Election — 2024 – 2025 AMWA Board of Directors
AMWA Board Member Candidates
President-Elect
Eileen Barrett, MD, MPH (CV)
Eileen Barrett, MD, MPH, is a rural internal medicine hospitalist and Faculty with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Her research and scholarly work are in the areas of clinician wellbeing, gender equity, health equity, and improving the care of people with substance use disorders. She has received awards from the New Mexico American College of Physicians in advocacy, early career leadership, and for advancing the careers of women in medicine, and was recognized by the New Mexico Society of Hospital Medicine Chapter as the 2020 Physician of the Year. Dr Barrett received a 2019 Exceptional Mentor Award from the American Medical Women’s Association, is an elected member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, received a 2021 Award of Excellence in Humanitarian Services from the Society of Hospital Medicine, and received a 2022 Inspire Award from the American Medical Association. Board certified in internal medicine, Dr Barrett received her MPH from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her MD at Georgetown University, and completed internal medicine residency at Oregon Health Sciences University Hospital. She completed a Rural Faculty Development Fellowship through the University of Arizona in 2009 and a Medical Justice and Advocacy Fellowship through Morehouse School of Medicine and the American Medical Association in 2022.
Please share your reason for seeking this AMWA position.
I would be honored to be elected to the position of President-Elect so that I may continue to meaningfully engage in AMWA’s leadership advancing the careers and professional wellbeing of women in medicine. The next few years offer an amazing opportunity to enhance synergies between grassroots organizational work, equity, and advocacy. Medicine continues to undergo rapid change and disruption, and it is crucial that medicine makes deliberate decisions to adapt to this ‘next normal.’ It would be a privilege to work with AMWA to focus on embracing this change while respecting our foundation of advocating for fulfilling medical careers for women across the spectrum of health and leadership settings. I am passionate about using strategic opportunities and relationships to create career acceleration opportunities, leverage partnerships for public policy change, and to promote personal and professional fulfillment for members.
Please describe how you can help AMWA fulfill its vision of creating a healthier world where women physicians achieve equity and realize their full potential.
If elected, I would be honored to advance AMWA’s vision through skills gained from lessons in my previous professional leadership roles. Member-based organizations are facing many challenges, and I believe that person-centered approaches that are founded in trust and respectful of divergent opinions and viewpoints provides the path to meaningful solutions. Practicing relationship-based, consensus-oriented leadership that I’ve learned from serving in positions such as Chair of the AMWA Advocacy Committee have helped me advance adoption of commonsense firearms legislation, updates to state medical license applications to not stigmatize mental health care, legislation requiring treatment for substance use disorders in carceral settings, and Medicaid expansion in my state. Leadership positions in institutional, local, regional, and national organizations (including on the AMWA Governance Committee) have helped me develop career acceleration opportunities for women, create actionable advocacy tools, enhance community to decrease professional isolation while increasing our collective impact, and also enhance Board effectiveness through executing its fiduciary duty.
Please describe what diverse experiences and perspectives you bring that will help AMWA reach its full organizational potential.
I have many sources of privilege and am aware of that and grateful for all it has afforded me. It has also provided me a duty of constantly examining my privilege and seeking to collaborate with others to facilitate justice and equity in and outside medicine. I’ve had professional and personal experiences coupled with professional development – including being in the inaugural cohort of the AMA-Morehouse Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship – that have helped me better understand this to create steps toward belonging, equity, inclusion, and justice. If elected, I would hope to bring to the Board my experiences as an Ebola clinician in building psychological safety to create high performing teams. I would also draw upon my experiences leading local chapters of national medical organizations, co-developing a Grand Rounds Steering Committee, and serving on a Promotion and Tenure Dossier Review Committee to create processes undoing structural barriers to women’s professional advancement in medicine and creating career accelerators. Working in an underfunded tribal setting and in refugee camps has taught me a lot about cultural humility, also about processes for navigating ethical quandaries with preparation, transparency, and robust policies. Elected leadership positions in regional and national professional societies have taught me about what is the duty of a Board versus that of staff and management. All of these have helped me also understand the unique assets and strengths that are provided by listening attentively and with an open mind.
Treasurer
Khawaja Shams (incumbent)
A leader in the high-tech industry for the last 25+ years, Khawaja has moved industries forward by creating innovative products with his distinct management and leadership style. He holds multiple patents in mobile wireless technologies at Apple, where he founded the Applied Machine Learning team. Khawaja has created multiple organizations from scratch focused on applying Machine Learning and behavioral analytics in fraud detection, Apple hardware diagnostics, risk management, mobile payments, cyber security & threat intelligence, healthcare, digital health, privacy, search and recommendations. He has developed teams of hundreds of people, serving billions of users and creating multi-billion dollars per year in value. He has broad industry experience ranging from Manufacturing, Media, Retail, Banking, HealthCare, and Technology. He is currently a Senior Director of Engineering at Google where he leads multiple teams applying ML to benefit billions of users. Khawaja has brought his ML and engineering expertise and vision to be a key driver for the advancement of consumer health ML, security, and privacy. He is married with two children whom he encourages to pursue their own creative ventures, in addition to a network of mentees and partners he sponsors to fulfill their own potential.
