Letter from the President Matthew Fink, MD

It is an honor to serve as the newly elected president of the Kansas Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery. I practice general dermatology with University Health Physicians in Kansas City, where I also serve as Medical Director of our Eastland Dermatology Clinic and as an Assistant Professor at the UMKC School of Medicine. Over the years, the relationships built through this Society have shaped my own professional path, and I am grateful for the opportunity to support our community in the year ahead.

The Kansas Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery plays a vital role for dermatologists, Mohs surgeons, dermatology physician assistants, and dermatology nurse practitioners across our region. Our annual meeting offers more than continuing medical education. It is a place to share ideas, strengthen collegial ties, and learn from one another in an environment that is collegial, supportive, and intellectually engaging. The opportunity to gather each year strengthens our statewide dermatology community and ensures that we continue to advance patient care across Kansas through shared knowledge and collaboration.

As we look ahead to our October 2026 conference in Overland Park, I am excited about the program we are assembling. We are fortunate to welcome Dr. Benjamin Stoff, Chair of Dermatology at Emory University and a nationally recognized dermatologist and bioethicist, who will deliver two lectures. We will also be joined by Dr. Michael Sargen, a melanoma researcher at the National Institutes of Health whose training at Stanford and Emory has shaped his cutting-edge work in cutaneous oncology. Finally, Dr. Elizabeth Niemann from the University of North Carolina will speak on advances in pediatric dermatology. Dr. Niemann previously served both as Pediatric Dermatology Fellowship Program Director and as Dermatology Residency Program Director at UNC, and she brings a depth of experience that will enrich our meeting.

I am grateful for the chance to serve this Society and look forward to a productive, collaborative, and inspiring year together.

Warm regards,

Matthew Fink, MD, FAAD

President, Kansas Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery