIM Foundation. Dr. McDonald was the former ABIM Senior Vice President for Academic and Medical Affairs from 2014 to 2024. Prior to joining ABIM, Dr. McDonald served as Associate Chair of the Department of Medicine and Residency Program Director at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, one of the nation’s largest internal medicine residencies. While at the Mayo Clinic, he led the program's participation in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s (ACGME’s) Educational Innovations Project, which investigated many concepts that would eventually become part of the Next Accreditation System. Since joining ABIM, he has continued his role in patient care and GME as an attending physician of the J. Edwin Wood Clinic and faculty of the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.
As a longtime member of the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine (APDIM), Dr. McDonald chaired the APDIM Survey Committee from 2007 to 2011, leading the development of longitudinally tracked surveys addressing areas of importance in GME. He was a member of the ACGME Residency Review Committee for Internal Medicine (RC-IM) during the transition to the Next Accreditation System and continued on the RC-IM as ABIM’s Ex Officio member during his tenure as SVP for Academic and Medical Affairs.
The focus of Dr. McDonald's professional career has been the training of internal medicine residents and fellows to provide better care to patients by incorporating the best evidence available for both medical care and medical education. A well-respected leader in the field of GME and medical education research, Dr. McDonald has authored more than 110 peer-reviewed publications. During his tenure as Program Director, he was recognized with the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine Diversity Champion award for his work increasing the numbers of women and those underrepresented in medicine in its residencies and fellowships. He also co-founded the Mayo International Health Program, which has subsequently funded hundreds of trainees to pursue educational rotations caring for medically underserved populations in international settings. Dr. McDonald continues to support this work.
He earned an undergraduate degree in physics with highest distinction (grade point average) and with highest honors (based on his thesis in atomic collision research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Scholar. He went on to train as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute/National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Scholar at NIH’s Bethesda campus. He earned his medical degree from Mayo Medical School and completed an internal medicine internship on the Osler Medical Service of The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He completed internal medicine residency at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., where he also served as Chief Resident. He later earned a master of public health degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, while working as a full-time hospitalist at the Mayo Clinic.
Dr. McDonald attained the rank of Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and is Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Having received many awards for medical education, in particular the teaching of the physical exam, in 2019, Dr. McDonald received the Alliance for Academic Medicine Special Recognition Award “…presented to an individual who has contributed most to helping the Alliance meet its mission which ‘promotes the advancement and professional development of its members who prepare the next generation of internal medicine physicians and leaders through education, research, engagement, and collaboration.’”
Dr. McDonald has been certified in Internal Medicine by ABIM continuously since 2000. In addition to being a longtime, proud member of the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine and APDIM, he is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the Society of Hospital Medicine.
As of July 2023, Dr. Furman reported reported the following external relationships:
Work as an author or editor for the following companies, with compensation as listed below:
Mayo Clinic Scientific Press, receiving compensation as an author, paid to Mayo International Health Program.
Dr. McDonald also reported that he is an American Board of Internal Medicine Ex-Officio Member of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Residency Review Committee for Internal Medicine. He is also an Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates/Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Graduates Committee Member.
Jessica Perlo, MPH, is the Executive Vice President of the ABIM Foundation, a nonprofit focused on advancing medical professionalism and clinician leadership to improve the health care system.
Previously, Ms. Perlo led the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)’s work to support workforce well-being, which aims to reverse the worrying trend of burnout and moral injury in health care and support leaders at all levels in creating a positive work and learning environment that fosters equity, safety, meaning, choice, and a shared commitment to deliver high-quality care.
For more than 15 years, she has worked to design and implement health system improvement efforts, including roles at Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency, Strong Memorial Hospital, Mass General Brigham, and the Atlantic Health Equity Fellowship. She is a member of the National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative on Clinician Wellbeing and Resilience, trained in community organizing from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and is an IHI Improvement Advisor.
Vincent J. Mandes, an experienced financial management professional with a strong background in strategic planning and business development, is the Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at the American Board of Internal Medicine and the ABIM Foundation. He directs activities associated with the security and investment of the assets and funds of both organizations and is responsible for providing overall direction for the accounting, tax, insurance, budget, and credit and treasury functions. Additionally, he ensures that financial transactions, policies and procedures meet organization short- and long-term objectives, as well as regulatory requirements.
Previously, Vincent served as the Vice President of Finance at Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc., where he managed all aspects of financial activities: treasury, cash management, taxes, forecasts, risk management, and coordination of independent third- party professional services. Before that, he spent twelve years at Rose Management Services, a multi-million-dollar restaurant management company which operates 60 casual dining restaurants, where he served first as Controller and later as Chief Financial Officer. Early in his career, he was Controller at Wallquest/Design Directions Inc., and a CPA at K.P.M.G. Peat Marwick.
