Dear ISSM members,
We are pleased to announce the nominations for the upcoming ISSM Board of Directors elections, to be held in September 2024. The ISSM Nominating Committee, chaired by the Immediate Past-President Annamaria Giraldi, has carefully reviewed all applications. We are excited to present the following candidates, selected for their exceptional qualifications and commitment to advancing the goals of the ISSM:
![Amr El-Meliegy](/images/headshot/el-meliegy_amr-new.png)
Dr. El Meliegy was born and raised in Egypt. He graduated from Medical School, Cairo University, Egypt, 1984 and completed the residency-training program in Andrology, Sexology & STDs. He trained as a fellow in Male Sexual Function, Reproduction, and micro-surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA 1991 and later visiting clinician, male sexual dysfunction, Urology Department, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA 1991. Dr. El Meliegy obtained a doctorate degree 1993 in Andrology, Sexology and STDs from Cairo University, Egypt. In 2012, he passed FECSM exam offered by European Society for Sexual Medicine (ESSM). He was granted service pin award by the ISSM in December 2023 as an appreciation for his dedication to ISSM.He is a Professor in the department of Andrology, Sexology & STDs in Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. He is the founder and the 1st president of the Middle East Society for Sexual Medicine. Dr. El Meliegy’s publications included over 100 research articles in various medical journals, mainly in the International Journal of Impotence Research, Sexologies and the Journal of Sexual Medicine. He is also a member of the international society for sexual medicine (ISSM) since 1998.
Over the past 35 years, I have been actively involved in various capacities within our medical community. My journey has encompassed roles starting from being an ISSM member since 1998. I have served the ISSM in a number of different capacities including: ISSM List manager, member of the ISSM PE Guidelines Committee in 2010, member of the Pharmacotherapy of Erectile Dysfunction Committee at the Consultation Meetings (2009 and 2015). I served as a member of ISSM Expert Panel Meeting on Hypogonadism in 2014. I served as chairman of the ISSM Public Policy Committee (2016-2018). I also have regularly been a member of Scientific Committees for several ISSM Meetings. I served as the co chairman the scientific committee for WMSM 2023 held in Dubai. I am currently co-chairing the disorders of ejaculation and orgasm committee for the Mardid 2024 ICSM meeting. I believe in the power of a united and inclusive community. My presidency will focus on enhancing member engagement, promoting diversity, and creating opportunities for all members to contribute and benefit from our society. By building a stronger, more connected community, we can leverage our collective expertise to achieve greater impact and innovation. In conclusion, I am deeply honored to put forth my candidacy for the presidency of ISSM. I am confident that, with your support, we can achieve remarkable advancements and elevate our society to new heights. Together, we can make a lasting difference in the field of medicine and in the lives of the patients we serve. I look forward to the opportunity to lead and serve our esteemed society.
![Emmanuele Jannini](/images/2024/05/16/screenshot-2024-05-16-1529502.png)
Emmanuele A. Jannini, MD, OMRI, KSG, KHS, SMOCG, a Full Professor of Endocrinology and Medical Sexology (ENDOSEX) and director of the Postgraduate School of Endocrinology at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy, was a guest researcher and fellow at the Clinical Endocrinology Branch, NIDDK/NIH, Bethesda, and lecturer at St Catherine’s College, Oxford on courses of the European Academy of Sexual Medicine. He is or has been a visiting professor of Andrology or Urology at the Sun Yat-sen University (Guangzhou), Anhui Medical University (Hefei), Jiao Tong University (Shanghai), Daxin Hospital (Xi’an), and Academic Advisor of the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; moreover, he is currently an Honorary Professor of Andrology & Sexual Medicine at the Hanoi School of Medicine. Prof. Jannini is chairperson of the Education Committee of the European Academy of Andrology, of the Multidisciplinary Joint Committee on Sexual Medicine of the Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes, and of the Italian Academy for Couple Health; he is also past president and past general secretary of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine and the Italian Society of Endocrinology, respectively. He is an international expert in Andrology and Sexual Medicine, having published about 400 well-recognized scientific studies and books on premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, paraphilias, homophobia, gender incongruence, thyroid hormone receptor, and female sexual function and dysfunction, which produced a Hirsch (H) index of 67 (Scopus). Prof. Jannini received the Gold Medal of the European Federation of Sexology and the Career Award of the European Society of Sexual Medicine. He served the ISSM as co-chairperson of the committee “Infections and Inflammations” at the International Consultation on Sexual Medicine, chairperson of the Education Committee (ISSM Educom) and of the Publication Committee (ISSM Pubcom), member of the University Committee of the Open Online University, and member-at-large of the ISSM Board of Directors ORCHID ID: 0000-0002-5874-039X, Scopus ID: 7003885125
I have a Dream. I dream that, at all levels, it will be understood that psychology and medicine without Sexual Medicine are not psychology and medicine. I dream that Sexual Medicine will finally be recognized as a fundamental part of healthcare and education, as demonstrated by the countless publications and outstanding discoveries in our field. I dream that worldwide, all members of the ISSM might feel at home in our Society and that they might feel more and more like true protagonists. I dream that the ISSM will continue to grow more and more with respect for the various expressions of sexualities, genders, and orientations to build a society free of discrimination and gender violence. I dream that all researchers, scientists, and clinicians working in sexual health might feel like they belong to the same family, regardless of their background – psychosexual science, surgical science, or medical science. I dream that every geographical reality considered peripheral feels increasingly at the center of our ISSM. I dream that scientific merit and clinical competence are increasingly valued, supported, and improved.
