Michael Privitera, MD, Becomes President of American Epilepsy Society

CINCINNATI—Michael Privitera, MD, professor of neurology at the University of Cincinnati (UC) and director of the Epilepsy Center at the UC Neuroscience Institute, has assumed the role of president of the American Epilepsy Society (AES) during the organization’s 69th annual meeting in Philadelphia. 

Privitera will lead the Board of Directors on advancing AES’s strategic plan. "I am honored and privileged to be named president of an organization that is working to increase our understanding of epilepsy and improve the lives of those living with this condition,” said Privitera. "I look forward to working collaboratively with all AES members as we advance research and education for professionals dedicated to the prevention, treatment and cure of epilepsy.”

In his new role, Privitera will follow in the footsteps of the late Charles Aring, MD, who founded what was then the Department of Neurology (now Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine) at UC. Aring was AES president from 1944 to 1946.

Elected to the AES Board of Directors in 2005, Privitera has served in many leadership positions, including vice president and treasurer. Prior to his service on the AES board, Privitera also served on the Annual Course Committee, Neuropharmacology Special Interest Group and Medical Student Education Committee. 

"I’m inspired by the collaborative nature of AES where clinicians, clinical researchers and basic scientists all interact to achieve new heights of discovery.  Our outstanding educational programs at the Annual Meeting and throughout the year bring the latest innovations in diagnosis and treatment to all those who care for people living with epilepsy.”

Privitera’s dedication to the discovery of new treatments and caring for people with epilepsy has been a cornerstone of his career. For more than 25 years, he has led the Epilepsy Center at the UC Neuroscience Institute, which he established with the late Hwa-shain Yeh, MD, formerly of the UC Department of Neurosurgery, as the first comprehensive epilepsy program in the Greater Cincinnati region. He has published over 100 scientific articles and a book on epilepsy, and has directed over 50 clinical studies on epilepsy treatment.

Privitera received his undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University and his medical degree from the State University of New York-Upstate Medical Center. He completed his residency at Georgetown University and a fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. 

The American Epilepsy Society  is a medical and scientific society whose 3,800 members are engaged in research and clinical care for people with epilepsy.