BOG and WIO - Hot Topics for 2026

Monday, October 19, 2026

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM PT

Location: Theatre 411

Panelist(s)

Cristina M. Baldassari, MD

Professor
EVMS at ODU
Virignia Beach, VA, United States
Stephen P. Cragle, MD

Partner
St. Cloud Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic
Saint Cloud, MN, United States
Karen A. Rizzo, MD,FACS

Owner/Founder Lancaster Ear, Nose,& Throat,LLC, AAO Board of Directors Private Practice, Past Chair BOG,Past President of Pennsylvania Medical Society, Past President Pennsylvania Academy of Otolaryngology
Lancaster Ear, Nose,& Throat, LLC
Lancaster, PA, United States

Moderator(s)

Ilaaf Darrat, MD, MBA

Divison Head Pediatric & Comprehensive Otolaryngology & Sleep Surgery
Henry Ford Health
Northville, MI, United States

Panelist(s)

MD

Megan L. Durr, MD

Professor
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, CA, United States

Disclosure(s):

Stephen P. Cragle, MD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Karen A. Rizzo, MD,FACS:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Ilaaf Darrat, MD, MBA:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Megan L. Durr, MD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

This session will highlight recent local, regional, and national legislative activity that directly influence clinical practice and workforce sustainability within Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. The panelists will discuss the role of BOG and WIO with respect to recent legislative activities.

Learning Objectives:

Describe recent local, regional, and national legislative and regulatory developments affecting otolaryngology practice, reimbursement, and workforce sustainability, and explain the roles of the AAO-HNS Board of Governors and Women in Otolaryngology in shaping these efforts.
Apply practical strategies for professional advocacy, entrepreneurship, and organizational engagement to address challenges such as changing reimbursement models and the gender pay gap within otolaryngology.
Develop an action plan to advance equity, leadership, and resilience in the otolaryngology workforce through individual, institutional, and legislative initiatives.