Please share your reason for seeking this AMWA position. This statement will be posted on the AMWA website during elections.
I am currently AMWA Treasurer. I have an executive experience in managing large teams, budgets and delivering multi-billion dollar innovative products. Experienced investor and advisor to several startups and LP in multiple venture funds.
Please describe how you can help AMWA fulfill its vision of creating a healthier world where women physicians achieve equity and realize their full potential.
I actively advocate for women physician equity and work closely with the board members and AMWA staff on various projects to increase awareness, provide coaching and training.
Please describe what diverse experiences and perspectives you bring that will help AMWA reach its full organizational potential.
I have twenty-five plus years of Global leadership experience at Fortune 100 companies like Apple & Google consisting of inclusive and diverse team building, strategic thinking, and delivering multi-billion dollar impacting innovative products. My diverse tenure has allowed me to work with Global and diverse teams and industries ranging from Healthcare, Manufacturing, Banking, and Technology. The expertise in applying Engineering, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Behavioral Analytics in digital health, precision medicine, multi-modal sensors, social media, fraud detection, cyber security, mobile application ecosystem, and privacy will help me contribute towards achieving AMWA missions. While Artificial Intelligence has many applications and benefits in medicine, I believe the data used to train ML models are susceptible to bias. One area I would like to help is increase awareness and reduce gender bias in AI models and mobile technology.
Director (5 positions open)
Bisi Alli, DO, MS, FACP (CV)
Bisi Alli, DO, MS, FACP, dipABLM, is dual board-certified internal medicine and lifestyle medicine physician and a Lean Six Sigma black belt as a quality improvement and patient safety expert. She is principal of WellNEST Medicine, empowering people and organizations to prioritize lifestyle changes towards health equity. Formerly, she was an assistant professor for the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and consultant for the Division of Women’s Health Internal Medicine. In continuation of her chief resident year, she served as medical director for the residency clinic she launched through the Phoenix VA Healthcare System and associate program director for the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix Internal Medicine Residency Program. She earned her LEAN Six Sigma Black Belt for efforts in spreading multi-hospital quality improvement and patient safety innovations through a resident-directed curriculum with systemic interventions. This program was recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, the American Academy of Medical Colleges, and Joint Commission. She was elected to the 2022-2024 Board of Directors for the American Medical Women’s Association and proudly represents the American College of Physicians in the national Women’s Wellness through Equity and Leadership (WEL) Project. Finally, she serves on the Clinical Practice and Quality Guideline committee for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Please share your reason for seeking this position and your interest in AMWA.
After two years on the AMWA Board of Directors, I have a heightened sense of the organization’s priorities and values. We remain active as the oldest women’s physician organization because we empower people first. I am proud of the importance placed on advocacy, health & wellness, and overall equity for women physicians and women’s health. I am confident I can continue to grow our impact through partnerships and global programs. I am excited to work towards next steps as we bring our organization to new heights.
Please describe how you can help AMWA fulfill its vision of creating a healthier world where women physicians achieve equity and realize their full potential.
During the past two years on the AMWA BoD, I have had the pleasure of bridging relationships with organizations like the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) to further our engagement and impact. This relationship has been critically relevant, given the disproportionately negative impact of COVID-19 on women physicians personally and professionally. This new collaboration with ACLM has increased membership, visibility, and aligns with our overarching goals for women physicians as leaders in health and wellness. My goal is for more women physicians to champion lifestyle changes as leaders at home and at work. This is commensurate with better health outcomes demonstrated by women physicians and the power of lifestyle changes as one key to health equity.
Please describe what diverse experiences and perspectives you bring that will help AMWA reach its full organizational potential.
I serve in many roles and enjoy the ability to build relationships between them. I am a member of the Clinical Practice and Quality Guideline Committee for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, serve as a National Representative for the Women’s Wellness through Equity and Leadership Program for the American College of Physicians (ACP), AMWA Liaison for the ACP. I have been part of the Us vs. HPV Conference planning committee and bridge this work with the American College of Physicians in my role as an ACP Advance Quality Improvement Coach, increasing vaccinations against HPV in clinical practice. Forming communities that empower one another is uplifting. I represent a lot of physicians who are driving equitable care and respect for women and women physicians as leaders. I am collaborative, innovative, and believe we can do anything– as an organization that champions people. I represent diversity, intersectionality of race/gender, and believe in creative and direct solutions. Through strong leadership and flexibility, AMWA can continue to drive change clinically and across healthcare, industry, as well as legislation.
