Karin Wittich was placed as the executive director of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) in Rosemont, Illinois. The AAOMS, with a total membership of almost 11,500 individuals, is the professional organization representing oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States, supporting its members’ ability to practice their specialty through education, research, and advocacy. In her role, Karin will provide continuity of direction and leadership to the members and staff of the association, as well as to the public – assisting the board of trustees in planning and developing policies and programs, directing and supporting the staff in their implementation of such policies and programs, and representing the association in all internal and external activities relating to the fulfillment of its policies and programs.
Karin has been with the AAOMS since 1999; within five years, she rose from practice management manager to director of operations and then to associate executive director for practice management, governmental affairs, and reimbursement. Over the course of her tenure, with a constant desire to bring new ideas to the association to make it better or to benefit its members, Karin has effected a number of positive changes, including the implementation of online learning and webinars, the OMS Quality Outcomes Registry, and the DAANCE national certification program for dental anesthesia assistants, as well as the expansion of coding workshops from six clinics to 36. She has also done work in the area of advocacy, participating in antitrust legislation that was recently signed by the president, and successful fundraising for the AAOMS PAC.
Prior to joining the AAOMS, Karin was a practice administrator for two separate oral and maxillofacial surgery practices, one of which she led to become the seventh oral surgery office in the U.S. to achieve national accreditation from the AAAHC. Karin is a Certified Association Executive, and is active with the American College of Healthcare Executives, the American Society of Association Executives, and Association Forum of Chicagoland. Originally from Minot, North Dakota, Karin enjoys cooking and spending time with friends when she is not working.
Quick Leonard Kieffer’s Jake Barto and Jamie Cassedy led the search to recruit Karin to the executive director role with the AAOMS, which she will assume on June 1, 2021.
