ASTRO is pleased to announce the ASTRO International Ambassador Program, of which the inaugural class of ASTRO International Ambassadors was formally recognized at the 2025 Annual Meeting. Selected by the International Committee, these ambassadors are entrusted to represent ASTRO within their local communities and to spearhead national collaborative initiatives aimed at increasing visibility, supporting membership growth and facilitating strategic partnerships. During the Annual Meeting’s International Breakfast in San Francisco this past September, ASTRO CEO Vivek S. Kavadi, MD, MBA, FASTRO, welcomed the following members as International Ambassadors:
2025 Inaugural Class of ASTRO International Ambassadors
- Abdulrahman Bin Sumaida, MD – United Arab Emirates
- Adedayo Joseph, MD – Nigeria
- Adela Poitevin, MD, FASTRO – Mexico
- Amr Abdelaziz Elsaid, MD – Egypt
- Arthur Accioly Rosa, MD – Brazil
- Dolores De La Mata Moya, MD, PhD, MPH – Mexico
- Duvern Ramiah, MD, MBA – South Africa
- Eter Natelauri, MD, PhD – Georgia
- Gustavo Sarria Bardales, MD – Peru
- Hernán A. Letelier MD, MSc – Chile
- Ibrahim H. Abu-Gheida, MD – United Arab Emirates
- Jinming Yu, MD, PhD – China
- Kaustav Talapatra, MD – India
- Lina Maria Loaiza Salazar, MD – Colombia
- Mohammed Aldehaim, MBBS, MBA, FRCPC, DABR – Saudi Arabia
- Noora Al-Hammadi, MD – Qatar
- Ugur Selek, MD, FASTRO – Türkiye
- V. Srinivasan, MD – India
- Vedang Murthy, MD – India
ASTRO Ambassadors will act as representatives of ASTRO in their local communities, participate in educational and outreach activities, advocate on behalf of international ASTRO members, and contribute to national collaborative efforts.
The International Ambassador Program is one of several efforts to respond to the current state of radiation therapy globally. Cancer incidence is rising, with numbers expected to nearly double by 2045, and the urgency for global engagement follows suit. The impact on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is particularly severe, with new cancer cases expected to increase by 80%. Meanwhile, the number of radiation oncologists and radiation therapy machines does not keep pace in the geographic areas of greatest need.
International Members by the Numbers
Global interest among members has grown, and ASTRO has begun to explore how to engage more globally, to expand reach and impact. In general terms, this means increasing access to educational initiatives and strengthening international collaborations to tackle global health care disparities. The foundational pieces are available to cultivate such work. For example, the International Committee has seen remarkable growth, expanding from 32 members in 2020 to more than 100 members in 2025. International submissions also saw an uptick during the 2025 Annual Meeting calls for abstracts and education proposals.
ASTRO has members from 100 countries around the globe. Members from outside the U.S. represent 22% of ASTRO’s total membership, with the most from Canada, Japan and Australia. Among ASTRO’s international members, 34% reside in LMICs. Looking ahead, ASTRO strives to achieve 30% international membership, and to raise the proportion of LMIC members to 40%. Notably, at this year’s Annual Meeting, there was a total of 1,272 international registrants with an impressive 83 countries represented. Also notable, of 2,351 presenters, 836 are international with 59 countries represented.
Expanding Global Presence
ASTRO is committed to championing international partnerships and cooperation, supporting initiatives that enhance global cancer care access, advocating for inclusive educational programs for international members, fostering international research collaboration and the exchange of expertise.
ASTRO is enhancing current initiatives, including exploring offering more language support and virtual networking opportunities. ASTRO is also assessing growth opportunities through regional partnerships and licensing agreements, packaging curated educational content, including ASTRO Refresher courses, to international organizations with tiered pricing structures, and a marketing strategy to enhance visibility.
Alongside growing existing programs, ASTRO is exploring new initiatives. These include building partnerships such as collaboration with local societies and engagement with multilateral organizations and maintaining a strategic presence at international meetings. In alignment with this mission, ASTRO executed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Association of Radiation Oncologists of India (AROI) during their 45th Annual Meeting in Kolkata.
As ASTRO continues to broaden its international reach, we remain inspired by the dedication and vision of our global community. We invite every member to join us in this mission, share their ideas, and help drive meaningful change worldwide.
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