Nicole Bentze DO, FAAFP, FAMWA (CV)
Nicole Bentze DO, FAAFP, FAMWA is a board-certified Family Physician and Dean of the Sarasota Regional Medical Campus of the Florida State University College of Medicine. After graduating from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2000, she completed her training at the Harrisburg Family Medicine Residency Program in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She completed a primary-care Faculty Development Fellowship at Michigan State University and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Medical Student Educators Development Institute Fellowship. She was inducted as Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians in 2014 and Fellow of the American Medical Women’s Association in 2022. Awards include the STFM Resident Teacher Award (2003), Harrisburg Family Practice Residency Out-Patient Preceptor of the Year Award (2004), and Florida Academy of Family Physicians Part-Time Educator of the Year Award (2011). Dr. Bentze served as the Family Medicine Clerkship Director for FSU College of Medicine for 10 years while maintaining her primary care practice. In 2016, she left private practice for academic medicine. As Regional Campus Dean, Dr. Bentze oversees the clinical education of medical (MD) and physician assistant (PA) students at the FSU COM Regional Medical Campus in Sarasota, Florida. She is passionate about promoting scholarship, leadership, mentorship and well-being among the students, clerkship directors and clinical faculty. Earlier this year, Dr. Bentze completed the AAFP Leading Physician Well-Being Certificate Program. She is honored to serve as the AMWA Regional Governor Lead. Dr. Bentze resides in Florida with her husband (also a Family Physician) and two children.
Please share your reason for seeking this position and your interest in AMWA.
The mission of AMWA — to advance women in medicine, advocate for equity, and ensure excellence in health care – resonates deeply with me. As the Governor of Region 4 for over five years, I engaged with the pre-medical, medical student and physician branches in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. In 2022, I was named Regional Governor Lead and started a framework to enhance support and communication within the nine regions. Now, I wish to expand my involvement and leadership within AMWA as an active member of the Board of Directors.
Please describe how you can help AMWA fulfill its vision of creating a healthier world where women physicians achieve equity and realize their full potential.
As a member of the AMWA Board of Directors, I will collaborate with colleagues and the Executive Board to fulfill goals, meet challenges, and focus on creating a culture of wellness in all aspects of the organization. I wholeheartedly believe in the mission and values of AMWA and am proud to be an AMWA Fellow. In my role as Regional Campus Dean, I not only educate and mentor medical students but also serve as an ambassador for the Florida State University College of Medicine and its mission. My passion for medical education will strengthen AMWA’s outreach to pre-medical and medical students. Engaging resident physicians during vulnerable times in their training will empower them to make informed decisions about their overall mental wellness, fertility and family planning options, career development, and professional satisfaction. I strive to support physician peers and champion women’s issues. With AMWA, I will continue to fight for equity and to keep professional and personal opportunities available for all women physicians.
Please describe what diverse experiences and perspectives you bring that will help AMWA reach its full organizational potential.
My medical career is one that has not followed a straight path. I am an Osteopathic Family Physician who transitioned from private practice to medical education midcareer while maintaining continued service to my specialty and profession. As a self-described life-long learner, I bring expertise garnered from the American Academy of Family Physician (AAFP) Leading Physician Well-Being Program and Florida Medical Association Physician Leadership Academy. I have diverse experiences with leadership positions within national, state, and local level organizations, hospital systems and medical schools. As a voting member of the Florida Medical Association House of Delegates, I have also gained perspectives on impacting change within organizational medicine and political environments. However, I also experienced medicine from both the physician and patient perspectives. In October of 2019, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and started a gauntlet of testing, numerous surgeries, and aggressive chemotherapy. Just a few months into my journey, the COVID pandemic hit. The anxiety and complexity of cancer treatment during a pandemic mirrored the uncertainty and stress of medical training (with and without a pandemic!). I continued to work full time despite my illness while suppressing the rollercoaster of emotions that went along with it to maintain a positive attitude for the sake of my students. I remain on a healing journey of reflection and self-care, striving to model techniques for dealing with multiple life stressors and inspire others.
Cuckoo Choudhary, MD, FACP, AGAF (CV)
A constant pursuit of knowledge and innovation drives me, all in opportunities I am immensely grateful for. After completing medical school in India, I moved to the U.S., where I pursued a residency in Internal Medicine at Lankenau and then a GI fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University. Five years ago, I initiated a “Women in GI” conference in my department, which focuses on GI issues prevalent in women, providing a platform for women in medicine to share their expertise and expand their network. Each year, we highlight as many voices as possible, which has informed my work as my Division’s Lead for Women and DEI. This has catapulted me into an innovative space, as I develop ways to uplift different backgrounds and enrich our workplace. My mentors’ support is what spurred my love of teaching. I am a member of the ACG’s Education Committee, a recipient of the Dean’s Award for Educational Enhancement, and have had the honor of being named the Teaching Attending of the Year in Medicine and in Gastroenterology. Teaching allows me to learn from students and their experiences, while also challenging my perspectives. My work at AMWA pushes me to strengthen my skills in both teaching and innovation, fostering my passion for empowering women in medicine. I’ve had the privilege of moderating sessions during AMWA conferences, speaking at the AMWA and the Medical Women’s International Association meetings, and serving on AMWA’s planning committee. It would be my honor to serve on the Board.
Please share your reason for seeking this position and your interest in AMWA.
