ASNR 2026-2027 Election Candidates — Vice President

James Milburn MD, FACR, FSNIS, MMM
ASNR Vice Presidential Nominee

Brief Biosketch:
Dr. James Milburn serves as Vice Chair of Academics, Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program Director, and Director of Neurointerventional Services in the Department of Radiology at Ochsner Clinic. He is a Professor of Radiology at the University of Queensland/Ochsner Clinical School and at the newly established Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine (XOCOM).

Dr. Milburn completed his diagnostic and interventional neuroradiology fellowship at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University in St. Louis in 1997. In 2023, he earned a Masters of Medical Management degree from Tulane University, strengthening his expertise in healthcare leadership and economics. At Ochsner, he also chairs the radiology departmental Appointments and Promotions Committee, co-directs the Neurointerventional Fellowship, and has been honored with the Teacher of the Year Award three times.

As a clinician, educator, and researcher, Dr. Milburn’s primary interests include stroke, brain aneurysms, spine intervention, resident education, and health policy. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications in addition to numerous meeting abstracts and invited national presentations. His clinical practice encompasses diagnostic neuroradiology, interventional neuroradiology, and spine intervention.

Dr. Milburn has been a Senior Member of the American Society of Neuroradiology (ASNR) since 1998 and has served on its Board of Directors for the past two years. Throughout his career, he has contributed to numerous ASNR committees and most recently founded the Neurointerventional Study Group to provide a dedicated forum for neurointerventionalists to address practice-specific issues.

Within the Society of Neurointerventional Surgery (SNIS), Dr. Milburn has served six years on the Board of Directors and currently holds the role of Mentorship Chair. He co-chaired the 2019 SNIS Annual Meeting, which hosted more than 1,200 attendees, and has chaired multiple fellows’ courses. As SNIS Education Chair, he produced more than 40 SNIS Insights webinars. He also served as the primary neuroradiology representative in the development of the Neuroendovascular Fellowship Match, now in its inaugural cycle, navigating the complexities of ERAS and NRMP to ensure equitable participation across neuroradiology, neurology, neurosurgery, and interventional radiology applicants.

Dr. Milburn has served as Associate Editor for the Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery (JNIS), managing more than 450 manuscripts since 2020. Previously, he was recognized as JNIS Reviewer of the Year at the 2018 Annual Meeting. He also serves as regular reviewer for several additional journals including AJNR.

For the American College of Radiology (ACR), Dr. Milburn served as Louisiana Chapter President in 2015 and as Louisiana State Councilor for eight years. He currently chairs the Neuroradiology Economics Committee within the ACR Economics Commission and has served on numerous additional committees. He also serves on the Radiology Coding Certification Board and is a certified interventional radiology coder.

Statement of Goals:
It is a true honor to be nominated for Vice President of the American Society of Neuroradiology. If elected, I would bring recent experience as a member of the ASNR Board of Directors and the perspective of a 28-year Senior Member who has participated in and observed the evolution of our specialty.

In addition to my service within ASNR, I have held leadership roles in the Society of Neurointerventional Surgery (SNIS), the Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery, and the American College of Radiology. My work has spanned education, mentorship, health policy, procedural coding, and editorial service. These experiences have provided a broad view of the clinical, academic, and policy forces shaping neuroradiology today. 

A central responsibility of the Vice President is stewardship of the ASNR Annual Meeting—a societal gem. I previously served as Co-Chair of the 2019 SNIS annual meeting, an event comparable in size and complexity to ASNR’s. I have worked extensively with program Committees to secure high-quality scientific content while maintaining disciplined timelines.  Equally important, I understand the value of creating a meeting environment that fosters engagement, collaboration, and professional connection. Thoughtful programming and strong sponsorship support are essential to delivering an exceptional experience for our members.

Another priority is strengthening engagement of interventional neuroradiologists within ASNR while reinforcing the Society’s role as a unified professional home. I recently introduced the Neurointerventional Study Group to provide a forum for addressing practice-specific challenges, promoting dialogue and collaboration. Through my service as Mentorship Chair for SNIS, I interact closely with fellows and early-career physicians and have gained insight into their professional aspirations and concerns. ASNR has an opportunity to more fully integrate and support this next generation of leaders in our field.

Serving on the ASNR Board has been both energizing and instructive. If elected Vice President, I will continue to work collaboratively and strategically to advance ASNR’s role as the leading voice of neuroradiology and to ensure a strong future for our specialty.

Achala Vagal, MD, MS, FAHA
ASNR Vice Presidential Nominee

Brief Biosketch:
I am a Tenured Professor and the Ben Felson Chair of Radiology at the University of Cincinnati, where I also serve as Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Research at the College of Medicine.
Within ASNR, I currently serve on the Board of Directors and as Secretary, and over the years, I have had the privilege of contributing across many of our society’s key efforts—including Program, Evidence-Based Practice, Research, Strategic Planning, Financial Management, and Nominations Committees. As Chair of the Education Committee, I was honored to lead initiatives such as Ed Connect, ASNR Webinars, and Best of ASNR, and to secure ACCME accreditation—each designed to expand our society’s educational reach and member connection.

Internationally, I served as Director of Corporate Relations for the World Federation of Neuroradiology’s Symposium Neuroradiologicum XXII. I was humbled to receive the 2019 Women in Leadership Award from the Foundation of ASNR, ACR, and AAWR, and to complete the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program in 2022.

As a clinician-scientist, I have helped secure more than $100 million in NIH funding focused on stroke imaging biomarkers and brain health, leading transdisciplinary collaborations across clinical trials and large-scale population studies. I direct the National Imaging Management Center for NIH StrokeNet and co-lead the imaging cores for multicenter trials. I also serve as Co-Director and Multiple PI of the NIH/NCATS-funded Center for Clinical and Translational Science

Statement of Goals:
ASNR was the first professional community that opened its doors to me as a young faculty member eager to contribute. Through this society, I discovered a home—one where mentorship and friendship, and shared purpose shaped my journey in neuroradiology. To now be considered for the role of Vice President is a true honor and privilege.

Over the years, I have seen firsthand how ASNR thrives because of its PEOPLE—our members’ expertise,
and tireless commitment. My goal is to continue building on this collective strength and ensure ASNR remains the leading voice for our field.

As Vice President, I will focus on:

• Implementing our strategic goals through a collaborative, team-driven leadership model.
• Expanding meaningful member engagement through educational innovation and enriched
  networking, that bridge generations and practice types.
• Strengthening regional and international partnerships to enhance shared learning.
• Advancing strategic initiatives in AI, early and mid-career development, ensuring they are
  integrated into our long-term vision.
• Fortifying the ASNR brand so that it continues to represent excellence, and impact in a rapidly
  evolving healthcare landscape.
  After involvement

After involvement for over two decades, I have a profound connection to our mission and our people. If elected Vice President, I commit to serve with the best of my ability, making ASNR indispensable!