History of the International Ankle Consortium

Founding

The idea of the International Ankle Consortium was born in 2004 at the conclusion of the second International Ankle Symposium, hosted by the University of Delaware. Dr. Jay Hertel and Dr. Thomas Kaminski, who had attended the first International Ankle Symposium and hosted the second, championed the idea of forming a consortium of international experts to perpetuate the momentum of the symposia. Dr. Hertel and Dr. Kaminski served as the International Ankle Consortium’s inaugural co-directors.

Formation of an Executive Committee

Dr. Kaminski and Dr. Hertel acted a co-directors from 2004 till 2012. They provided leadership and guidance through two successful International Ankle Symposium events (Dublin, Ireland 2006; Sydney, Australia 2009). Prior to the 5th International Ankle Symposium (Lexington, Kentucky 2012), a group of individuals involved in the International Ankle Symposium since 2004 held a retreat to formalize an executive committee and transition the leadership of the International Ankle Consortium to Dr. Philip Gribble and Dr. Eamonn Delahunt. Dr. Delahunt and Dr. Gribble lead the Consortium in developing the “Selection criteria for patients with chronic ankle instability in controlled research: a position statement of the International Ankle Consortium” position statement to enhance the cohesion of research conducted with chronic ankle instability patients. Additionally, they drafted by-laws to formalize the executive committee, establish subcommittees, and to create a schedule for rotating offices to enhance the opportunities for involvement in the Consortium.

Growth and Subcommittees

Following the 2019 International Ankle Symposium, Dr. Gribble stepped down from the executive committee to make way for Dr. Delahunt and Dr. Erik Wikstrom to take the co-director roles. These two served in this capacity until 2023. During their time they helped expand the impact of the International Ankle Consortium by implementing new bylaws and creating committees (Impact, Research, and Membership) that were initially developed by Dr. Gribble and Dr. Delahunt. Additionally, they provided leadership for the transition to a virtual symposium in 2022 and facilitated movement back to in-person for 2024. Lastly, as Dr. Wikstrom and Dr. Delahunt modified the executive committee once again toward the end of their tenure to create a past director and advisory role to enhance the transitions between leadership teams.

Enhancing The International Ankle Consortium’s Presence

In 2023, Dr. Matthew Hoch and Dr. Michelle Smith began their co-director roles and Dr. Wikstrom moved into the past director and advisory role. The team started out their tenure by hosting the most attended International Ankle Symposium to date in 2024 with the tenth edition France. In an effort to enhance the International Ankle Consortium’s presence, frameworks were established to allow the consortium to endorse peer-reviewed manuscripts, revitalize the website and social media platforms, and update the membership directory. Most notably, a quarterly newsletter was established to connect the International Ankle Consortium with its membership and the community.

Current Leadership

In 2025, Dr. Hoch has moved into the past director and advisory role as Dr. Michelle Smith and Dr. Kyle Kosik have taken the mantel of the co-director roles.