PETALUMA, CA - Dr. Monica Casper, PhD, an internationally recognized medical sociologist and biomedical ethicist, has been selected to head the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) as its new Executive Director. The organization is also strengthening the leadership of people with intersex conditions in the board of directors with the promotion of Thea Hillman, an author and intersex activist, to the position of Board Chair, and the addition of intersex activists David Strachan and Esther Morris Leidolf to the board.

"I will work with the board and with ISNA's growing constituency to advocate for systemic change to end shame, secrecy, and unwanted genital surgeries for all people with intersex conditions," said Dr. Casper. "More and more professionals are looking for direction on how to treat people with intersex. ISNA is poised to offer solutions and create real change with its patient-centered model of care."

Dr. Casper is the the author of the award-winning and groundbreaking book, The Making of the Unborn Patient: A Social Anatomy of Fetal Surgery, which examines the rise of the controversial practice of operating on unborn babies. Framing fetal surgery as a women's health issue, she challenges society's compulsion to normalize its members, especially those at the beginnings of life, and to subject otherwise healthy individuals to risky medical treatment.

"I am very excited about Monica's appointment," said Cheryl Chase, ISNA's departing Executive Director. "Her energy and her expertise in dealing with health care advocates, doctors and scientists are great assets for the organization."

ISNA's offices will move to Seattle in January 2003. A separate release will be distributed with full contact information.

For full bios of Monica Casper, Thea Hillman, David Strachan, and Esther Morris Leidolf, as well as bios for other board members, please visit ISNA's website at http://www.isna.org/about/board.html

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The Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) is devoted to systemic change to end shame, secrecy and unwanted sexual surgeries for children born with atypical reproductive anatomies. We are working to end the idea that intersexuality is shameful or freakish. In the U.S. alone, five children are subjected to to harmful, medically unnecessary sexual surgeries every day. We urge physicians to use a
model of care that is patient-centered, rather than concealment-centered.
For more information, go to http://www.isna.org

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