ASNR 2026-2027 Election Candidates — Nominating Committee

Jason W. Allen, MD, PhD, FACR
ASNR Nominating Committee Member

Brief Biosketch:
Dr. Jason Allen is the Eugene C. Klatte Professor with tenure and Chair of the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Allen obtained his MD and PhD in Neuroscience from Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed residencies in Neurology and Diagnostic Radiology as well as a two-year Neuroradiology fellowship at New York University School of Medicine. He previously was a partner at TRA Medical Imaging in Washington as well as a prior Professor at Emory University School of Medicine where he held several leadership roles, including the Chief of Radiology at Grady Memorial Hospital, Neuroradiology Division Director, Medical Director of the Emory Center for Systems Imaging Core (CSIC), and Director of the Laboratory for Imaging Neuroscience at Emory (LINE). His primary research interests are characterizing the alterations in advanced neuroimaging metrics in the setting of neuronal injury, particularly traumatic brain injury, and the diagnosis and prognosis of cerebrovascular disease, such as subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebrovascular reserve, and internal carotid webs. His laboratory is funded through several federal, private foundation, and institutional grants.

Dr. Allen has been a Senior Member of ASNR since 2005 and has served on multiple ASNR committees including the Research Committee, Standards and Guidelines Committee, and Economics Committee. He is also active in the ASFNR, serving as a member of the Executive Committee since 2019 and he is the current ASFNR Secretary.

Statement of Goals:
I would be honored to serve on the ASNR Nominating Committee. I have been active in the ASNR for more than two decades and am excited about the opportunity to help shape the future of the society through the selection of future candidates for leadership positions. In particular, I would like to give back to the society that has had such an impact on my career and look forward to helping identify the best slate of candidates who will be presented to the ASNR membership. I am happy to use my past experience selecting and mentoring leaders to ensure that the future leaders of our society represent our membership and bring compelling, innovative, and actionable visions for the clinical, research, education, and advocacy missions of the ASNR.


Melissa Chen, MD
ASNR Nominating Committee Member

Brief Biosketch:
Melissa Chen, MD is the Associate Vice President for the MD Anderson Cancer Network, Clinical Operations. She is an Associate Professor of Neuroradiology, interested in the evaluation of brain and head and neck tumors using advanced imaging techniques. She is committed to quality improvement and patient-centered value-based care and is the Patient Safety Quality Officer of Diagnostic Imaging. Dr. Chen graduated with a B.S. from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, and a degree in medicine from the UT Health Science Center.  She completed her residency at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, a neuroradiology fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas and neuroradiology oncologic fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer. 

Dr. Chen volunteers on committees for the ASNR, ACR, and ABR.  She has held national leadership roles in the ACR and ASNR and previously served as Advisor for the American Society of Neuroradiology to the AMA Relative Value Scale (RVS) Update Committee.  She serves on the ASNR Financial Management Committee, chairs the ASNR Health Policy Committee, serves as the program chair for the Radiology Leadership Institute Resident Milestones Program, and is the First Vice President of the Texas Radiological Society. 

Statement of Goals:
ASNR is a leader in advocacy and health policy, education and research for neuroradiology and has been instrumental in shaping my career as a neuroradiologist.   I am honored to be nominated to serve on the ASNR nominating committee.  My goal is to identify leaders who will drive meaningful growth within our organization, individuals who bring diverse perspectives to shape the future of neuroradiology and foster deeper member engagement. I am committed to ensuring that ASNR maintains its position at the forefront of advocacy and health policy, delivers exceptional educational programming, and supports pioneering research that advances our field.


Amish H. Doshi, MD
ASNR Nominating Committee Member

Brief Biosketch:
Dr. Amish H. Doshi is Professor of Radiology and Neurosurgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he serves as Chief of Neuroradiology, System Vice Chair of Ambulatory Radiology, and Director of Spine Imaging and Interventions. He is an active clinical neuroradiologist with a focus on spine imaging and image-guided interventions, as well as operational innovation within academic health systems.

