CAP Welcomes New CEO, Michael Fraser

Dear CAP Members and Customers,

It is my distinct honor and pleasure to announce that Michael Fraser, PhD, will be joining the College of American Pathologists as chief executive officer (CEO), effective March 11. Michael comes to us from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) in Washington, DC, where he served as CEO, formulating and influencing public health policy in 59 states and territories.

After conducting an extensive nationwide search for this pivotal role, I believe Michael is the right leader at the right time for the CAP.

Over the past 20 years, Michael has worked in executive leadership roles advocating for public health. His distinguished career includes CEO positions with the Pennsylvania Medical Society and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs.

Michael thrives as a transparent, direct leader who empowers teams to do challenging, important work that makes a difference in people’s lives. A recent example was navigating the COVID pandemic with his member leaders while supporting governors in providing communities with much-needed public health investment.

As a champion for diversity and health equity, Michael is very proud of launching a program at ASTHO to build a pipeline of diverse health care leaders. Partnering with historically Black colleges and universities and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they created a diverse talent pool of executives, some of whom have moved into health officer and deputy commissioner roles in agencies.

Michael wants to bring that same forward-thinking approach to the CAP. Our conversations about the pathologist and laboratory of the future have fueled his passion for the work ahead, and he is excited to meet members and visit our laboratories. He views his new role as an opportunity to build upon the great legacy of the CAP while respecting that legacy and evolving it.

A Boston native, Michael received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Oberlin College in Ohio, master’s degree in management, strategy, and leadership from Michigan State University, and PhD in sociology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific publications as well as five books on strategic leadership and public health. When he is not working, he is traveling globally to visit friends. Michael’s passion for music and choral performance almost led him to a career as an opera singer. We are fortunate he chose to pursue health care leadership instead.

I want to extend a special, heartfelt thank you to Stephen Myers for his extraordinary 20 years of service to the CAP, the last seven as CEO. He has done a tremendous job, and I wish him all the best in retirement. Stephen’s last day with the CAP has been extended to April 1 to ensure a smooth transition of leadership.

Please join me in extending a warm welcome to our new CEO, Michael Fraser.

Sincerely,
Donald S. Karcher, MD, FCAP
President, College of American Pathologists

Donald S. Karcher, 38th president of the College of American Pathologists (CAP), is professor and immediate past chair of the Department of Pathology at the George Washington (GW) University Medical Center in Washington, DC. He has been a member of the GW pathology faculty since 1984, rising through the ranks to become chair of pathology in 1999, a role in which he served for 20 years. Dr. Karcher is board-certified in anatomic and clinical pathology and hematopathology, and actively practices and teaches hematopathology, flow cytometry, and laboratory administration. In addition to his CAP presidency, Dr. Karcher has also served as president of the Association of Pathology Chairs from 2014 to 2016.