Donald Kerns, JD, CAE
Chief Executive Officer, SDMS
Donald is the CEO of the SDMS and an ex-officio Officer and Director of the
SDMS Board of Directors. He joined the SDMS staff in 1999 after serving as
a technology/Y2K consultant to the SDMS. He has a wealth of healthcare,
allied health education, non-profit, accreditation, legislative/regulatory,
and technology experience. During his tenure with the SDMS, he has led
various collaborative efforts including the Sonography Licensure Coalition
(SLC), which monitors legislation and regulations impacting sonography,
the revision of the Scope of Practice and Clinical Standards for the Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, and the
annual SDMS Board Liaison meeting, which brings together over 40 representatives of sonography-related
organizations to discuss pressing issues and trends.
The opportunity to use technology to deliver information and educational content to SDMS members around
the world is what drew Don to the SDMS. “I enjoy working with the SDMS volunteers, who are incredibly
passionate about the profession and spend amazing amounts of time supporting the SDMS,” said Don.
While working full-time at the SDMS, Don decided to attend law school to enhance his skills and knowledge
of nonprofit management and healthcare professions. After four years of juggling work and night school,
Don graduated from law school in 2012 and was admitted to practice in the State of Texas. In 2013, he was
admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and before the United States District Court for the Northern
District of Texas.
Don holds a Bachelor of Science from Upper Iowa University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Southern
Methodist University. He also holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American
Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Don is a member of the ASAE, the American Society of Quality
(ASQ), the American Bar Association (ABA), the
State Bar of Texas, the District of Columbia Bar (DCB), and the Dallas and Collin County (TX) Bar Associations.