Dr. Doshi has held leadership roles across national neuroradiology societies, including serving as President of the Eastern Neuroradiological Society (ENRS). Within the American Society of Spine Radiology (ASSR), he serves on the Executive Committee and was recently elected Vice President. Within ASNR, he has been actively involved in multiple committees, including serving as Co-Chair of the Corporate Partners Committee, where he has contributed to strengthening relationships between the ASNR and industry.

Dr. Doshi’s academic interests include spine imaging, advanced imaging techniques, and the integration of artificial intelligence to improve clinical workflows and patient care. He is actively engaged in education and mentorship, with participation in national lectures and society-based programming.

Statement of Goals:
I am honored to be considered for the ASNR Nominating Committee and the opportunity to contribute to the continued success of our society.

ASNR has long been a leader in advancing neuroradiology through excellence in science, education, and clinical practice. As our field continues to evolve with advances in technology, artificial intelligence, and changes in healthcare delivery, it is essential that we thoughtfully identify leaders who can guide the society forward with vision and balance.

If elected, my goal is to work collaboratively with fellow committee members to identify and support leaders who will promote a balanced and forward-thinking approach to growth, integrating scientific discovery, high-quality education, clinical innovation, and meaningful engagement with our corporate partners. These elements are critical to sustaining ASNR’s position as the premier organization in neuroradiology.

I value leadership that is collaborative, transparent, and representative of the diversity of our membership, including both academic and private practice perspectives. Through my experiences in national societies and in building partnerships across disciplines and industry, I have developed an appreciation for aligning strategic vision with the needs of our members. I am committed to helping select leaders who will strengthen our community, support our members, and position ASNR for continued growth and impact in an evolving healthcare environment. It would be a privilege to serve our society in this role.


Mari Hagiwara, MD
ASNR Nominating Committee Member

Brief Biosketch:
Mari Hagiwara, MD is Professor of Radiology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Director of Head and Neck Imaging. She received her undergraduate degree from Brown University and her medical degree from NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where she also completed her Diagnostic Radiology residency and Neuroradiology fellowship. Her clinical and research interests focus on head and neck imaging, including imaging of head and neck cancer and advanced MR imaging techniques.

Dr. Hagiwara has been actively involved in the ASNR, serving on multiple committees and previously as Vice Chair and Chair of the Fellowship Directors Committee. She currently serves as the Second Past President of the ENRS, Rules Committee Chair of the ASHNR, and Head and Neck Section Captain of the Educational Exhibits Awards Committee of the RSNA. She has been the recipient of the New York Roentgen Society Distinguished Educator Award and the ASNR Anne G. Osborn International Outreach Professorship.

Statement of Goals:
My involvement with the ASNR has been shaped by years of collaboration with colleagues who are committed to advancing our specialty through education, mentorship, and service. These experiences have given me a strong appreciation for the importance of thoughtful and forward-looking leadership within the society.

If selected to serve on the ASNR Nominating Committee, I would work with fellow committee members to identify leaders who demonstrate excellence in clinical care, research, and education, while also fostering mentorship, collaboration, and engagement across our membership. I believe it is essential that future ASNR leadership reflects the diversity of talent within our field and remains committed to strengthening the society’s role in advancing neuroradiology and supporting the professional growth of its members.


Kambiz Nael, MD
ASNR Nominating Committee Member

Brief Biosketch:
Kambiz Nael, MD is a Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at UCSF. He completed his radiology residency and neuroradiology fellowship at UCLA and has held academic positions at several institutions across the country, including the University of Arizona, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and UCLA. In 2024, he joined UCSF, where he currently serves as Director of Quality Improvement and Medical Director of the 3D Lab. He also holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Neurology, reflecting his strong commitment to multidisciplinary collaboration.

