Karen J. Collishaw

Karen J. Collishaw, MPP, CAE, is Chief Executive Officer of the American Thoracic Society (ATS), a professional organization that comprises over 16,000 physicians, research scientists, nurses and other health professionals with a mission to accelerate global innovation in the advancement of respiratory health through multidisciplinary collaboration, education, and advocacy.

Prior to joining the ATS in May 2018, Ms. Collishaw was the President & CEO of the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP), an independent, not-for-profit accrediting body for community-based health care organizations. Previously, Ms. Collishaw served in executive leadership positions with two professional medical societies--the American Academy of Dermatology and the American College of Cardiology (ACC). She was responsible for activities related to science, research, advocacy, quality and managed ACC’s annual scientific session.

Following the completion of a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Cornell University, Ms. Collishaw started her career working for the U.S. House of Representatives and then in Battelle Memorial Institute’s Washington office. She earned a Master of Public Policy degree from Georgetown University, is a Certified Association Executive, and past president of the American Association of Medical Society Executives.