PHILADELPHIA, PA — NBME has selected Suzanne T. Anderson, MBA, as its next president and chief executive officer, turning to a veteran health care executive to lead the Philadelphia-based medical assessment organization as health care and medical education undergo continued change.
Anderson will take office Oct. 19, succeeding Peter J Katsufrakis, MD, MBA, who has served as president and CEO since 2017 and will retire Nov. 30, 2026, NBME reported. The transition will follow Katsufrakis’ nearly two decades with the organization.
Anderson brings almost four decades of health care leadership experience, including senior roles overseeing operations, finance, strategy and workforce functions.
Most recently, she served as regional president of SSM Health Wisconsin, overseeing governance and operations across the greater Madison region, with responsibilities spanning strategy, finance and human resources.
Before joining SSM Health, Anderson was president of Virginia Mason Medical Center and executive vice president of Virginia Mason Health System in Seattle. Her responsibilities there included enterprise operations, finance, information technology, human resources, supply chain and strategic initiatives.
The appointment places Anderson at the helm of an organization with a significant role in medical education and physician assessment, including its involvement with the United States Medical Licensing Examination, or USMLE.
Anderson already has governance experience with NBME and the USMLE program, as well as the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, American Board of Medical Specialties and other health care and medical education organizations.
Reena Karani, MD, MHPE, chair of NBME’s Board of Directors, cited that background as particularly important amid changes affecting health care and medical education.
Anderson’s experience and understanding of the broader health professions community “uniquely positions her to lead the organization into its next chapter,” Karani stated, adding that NBME sought a leader capable of maintaining partnerships while advancing its assessment mission.
Katsufrakis’ tenure included changes to the USMLE, NBME’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and broader changes in medical assessment. He has led NBME for nearly 10 years by the time of his scheduled retirement.
“I am following someone who has been a great leader for NBME,” Anderson stated. She pointed to the organization’s staff, board, committees and volunteers and their role in maintaining evidence-based assessment standards.
Anderson holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Notre Dame.
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