Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA, who is a recognized physician executive in organizational strategy, advancement, and management, and quality and safety, serves as the Executive Vice President (EVP) and CEO of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and its Foundation (AAO-HNS/F), one of the oldest medical associations in the United States representing over 13,000 otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons from around the world. Prior to being named AAO-HNS/F EVP and CEO in 2024, Dr. Shah served a distinguished career spanning more than 18 years at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC, holding numerous leadership roles, including Associate Surgeon-in-Chief, President of the Medical Staff, Vice President Chief Quality and Safety Officer, Vice President for Medical Affairs, and most recently Senior Vice President for Hospital-Based Specialties. He attained the rank of professor at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in 2017. In his most recent position as Senior Vice President for Children’s National Hospital-Based Specialties Center, he had oversight of 17 divisions and three institutes, with his innovative leadership resulting in significant advancements in strategic quality and safety initiatives as well as leaving a lasting legacy of professional mentorship. Dr. Shah continues his involvement with Children’s National Hospital as a volunteer physician in the Division of Otolaryngology. A committed advocate for excellence in patient care, Dr. Shah has been actively involved with the AAO-HNS/F since medical school. He has served as Chair of the Advisory Council on Quality, Co-chair of the Patient Safety and Quality Committee, Co-chair of the Home Study Course Section 2, the Honorary Guests Lecturer of the 2019 Cotton-Fitton Endowed Lecture in Pediatric Otolaryngology, and in other areas of engagement earning him a Distinguished Service Award in 2013. Dr. Shah has received numerous awards for his research, which includes resource utilization and outcomes, patient safety, and medical errors. He has authored over 130 articles and three textbooks, has given hundreds of national and international presentations, and has created and taught dozens of courses; he is a sought-out consultant in these areas. In 2020, Becker’s Healthcare honored him as one of the top 50 Patient Safety Experts to Know. He is a founder, advisor, and investor in healthcare technology companies and is a thought-leader in AI in medicine. Dr. Shah obtained a combined BA/MD from Boston University School of Medicine in 2000 and completed an otolaryngology residency at Tufts University and a pediatric otolaryngology fellowship at Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard University. In 2014, he earned an MBA from the George Washington University School of Business.