Stony Brook Surgery’s Tara Huston Celebrates ELAM Graduation

June 11, 2025
2 min read

Stony Brook Surgery’s Tara L. Huston, MD, has completed her Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® (ELAM®) Fellowship. The ELAM program is the only long-term leadership program in North America that focuses on preparing women for executive roles in various areas of healthcare.

Tara huston
From left to right: Erica Brown, MD, associate director of ELAM; Tara Huston, MD; and Nancy Spector, MD, executive director of ELAM.

“Participating in the ELAM course was a transformative experience,” said Dr. Huston. “We gained invaluable insights into strategic leadership, organizational growth, and change management while working side by side with a cohort of exceptional physician leaders. The program challenged us to reflect deeply on leadership styles and helped us cultivate the strength and clarity required to lead with purpose and authenticity. ELAM equipped us with the tools and vision to drive meaningful organizational change, and I look forward to applying these skills to enhance Stony Brook Medicine.”

Dr. Huston, professor of surgery and dermatology in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, president of the Stony Brook Medicine Medical Staff, chair of the Renaissance School of Medicine Committee on Admissions and president of the Northeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons, began her Fellowship last year for the 2024-2025 class, which was the largest ELAM class in the program’s 30-year history. She was the third ELAM Fellow selected from Stony Brook Medicine and, this year, Susan Lane, MD, associate dean for faculty affairs, has become the fourth Stony Brook ELAM Fellow. With her Fellowship completed and Dr. Lane’s beginning this month, Dr. Huston hopes this will be the beginning of a pipeline for other Stony Brook Medicine faculty to be part of the ELAM program.

In addition to the culmination of her ELAM Fellowship, Dr. Huston has also been selected to receive the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service.

Read the full story on the Department of Surgery blog.