Chad Elkin, MD, DFASAM
Candidate for Director-at-Large
Chad Elkin, MD, DFASAM is Founder and President of National Addiction Specialists and President of
TNSAM, where he founded the advocacy committee and annual conference. He serves on ASAM’s
Practice Management and Regulatory Affairs and State Advocacy and Legislative Affairs Committees and
previously chaired its Health Technology Subcommittee. He completed the TMA Physician Leadership
Program, is TMA PAC president-elect, and serves on Vanderbilt’s Mid-South Addiction Conference
board. He has led competitive grant-funded projects supporting harm reduction and access, mentors
clinicians, and hosts Breaking Down Addiction. His work focuses on reducing stigma, training
compassionate clinicians, and expanding treatment access.
Candidate Questionnaire Responses
1. How would your election to the ASAM Board of Directors benefit ASAM and the field of addiction medicine?
My experience as TNSAM President (having founded its conference and advocacy infrastructure)
and as Chair of multiple other addiction organizations—combined with active service on practice
management, regulatory, and state advocacy committees—positions me to bring practical,
implementation-focused insights to Board governance. I have significant advocacy experience
including my advocacy lecture at ASAM's national conference and active hands-on experience at
both the state legislature (Representative Bill Freeman) and federally through AMAC and with
work of my state's national Senators (Senator Marsha Blackburn and Senator Bill Hagerty). This
will benefit ASAM by enriching strategic discussions with a strong chapter and regional
perspective and by helping advance technology, practice management, regulatory, and advocacy
priorities. For the field of addiction medicine, this supports more effective policy, reduced stigma,
improved access to evidence-based treatment, and stronger alignment between national
standards and real-world care delivery.
2. Candidate Statement
I am Chad Elkin, MD, DFASAM, Founder and President of National Addiction Specialists and President
of TNSAM, where I founded the advocacy committee and annual conference. Within ASAM I have
served on the SALC and PMRAC Committees and chaired its Health Technology Subcommittee. I
serve on Vanderbilts Addiction Conference board, am the TMA PAC president-elect, and have
completed the TMA Institute Physician Leadership Program. I have led competitive grant-funded
projects that support harm reduction and expand patient access. I train clinicians to treat people
with substance use disorders with kindness, compassion, and without stigma, and I appear in media
and on my podcast Breaking Down Addiction, advocating for evidence-based change. State
advocacy has taught me what it takes to move a good idea into practice. I have helped get
legislation passed, shared that process in ASAM National Conference lectures on how to practically
get a law passed at the state level, and would apply that experience on the Board at a national level.
My wife Leslie and I have three girls—Charlotte, 16; Mabel, 12; and Martha, 10—who keep us busy
and remind us of the importance of balance. I seek success-minded colleagues, am fiercely loyal,
and look for ways to help them succeed. After a recent traumatic amputation, I stay active by
walking my 4 dogs. It would be an honor to serve ASAM as Director-at-Large in service of lessening
the suffering of families who have lost loved ones to addiction.