Alta DeRoo, MD, MBA, FACOG, DFASAM
Candidate for Secretary
Alta DeRoo, MD, MBA, FACOG, DFASAM My commitment to addiction medicine is personal, professional, and grounded in service. I was born into a family affected by alcoholism and later saw addiction’s impact throughout 20 years of military service, from Naval Aviation to my work as a physician. After graduating from the University of Florida College of Medicine, I became board certified in OB/GYN and Addiction Medicine and focused on improving care for pregnant patients and families affected by substance use disorders. In Virginia, I helped reduce overdose deaths through buprenorphine training and naloxone education; in 2020, I joined Hazelden Betty Ford, where I now serve as Chief Medical Officer. Within ASAM, I have led education in OUD, pregnancy, and nicotine recovery and advocated on Capitol Hill for legislative funding supporting SUD treatment, veterans, and active-duty service members. Across these roles, I have built the habits essential to an effective Secretary: reliability, clarity, responsiveness, accuracy, and practical follow-through in service of ASAM’s mission.
Candidate Questionnaire Responses
1. How would your election to the ASAM Board of Directors benefit ASAM and the field of addiction medicine?
At this moment in ASAM's growth, the Secretary role requires more than recordkeeping; it requires accuracy, transparency, responsiveness, and disciplined follow-through that strengthen Board trust. My ASAM work has required clear communication, careful coordination, and the ability to turn complex priorities into focused action. As a Director-at-Large, educator, advocate, addiction medicine physician, and board member in three roles, I have advanced ASAM education, buprenorphine training, pregnancy and nicotine recovery initiatives, federal advocacy for active-duty service members and veterans, and recognition of addiction medicine as an ACGME discipline. I would bring those same strengths to the Secretary role: reliable documentation, timely Board communication, governance discipline, and a commitment to sustaining ASAM's credibility and impact.
2. Candidate Statement
I am seeking election as ASAM Secretary because strong governance is how we protect ASAM’s mission, earn member trust, and strengthen our impact. I would bring the Board reliability, clear and transparent communication, responsiveness to email, attention to detail, and disciplined follow-through. My experience as a physician leader, ASAM Director-at-Large, educator, and Capitol Hill advocate for legislative funding has prepared me to support accurate documentation, timely communication, and trusted Board operations. If elected, I would serve with focus, humility, and accountability, helping ensure ASAM’s Board work remains clear, credible, and mission-driven as we advance evidence-based addiction care.