Past Presidents

The American Epilepsy Society honors its past presidents and recognizes their exceptional leadership and dedication to advancing the understanding, treatment, and care of epilepsy. These individuals have not only guided our society through critical moments in our history but also contributed significantly to the field, fostering innovation, collaboration, and progress.

We are deeply thankful for their service, as their vision and commitment have shaped our society into a beacon of hope for those affected by epilepsy. Their impactful contributions continue to inspire us as we work together toward a future where epilepsy is better understood and managed.


Past Presidents of the American Epilepsy Society

1936 William Lennox ​
1937 Temple Fay​
1938 Irvine McQuarrie ​
1939 Stanley Cobb ​
1940 Tracey Putnam ​
1941 H. Houston Merritt ​
1942 Wilder Penfield ​
1943 Theodore Erickson​
1944 Charles Aring ​
1945 Charles Aring ​
1946 Charles Aring​
1947 Haddow MacDonnell Keith ​
1948 Francis McNaughton ​
1949 Frederic Gibbs​
1950 Ephraim Roseman​
1951 Francis Forster​
1952 Francis Forster​
1953 Pearce Bailey​
1954 Richard Masland​
1955 Russell DeJong​
1956 James O’Leary
1957 Jerome Merlis​

1958 Roland McKay​
1959 Robert Aird​
1960 Peter Kellaway​
1961 William Caveness ​
1962 Theodore Rasmussen ​
1963 Gilbert Glaser​
1964 Robert Dow
1965 Richard Schmidt​
1966 J. Preston Robb​
1967 David Daly​
1968 Eli Goldensohn​
1969 Philip White​
1970 Richard Walter​
1971 Gian-Emilio Chatrian ​
1972 Arthur Ward​
1973 Cosimo Ajmone-Marsan ​
1974 David Prince​
1975 J. Kiffen Penry​
1976 Pierre Gloor​
1977 Dominick Purpura​
1978 Fritz Dreifuss​
1979 Paul Crandall​

1980 Robert Gumnit​
1981 Barry Tharp​
1982 Robert Grossman ​
1983 Harold Booker​
1984 James Cereghino ​
1985 Jerome Engel​
1986 Richard Mattson ​
1987 Cesare Lombroso ​
1988 Barbara Westmoreland ​
1989 Juhn Wada​
1990 Roger Porter​
1991 Braxton Wannamaker ​
1992 Timothy Pedley​
1993 James McNamara ​
1994 Ilo Leppik​
1995 James Ferrendelli ​
1996 Philip Schwartzkroin ​
1997 Marc Dichter​
1998 Robert Macdonald​
1999 Robert Fisher
2000 Susan Spencer​
2001 Solomon Moshé​

2002 Thomas Sutula​
2003 Jeffrey Noebels​
2004 Daniel Lowenstein ​
2005 Joan Austin​
2006 Gregory Holmes ​
2007 John Swann​
2008 Dennis Spencer ​
2009 Steven Schachter ​
2010 Jaideep Kapur ​
2011 John Pellock​
2012 Frances Jensen ​
2013 Jacqueline A. French ​
2014 Elson So​
2015 Amy Brooks-Kayal ​
2016 Michael Privitera ​
2017 Eli M. Mizrahi ​
2018 Shlomo Shinnar ​
2019 Page B. Pennell​
2020 William Davis Gaillard​
2021 Douglas A. Coulter​
2022 R. Edward Hogan​
2023 Manisha N. Patel
2024 William H. Theodore