AMWA’s interim meeting was preceded by a day of visits on the Hill and in the White House.
Then on Saturday, September 10, AMWA board members and leaders met in Washington, DC for the board and leadership meetings presided over by AMWA President Dr. Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber – the first in-person AMWA meeting in over 2 years!
We thank Google for allowing us to use the space in their DC office. The board reviewed new and continuing programs, discussed strategic initiatives, and approved the 2023 budget and the 2022 election slate for new officers and board members. Review of committee reports and discussions helped lay out a roadmap for AMWA’s ongoing work in advancing women in medicine, gender equity, civic health engagement, and reproductive health. Day 1 of the board meeting culminated in photographs on Capitol Hill where we were joined by Aliya Bhatia, Executive Director of Vot-ER, who equipped the board with Vot-ER badges.
AMWA Leaders at the Google Office in Washington, DC
L-R: (Front) Jodi Godfrey, Julia Burns, Dr. Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, Dr. Karen Poirier-Brode, Dr. Eliza Chin, Dr. Chung-Sang Tse; (Back) Elise Vance, Khawaja Shams, Dr. Shobha Krishnan, Dr. Roberta Gebhard, Alexandra Pincus, Dr. Beth Garner, Dr. Rita Kuwahara, Julia Burns, Dr. Jan Werbinski, Courtney Chau, Dr. Donnica Moore, Dr. Susan Hingle, Dr. Paulette Cazares, Dr. Arghavan Salles
AMWA Leaders on Capitol Hill
L-R (Front): Dr. Beth Garner, Courtney Chau, Dr. Chung-Sang Tse, Dr. Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, Dr. Roberta Gebhard, Dr. Eliza Chin; (Middle): Jodi Godfrey, Dr. Shobha Krishnan, Kaylee Travis, Dr. Karen Poirier-Brode, Elise Vance, Dr. Alexandra Pincus, Dr. Arghavan Salles; (Back): Khawaja Shams, Dr. Paulette Cazares, Dr. Nicole Sandhu, Julia Burns, Dr. Susan Hingle
AMWA Leaders with Vot-ER Badges
L-R (Front): Aliya Bhatia, Dr. Karen Poirier-Brode, Dr. Eliza Chin, Dr. Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, Dr. Elizabeth Garner, Dr. Nicole Sandhu, Julia Burns; (Middle) Dr. Roberta Gebhard, Elise Vance, Kaylee Travis, Courtney Chau, Dr. Alexandra Pincus; (Back): Dr. Susan Hingle, Jodi Godfrey, Khawaja Shams, Dr. Shobha Krishnan, Dr. Chung-Sang Tse, Dr. Paulette Cazares, Dr. Alexandra Pincus
Vot-ER Badges
Day 2 of the board meeting continued at the Crystal Gateway Marriott with a robust discussion about the increasing restrictions on reproductive healthcare. AMWA was founded in 1915 to assure equity for women physicians, and we have consistently championed the right of women to have access to quality healthcare, rights which are now under siege. Our country is at a pivotal inflection point regarding patient access to safe, necessary, and evidence-based reproductive medical care. Legislative and judicial interference is also preventing physicians from delivering appropriate patient care services. A key outcome of the meeting was a commitment by the board to focus the full force of AMWA in a singular campaign to:
RESTORE & PROTECT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
We will address this issue by galvanizing healthcare professionals and allies to get out the vote and by educating to change hearts and minds.