Vincent, a certified public accountant, earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Widener University and his MBA in finance from LaSalle University.
John Held is the Senior Director of Communications and Brand Management for the American Board of Internal Medicine and ABIM Foundation. In this role he is responsible for the development and implementation of internal and external communications campaigns aimed at increasing physician engagement in the American Board of internal Medicine’s programs, as well as efforts to advance the Foundation’s communications initiatives in medical professionalism and building trust.
He previously served as the Director of Communications for the ABIM Foundation, where he helped create and lead strategic communications initiatives to support the Foundation’s organizational goals, including the nationally-recognized Choosing Wisely campaign.
Before that John was the Director of Communications for the American Cancer Society, where he oversaw communications strategies in a number of areas, including income development, mission delivery and advocacy. While with the Society, his work in the communications field was recognized with first place Pepperpots for Excellence in Communications, multiple times, by the Philadelphia chapter of Public Relations Society of America.
John earned a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication from Millersville University and is President of its Alumni Association.
Tim Lynch is the Senior Director of Foundation Programs for the ABIM Foundation. Tim joined the Foundation in 2010 and is responsible for overseeing the Foundation’s programs related to advancing medical professionalism.
Before joining the ABIM Foundation, Tim was an officer with The Pew Charitable Trusts, where he worked on a range of health and other state policy issues. Among other projects, he was instrumental in creating an initiative designed to increase children’s access to oral health services. Earlier in his career, he served for six years as a Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington, DC. He has also worked as an attorney in private practice in Washington and Philadelphia.
Tim graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University, and received his law degree with honors from The University of Chicago Law School.
Randl Dent is the Program Officer at the ABIM Foundation. In this role, she is responsible for managing the Foundation’s grant programs and building a learning community for its grantees.
Prior to joining the Foundation, she was a Research Scientist at the George Washington University, where she was involved in various research projects related to health equity, behavioral health, as well as burnout and moral injury among the health workforce. In her most recent work, Randl was a leader at the Workplace Change Collaborative, a federally funded technical assistance center. She implemented a learning community for HRSA grantees, created impactful communications products, and helped develop a national framework addressing burnout and moral injury among health workers.
Prior to that, Randl was a Behavioral Health Equity Fellow at the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and a National Science Foundation Fellow at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Randl received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Washington and Lee University and her master’s and doctoral degrees in health psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Amy Gastinger is a Program Manager at the ABIM Foundation. In this role, she leads the planning, execution and management of the annual Foundation Forum. She is also responsible for developing and maintaining external partnerships.
Before joining the ABIM Foundation, Amy worked as a Program Manager at IntraHealth International, a global health nonprofit, managing and coordinating operational support of several global health projects. In this role, she also supported the planning and execution of multi-day conference events attended by over 200 participants. Prior to this, Amy served as an Operations Coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Global Health, where she supported the day-to-day operations of global health research programs.
Amy received her bachelor’s degree in international development from American University and her master’s degree in urban development planning from University College London.
Jaime McClennen is the ABIM Foundation’s Senior Communications Manager. In this role she oversees all day-to-day Foundation communications, including social media, media relations, and Building Trust initiative communications.
Before joining the ABIM Foundation, Jaime worked with various health care and tech organizations at national public relations firm Gregory FCA. Prior to that she managed all communications for Benefits Data Trust, a Philadelphia-based health and human services nonprofit. Other past experiences include various communications work for Crouse Hospital, AARP New Jersey, and the National MS Society.
Jaime received her bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University in both communications and human resources, and her master’s degree in public relations from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University.
Nicholas Mackara is the Digital Content Specialist at the ABIM Foundation. In this role, he has a hand in creating all things interactive: design, user experience, and ensuring the Foundation’s digital communications are staying current with industry best practices.
He manages the Foundation’s websites, social media, and video production.
Before joining the ABIM Foundation, Nick worked with political candidates and nonprofit organizations to develop online fundraising strategies, create eye-catching graphics, and implement digital strategy. Prior to working in the digital space, Nick worked in the banking industry and for the Walt Disney Company.
Nick received his Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from Rowan University.
Katherine Sepulveda is a Program Associate. She provides executive-level support to Executive Vice President Jessica Perlo and research and programmatic support to the Foundation.
Before arriving at the ABIM Foundation, she was an executive assistant at Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, PA. In this role, she supported the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education accreditation co-chairs. Katherine recently completed a PhD in philosophy at Villanova. She has an undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College, where she graduated cum laude with departmental honors, majoring in philosophy and minoring in international studies, and a master’s in theological studies from Boston College. She was previously a Fulbright grantee, studying health care, chronic pain, community, and society in Belgium.