Dr. Mandell was born and raised on the San Francisco peninsula. He has practiced orthopaedic surgery there for over 33 years. He is currently assistant clinical professor of orthopaedic surgery at University of California, San Francisco. He graduated from Yale University, and attended medical school at the University of California, San Francisco. He completed a first year general surgery residency at Kaiser Foundation Hospital in Oakland, California and the remainder of his orthopaedic surgery residency at the San Francisco Orthopaedic Residency Training Program. He has continuing interests in orthopaedic advocacy, professionalism, and occupational orthopaedics. An active member of the Academy, Dr. Mandell was also a founding member and inaugural chair of the AAOS Committee on Professionalism. He served as Chair of the Board of Councilors, and was a member of the AAOS Political Action Committee and the Council on Health Policy and Practice.