I had the privilege of being selected to participate in AMWA’s ELEVATE initiative, a leadership development program that empowers women physicians. Although I had moderated sessions and presented lectures at AMWA’s conferences, ELEVATE highlighted the community that makes AMWA unique. It encouraged me to apply for a promotion and challenged me, allowing me to reflect on how I see myself as a leader. Having experienced AMWA’s impact firsthand, I want to expand the organization’s reach, especially to younger professionals. Women physicians aspire to receive career coaching and discuss their unique experiences, something I realized while initiating our “Women in GI” conference at my institution. I was thrilled that the conference brought together women in medicine from various backgrounds, provided them a platform to share their work, and promoted women speakers. Seeing attendees embrace the leadership opportunities our conference brought, I recognized there was a strong desire for women in medicine to have structured leadership development – something I’ve found through AMWA. As a board member, I aim to partner with educational institutions and develop leadership development programs for women in medicine. I want to expand access to AMWA’s resources at every stage of medical training. Further, I want to establish groups based on medical and surgical subspecialties to provide space for physicians to network within their own specialty. By providing more channels for engagement with AMWA, I want to expand access to career development for women in medicine, as I myself have felt the impact of this incredible organization.
Please describe how you can help AMWA fulfill its vision of creating a healthier world where women physicians achieve equity and realize their full potential.
Be it in India, the United States, or as a visiting professor in a hospital in Rome, I have found meaning in being a mentor to medical students, residents, and fellows over the years. Mentoring allows me to know more about my trainees than I could ever know in the classroom and hospital setting, while also creating a work environment that prioritizes career development. As a Board Member, I would initiate a structured mentorship and sponsorship program for women in medicine – accessible at a range of institutions – early in their career so that they have every opportunity to reach their full potential. At AMWA, I also want to initiate career development and leadership opportunities that members of the organization can incorporate into their day-to-day lives. There is certainly immense value in short-term programs, which I would pursue by developing conferences or workshops that discuss negotiation skills, conflict resolution, and gender equity in medicine. However, I have found that the most value comes from habits that can be incorporated consistently into a routine. Perhaps this looks like sharing a piece of media – such as a podcast or article – that discusses career navigation that AMWA members could seamlessly incorporate into their day. Or, a short ‘spotlight’ on a member to highlight her leadership work. I strongly believe that personal growth, and achieving equity, requires consistency. My vision of a healthy world is one where we provide opportunities to enable that consistent professional development that comes with time.
Please describe what diverse experiences and perspectives you bring that will help AMWA reach its full organizational potential.
Having trained in two different countries and cultures, a few key lessons from medical school in India guide my clinical approach. Since we had limited resources, minimal use of diagnostic tests led to heavy reliance on bedside diagnoses, allowing me to hone my diagnostic abilities. I plan to organize workshops that focus on bedside teaching to support not only trainees’ clinical skills but also their connection to patients – the “softer” side of medicine. Creating and executing the “Women in GI” conference at my institution has allowed me to hone my communication and management skills. At the start, both administration and team members had doubts about the conference’s success. I decided to host an open conversation to give every team member an opportunity to express their concerns, which improved collaboration. As we now plan our sixth iteration of the conference, I continue to improve my management skills while organizing the conference’s moving parts and uniting the team around our common mission. My love of literature and writing has enhanced my ability to evaluate team dynamics, gauge how people feel about a subject, and connect with people on both a personal and professional level. By reading a diverse set of books, and writing my own articles about social justice, I have improved my ability to express myself while absorbing a range of perspectives. In addition to these interpersonal skills, my experience in innovation and working within the Indian health system are some of the unique experiences I can bring to AMWA.
Marion M. McCrary MD FACP (CV)
Marion M. McCrary MD FACP is a primary care internal medicine physician at Duke Signature Care in North Carolina. She is a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach and serves as the Associate Director of the Duke Graduate Medical Education Coaching program. In addition to her day jobs, she is a state and national leader with the American College of Physicians 2 (ACP) and serves as the Governor for the North Carolina ACP chapter. She is honored to be faculty as a coach and curriculum developer for the American Medical Women’s Association ELEVATE and EVOLVE leadership programs for female physicians and residents. Narrative Medicine and story sharing is a revived interest of hers. She is the co-founder of the Writers Wellness Workshop; a monthly narrative medicine series open to all doctors and medical students. In addition, she loves amplifying physician stories on ResetMD, a podcast she and several ACP Well-being Champions started in 2020. She shares her home with Tradd, her husband of 25 years, and their labradoodle Morgan.
Please share your reason for seeking this position and your interest in AMWA.
