2025 Meeting the Challenge Summit!
Join us for the 2025 Meeting the Challenge Summit which will take place on December 5-6, 2025 as we strive for improved representation in dermatology research studies/clinical trials.
The 2025 Meeting the Challenge Summit theme is Advancing Dermatology in Clinical Trials: Expanding Outcome Measures. This summit will provide stakeholders a valuable opportunity to share and enhance their knowledge, exchange information on broadening clinical trial representation, and engage in networking and collaboration.
The event will be held on December 5-6, 2025 at The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. The Summit will focus on patient-reported outcome measures and clinical trial design, emphasizing integrating patient experiences, particularly across various backgrounds, into dermatologic research. The program will explore best practices in trial design and outcome measurement, and discuss diseases that are inadequately represented in clinical trials. Key discussions will center on how to make clinical trials more representative and impactful, prioritizing patient voices throughout the research process to drive better outcomes in patient care.
Click a tab below for more info:
- Keynote Speaker
- Agenda Overview
- Location & Room Block
- Resident Travel Grant
- Registration
- Sponsorship
- Our Committee
- Publications
- Faculty
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Robert A. Winn, MD
Director and Lipman Chair in Oncology, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center
Senior Associate Dean for Cancer Innovation and Professor of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, VCU School of Medicine
President, American Association of Cancer Institutes
As director of Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Robert A. Winn, M.D., leads the nation in optimizing cancer health care outcomes for all and spearheading interdisciplinary approaches to cancer disparities research. Just the fourth director of Massey since its 1975 National Cancer Institute designation, Winn oversees a center of nearly 150 scientists and clinical investigators.
Dr. Winn is nationally recognized for his community engagement efforts in promoting new approaches to building trust and increasing awareness for cancer research, screening, prevention, treatment, and survivorship, including the Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials Award Program, a $114 million training and education program in partnership with the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation dedicated to increasing participation and representation in clinical trials, and the nationally heralded Facts & Faith Fridays conversation series.
Agenda – December 5-6, 2025
Friday, December 5, 2025
3:00 PM - 8:00 PM ET
| Welcome Valerie Callender, MD, FAAD and Valerie Harvey, MD, MPH, FAAD |
| Summit-to-Date: Key Developments Valerie Callender, MD, FAAD, Valerie Harvey, MD, MPH, FAAD, Tarannum Jaleel, MD, FAAD, Hope Mitchell, MD, FAAD, & Amit Garg, MD, FAAD |
| Kickoff Speaker Amit Garg, MD, FAAD |
| FDA Action Plan Markham C. Luke, MD, PhD, FAAD |
| Beyond Race and Ethnicity Robert A. Winn, MD with Candrice R. Heath, MD, FAAD & Angel S. Byrd, MD, PhD |
| Patient Advocacy and Community Engagement Physician Panel: Angel S. Byrd, MD, PhD, Mya L. Roberson, MSPH, PhD & Junko Takeshita, MD, PhD, MSCE, FAAD Patient Advocate Panel: Jarrett Brown & Donna Atherton Moderators: Prince Adotama, MD & Elizabeth Kiracofe, MD |
| Welcome Reception (6:30 PM - 8:00 PM) |
Saturday, December 6, 2025
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET
| Breakfast (7:00 AM - 8:00 AM) |
| Welcome Remarks Nada Elbuluk, MD, MSc, FAAD |
| Keynote Speaker Robert A. Winn, MD |
| Clinical Trial Underrepresentation Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD, Cheri Frey, MD, FAAD, Tarannum Jaleel, MD, MHSc, FAAD, Amy McMichael, MD, FAAD, & Mya L. Roberson, MSPH, PhD Moderator: Tarannum Jaleel, MD, MHSc, FAAD |
| Outcome Measures Andrew F. Alexis, MD, MPH, FAAD, Tiffany Mayo, MD, FAAD, Kanade Shinkai, MD, PhD, FAAD, & Victoria P. Werth, MD, FAAD Moderator: Amy J. McMichael, MD, FAAD |
| Networking Lunch |
| Industry Panel Industry representatives from Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Inc., Sanofi / Regeneron, Novartis, AbbVie, & Biogen Moderator: Jonathan S. Weiss, MD, FAAD |
| Diseases that are Underrepresented in Clinical Trials Crystal Aguh, MD, FAAD, Jared Jagedo, MD, FAAD, Hema Sundaram, MD, FAAD, & Victoria P. Werth, MD, FAAD Moderator: Susan C. Taylor, MD, FAAD |
| AI Impact in Clinical Trials Jenna C. Lester, MD, FAAD & Jane Yoo, MD, FAAD |
| Closing Remarks Valerie Callender, MD, FAAD and Valerie Harvey, MD, MPH, FAAD |
The Mayflower Hotel, Autograph Collection
1127 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 347-3000
Book your accommodation through the SOCS Room block. Details to come!