Dr. Nael has been fortunate to train under outstanding mentors, and mentorship has remained a central focus of his career. He has mentored nearly 50 trainees and junior faculty, many of whom have gone on to successful academic careers in neuroradiology. His dedication to mentorship and academic service is further reflected in his appointment as Vice Chair of the UCSF Academic Senate Graduate Council shortly after joining the institution.

His research focuses on cerebrovascular imaging and quantitative neuroimaging. Since 2012, he has led an advanced neuroimaging laboratory, with work resulting in nearly 200 peer-reviewed publications. He currently serves as an investigator on multiple federally funded grants and directs a neuroimaging core lab supporting two clinical trials.

Dr. Nael has been an active member of ASNR for over 15 years and has developed a deep appreciation for the Society’s mission and its impact on our field. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the ASNR Research Committee (since 2022) and is a voting member of the Advisory Council. Over the years, he has contributed to numerous ASNR committees and task forces, including the Young Professionals Committee, Website Design Committee, Social Media Committee, International Collaboration Committee, Corporate Partners Committee, Standards and Guidelines Committee, as well as several Awards and Program Committees. In addition, he has served the broader neuroradiology community through involvement with organizations such as ASSR, WNRS, ENRS, ASHNR, ASFNR, RSNA, and ISMRM.

Statement of Goals:
I am honored to be considered for a position on the ASNR Nominating Committee. ASNR has been my professional home for over two decades, and I am deeply grateful for the role it has played in shaping my career. I still remember attending my first ASNR Annual Meeting in Boston as a resident in 2010, an experience that helped define my path in academic neuroradiology. Since then, I have remained closely engaged, building lasting collaborations and friendships across our community.

I value every opportunity to contribute to ASNR and to give back to a community that has given me so much. The responsibility of identifying and supporting future leaders is critical to ensuring the continued strength and evolution of our field. If elected to the Nominating Committee, I will approach this role with thoughtfulness, fairness, and a strong sense of responsibility to our membership. I hope that my long-standing involvement with ASNR, along with my experience in mentorship and academic leadership, will allow me to contribute meaningfully to this process and help support the next generation of leaders in neuroradiology.


Susan Palasis, MD, FASPNR
ASNR Nominating Committee Member

Brief Biosketch:
My career in neuroradiology — spanning service across multiple scientific societies and the privilege of serving as President of the American Society of Pediatric Neuroradiology (ASPNR), during a time of significant restructuring of its leadership — has given me a deep appreciation for how profoundly the health of a professional organization depends on the quality and character of those who lead it. It is with that appreciation that I approach this opportunity to serve on the ASNR Nominating Committee, where I see my role as a thoughtful talent scout and to serve as a custodian of sound governance.

Statement of Goals:
One of my goals serving on this committee would be to work to ensure that candidates brought forward demonstrate not only enthusiasm, but the competence, integrity, and commitment that ASNR’s stature as a leading professional medical society requires. Familiarity and visibility are not substitutes for genuine readiness to lead.

Another goal for me would be to protect the integrity of the nomination process. Good governance depends on a nomination process that is transparent and mission-driven. I will strive to uphold those standards within the committee and advocate for criteria-based evaluation of all candidates.

Having had the good fortune of mentors who believed in me early, I understand the difference deliberate investment makes. As a member of the nominating committee, I will encourage looking beyond established names and identify emerging leaders who, with the right opportunity, are ready to grow into significant roles.

I will work to ensure our candidate pools are reflective of ASNR’s membership with representation across gender, race, geography, and practice setting. Diverse leadership makes for better decisions and a stronger society. I also hope to have the opportunity to bring the perspective of pediatric neuroradiology to this committee and help ensure that ASNR’s leadership reflects the full breadth of the specialty it serves.

I’m grateful for this nomination and committed to earning the trust it represents.