I found AMWA in early 2020 during a time in my life and career when I had the chance to slow down and explore resources and communities that had not previously been on my radar. Before COVID appeared on the scene, I had already planned a year sabbatical due to changing health systems in the face of a noncompete clause in my contract. When I realized I could become an affiliate member of AMWA as part of my professional society membership, I signed up right away. Over the past three years I have found a community passionate about women in healthcare and the healthcare of women. That passion has been contagious, and I have relished the opportunity to participate in committees, programming, and be part of the creation of AMWA’s ELEVATE and EVOLVE leadership and professional development programs. I want women physicians and students to find this sooner than I did twenty years into my career. I would like to serve on AMWA’s Board of Directors so I can be an ambassador for AMWA and its members. I want women physicians and medical students to find their voice and confidence sooner than I did. If elected, I would work to continue to spread and amplify AMWA’s footprint.
Please describe how you can help AMWA fulfill its vision of creating a healthier world where women physicians achieve equity and realize their full potential.
My personal vision is to be an impactful teacher, coach, and leader. My day-to-day mission is to create structured curriculum, communities, and opportunities to educate and assist physicians at various levels to help them develop paths for their professional career and personal well-being. Few physicians get leadership training in their medical education. They are often thrown into leadership positions without the proper preparation. Additionally, physicians frequently have a mindset to put others before themselves. This can result in us feeling powerless in some crucial situations in our professional environments. Additionally, cultural and structural barriers impede gender equity in our profession. AMWA provides avenues to explore and overcome these limiting beliefs. The work I focus on outside of my clinical primary care position is to help residents, fellows, and early career physicians have access to tools and develop the skills to advocate for themselves and their mission in life. I would like to amplify AMWA members and future potential members in the same way to help create a world where women doctors achieve equity and achieve their full potential. By modeling self-care and self-compassion, two key components of well-being, I believe physicians can create a sustainable career when they can be long term allies for their patients and their colleagues. I am passionate about helping women physicians find what this looks like for them and have the confidence to pursue it.
Please describe what diverse experiences and perspectives you bring that will help AMWA reach its full organizational potential.
Organizations maximize their potential by having diverse leaders who listen to the needs of the community and advocate for a shared mission. Diversity is epitomized by a combination of life experience and an open and accepting growth mindset. I listen, advocate, and bring an open mind. I have had sixteen years of private practice experience and almost three years of community academic practice coupled with GME coaching. I bring an “outside of the academic tower” voice to AMWA. I find myself straddling that fence often in different roles. I bring leadership role experience as a chief resident, private practice lead physician, and state and national leader for the American College of Physicians, my specialty society. My leadership style is collaborative, and I enjoy facilitating communities of like-minded individuals and inviting others to the table. After feeling “stuck” in my professional role mid-career, I made a pivot to try a different location and model of practice. I found my voice and stepped out of my previous comfort zone and started sharing, writing, speaking up, and advocating. I became a podcaster- sharing stories of physicians who found what worked for them for well-being. I became passionate about narrative medicine and have found ways to share it with others. In general, I am a person who is open to trying new strategies to teach and help others
Ruqiya (Shama) Tareen, MD (CV)
As professor of psychiatry, as double board-certified psychiatrist with over 20 years of experience in both academic and clinical settings, I find myself in a unique position. To further the unconventionality, I was trained as a dermatologist at University of Wales, UK and later completed psychiatry residency and subspecialty training in psychosomatic medicine at Michigan State university. My scholarly interest in women behavioral health (WBH) led me to become involved in “Mother’s Mind Matters” a county wide educational campaign targeting clinicians in area to convince them that they can safely provide basic psychiatric treatment to pregnant and post-partum women. It was a whirlwind, leading the educational campaign, running a phone help line for physician and supervising a WBH clinic staffed by residents that accepted patients within 24 hours of referral. In 2010, I decided to open a small private practice while still teaching full time. I am proud that we are successfully providing much needed psychiatric services including cutting edge treatments like Transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) Ketamine and Esketamine to a large population in an underserve area. Since the first year of residency, I have been involved in our county medical society and Michigan state medical society. Serving as president of our county medical society, board member and a delegate has been a very gratifying experience. Getting involved in AMWA has been another very rewarding journey. Serving as the AMWA governor for region 5, comprising of (MI,IL,IN,OH, KY) has been a badge of honor for me which I wear proudly.
Please share your reason for seeking this position and your interest in AMWA.
Being an academician with limited resources, forces you to find the answers that appears innocuous and are hiding in plain sight. My desire is to help AMWA find the best solutions for the challenges women physician are encountering in the everchanging landscape of healthcare. As one of the regional Governor of AMWA, and as president of chapter of AMWA in our medical school, I strive to minimize gender inequalities in medical education and medical profession. I am always looking for the cracks and find ways to mend the disproportionate allocation of resources and unequal provision of health care to our patients. Our local AMWA student chapter has presented their research at both AMWA and Medical International Women Association annual conferences. As a mentor, to residents and students over 40 research projects were a labor of love. These projects were accepted at regional, national and international conferences and have received several awards. My work as with the AMWA premed students developing Sex & Gender fact sheets has been very fulfilling. I do believe that igniting the passion of research and scholarly activities in premed students will position our future women physician very astutely in the field and will open many more doors for them. Working from AMWA’s platform, my efforts will help build that gleaming road of equity and scholarly success for our future women physician that has eclipsed our generation. I hope that you can feel my enthusiasm and bestow this honor by electing me to AMWA’s board.
