ASH Signals Stability and Ambition, Tapping 20-Year Veteran for CEO Role

WASHINGTON, DC – August 07, 2026 – The American Society of Hematology (ASH), the world's largest professional society for blood disorder specialists, has charted a course that expertly balances continuity with forward-looking ambition. In a significant leadership transition, the organization announced that Matthew Gertzog, a veteran with over two decades of service within its ranks, will become its next Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2027.

Gertzog will succeed the formidable Martha "Marty" Liggett, who is retiring after a transformative 30-year tenure as executive director. The decision to promote from within is a powerful statement in the world of non-profit leadership, signaling a commitment to a proven strategy while simultaneously positioning the organization to tackle the next wave of challenges and opportunities in a rapidly evolving medical field. Liggett will remain as CEO emerita through June 2027 to ensure a seamless handover, capping an era of unprecedented growth.

A Legacy of Transformation

To understand the significance of this transition, one must first grasp the sheer scale of the organization Martha Liggett built. When she became ASH's first full-time executive director in 1996, it was a society managed by an external firm, with a staff of four and an operating budget of $5.5 million. Today, as she prepares to step down, she leaves behind a self-managed global powerhouse with approximately 170 employees, a budget exceeding $130 million, and a formidable reserve fund of around $225 million—a testament to her strategic vision and financial acumen.

Under Liggett's leadership, ASH transformed from a national professional group into a global force for advancing hematology. Her tenure is marked by a series of bold, impactful initiatives. She oversaw the launch of numerous international programs designed to build hematologic capacity in low- and middle-income countries. A prime example is the Consortium on Newborn Screening in Africa (CONSA), a groundbreaking effort launched in 2020 that has already screened over 160,000 newborns for sickle cell disease (SCD), diagnosing over 2,000 children and dramatically improving their chances of survival.

This focus on global health equity, particularly for SCD, became a hallmark of her leadership. The society’s advocacy was instrumental in the passage of the 2018 Sickle Cell Disease Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act in the United States. Furthermore, she championed programs to address a looming hematology workforce shortage and grew the society's annual meeting into a must-attend event for more than 30,000 researchers and clinicians worldwide.

"On behalf of the ASH Executive Committee, I want to express our profound gratitude to Marty Liggett for three decades of extraordinary, visionary leadership," said Dr. Robert S. Negrin, ASH President, in a statement. "Her impact on ASH and the global hematology community is immeasurable." Liggett's recent recognition as the 2026 Professional Society Executive of the Year by CEO Update and Association TRENDS further cements a legacy defined by audacious goals and tangible results.

The Insider's Ascent: Continuity Meets New Ambition

In selecting Matthew Gertzog, ASH's Executive Committee has chosen a leader steeped in the organization's culture and strategic operations. Gertzog is not an outsider brought in to shake things up; he is an architect of the very success he is now tasked with building upon. He joined the society in 2003 as its first chief operating officer and was named deputy executive director in 2011, making him Liggett's close partner in steering the organization for much of its modern history.

This deep institutional memory is precisely what ASH leaders believe is needed for the next chapter. "In selecting our next leader, the Executive Committee was united in its confidence that Matt Gertzog is exactly the right person to lead ASH into its next chapter," Dr. Negrin stated. "His deep institutional knowledge, strategic and operational excellence, and unwavering commitment to our mission make this a moment of both continuity and exciting possibility."

For an organization at the nexus of patient care, scientific research, and public policy, this kind of stable transition is invaluable. It avoids the disruption that often accompanies external hires and ensures that momentum on long-term, complex initiatives is maintained. Gertzog has been central to the society's strategy development and stakeholder engagement for years, giving him a unique ground-level perspective on the needs of its more than 18,000 members and the patients they serve.

Charting the Future of Hematology Research

While Gertzog’s long tenure ensures stability, his more recent roles signal a clear strategic direction focused on accelerating research through data and collaboration. Since 2019, he has served as the executive director of the ASH Research Collaborative (ASH RC), a non-profit established by the society to foster partnerships and harness the power of real-world data.

Under his guidance, the ASH RC has developed its Data Hub, a platform designed to pool and analyze clinical data from electronic health records to generate new insights into blood diseases. With initial focuses on sickle cell disease and multiple myeloma, the initiative represents a critical shift towards leveraging large-scale data to make research more efficient and improve patient outcomes. This is not just an abstract technological pursuit; it is a practical tool for finding what works for real people, faster.

Gertzog also spearheaded the 'Fight4Hematology' campaign, an advocacy effort to mobilize the community and protect funding for the institutions and researchers vital to the field. With perennial threats of cuts to federal research budgets, this proactive stance has become a core function of modern medical societies. ASH has backed this campaign with its own resources, committing over $20 million in 2025 alone to awards and mentorship programs aimed at safeguarding the future of hematology careers and innovation.

"Over the last 20 years, I've witnessed firsthand that the best of ASH happens when our members around the world, volunteer leaders, and staff pull in the same direction," Gertzog said in a statement. "That partnership is how we've always advanced our mission… and I'm honored to carry that work forward."

Navigating a Revolution in Blood Health

The leadership transition at ASH is not happening in a vacuum. It comes as the field of hematology is undergoing a profound revolution. The past two decades have brought an explosion of knowledge in genomics, leading to targeted therapies, immunotherapies like CAR T-cell treatments, and the dawn of personalized medicine for blood cancers and disorders. The promise of gene therapy is becoming a clinical reality, offering potential cures for diseases once considered lifelong burdens.

However, this era of unprecedented opportunity is coupled with significant challenges. The very complexity of these new treatments requires a more sophisticated and numerous workforce, yet studies project a critical shortage of hematologists in the coming years. At the same time, the cost of innovation and the need for sustained research funding have never been greater.

In this context, ASH's leadership choice appears highly strategic. By appointing a CEO with a proven track record in both operational excellence and forward-thinking research collaboration, the society is positioning itself not just to participate in this revolution, but to lead it. Gertzog's experience with the ASH RC and the 'Fight4Hematology' campaign directly addresses the field's most pressing needs: better data to accelerate discovery and stronger advocacy to secure the resources required for progress. The transition from Liggett's era of foundational growth to Gertzog's era of data-driven acceleration seems a natural and necessary evolution for an organization dedicated to conquering blood diseases worldwide.