The American Society Of Black Neurosurgeons Announces SUNY Downstate’s Dr. Ernest J. Barthélemy As 2025 President-Elect
Jun 12, 2025
Brooklyn, NY—SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (Downstate) announces the appointment of Ernest J. Barthélemy, M.D., MPH, MA, Chief of the Division of Neurosurgery, as the 2025 President-Elect of the American Society of Black Neurosurgeons (ASBN). As President-Elect, Dr. Barthélemy, whose tenure begins in November, will lead national initiatives to expand the neurosurgical workforce pipeline, strengthen mentorship programs, and advance leadership development within academic medicine, emphasizing excellence and opportunity for future neurosurgeons.
“This role is a great honor and a responsibility,” said Dr. Barthélemy. “The future of neurosurgery must be more comprehensive, more responsive to the needs of all patients, and more intentional about how we prepare and support the next generation of Black neurosurgical leaders. I am proud to bring Brooklyn’s voice to this national mission.”
Dr. Barthélemy’s election represents a critical turning point in neurosurgery. According to the most recent ASBN data, 3.8 percent of the 5,645 practicing neurosurgeons in the U.S. identify as Black. In 2019, only about five percent of residents in neurosurgical training programs were Black, and just 0.6 percent of all U.S. neurosurgeons were Black women, according to UCLA Health. These figures highlight an urgent need for structural change that ASBN addresses through a comprehensive mentorship, scholarship, and community-building model.
“Dr. Barthélemy’s appointment to this prestigious national leadership role reflects his extraordinary commitment to clinical excellence advancing fairness in healthcare, education, and global health innovation,” said Wayne J. Riley, M.D., SUNY Downstate president. “His work exemplifies the values that define Downstate: leadership rooted in service, community partnership, and a deep resolve to transform care for underserved populations.”
In addition to his new ASBN role, Dr. Barthélemy is Chief of the Division of Neurosurgery at Downstate and founding Co-Director of the Downstate Global Neuroscience Initiative. His clinical practice focuses on acquired brain injury, degenerative spine conditions, and central nervous system cancers. Through his lab and leadership, he has helped embed a global health equity framework into neurosurgical training and care at Downstate.
A Brooklyn native and first-generation Haitian American, Dr. Barthélemy earned his MD and completed a residency in neurosurgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He completed fellowships in neurotrauma and global surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. He holds an MPH from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, an MA in Applied Physiology from Teachers College at Columbia University, and a BA from NYU.
Beyond his academic and clinical work, Dr. Barthélemy holds several roles in the global medical community. He currently chairs the Global Neurosurgery Subcommittee of ASBN. He sits on the Global Neurosurgery Committees of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Dr. Barthélemy is also the president and Co-Founder of the Society of Haitian Neuroscientists and serves on the boards of the mission:BRAIN Foundation and the ThinkFirst! National Injury Prevention Foundation. A peer reviewer for the journals Neurosurgery and World Neurosurgery, he has authored over 80 peer-reviewed scholarly publications in English and French
About the American Society of Black Neurosurgeons (ASBN)
Founded in 2021, the American Society of Black Neurosurgeons (ASBN) is the nation’s
leading organization dedicated to advancing Black excellence in neurosurgery. ASBN
works to recruit and retain Black neurosurgical talent, develop leaders through mentorship
and career advancement, and advocate for equitable, patient-centered care. Through
education, advocacy, and community, ASBN is building a more inclusive future for neurosurgery—one
breakthrough at a time.
About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, located in Brooklyn, is one of four academic
medical centers in the 64-campus SUNY system—and the only one in New York City. With
a mission to educate health professionals, advance research, and provide care to Brooklyn’s
2.7 million residents, Downstate is deeply rooted in its community.
Its teaching hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), offers high-quality, comprehensive care across 53 specialties and subspecialties. UHD is home to Brooklyn’s only kidney transplant program. It is recognized for excellence in high-risk neonatal care, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis.
Downstate also encompasses five schools—Medicine, Nursing, Health Professions, Graduate Studies, and Public Health—and fosters biotech innovation through its Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT. Through its clinical, academic, and research missions, Downstate continues to #KeepCareClose for the communities it serves. Visit downstate.edu for more information.
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