SOCS Meeting the Challenge in Research Resident Travel Grant
The SOCS Meeting the Challenge in Research Resident Travel Grant supports dermatology residents in attending the Meeting the Challenge Summit. Each grant—up to $1,000 USD—can be used for travel, lodging, and meals.
This initiative expands opportunities for residents to engage in the Summit’s critical work, contribute their insights, and access valuable professional development during their training.
Up to 10 travel grants available.
Application Period: April 15 – May 15, 2025 (closes at 12:00 PM CT)
Notifications: Awardees will be contacted by the end of June.
Note: No extensions will be granted.
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY
Open to current Skin of Color Society Resident Members only.
GRANT REQUIREMENTS (FOR RECIPIENTS)
Membership: Must be an active SOCS Resident Member.
Lodging: Must book accommodation through the SOCS-designated room block.
Surveys: Completion of short pre- and post-event surveys.
Report: Submit a one-page summary of your experience and key takeaways post-Summit. Reports may be shared on the SOCS website, in the annual meeting recap, and on social media.
SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
- Select ‘Resident Travel Grant – Meeting the Challenge in Research’ under the ‘Category’ dropdown.
- Complete all required fields (Entrant, Title, etc.).
- Click ‘Save + Next’ to continue with the application form.
Application is now closed
Registration for this event will open July 2025.
Contact Janice Ayarzagoitia at jayarzagoitia@skinofcolorsociety.org with any questions.
We sincerely thank our sponsors for their invaluable support of the 2025 SOCS Meeting the Challenge Summit. Your contributions play a vital role in the success of this event and our ongoing efforts to advance innovation, collaboration, and excellence in dermatology.
Champion:
Ally:
Partner:
Friend:
Interested in becoming a sponsor and joining our industry panel?
View our sponsorship prospectus linked below.
Contact: Kimberly Miller, Executive Director at kmiller@skinofcolorsociety.org
Meeting the Challenge in Research Committee
Valerie D. Callender, MD, FAAD
Valerie M. Harvey, MD, MPH, FAAD
Carole Bitar, MD, FAAD
Stafford G. Brown, III, MD, MBA, MS
Cheryl Marie Burgess, MD, FAAD
Angel Byrd, MD, PhD
Alexandra P. Charrow, MD, FAAD
Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD
Candrice R. Heath, MD, FAAD
Tarannum Jaleel, MD
Amy McMichael, MD, FAAD
Chidubem A. V. Okeke, MD
Kanade Shinkai, MD, PhD
Hema Sundaram, MD, FAAD
Junko Takeshita, MD, PhD, MSCE, FAAD
Jonathan S. Weiss, MD, FAAD
Jane Yoo, MD, FAAD
In collaboration with
SOCS Advocacy Committee
Prince Adotama, MD, FAAD - Co-chair
Elizabeth Kiracofe, MD, FAAD - Co-chair
The CHORD COUSIN Collaboration
Dermatology Journal Articles
Deriving from the work of the SOCS Meeting the Challenge in Research Committee, formerly the Diversity in Dermatology Clinical Trials Task Force (DiDCT):
The Skin of Color Society’s Meeting the Challenge Summit, 2022
Diversity in Dermatology Clinical Trials Proceedings, JAMA, May 24, 2023
Integrating skin color assessments into clinical practice and research:
A review of current approaches, JAAD, 2024
Prince Adotama, MD, FAAD
Assistant Professor of Dermatology
Director of Health Equity and Inclusion, Dept of Dermatology
Assistant Program Director, Dept of Dermatology
Co-Founder Skin of Color Section
Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology
New York University Grossman School Of Medicine
Crystal Aguh, MD, FAAD
Associate Professor
Director, Ethnic Skin Program
Director, Ethnic Skin Fellowship
Department of Dermatology
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Andrew F. Alexis, MD, MPH, FAAD
Vice-Chair for Diversity and Inclusion, Dept of Dermatology
Professor of Clinical Dermatology
Weill Cornell Medical Center
President, Skin of Color Society (2023–2024)