I, therefore, dream of being able to serve the ISSM as president because Sexual Medicine is the job that I have always loved with passion and dedication and because I am convinced that, by working together, these dreams will become increasingly solid and robust realities, in the interest of the sexual health of our patients.
![Fernando Facio](/images/2024/05/16/screenshot-2024-05-16-1529503.png)
Dr. Fernando Facio is a Professor of Urology of undergraduate course in Medicine and postgraduate course in Health Sciences at at Medical School of São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil. He received his M.D. (1987), M.Sc (1996), Ph.D. (2006) and Post-Doctorate at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, USA. (2009). Dr. Facio is Coordinator of the Sexual Medicine Research Group at Brazilian National Council of Research (CNPq). Dr. Facio is currently the President of the Latin American Society for Sexual Medicine (SLAMS), Vice-Chair of the ISSM Publication Committee, Co-Chair of ICSM - The Infection, Inflammation and Sexual Function in Male and Female Patients Committee. Professor Facio has published more than 120 papers, editorials and book chapters in the field of urology and male sexual medicine. At present, Dr. Facio is Associate Editor of the Sexual Medicine Open Access (SMOA).
Reasons for Running for the Position of Secretary General:
1- Contribution, aiming consolidation and expansion of the sexual medicine regarding educational and scientific activities in the affiliated societies.
2- Improvement of quality in the management, communication, policies development and support to the ISSM directory.
3- Promote and stimulate the increase of the quantity of new members of ISSM.
![Sandrine Atallah](/images/2024/05/16/atallah-sandrine.png)
I am a consultant in sexual medicine and a certified psychosexologist.
I graduated as a Medical Doctor from the Saint Joseph medical Faculty (2004). I then obtained my degree in clinical sexology from René Descartes University, Paris V, Faculty of Medicine (2007). I am also a Fellow of the European Committee of Sexual Medicine (2014) and a EFS & ESSM Certified Psycho-Sexologist (2016).
Along with my private medical practice in sexology in Beirut at La Clinique du Levant and at AUBMC, I teach Clinical Sexology at several Lebanese universities (Saint Joseph medical Faculty in Beirut and the Lebanese American University). Member of the MESSM (Middle East Society of Sexual Medicine: http://www.messm.org/site/), I was its Secretary general (2019-2023), treasurer (2017- 2019) and the chairman of its Public Awareness Committee (2011-2017).
Member at large of the ISSM (International Society for Sexual Medicine), I am also a board member of the Société Francophone de Médecine Sexuelle (SFMS). I was the social media coeditor of the Journal of Sexual Medicine. I was the chair of the ISSM Communication Committee (2018-2022) and the social media editor of the MESSM and its public website (2011-2018).
With great enthusiasm, I present my candidacy for Secretary General of the ISSM. My journey with ISSM, including roles as Member-at-Large and Co-Chair of the Communication Committee, has been transformative and inspiring. Additionally, my roles with the Middle East Society for Sexual Medicine (MESSM) as Treasurer, Secretary General, and Ordinary Director have enriched my understanding of the organizational, financial, and strategic aspects of managing a scientific society. I aim to broaden our membership base to include a diverse range of professionals within sexual medicine, enriching our organization with varied perspectives. Increasing our network of affiliated societies will foster global knowledge exchange and benefit our members and the communities they serve. I believe in the power of sexual medicine to transform lives and am committed to advancing this field globally. As Secretary General, I pledge to lead with integrity, innovation, and inclusiveness, elevating ISSM to new heights of success and influence. I humbly seek your support, confident that together, we can achieve remarkable milestones for ISSM.
