Georgia orthopaedic surgeon James W. Barber, MD, FAAOS, has been named chair of the AAOS Board of Councilors (BoC). Dr. Barber will assume the chair position following the AAOS 2026 Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

Dr. Barber has been an active leader within AAOS, serving as a member of the AAOS Board of Directors (BoD) and in multiple leadership roles within the BoC, including secretary and chair-elect. His dedication to advancing musculoskeletal health and strengthening physician advocacy has led to appointments on key committees, including the Joint BoC/Board of Specialty Societies (BoS) Bylaws Review Committee and the Professionalism Committee. In his role as a BoC leader and member of the Board, he has served on the Education Council, Research and Quality Council, and the Political Action Committee of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Barber is also a graduate of the former AAOS Leadership Fellows Program.

Beyond AAOS, Dr. Barber’s leadership extends into state and regional advocacy and professional service. He is a past president of the Georgia Orthopaedic Society and currently serves as speaker of the House of Delegates for the Medical Association of Georgia, where he has also held leadership positions, including vice speaker. Dr. Barber was appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp to serve as chair of the Georgia Board of Healthcare Workforce, and he is unit commander of the South Georgia MAG Medical Reserve Corps. Dr. Barber is also active in community and civic leadership and serves on the boards of the Douglas Community Foundation and the Okefenokee Swamp Park in Waycross, Georgia.

Dr. Barber has been in private practice in Douglas, Georgia, since 1998. He is an orthopaedic surgeon with Southeastern Orthopaedics and practices at the Southeastern Orthopaedics Surgery Center.