American College of Cardiology leader named CEO of Society of Thoracic Surgeons
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) has named Justine Varieur Turco the organization's new CEO and executive director. She officially takes on the role Aug. 31.
Turco is a veteran of the cardiac care space. She held several leadership positions with the American College of Cardiology (ACC), for example, most recently serving as the group’s vice president of scientific publications and guidelines. She is also a former Cardiovascular Business editor, covering the cardiovascular health industry on a day-to-day basis.
Elaine Weiss, DO, the current STS CEO and executive director, is retiring after spending seven years with the organization. Weiss first announced her plans to retire in February.
“Healthcare is at an important inflection point, shaped by evolving policy, technology and care delivery models,” Turco said in a statement. “STS has long been a leader in advancing quality, education, research, and data-driven improvement in cardiothoracic surgery. I am honored to join the society and look forward to working with its members, board and staff to build on that legacy and support the specialty’s continued advancement.”
“We are honored to welcome Justine Varieur Turco as STS’s next CEO,” added STS President Vinay Badhwar, MD, executive chair of the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute. “Throughout her stellar career, she has demonstrated an outstanding ability to lead complex teams, build strategic partnerships, and create value for members and stakeholders. The board is extremely confident that her experience and bold leadership will help build on STS’s strong foundation and advance the society’s global mission in support of cardiothoracic surgeons and the patients they serve.”
Badhwar also paid tribute to Weiss in the same statement.
“We thank Elaine Weiss for her tremendous leadership and many contributions to STS during her tenure as CEO,” he said. “Her dedication helped strengthen the society, advance key strategic initiatives and position STS for long-term success.”
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.