Please describe how you can help AMWA fulfill its vision of creating a healthier world where women physicians achieve equity and realize their full potential.
Since becoming the president of our County Medical Society (KCMS) in 2017, I have envisioned and overseen a major organizational restructuring and revitalization effort to launch the KCMS as a more community-focused medical society. In partnership with community organizations and the County Community Health Department, KCMS have identified areas of needs and participated in major projects that needs physician support but often cannot find it. We have developed a Physician Advocacy Network, which is spearheading KCMS participation in these projects. These collaborative projects aim to tackle public health concerns such as opioid epidemics, rise in STDs in youth, health care education for disadvantaged youth, education of allied psychiatric health care providers, just to name a few. I can utilize the same kind of broad vision, thinking outside of the box and mobilizing every kind of support within and outside of AMWA to make our dream of women physicians be able to have same rights and same opportunities to be able to reach the zenith of their careers.
Please describe what diverse experiences and perspectives you bring that will help AMWA reach its full organizational potential.
Life is a journey with lots of twist and turns, we all have heard this, I have lived it. I was born and raised in Asia, came for higher education to United Kingdom, then studied in USA. I have lived, studied raised family, and worked in Middle East, UK, Canada, and USA. We have lived in 5 countries, established, and uprooted ourselves across 3 continents. Along the way meeting amazing people, building lasting relationships, learning fascinating things about cultures, religions, customs, languages, and nuances of humankind, it was a great privilege. This caused some turbulence in family life, my career took some sharpest turns, but it has ultimately made me perspicacious as a clinician, academician and as a woman. Starting as a family physician out of medical school then specializing as a dermatologist, and later reinventing myself as a psychiatrist specializing in psychosomatic medicine and psychodermatology, has bestowed on me rich and exceptional experiences along the way. It has given me a profound understanding of the interplay of body, mind, and psyche. Given me higher degree of clinical resilience, deeper appreciation of the opportunities that came my way and clear understanding of ones that I lost. These diverse experiences have prepared me for toughest challenges, polished me to shine in darkest hour, inspired me when no hope was in sight and made me strong to withstand any storms. Given opportunity, I will bring all this energy and optimism to help AMWA reach its full potential and beyond. Thank you!
Katrina Green, MD (CV)
Katrina Green, MD is a board certified emergency physician with over 10 years of experience working in emergency medicine. She practices in Tennessee in both urban and rural hospitals. She has been a member of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine since residency and has served as an at-large board member of the Tennessee Chapter of AAEM since 2021. She has also been an active member of the Tennessee Medical Association and the Nashville chapter, the Nashville Academy of Medicine. Through the TMA, Dr Green has advocated for healthcare related legislation at the state legislature by participating in Doctor of the Day and Day on the Hill lobbying activities. She also serves as a board member of Gideon’s Army, a nonprofit organization working to reduce gun violence in Nashville. Dr. Green is currently co-chair of the advocacy committee for AMWA. She is also active with the gun violence solutions committee. On a local level, Dr. Green is on the leadership team of the East Nashtivists, a grassroots organization and action council through Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood, advocating for reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, gun safety and bodily autonomy through voter registration, engagement and turnout efforts in her community.
Please share your reason for seeking this position and your interest in AMWA.
AMWA has helped me so much in my advocacy efforts here in Tennessee. During covid, the advocacy committee helped me reach out to AMWA members in my state, circulating petitions and notifications for important action items to take to help push for good public health policy. I was encouraged to take a more active role in the advocacy committee by stepping up to co-chair this year. This has been an eye opening experience and I’ve learned just how much AMWA does to advocate on the national level. I was honored to help with the advocacy plenary session during the national meeting this year, and definitely look forward to helping AMWA and its members in any way I can. I would like to continue to help achieve the goals of improving the lives of women physicians and our patients by serving as an at large board member.
Please describe how you can help AMWA fulfill its vision of creating a healthier world where women physicians achieve equity and realize their full potential.
Over the past three years, I have developed advocacy skills by participating in press conferences, speaking at public hearings, doing press interviews, writing opinion editorials, circulating petitions and participating in rallies and protests for good covid public health policy, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights and common sense gun laws. Through this work, I have developed a voice that I feel comfortable using to advocate for change, especially change related to medicine and public health. I am comfortable speaking to large groups, politicians, and the media. I would like to help AMWA continue to advocate for public health, gender equity and patient safety. In the words of Moira Rose, “when one of us shines, we all shine.” I take those words to heart and amplify the efforts and accomplishments of my peers. AMWA deserves to shine brightly for all the good it has done for its members and our patients. I would like to help AMWA and women physicians achieve parity with the AMA in the eyes of the medical community and lay people alike. Women have always been working hard to keep things moving and we deserve a seat at the table where all the decisions are made.
Please describe what diverse experiences and perspectives you bring that will help AMWA reach its full organizational potential.
