Vivek S. Kavadi, MD, MBA, has been named the new CEO of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). On November 1, 2024, he will succeed Laura Thevenot, who previously announced her intention to retire after leading the organization since 2002.
During Thevenot’s tenure at ASTRO, membership grew more than 50% to its current level of more than 10,500 physicians, biologists, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other health professionals. Additionally, the association’s professional staff expanded from 18 in 2002 to more than 80 today.
Kavadi, a radiation oncologist and member of ASTRO since 1994, joins ASTRO from his current role as director of radiation oncology for The US Oncology Network, where he oversees strategy, operations and clinical service delivery for a network of 200 physicians.
From 2003 to 2020, Kavadi served as regional medical director for Texas Oncology, where he led a 60-physician practice in the Houston region. Since 1995, he has also maintained his clinical practice as a radiation oncologist at Texas Oncology, where he specializes in breast and prostate cancers.
Kavadi’s history with ASTRO includes his current role on the Board of Directors as vice chair of the Health Policy Council and his previous positions on the Health Policy and Payer Relations Committees. In 2019, ASTRO recognized him as a Fellow for his service to the Society and his contributions to the field of radiation oncology.
“We are very pleased to have Vivek lead ASTRO at this pivotal time for the specialty,” said Jeff M. Michalski, MD, MBA, chairman of ASTRO’s board of directors, in a statement. “The appointment of a physician in our specialty with first-hand experience of the challenges physicians face every day marks an important milestone for ASTRO. Vivek’s deep knowledge of the field, as well as his operational and business acumen, make him an ideal fit for our partnership. His expertise will be valuable as we navigate the legislative landscape with the recent introduction of the Radiation Oncology Value-Based Payment Program (ROCR) Act, as well as a wide variety of issues important to our 10,000 members, including physician education, guideline development, scientific advances, and industry partnerships.”
“I am deeply honored to take on the role of CEO of ASTRO to help advance our wonderful specialty,” Kavadi said in a statement. “I do not accept the challenge of leaving my current role in community cancer care to lead a national organization.” I lightly acknowledge that I will be taking over as successor to Laura Thevenot, who has led the organization with skill and distinction for the past 22 years. I know I will lead a healthy, prosperous organization, and I am committed to doing so. Foster greater collaboration, scientific advancement and excellence within our specialty. I am also pleased to be able to work alongside the dedicated ASTRO staff who I had the pleasure of working with during my time as a committee volunteer and Board member. “We look forward to their continued commitment to ensuring we better serve our members.”
