IODA's History
IODA was established in late 2019 by Jennifer Green, Australian Orthopaedic Association (AuOA) Orthopaedic Women’s Link (OWL) Chair. IODA was born of the inspiring efforts of “Vivian” PC Chye, Malaysian Orthopaedic Association (MOA) President, Kristy Weber, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) President, and Anthony “AJ” Johnson, AAOS Diversity Advisory Board Chair, to advance the inclusion of women and under-represented minorities in orthopaedic surgery.
IODA was established in late 2019 by Jennifer Green, Australian Orthopaedic Association (AuOA) Orthopaedic Women’s Link (OWL) Chair. IODA was born of the inspiring efforts of “Vivian” PC Chye, Malaysian Orthopaedic Association (MOA) President, Kristy Weber, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) President, and Anthony “AJ” Johnson, AAOS Diversity Advisory Board Chair, to advance the inclusion of women and under-represented minorities in orthopaedic surgery.
Kristy Weber, as the AAOS President 2019-2020 was simultaneously promoting diversity and sharing ideas with Vivian PC Chye as their paths crossed at international meetings, setting the stage for a global collaboration. In June 2019, Jennifer Green was invited to attend the American Orthopaedic Association (AmOA) Leadership Meeting to present the AuOA Diversity Strategy to the AmOA Board. It was at the AmOA meeting that the opportunity to meet and observe in action several key US diversity advocates arose including Kristy Weber, Mary O’Connor, Anthony “AJ” Johnson, Matt Schmitz and Jennifer Weiss who became early supporters of the IODA concept.
AJ Johnson as Chair of the AAOS Diversity Advisory Board spoke passionately at the AmOA and with a depth of not only personal experience but evidence-based insights into the challenges and potential solutions for increasing the representation and the inclusion of under-represented minorities in orthopaedic surgery. The US experience indicated that the work of a global diversity advocacy group should not only advocate for women but for all under-represented groups in orthopaedics.
The British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) diversity strategy was being developed concurrently and benefited from collaboration with the AuOA and learnings passed on from the AmOA 2019 diversity symposium. Giles Pattison, Simon Fleming (the first Trainee member of IODA), Caroline Hing and Deborah Eastwood from the UK were all interested in participating in a multi-national advocacy group.
The concept of creating an alliance of orthopaedic surgeons collaborating across national and continental boundaries to advance diversity and inclusion in orthopaedic surgery
was a natural progression.
Li Fellander-Tsai (EFORT Vice President and Swedish OA Past President), Deborah Eastwood (BOA Vice President), Birgitta Ekstrand (Swedish OA President), Laurie Hiemstra (Canadian OA Vice President), Annette Holian (AuOA Vice President), Ian Incoll, (Past President AuOA), Katre Maasalu (Estonian OA President), Chris Morrey (AuOA 2nd Vice President) and Adriaan van Zyl (Past President South African OA) provided great depth of leadership and additional gravitas to IODA. Ian Incoll and Adriaan van Zyl had strongly advocated for gender and cultural diversity in orthopaedics during their presidential terms and also published together on the subject.
Caroline Hing (UK), Laurie Hiemstra (Canada) and Jennifer Green (Australia) were the drivers of IODA’s first invited publication on International Women’s Day 2020 “Diversity: Women in orthopaedic surgery – a perspective from the International Orthopaedic Diversity Alliance” in the Journal of Trauma & Orthopaedics. Contributors included Dafina Bytyqui (Kosovo), Margaret Fok (Hong Kong), Elham Hamdan (Kuwait), Magaly Iñiguez (Chile), Carrie Kollias (Canada/Australia), Philippe Livernaux (France), Violet Lupondo (Tanzania) and Margy Pohl (New Zealand).
A second publication in EFORT Open Reviews in October 2020 stewarded by Caroline Hing and Deborah Eastwood included a broader approach to diversity in orthopaedics with multiple IODA member contributions on gender, culture, the military orthopaedic surgeon perspective, LGBTQI+ and the ageing surgeon.
The US IODA membership continued to grow to include Freddie Fu (Chair of Orthopaedics, University of Pittsburgh – the most diverse orthopaedic training program in the US), Elizabeth Matzkin, Mary Mulcahey, Coleen Sabatini, Julie Balch Samora, Erica Taylor, Jonathan P Braman, Ron Navarro and Lisa Lattanza - all active diversity advocates. The US IODA founding members represent many established US orthopaedic diversity advocacy organisations - the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society, the Robert J Gladden Orthopaedic Society, the American Latino Orthopaedic Society, Nth Dimensions and the Perry Initiative.
Claudia Arias (Peru), Sybille Facca (France), Linda Chokotho (Malawi), Nardos Worku (Ethiopia), Mari Thiart (South Africa), Ana Filipa Garcez (South Africa), Sonali Pande (India/Brunei), Paula Sarmiento (Colombia) joined as strong diversity advocates in their own orthopaedic communities. Simon Fleming and Matthew Brown as Past Presidents of the British Orthopaedic Trainees Association were welcomed as voices of young advocates. In Australia, founding members also included Avanthi Mandaleson, Kate Stannage, Andrew Wines, Lynette Reece, Marinis Pipiris and Juliette Gentle, all holding AuOA leadership roles and providing significant contributions to diversity and inclusion. Claude Martin Jr, AO Alliance, Managing Director and Orthopaedic Surgeon joined IODA with broad connections in the developing world and extensive experience in governance. The potential for collaboration between the AO Alliance with its global connections and IODA appeared a great opportunity.
Michelle White, the AuOA Strategic Programs Consultant, warrants special mention for her enormous contribution and support of IODA and of the AuOA Diversity Strategy. Michelle’s excellent advice, her outstanding organisational skills and incredible work ethic over the Australian summer holiday break to make the deadline for the first publication were invaluable in establishing IODA.
Finally, a profound note of thanks to the major contribution of Adrian Cosenza, AuOA, CEO for his sponsorship, mentorship and governance wisdom, so generously given, in the inception of IODA.