As an emergency physician practicing in community based settings at both rural and urban sites, I know how important access to healthcare is for our patients. I trained at large level 1 trauma centers in Detroit and Indianapolis before settling into my career in Nashville. I see firsthand the results of our patchwork healthcare system in the patients that present to my emergency department for help. And I know all too well how laws placing restrictions on reproductive healthcare add undue burdens to physicians and cause our patients to suffer. I have learned to lobby at the local and state level, speaking with legislators about how health policy can be used to create healthy environments for our patients. And I have learned how important physician voices can be when these policies are being developed and voted on in the state houses. We need more physicians to show up at their state legislature, meet with state reps and senators, attend committee meetings, sit in on important votes and talk to the press about what is happening. So many states are passing laws that affect our ability to provide comprehensive, compassionate healthcare to our patients. And it affects us all, no matter our specialty. I will help teach others the lessons I’ve learned lobbying here in Tennessee, so AMWA members can advocate for health in every state.
Falguni Vasa, MD, FACE (CV)
I am an endocrinologist, coach and mentor with an interest in fitness, nutrition, mindfulness, and travel. I have practiced in varied clinical settings, from private practice to a multispecialty physician owned group, which is my current position. I have held various leadership positions both hospital and organization based. Through these experiences I have witnessed (and personally experienced) the challenges of being a woman in medicine, which has driven my passion to help women flourish, and work towards creating a society that helps us do so. My hobbies include travelling, which has also broadened my perspective on the challenges women face around the world.
Please share your reason for seeking this position and your interest in AMWA.
I have always had a passion for advancing women in all areas of life. I come from a multigenerational physician family with a strong emphasis on women empowerment. The pandemic has illuminated and worsened gender inequity that has long been present in medicine. Too often I see very talented women not reach their full potential due to systemic barriers and lack of support. Women in medicine are essential to the health of our nation. The attrition of women in clinical medicine, academia, and leadership endangers the health of families, communities, and ultimately our nation. Consequently, the success of our nation depends on supporting its women to achieve their greatest potential. True, meaningful support goes well beyond “self care” and requires broad systemic change. This requires action at a national level, and AMWA is well suited to lead this effort. The board position would allow me to further my passion for helping women flourish, in a broad and impactful way.
Please describe how you can help AMWA fulfill its vision of creating a healthier world where women physicians achieve equity and realize their full potential.
In order for women to flourish, they may need different types of support at different points in their career. Broad structural change to allow for maternity leave, compensation equity, mentoring, mental health resources (to name a few) are all necessary to support women to be their best self. Moving towards a solution requires open, honest, and many times difficult discussions with all stakeholders, along with an open mind to develop creative, sustainable paths forward. These are all skills I have utilized in my various leadership roles, and would bring to the board position.
Please describe what diverse experiences and perspectives you bring that will help AMWA reach its full organizational potential.
I have been in leadership throughout my career. I believe helping women flourish requires a multifactorial approach. My experiences range from providing support at an organizational level all the way to an individual level. As department chair, I see firsthand the struggles of women in medicine directly related to systemic and organizational shortfalls. Consequently, I have utilized my role to promote organizational change to support women physicians. This involved many conversations and negotiations to create a solution that was a win-win for all involved. My work with refugee girls and women offers a different perspective on how to provide support and mentorship at the beginning of a woman’s journey. This experience also broadened my view of the struggles women from different backgrounds face. Finally, my experience as a coach has made me realize that empowering women also requires work at an individual level.
Abby Lyn Spencer, MD, MS (CV)
Dr. Abby Spencer serves as Professor and Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Medicine and as Director of the Academy of Educators at Washington University School of Medicine. She previously served as Director of the Medicine Residency Program and Vice Chair for Education at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Spencer graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a BS in Behavioral Neuroscience from Tulane University, and received her MD from the University of Pittsburgh. She completed her Primary Care Internal Medicine residency at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill-Cornell Medical Center and subsequently completed a fellowship in General Medicine with a concentration in Women’s Health and earned a Masters in Medical Education from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Spencer is an innovative and enthusiastic educator with an exceptional knack for cultivating the strengths and potential in others. She has dedicated her career to innovating, developing curriculum, building teams, and developing others in medical education. She has delivered over 150 invited faculty development/educational courses and workshops locally and nationally. She has won numerous national awards for her teaching, educational scholarship, mentorship, and leadership the 2020 ACGME ParkerPalmer Courage to Teach Award, 2020 Cleveland Clinic Women’s Champion Award which recognizes contribution to the advancement, development and wellbeing of women, and the 2023 inaugural Advancing Women in Academic Medicine award from Wash U. She completed ELAM in 2022 and has held leadership positions in many national organizations across academic internal medicine. Her greatest professional joys are mentoring, teaching, sponsoring, and developing others.
Please share your reason for seeking this position and your interest in AMWA.
