Debra BenAvram Named 2025 Professional Society Association Executive of the Year

Debra BenAvram, CAE, FASAE, CEO of AABB, has been honored as the 2025 Professional Society Association Executive of the Year by Association Trends and CEO Update—two key industry organizations that support association executives and their partners with training, data and insights.

This prestigious award celebrates leaders who drive meaningful progress within their organizations and across their fields. BenAvram’s selection honors her dedication to AABB and her contributions to our community, as well as to advancing biotherapies and transfusion medicine.

In announcing the award, Association Trends cited BenAvram’s leadership in AABB’s recent cultural and organizational transformation, including a name and brand redesign in 2022 to reflect the diversity of AABB’s global membership and its leadership in the biotherapies sector. Association Trends also noted her pivotal role in advocating for the successful implementation of individual donor assessment to determine blood donor eligibility and for introducing the first credentialing program in biotherapies — the certified advanced biotherapies professional (CABP) credential.

BenAvram joined AABB in 2018 after leading the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition for more than 10 years. Her leadership has been widely recognized, including honors such as the Emerging Leader Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), the Forty Under 40 Business Leader award by Washington Business Journal and being listed as a Top CEO by CEO Update.

AABB extends its congratulations to BenAvram encourages members to read the full award announcement online.