Susan Benigas Honored with 2025 Medical Executive Achievement Award by AMA

Susan Benigas Honored by the American Medical Association

The American Medical Association (AMA) has announced the prestigious 2025 Medical Executive Meritorious Achievement Award to Susan Benigas, the CEO of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM). This award is given in recognition of exceptional leadership and notable contributions to healthcare, particularly in the advancement of lifestyle medicine—a field focused on using lifestyle changes to prevent and treat chronic diseases.

Since taking the helm at ACLM in 2014, Benigas has propelled the organization through a transformative phase, significantly increasing its membership from 380 to an impressive 15,000 medical professionals today, supported by 45 dedicated staff members across 23 states. Under her guidance, ACLM has taken bold steps toward reforming medical education by incorporating lifestyle medicine concepts, including nutritional approaches, into curriculums at various educational levels.

Benigas has led initiatives that provide vital resources for healthcare practitioners, including clinical practice guidelines, consensus statements, and educational tools aimed at enhancing patient care. Her commitment to evidence-based practices is evident in the way lifestyle medicine techniques are now promoted as standard procedures in treating conditions like obesity, cardiovascular disease, and more.

In 2016, her foresight also led to the establishment of the Lifestyle Medicine Global Alliance (LMGA), expanding the impact of lifestyle medicine internationally. Initially formed with just five national societies, this coalition has now grown to encompass 32 medical societies from various countries, emphasizing the global shift toward preventive healthcare through lifestyle modifications.

Dr. David H. Aizuss, the AMA Board Chair, praised Benigas, stating, "Susan Benigas exemplifies visionary leadership, tirelessly advancing evidence-based approaches that have made a profound impact on the medical profession and the patients we serve." The AMA recognizes her mission of integrating lifestyle medicine into mainstream healthcare, aiming to empower physicians to tackle the root causes of chronic diseases, which are alarmingly prevalent in the United States.

Currently, about 60% of Americans live with a chronic condition, resulting in exorbitant healthcare costs that exceed $4.5 trillion annually. However, lifestyle medicine has been shown to potentially impact up to 80% of these chronic illnesses, showcasing the critical need for its implementation and integration into everyday medical practice.

Under Benigas’s leadership, ACLM maintains a clear vision focused on altering the conventional healthcare narrative, shifting the paradigm from merely managing diseases to restoring health. "I'm grateful to the AMA Board of Trustees for this special recognition," expressed Benigas during her acceptance speech at ACLM’s recent annual conference in Grapevine, Texas, attended by over 2,200 individuals in person and nearly 3,000 virtually. "This award acknowledges the powerful collective effort behind ACLM, which has grown into the fastest-growing medical professional association in the nation. We are on a mission to tackle the pressing health challenges facing our country, delivering hope, healing, and health through lifestyle medicine."

The work done by Benigas and her fellow advocates in the field of lifestyle medicine is essential for pioneering a future where lifestyle modifications are seen as the foundation of effective healthcare. As she continues to drive innovation and collaboration in this vital area of medicine, her influence and achievements underscore the rising importance of a lifestyle-centric approach in enhancing public health and improving patient outcomes.