Board of Directors
Officers
Kristy Weber, MD
President
Kristy Weber, MD is Board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who most recently served as the Abramson Family Professor in Sarcoma Care Excellence in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. She is from St. Louis, Missouri and attended medical school at Johns Hopkins. Kristy completed her orthopaedic residency training at the University of Iowa and completed a 2-year research/clinical fellowship in orthopaedic oncology at the Mayo Clinic. She served on the faculty at University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and Johns Hopkins prior to working at Penn.
Kristy has served on the Boards of Directors of many national orthopaedic and cancer organizations including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), American Orthopaedic Association (AOA), Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS), and the Connective Tissue Oncology Society. She has been President of the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society, the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society (RJOS), inaugural President of the International Orthopaedic Diversity Alliance (IODA), Secretary of the Orthopaedic Research Society and Critical Issues Chair on the AOA Executive Committee. Kristy served as the first woman president of the AAOS (2019). She currently lives in Boulder, Colorado.
![Meg_Smith[1]](https://perryinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Meg_Smith1-560x700.png "Meg_Smith[1]")
Meg Smith, PhD
Treasurer
Dr. Meg Smith is a seasoned medical device executive who spent 31 years with Stryker Corporation, retiring in 2023 as Vice President for Research and Product Assurance. She earned her MS at Rutgers, MBA at NYU, and a PhD in Engineering Management from the Stevens Institute. Dr. Smith brings deep technical and leadership experience to the Perry Initiative.
Dr. Smith co-founded Stryker’s Women’s Network and served as Executive Sponsor of the company’s first WISE chapter, underscoring her commitment to diversity and inclusive leadership. Her career is marked by mentorship, strategic organizational leadership, and recognition like the YWCA TWIN and Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association Luminary awards. Since joining The Perry Initiative, she has contributed her financial expertise and vision for talent pipeline development in STEM.
Members at Large
Lisa Lattanza, MD
Dr. Lisa Lattanza leads the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation at Yale School of Medicine and serves as Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery at Yale New Haven Hospital. Her clinical and academic journey includes subspecialty training in hand and upper extremity surgery, with roles at UCSF and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital.
An expert in 3D patient-specific surgical correction of deformities, pediatric hand birth defects, and upper extremity reconstruction, she is also known for her highly regarded international teaching and research.
As a co-founder of The Perry Initiative, Dr. Lattanza has provided crucial institutional support to inspire future generations of talent in orthopaedics and engineering.
Ann Van Heest, MD
Dr. Ann Van Heest is Professor and Vice Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery Education at the University of Minnesota and has been a powerful advocate for diversity in orthopaedics. Her clinical focus encompasses pediatric hand and upper extremity conditions, neuromuscular disorders such as arthrogryposis and cerebral palsy, and she has been instrumental in treating congenital disorders for over 30 years.
Her academic work is deeply rooted in improving access, representation, and education in the orthopaedic workforce. As a Perry Initiative board member, Dr. Van Heest contributes her clinical expertise, research insights, and mentorship to expand the orthopaedics pipeline for young people.
![Susan_Bukata[1]](https://perryinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Susan_Bukata1-560x700.png "Susan_Bukata[1]")
Susan Bukata, MD
Dr. Susan Bukata is Professor and Chair of the Department of Orthopaedics at UC San Diego and a nationally recognized leader in musculoskeletal oncology, metabolic bone disease, and geriatric fracture care. She earned her MD from Columbia University and completed residency and fellowship training at the University of Rochester, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the Hospital for Special Surgery.
Her research has driven advances in fracture healing, osteoporosis treatment, and cartilage regeneration, earning multiple national awards and funded clinical trials. A Perry Initiative volunteer since 2014, she is passionate about mentoring the next generation of students in orthopaedics and engineering.
![Janay_McKie[1]](https://perryinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Janay_McKie1-368x460.png "Janay_McKie[1]")
Janay McKie, MD
Dr. Janay McKie serves as Chief of Staff for Pediatric Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation at Shriners Children’s Texas and is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch. She trained at Duke University, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, specializing in pediatric foot and ankle disorders, neuromuscular conditions, and gait analysis.
Dr. McKie is active in national orthopaedic societies and is recognized for her leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has organized Perry Initiative outreach events to inspire high school students to consider careers in surgery.
Christie Kincannon, JD
Christie Kincannon is Deputy Director and General Counsel for the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance, overseeing legal operations and multiple divisions. Her career spans more than two decades in Missouri state government, including senior legal and policy roles in the Attorney General’s Office, Department of Revenue, and Division of Finance.
With expertise in law, finance, and public administration, she has led complex negotiations and high-profile cases. As a Perry Initiative board member, she applies her strategic and legal insight to advancing opportunities for talent in orthopaedics and engineering.
![Joan_Bechtold[1]](https://perryinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Joan_Bechtold1-368x460.png "Joan_Bechtold[1]")
Joan Bechtold, PhD
Dr. Joan Bechtold is Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Director of the Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory at Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute. For over 30 years, she has led translational research to improve bone healing, prevent infection, and advance implant fixation.
A past president of both the Orthopaedic Research Society and the American Society of Biomechanics, she is also a Fellow of multiple international scientific organizations. Dr. Bechtold’s work bridges engineering, surgery, and materials science, and she is a dedicated mentor committed to advancing young minds in orthopaedic surgery and engineering.
Past Board Presidents
Lisa Lattanza, MD
Jenni Buckley, PhD
Past Board Members
Thomas Buchanan, PhD
Haydee Brown, MD (Affiliate)
A. Sue Carlisle, MD, PhD
Dawn Elliot, PhD
Sommer Hammoud, MD
Michelle James, MD
Anette Karlsson, PhD
Virginia Klausmeier, MS
Amy Ladd, MD
Dawn LaPorte, MD (Affiliate)
Meredith May, MS RAC
Mary O'Connor, MD
Aenor Sawyer, MD