Scott Steen to Retire as CEO of the American Physiological Society

Rockville, Md. (June 30, 2025)—After seven years of leadership, Scott Steen, CAE, FASAE, CEO of the American Physiological Society (APS), has announced plans to retire at the beginning of 2026. During his tenure at APS, Steen led a period of transformation and growth, modernizing the Society and expanding its scientific reach. He will be relocating abroad to begin a new phase of life focused on travel and personal pursuits. 

“Leading this incredible organization has been one of the great honors of my career,” Steen said. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside such a dedicated Board of Directors, brilliant members and an exceptional staff, and I am proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”

Since joining APS in June 2018, Steen has helped transform the Society into a more agile, strategic and outward-facing organization. Under his leadership, APS achieved several major milestones: 

• Launched the American Physiology Summit, the Center for Physiology Education, and The Physiologist Magazine.
• Led a comprehensive overhaul of the APS publishing program, including improvements to author experience, editorial support, journal design, website and social media, and launched a new journal, Function.
• Led the Society in the adoption of the Subscribe to Open publishing model in 2025, reinforcing APS’ commitment to open science and equitable access to content.
• Reinvigorated the Society’s brand, voice and visibility in the scientific community and beyond.
• Modernized the Society’s operations, governance and infrastructure, positioning the Society for long-term growth and adaptability.

APS President Robert Hester, PhD, FAPS, said Steen has been both a change agent and a stabilizing force at APS. “Scott has been a terrific partner. He listened to our community and wasn’t afraid to try new things. He is leaving the Society in a strong position, and I’ve truly enjoyed working with him.” 

A succession plan is already underway. The APS Board of Directors will launch a national search for the Society’s next CEO. In the meantime, Steen will continue working closely with staff and member leaders over the next several months to ensure a seamless handoff. 

“It’s been a privilege to watch Scott’s leadership shape the Society over these past seven years,” said Dennis Brown, PhD, FAPS, APS chief science advisor and a past president. “He brought creativity and heart to the role—and an understanding of how to support scientists and our work. APS is stronger because of his leadership. He’ll be deeply missed, both professionally and personally.” 

Past APS President Meredith Hay, PhD, FAPS, noted his influence on the Society’s culture and ambition. “The leadership and vision Scott brought to APS will have a profound impact for generations to come,” she said. “He emboldened us all to think big and positioned APS well for the future.” 

Steen’s collaborative style fostered strong relationships across the Society, building momentum for lasting change. “During Scott’s time with APS, he worked closely with members and staff to put APS in a position to face the challenges ahead,” said Dee Silverthorn, PhD, FAPS, an APS past president. “We saw an amazing number of new initiatives under his tenure, and his leadership and vision will be missed.” 

Before joining APS, Steen served as president and CEO of American Forests, the nation’s oldest conservation organization, where he led a period of significant programmatic and financial growth. His previous leadership roles also included executive positions at the American Ceramic Society and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Steen is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and a Fellow of ASAE, with more than three decades of nonprofit leadership experience. 

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: For more information, please contact APS Media Relations or call 301.634.7314. Find more highlights in our Newsroom.   

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.