Michael Cunningham Elected Chair of the Shriners Children's Boston Board of Governors

Michael A. Cunningham, Ph.D., has been elected chair of the Board of Governors for Shriners Children's Boston. Dr. Cunningham has served on the board since 2019, most recently as vice chairman. He succeeds David Foye, PE, CHFM.

Dr. Cunningham is an associate director of upstream process development sciences at Millipore Sigma, a life sciences supplier based in Burlington, Massachusetts. He completed a Ph.D. in medical sciences, specializing in hemostasis, thromboembolism and atherosclerosis, at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, before moving to the United States to complete post-doctoral training in biological chemistry at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Cunningham has been a member of Harmony Lodge #9 in Cranston, Rhode Island, since 2010 and a Rhode Island Shriner since 2013. He is also an active member of the Scottish Rite, a Masonic organization, and an honorary member of the Supreme Council - Northern Masonic Jurisdiction (33˚). Dr. Cunningham is currently a district deputy grand master in the progressive officer line of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island.

Dr. Cunningham was inspired to become a Shriner, in part, because of his father. "My father is a long-time Shriner, and I recall as a kid all the social activities, including parades, that he attended, and I knew one day I would want to do the same," he said.

Dr. Cunningham's interest in becoming more involved with Shriners Children's Boston began after connecting with former Boston Board of Governors Chairman Bob Baker at a masonic function. "We discussed the Boston hospital, and, at the time, there was an interest in recruiting more board members with science backgrounds. My background in biochemistry seemed to be a good fit, and the rest, as they say, is history," Dr. Cunningham said.

As chairman of the Shriners Children's Boston Board of Governors, Dr. Cunningham is committed to supporting delivery of the highest quality healthcare to patients in need of burn care, cleft lip and cleft palate treatment, and plastic surgery, reconstructive surgery and laser surgery.

"One of my goals as board chair is to help facilitate the communication and implementation of strategic initiatives that will achieve our healthcare system's mission of treating more children who could benefit from our specialty care," he said.

Dr. Cunningham noted that he is looking forward to working with his colleagues at the hospital and on the board to advance those strategic initiatives. "I am very fortunate to be able to work with so many dedicated Board of Governors volunteers and hospital staff, and I love being part of such a dedicated and high-performing team," he said.

Dr. Cunningham resides in Warwick, Rhode Island. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, fishing and golf.