Haris Sair, MD
ASNR Nominating Committee Member

Brief Biosketch:
Haris Sair is Professor of Radiology and Radiological Science and Neurological Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and serves as Director of the Division of Neuroradiology. He holds an appointment as Core Faculty at the Malone Center for Engineering in Healthcare, where he co-directs the Radiology AI Lab (RAIL). He earned his M.D. from Duke University School of Medicine, and completed Radiology residency at Temple University, followed by a Neuroradiology fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital. His clinical and research interests are focused on advanced brain imaging (specifically functional MRI), artificial intelligence, and translational research.

Dr. Sair has been actively engaged in the American Society of Neuroradiology and related subspecialty societies throughout his career, including service and leadership on multiple ASNR committees (currently Vice Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee). He previously has served as Chair of the Specialty/Regional Societies Forum, and as President of the ASFNR . He is fully and unequivocally committed to contributing to the society’s continued growth and impact.

Statement of Goals:
I love neuroradiology, and I love the ASNR. It is a wonderful group of brilliant and driven individuals who are passionate about the field and work tirelessly to advocate for the profession and provide unique opportunities for trainees and those in practice. As a member of the nominating committee, my goal would be to help select the next leaders among a large cohort of exceptionally qualified individuals, which is not a small task!

If given the opportunity to serve on this committee, I would like to help select ASNR leaders by focusing on the following to evaluate the best candidates:

  1. Strong service leadership mindset.
  2. Good communicator.
  3. Has vision, but also can execute said vision.
  4. Is able to bridge groups together and represent the full spectrum of neuroradiologists and neuroradiology practices (not just in the US but globally).
  5. Understands how to leverage rapid technological innovation in the field.
  6. Creates opportunities for others.
  7. Advocates for the society and the profession.

I am very honored to be considered for this position, and truly look forward to the opportunity to serve the ASNR in this capacity.


Xin (Cynthia) Wu, MD
ASNR Nominating Committee Member

Brief Biosketch:
Xin (Cynthia) Wu, MD is an Associate Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at University of California San Francisco (UCSF). She received her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completed her residency in Diagnostic Radiology at New York University, before completing the ACGME neuroradiology fellowship followed by a clinical instructorship year at UCSF where she also served as chief fellow. Prior to her current appointment, she served as an attending neuroradiologist at Emory University.

Dr. Wu’s clinical practice includes general adult neuroradiology and dedicated head and neck imaging, and her research interests include application of advanced MR techniques to head and neck tumor imaging, improving imaging delineation of rare and unconventional head and neck cancer spread patterns, and characterizing postoperative findings that may mimic disease. She is dedicated to neuroradiology education and mentorship, taking pride in having mentored trainees in multiple award-winning research and education projects, and previously serving as liaison between the young professional society and the executive committee as the junior-member-at-large for the American Society of Head and Neck Radiology (ASHNR). She has planned multiple educational courses for the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) and serves as the current neuroradiology section editor for ARRS’s Roentgen Ray Review. She serves as the current chair of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)’s Head and Neck Annual Meeting Program Planning Committee.

Dr. Wu has a passion for advancing equity and outreach in neuroradiology. As chair of the Human Connections (formerly DEI) Committee of the ASHNR, she helped organize the inaugural session focused on DEI-related issues for the society’s 2025 annual meeting. Within the ASNR, she is an active member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee as well as the International Outreach Committee. Dr. Wu previously served as the Anne G. Osborn International Outreach Professor to Moshi, Tanzania. More recently, she proposed and spearheaded the ASNR International Outreach Reciprocal Scholarship program to sponsor scholars from under-resourced nations to attend the ASNR annual meeting.

Statement of Goals
I am honored to be considered to serve as a member of the ASNR Nominating Committee. If elected, I look forward to working with other committee members and ASNR leadership to identify and support qualified and diverse candidates who will unite the ASNR membership and lead our society to continued success in its goals of promoting high standards of neuroradiology practice, meaningful research and scientific knowledge dissemination, and improved fellowship and understanding both within the neuroradiology community and between neuroradiologists and the greater public.