FASEB Names Darla P. Henderson as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer

Thursday, October 23, 2025
FASEB is pleased to announce the appointment of Darla P. Henderson, PhD, as its new Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The FASEB Board of Directors unanimously selected Dr. Henderson for her unique combination of forward-looking vision, partnership and team-building experience, and policy and communication skills.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Darla Henderson as FASEB’s new Executive Director and CEO,” said FASEB President Eric E. Kelley, PhD. “2025 is a critical time for FASEB to meet the challenges and the opportunities presented by virtue of its unique position as a federation of scholarly societies and to leverage the power of our collective voice. Darla brings intellect, scientific knowledge, dedication to scholarly societies, and bridge-building skills that position the federation to better advance our mission.”

In her new role, Dr. Henderson will also focus on growing the outcomes of FASEB’s signature advocacy efforts, positioning the organization for financial sustainability, and creating a new culture of partnership with established and new member societies.

“I am truly honored to serve FASEB as its next Executive Director and CEO,” said Dr. Henderson. “I look forward to partnering with each member of the federation and their leadership to elevate their society and enhance their ability to serve the collective 110,000 scientists represented. We also look forward to welcoming new societies to FASEB. Working together, we can scale and achieve outsized impacts that advance our missions and grow the biological and biomedical sciences.”

Dr. Henderson is currently the Chief Publishing, Open Science, and Research Integrity Officer at FASEB, where she has served since June 2021. In this role, she has worked to reposition the Federation’s products for success, with a focus on growing reach and impact, reintroducing research integrity efforts, and developing a pipeline of both team and editorial leadership talent. She has also collaborated alongside member societies to identify new ways to support societies with publications, tools, and policy efforts in open science, research integrity, and generative AI. Prior to joining FASEB, Dr. Henderson built the first editorial development team for the general and multidisciplinary sciences portfolio and served as the first head of open science at the American Chemical Society, envisioning, launching, and delivering collectively 13 new innovative programs and products that continue to thrive today. With demonstrated growth in society market footprint, a focus on mission-first organizations, and significant financial success of products and programs, Dr. Henderson has long been a stalwart supporter of the value of scientific societies and their critical role in today’s world.

Dr. Henderson holds a doctoral degree in biological chemistry from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Appalachian State University. She is an active member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE), and serves in a variety of volunteer roles that enhance her community engagement.

Dr. Henderson succeeds Frank J. Krause, MBA. Krause joined FASEB in 2017, charged with leading the Federation’s campus sale and organizational transition, followed by adapting the organization to continue its service to and advocacy for the bioscience community during the COVID pandemic. Recognizing the need for change to lead the Federation into its next era, Krause developed a new structure and plan leading to this leadership transition. In discussing the transition, Krause said, “It has been an honor and privilege to serve the Federation these past eight years, working with dedicated volunteers, committed members, and exceptional staff. Darla has established herself as an influential leader well beyond publications, advancing all the objectives of FASEB’s strategic plan from open science and research integrity initiatives to the use of artificial intelligence in operations, as well as understanding AI's impact on research. Her collaborative approach with volunteers and member societies has prepared her well for this new role, and I am excited to see what the future holds for FASEB under her leadership.”

Following a transition period, Dr. Henderson’s appointment as Executive Director and CEO will officially begin January 1, 2026.