CHICAGO — The American Medical Association (AMA) honored Susan G. D’Antoni, chief executive officer of the Montgomery County Medical Society (MCMS) and the National Capital Physicians Foundation, with the Medical Executive Meritorious Achievement Award for over 30 years of tireless and effective advocacy on behalf of physicians and their patients. The award honors a medical association executive who has provided exemplary service that benefits physicians in caring for their patients.

“It is an honor to recognize Susan D’Antoni as a respected leader in the field of association management who has had an indelible impact on the medical community and organized medicine as a whole," said AMA Board Chair Russ Kridel, M.D. “Patients and physicians have benefited from the energy, creativity, innovation and passion she brings to building strategic solutions, consensus and collaboration. Her selfless dedication embodies the best in medical executive leadership.”

D’Antoni’s achievements as CEO of MCMS include the development of Maryland’s first early intervention counseling program to combat physician burnout, successful implementation of membership retention strategies and cultivation of key contacts at both the grassroots and national levels for advocacy purposes.

In addition to her extensive leadership in organized medicine, D’Antoni has firsthand experience in crisis management and response. In her former role as executive director of the Orleans Parish Medical Society, she led in the immediate aftermath by assisting physicians in returning to New Orleans and rebuilding their homes and offices. She coordinated the AMA’s tour of the devastation as well as the rebirth efforts weeks after the storm. D’Antoni was also responsible for restoring MCMS headquarters after a fire destroyed the building in 2009.

The AMA presented the award to D’Antoni during the November 2020 Special Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates.