The National Association of Medical Communications (NAMC) has elected AAOS director of public relations Sandra R. Gordon as vice-president. She is the first nonphysician to be elected to the Board of Directors and the first to be an officer.

As vice-president, Gordon will serve a two-year leadership term to help NAMC pursue and implement initiatives that endorse a standard of professionalism exemplified by the best practices of medicine and journalism in providing health information to consumers.

Gordon, who has headed the AAOS’ public and media relations initiatives since 1999, was named ‘PR Professional of the Year’ by PRNews in 2004, and has earned more than 400 national and international accolades for excellence in communications, including an Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for a public service advertisement created for AAOS, and several Freddie and Pegasus Awards.

As liaison to the AAOS Communications Cabinet and Public Relations Oversight Group, Gordon is actively preparing for the Academy’s 75th anniversary celebrations. As part of the activities, she is organizing eMotion Pictures: An Exhibition of Orthopaedics in Art, which will feature artwork by orthopaedic patients and orthopaedic surgeons. The show will be launched in San Francisco in conjunction with the Academy’s 75th Anniversary in 2008. The project includes a traveling exhibit, a book, and a Web site.

Prior to joining AAOS, Gordon served as director of communications for the American Academy of Dermatology, Schaumburg, Ill., and senior vice president, corporate communications for the National Easter Seal Society, Chicago.