A 26-year AMIA member steps into leadership with a vision for informatics-driven healthcare
At AMIA, our members are at the heart of everything we do. The professionals who make up our community, researchers, clinicians, educators, and innovators, drive the field of informatics forward every day. And the leaders who guide our organization play a critical role in ensuring AMIA delivers on what matters most to our members: advancing the science, education, and practice of informatics to improve health and healthcare.
With that mission in mind, we're pleased to share that Philip Payne, PhD, FACMI, FAMIA, has assumed the role of President and Chair of the AMIA Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2026. Dr. Payne succeeds Genevieve Melton-Meaux, MD, PhD, FACMI, FAMIA whose exceptional leadership has positioned AMIA for continued growth and impact.
A Leader Rooted in the AMIA Community
Dr. Payne's connection to AMIA spans more than two decades. He currently serves as the Vice Chancellor for Biomedical Informatics and Data Science at WashU Medicine and the Chief Health AI Officer for BJC Health and WashU Medicine. He holds the Janet and Bernard Becker Professorship and is the founding Director of the Institute for Informatics, Data Science, and Biostatistics (I2DB). He also serves as a Professor of General Internal Medicine and Computer Science and Engineering.
His research, represented in over 300 publications, focuses on AI-driven methods for discovering and analyzing biomolecular and clinical phenotypes, interventional applications of electronic health records and clinical decision support, human factors and workflow optimization in healthcare IT, and the development of data sharing and analytics platforms. Dr. Payne is an elected fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics (ACMI), American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA), American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), and the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI). He also brings entrepreneurial experience, having founded multiple digital health companies and served in advisory and governance roles across the health and life sciences industry.
"I am humbled to lead a community that has been my professional home for 26 years," Dr. Philip Payne said. "I have always dreamed of informatics being the foundation for a modern, high-performance, high-quality, safe, and impactful healthcare system. The expertise and dedication of AMIA's members will make that possible. In my role as Board Chair and President, I have the exciting opportunity to help create an environment where, together, we can realize that potential and increasingly empower informatics to shape healthcare and patient wellbeing."
Building on a Strong Foundation
Dr. Payne steps into this role following the outstanding tenure of Dr. Genevieve Melton-Meaux, whose leadership delivered significant achievements that advanced AMIA's mission and strengthened our community.
"Serving as Board Chair and President has given me the opportunity to witness firsthand the incredible dedication of our members and the growing influence of informatics in healthcare,” Genevieve Melton-Meaux, MD, PhD, FACMI, FAMIA, said. “Philip Payne brings exactly the leadership our organization needs as we navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of health AI and data science. I’m honored to support Philip and AMIA's mission in new ways."
Dr. Melton-Meaux will continue her active involvement with AMIA in key leadership roles. She remains a vital voice in the informatics community as Professor of Surgery and Health Informatics, Director for the Center for Learning Health System Sciences, and Senior Associate Dean for Health Informatics and Data Science at the University of Minnesota, as well as Chief Health Informatics and AI Officer at M Health Fairview.
"I am excited to welcome Dr. Payne as AMIA's new Board Chair and President," Amanda Hanova, AMIA Chief Executive Officer, said. "His pioneering work in health AI and his proven track record of building innovative programs align perfectly with AMIA's strategic direction. I also want to express my deep gratitude to Dr. Melton-Meaux for her outstanding leadership—her contributions have positioned AMIA for continued success. We're fortunate she will remain an active leader in our community."