![Alan Shindel](/images/2024/05/16/shindel_alan.jpg)
Alan Shindel, MD MAS, completed medical school and residency at Washington University in Saint Louis in the United States. He completed his fellowship in andrology and sexual health at the University of California, San Francisco under the guidance of Drs. Tom Lue and Ira Sharlip. He is currently a Professor of Urology at the University of California, San Francisco.
Dr. Shindel has been a member of ISSM for almost twenty years; during that time he has served as a member of the 2014 ISSM Consultation on Premature Ejaculation which led to publication of the ISSM guidelines on Premature Ejaculation and Delayed Ejaculation. He was the inaugural Editor-in-Chief for Sexual Medicine, the open access journal of ISSM, from 2012 to 2015 and resumed duties as Editor-in-Chief for Sexual Medicine in 2020. He has served as Associate Editor for the Journal of Sexual Medicine and is currently the Chair of the ISSM Education Committee. He was a member of the 2015 ICSM Committee on Education and is Coo-Chair of the 2024 ICSM Committee on Disorders of Ejaculation and Orgasm in men. He was scientific program chair for the 2022 combined SMSNA/ISSM meeting in Miami, Florida.
Outside of ISSM he holds and has held leadership roles with the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (previously member-at-large, currently Co-Chair of the Grants/Fellowship committee), the American Urological Association (member of two guideline panels and chair of a third on disorders of ejaculation, currently Chair of the AUA Core Curriculum Committee), and his home institution of UCSF (Medical Student Coach for our Longitudinal Curriculum, Associate Program Director for Medical Student Education).
Dr. Shindel is committed to advancing ISSM’s influence amongst both medical practitioners and lay communities. His work with Sexual Medicine has focused on publishing articles of interest to lay communities to provide interesting and actional information that our patients can turn to while dispelling common myths and misperceptions. He is also committed to expanding content in non-English languages to better accommodate the needs of our membership from around the world.
ISSM experts really are the best in the world and we need to make sure that non-sexual medicine specialists around the world know that so that they turn to our organization for guidance. This should take the form of engagement with other professional organizations whose interests align with our own. As a member of the board of directors for ISSM Dr. Shindel is confident he can work with colleagues from numerous disciplines and from around the world to achieve these goals.
Self-Nomination Process (CLOSED)
In accordance with the ISSM Bylaws, we remind all members that even if you are not nominated by the ISSM Nominating Committee, you can still pursue a position through the self-nomination process with the following steps:
Eligibility: Ensure you are a full ISSM member in good standing and meet the criteria outlined by the ISSM Board of Directors in the “Qualifications of Elected Positions within the ISSM”.
Petition Form: Complete a petition form and obtain signatures from 20 full (paid) members of the society.
Submission Period: Submit the completed petition form between May 21 and June 10, 2024. The deadline for submission is June 10, 2024, at 23:59 PDT.
Open Positions:
President-Elect: 2-year term, followed by a 2-year term as President, and concluding with 2 years as Immediate Past-President.
Secretary General: 4-year term.
2 Members-at-Large: 4-year term (non-renewable).
Why Serve?
The ISSM Board of Directors plays a crucial role in setting the society's strategic agenda, overseeing governance, and ensuring resource efficiency. By joining the board, you will collaborate with a dedicated team to steer ISSM towards achieving its mission, maintaining its standards, and embracing challenges and opportunities with strategic foresight.
Important Dates to Remember
May 21 – June 10, 2024: Self-nomination period. The deadline for submitting the petition form is June 10, 2024, at 23:59 PDT.
July 22, 2024: Announcement candidates ISSM Elections 2024.
September 1 – 27, 2024: Voting period, closing 60 minutes before the ISSM Business Meeting.
September 27, 2024: Announcement of election results at the ISSM Business Meeting.
Election Process:
Elections will be conducted via a secure online system, ensuring transparency and accessibility for all voting members. Detailed instructions will be provided when the voting system opens.
Get Involved:
This is your chance to contribute to the governance and strategic direction of ISSM. Your participation is critical for our continued growth. If you have any questions or need further information, please contact us at