About FRS

President Juan Batlle, M.D., FACR

Dr. Juan Carlos Batlle was born and raised in Miami. For almost 15 years he has been a cardiothoracic and musculoskeletal radiologist for Radiology Associates of South Florida, serving Baptist Health South Florida. He is an Associate Professor at FIU College of Medicine. He has served the ACR in various roles–as course director for the Cardiac MRI Education Center course, currently as chair of CT Accreditation, as member of Appropriateness Criteria panels, on the ACR Informatics Commission, and currently as a member of the Council Steering Committee. He also splits time, as part of a work-from-home remote reading career, with the University of Pennsylvania, where he is faculty in the cardiothoracic and musculoskeletal divisions. Dr. Batlle was the program chair for the 2019 FRS Annual Meeting and chairs the FRS Cardiothoracic Committee. In his free time, he enjoys national parks, Ultimate frisbee and crossword puzzles.

President-Elect Andrew Bowman, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Andrew Bowman is an Associate Professor of Radiology at Mayo Clinic Florida, where he is the division chair for Hospital and Emergency Radiology. He received his medical and graduate degrees from Washington University in St. Louis, before completing his Diagnostic Radiology residency and Cross-sectional Imaging fellowship at Mayo Clinic Florida. He specializes in abdominal and cardiac imaging as well as image-guided procedures. He is his department quality chair, a magnetic resonance medical director, and an associate program director for the Mayo Clinic Florida Diagnostic Radiology residency program. He has served on the FRS board since 2014 and has been a Councilor and Alternate Councilor for the ACR. He has served on committees for the ACR Annual Meetings in 2021 and 2022 and was the Program Chair for the FRS Annual Meeting in 2021.

Treasurer Edem Chen, M.D.

Edem F Chen, MD, MS, MEng received his undergraduate and graduate Engineering degrees from the University of Florida, Master of Science in Physiology from Georgetown University and Medical Doctorate from the University of South Florida. His internship and radiology residency were completed at Mayo Clinic and his fellowship in MR imaging specializing in Body, MSK and Neuro was completed at the University of Maryland.

Dr Chen has worked and lead in many radiology environments including outpatient imaging, inpatient Level 1 trauma, community-based hospitals, private-equity, private-practice and Hospital-employed. He recently completed his duties as one of five Chiefs of Staff within the Orlando Health system, while serving the majority of this medical staff leadership during the COVID pandemic. Dr Chen has served on the board of the Florida Radiological Society since 2012 and has been a Councilor and Alternate Councilor for the American College of Radiology. During his time in the FRS, he has served as the liaison for the FRS with RADPAC and FMA. He has a passion and a strong sense of duty to serve the profession.

Secretary James Banks, M.D.

Born and raised in Beverly Hills, James left southern California to pursue a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and a medical degree from the University of Cincinnati. He completed his post graduate education in Florida with an internship in internal medicine at UF Jacksonville, a diagnostic radiology residency at University of Miami and a musculoskeletal imaging fellowship at Mayo Clinic Florida.

After training, he joined a private practice/ academic hybrid group in south Florida where he continues to work as a diagnostic radiologist covering multiple radiological specialties for hospitals in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. He is a core faculty member of the HCA Florida Aventura Hospital radiology residency and the clerkship director for radiology elective rotations at several HCA Florida hospital sites for students from FIU and NSU. His academic interests include patient safety, advocacy, and quality improvement with a focus on systems-based practice.

His passions outside of work include travel, photography, puzzles, gardening, exercise and relaxing at home with his husband of 3 years and their 13-year-old rescue dog.

Immediate Past President Laura Vallow, M.D.

Dr. Laura Vallow is an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at Mayo Clinic Florida. Dr. Vallow earned her medical degree at Loyola Medical School in Chicago Illinois followed by Radiation Oncology Residency at RUSH University in Chicago. She joined the Mayo Clinic Florida Department of Radiation Oncology as a consultant in 2001. She has a passion for education and serves as the Mayo Clinic Florida Radiation Oncology Program Director since 2015 and is recognized as a Fellow in the Mayo Clinic Academy of Education Excellence. She serves on the breast certifying exam committee for the ABR. Her clinical work focuses on the use of radiation therapy in the treatment of breast cancer and in this role is a member of the Southeast Cancer Coordinating Committee and the Mayo Clinic Enterprise Breast Clinic Governance Council. As a member of ASTRO she has served on various committees including the committee on Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Research interests include breast cancer clinical trial development as well as optimization of treatment planning and delivery. She is a member of both the NRG and Alliance Clinical Trial Groups. She has served on the FRS board since 2015 as well as Councilor and Alternate Councilor for the ACR. Her goal in serving as leadership on the FRS is to encourage and support the radiation oncology community involvement within FRS.

Radiation Oncology Chair Jennifer Peterson, M.D.

Dr. Jennifer Peterson is a Consultant in the Department of Radiation Oncology and Neurosurgery at Mayo Clinic Florida. Dr. Peterson joined the staff of Mayo Clinic Florida after completing her residency in radiation oncology at Mayo Clinic in 2011. She is an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at the Alix Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. Her clinical interests focus on the management of central nervous system tumors and hematologic malignancies. 

Dr. Peterson has authored many peer-reviewed articles with publications in premiere journals for radiation oncology and neuro-oncology and is active in prospective, collaborative research, serving as co-investigator for multiple industry-sponsored trials. She serves as an oral board examiner for the American Board of Radiology in the CNS/Peds section and serves as a SAM Reviewer for the ABR’s maintenance of certification program. Dr. Peterson is a board member of the Florida Radiological Society as well as the Radiation Oncology Chair. She serves on the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control, Advisory Council on Radiation Protection and clinically, she has been a recipient of the Patient Experience Award, for exceptional patient care since its inception in 2019.