The National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners is pleased to announce that Kevin C. O’Connor, DO, has been selected to serve as its next President and Chief Executive Officer following an extensive national search.
His appointment reflects the Board’s confidence in his distinguished record of executive leadership, deep commitment to public trust and patient safety, and demonstrated ability to advance mission-driven organizations through periods of complexity, transformation, and innovation. Dr. O’Connor will join the NBOME as President and CEO-elect on September 1, 2026, allowing time for a smooth and thoughtful leadership transition. He will be installed as President and CEO at the Annual Board of Directors meeting in December 2026.
Dr. O’Connor brings more than three decades of leadership experience across federal service, military medicine, academic medicine, and health care operations. His career has been defined by service to mission-focused institutions, stewardship of multidisciplinary teams, and a sustained commitment to standards, accountability, and trust.
From 2021 to 2025, Dr. O’Connor served as Assistant to the President and 16th Physician to the President of the United States. Prior to that appointment, he served for eight years as Physician to the Vice President and conducted White House medical operations for more than 14 years across three Administrations. These roles required exceptional judgment, discretion, resilience, communication, and leadership in highly complex environments.
His military service further underscores his capacity to lead with clarity, courage, and accountability. Dr. O’Connor served 22 years on active duty in the United States Army Medical Corps, retiring as a Colonel and Master Flight Surgeon. His assignments included service as Command Surgeon for 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta and Battalion Surgeon for the 75th Ranger Regiment, where he led medical operations supporting elite special operations units during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Dr. O’Connor also has substantial experience advancing health care initiatives within academic medicine. He founded and directed the Center for Executive Medicine at the George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates and serves as an Adjunct Professor at the GW School of Medicine & Health Science. Most recently, Dr. O’Connor founded CelticMed, LLC, where he advises healthcare, academic, and national organizations on leadership, governance, operational strategy, risk mitigation, and the preservation of institutional standards and public trust. He has contributed to the education and mentoring of future physicians, including both DO and MD.
Dr. O’Connor has maintained a longstanding commitment to the osteopathic medical profession and its advancement. As an osteopathic physician, educator, and national leader, he has dedicated significant portions of his career to supporting osteopathic medical education, professional development, and physician leadership. Since 2017, he has served on the NBOME National Faculty. He has addressed graduates at numerous colleges of osteopathic medicine and has been a featured speaker at major osteopathic organizations and professional meetings, including those of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP), and the Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (AMOPS). His contributions to the profession and these organizations have been recognized through numerous honors, including induction into the AMOPS Conclave of Eagles, an AOA Presidential Citation, and designation as Distinguished Alumnus of the Year by NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine. Through decades of service, advocacy, mentorship, and leadership, Dr. O’Connor has exemplified the values of the osteopathic profession and earned the respect of its physicians, educators, and institutions. His record of engagement and stewardship reflects a deep and enduring commitment to osteopathic medicine and uniquely positions him to lead the NBOME as it advances the profession’s future.
“Dr. O’Connor is an exceptional leader whose career reflects service, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to excellence,” said David Kuo, DO, Chair of the NBOME Board of Directors. “Throughout his distinguished career, he has remained deeply connected to the osteopathic profession and its values. As an osteopathic physician, educator, mentor, and longtime supporter of osteopathic medical education, he understands both the responsibilities and opportunities facing our profession. The Board is confident that his vision, leadership, and dedication to public trust will guide the NBOME successfully into its next chapter and help advance our mission on behalf of the osteopathic medical community and the patients it serves.”
I am deeply honored by the trust the Board has placed in me and humbled by the opportunity to serve as the next President and Chief Executive Officer of the NBOME,” said Dr. O’Connor. “Throughout my career, I have been guided by a commitment to service, excellence, and the advancement of the osteopathic medical profession. The NBOME plays a vital role in ensuring that future physicians are prepared to provide safe, effective, and compassionate care. I look forward to working alongside the Board, staff, educators, physicians, and other stakeholders to advance osteopathically distinctive assessment, support innovation in medical education, strengthen public trust, and help ensure the continued success of the osteopathic profession for generations to come.”
The NBOME looks forward to welcoming Dr. O’Connor and working with him to advance the organization’s vision for the future of osteopathic medical assessment. Together, they will continue to promote excellence in physician competency assessment, strengthen public trust in the profession, and support a health care system in which every patient benefits from safe, compassionate, high-quality osteopathic medical care.
For media inquiries, please contact:
NBOME Communications Office
Jeanne M. Sandella, DO
Vice President of Professional Development Initiatives and Communications
communications@nbome.org
866-479-6828