As a passionate medical educator and advocate for advancing the careers of women, it is increasingly clear that career success, promotions, access to networks of mentors and sponsors, and especially our sense of belonging is impacted by race, gender, sexuality, culture, nationality and identity. My goal in seeking a position on the AMWA board is to help advocate for and lead changes that even the playing field such that all women have equitable access to mentorship, advancement opportunities, and networks within which we all find belonging. There are skills, policies, and deliberate steps that can be taken to enhance belonging and I am committed to helping to lead these changes. It has been an incredible opportunity to meet so many bright and inspiring medical students and faculty through the various mentorship talks, panels, and workshops that our AMWA students locally and nationally have invited me to deliver. As an AMWA board member, I hope to work collaboratively with AMWA leadership to represent all women in our quest to mitigate microaggressions, questioned judgment, delayed advancement, gaslighting, push to “fit in” rather than belong, and mid-career invisibility. AMWA has been an inspirational leader in gathering important data, acting on it towards change, and engaging women in medicine around the country and world. It would be an honor to serve and support this work.
Please describe how you can help AMWA fulfill its vision of creating a healthier world where women physicians achieve equity and realize their full potential.
Promoting awareness and engagement, enhancing mentoring and networking skills and access, and leadership development are valuable strategies to advance women in medicine until systemic barriers and outdated policies have been adequately addressed. Moreover, structured leadership development programs create safe space for learning, networking, and enhanced leadership competencies. I have developed multiple leadership courses for women trainees and have presented workshops regionally and nationally on fostering belonging and inclusion in the workplace. I am deeply committed to establishing safe learning and working environments that promote belonging, development and advancement for women. I believe that my experience and expertise in building and leading such programs will position me well to contribute meaningfully to the AMWA mission to advance women in medicine and support their development, joy, and belonging. Women who can identify formal mentors and sponsors are not only more successful, but also more likely to stay in their careers, feel like they belong, and advance in alignment with their goals and values. Supporting the development of coaching, mentoring, sponsorship and the full developmental network for women of all stages from training to late in our careers will help AMWA full its vision of women realizing their full potential.
Please describe what diverse experiences and perspectives you bring that will help AMWA reach its full organizational potential.
My career has centered on helping learners and faculty reach their full potential and I am hopeful that my experience and perspectives can help do the same for AMWA. Having served as a residency program director(PD), associate PD, Director of our Academy of Educators and Vice Chair for Education, I have supported faculty and clinical educators across fields and multiple institutions. I developed our inaugural PD Bootcamp- a longitudinal faculty development program for GME leaders. In addition to developing and delivering >100 national faculty development workshops and precourses, I currently serve as SGIM LEAD faculty for our longitudinal leadership development certificate course. Some of my most meaningful programs that I built include novel curricula for women in leadership, residents as teachers and leaders, coach approach to mentoring, emotional intelligence, and numerous ant-racism/allyship educational modules. I have been very fortunate to collaborate and learn from outstanding and diverse colleagues who helped me build skills and develop a track-record of leadership in fostering DEI & belonging within the medical community. I led the team of educators that developed the series of allyship/upstanding/ microaggressions and anti-racism educational modules that are now required for all trainees and faculty across Wash U School of Medicine. Recently, a small team of colleagues and I presented a standing-room only workshop on “Being an Anti-Racist Mentor” at the 2023 National SGIM meeting and I have been an invited speaker to present workshops, grand rounds, and national meeting presentations on Mitigating Gender and Racial Bias in LOR and Learner Assessments.
Vidya T. Raman, MD, MBA, FASA, FAAP (CV)
Vidya T. Raman, MD, MBA, FASA, FAAP is a full professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at the Ohio State University. She is a senior member of the department. She has over 20 years of clinical experience and is part of executive steering committee of the OSU faculty senate. Her research interests are in preoperative sustainability and gender equity.
Please share your reason for seeking this position and your interest in AMWA.
We live in interesting times where in a short few months the highest court in the land has made life altering decisions about women let alone women physicians. Whether it be reproductive rights or affirmative action, women are heavily impacted in all parts of their lives by these decisions. I think through AMWA we can lend our voices so that we are not going backwards in terms of health, distribution of wealth, and education in this country. We will never move forward if half the population gets left behind.
Please describe how you can help AMWA fulfill its vision of creating a healthier world where women physicians achieve equity and realize their full potential.
I can help AMWA fulfill its vision to create a healthier world by using my voice and ANWA to help bring attention to how women physicians are lagging behind their male counterparts. Although, we are finally crossing over 50% representation in medical schools, our leadership and promotion needs improvement. 24% is not a number to be proud of in how many women doctors lead medical schools when 50% of the population are women.
Please describe what diverse experiences and perspectives you bring that will help AMWA reach its full organizational potential.
As a daughter of immigrants, I bring the perspective of how hard it is succeed despite taking advantage of all opportunities this country affords- the wonderful libraries and free public education K-12. I was the first female full professor in the department of anesthesia in 2020. I continued to keep my goals in sight as I saw many junior males colleagues reaching this goal ahead of me with sponsorship and other advantages. I bring the perspective of having grit and thinking outside the box when you don’t have the traditional mentorship and sponsorship to get ahead.