Angel S. Byrd, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Dermatology
Howard University College of Medicine
Valerie D. Callender, MD, FAAD
Professor of Dermatology, Howard University College of Medicine
President, American Dermatological Association
Founder & Senior Medical Director, Callender Center for Clinical Research, LLC
Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD
President, American Academy of Dermatology
Founder & Medical Director, Innovative Dermatology
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Nada Elbuluk, MD, MSc, FAAD
Associate Professor of Clinical Dermatology
Founding Director, Skin of Color and Pigmentary Disorders Program
Founding Director, Dermatology Culture and Engagement Program
University of Southern California, Department of Dermatology
President, Skin of Color Society
Cheri Frey, MD, FAAD
Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology
Howard University
Chair, National Medical Association, Dermatology Section
Amit Garg, MD, FAAD
Professor, Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research
Professor and Founding Chair, Dermatology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Senior Vice President, Dermatology Service Line, Northwell Health
Valerie M. Harvey, MD, MPH, FAAD
Co-Director, Skin of Color Research Institute, Hampton University
Past President & Co-Chair of Meeting the Challenge in Research Committee, Skin of Color Society
Candrice R. Heath, MD, FAAD
Associate Professor
Howard University College of Medicine, Department of Dermatology
Jared Jagdeo, MD, MS
Associate Professor
Director of the Skin of Color Center
Director of the Laser, Aesthetics and Body Institute
Director of the Center for Photomedicine
Tarannum Jaleel, MD, MHSc, FAAD
Assistant Professor, Duke Department of Dermatology
Director, Duke Dermatology Sponsored Clinical Trials Education
Elizabeth Kiracofe, MD, FAAD
Board-Certified Dermatologist
Airia Comprehensive Dermatology, Founder
Jenna Lester, MD, FAAD
Professor of Clinical Dermatology
University of California San Francisco Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine
Editor-in-Chief, JAMA Dermatology
Markham C. Luke, MD, PhD, FAAD
Office of Generic Drugs
Food and Drug Administration, HHS
Tiffany Mayo, MD, FAAD
Associate Professor, Dermatology
Director of Clinical Research Unit
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Amy J. McMichael, MD, FAAD
Professor of Dermatology
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Hope Mitchell, MD, FAAD
Board-Certified Dermatologist
Founder & CEO Mitchell Dermatology
Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management
UNC Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health
Member, Cancer Prevention and Control Program
Junko Takeshita, MD, PhD, MSCE, FAAD
Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Susan C. Taylor, MD, FAAD
Bernett Johnson Endowed Professor of Dermatology, Department of Dermatology
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
President, American Academy of Dermatology
Founder, Skin of Color Society
Kanade Shinkai, MD, PhD, FAAD
Professor of Clinical Dermatology
University of California San Francisco Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine
Editor-in-Chief, JAMA Dermatology
Jonathan S. Weiss, MD, FAAD
Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor
Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology
President and Co-managing Partner
Georgia Dermatology Partners
Clinical Pharmacology Researcher
Gwinnett Clinical Research Center
Victoria P. Werth, MD, FAAD
Chief, Dermatology, Philadelphia V.A. Hospital
Professor of Dermatology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Professor of Dermatology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Veteran's Administration Medical Center
Division Of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Health System
