American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) today announced that Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, MD, FACP, FAMWA has been named 2022-23 President. AMWA’s new leader was elected and began her one-year leadership role at the conclusion of the AMWA 107th Annual Meeting, which took place virtually March 24-27, 2022. Founded in 1915, AMWA is the oldest multispecialty organization of women in medicine. AMWA’s mission is to advance women in medicine, advocate for equity, and ensure excellence in healthcare.
“It is with pleasure and pride that we share the news of this year’s AMWA President. Our new President, Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber has a long history with AMWA and a proven track record in supporting women’s leadership and equity in healthcare. This will be the second time she is leading the organization; she was president in 2015-1016. In the interim, she has led AMWA’s advocacy efforts, expanding the committee’s volunteer base to include law interns, rounding out team perspectives and skills,” says AMWA Executive Director, Eliza Chin, MD, MPH.
“I feel honored and excited to be leading AMWA for a second time.” said AMWA President Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, MD. “As a Hispanic woman, I am honored to be a first, while also being committed to ensure a pathway to leadership for others.”
Dr. Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber continued, “Our goals for the year include advocating for equity at all levels in healthcare, sex and gender health, and ensuring workplace flexibility to support women in medicine. As women physicians, we are uniquely positioned to advance health-related policy issues that impact our communities. I am grateful to be in a position to help support AMWA members and allies focused on such important work.”
An internist, Dr. Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber is a professor of medicine at Augusta University / University of Georgia Medical Partnership with a focus on keeping communities and families healthy through prevention and promoting wellness. She has enjoyed caring for complicated patients and understands the need to consider all factors that impact her patients. Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber has been a teaching faculty member throughout New York and the Midwest. A native of California, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from California State University, Long Beach, her medical degree from Weill College of Medicine at Cornell, and completed her residency in internal medicine at University Hospitals of Cleveland.
As Executive Director of the Indiana University National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health, Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber led efforts to improve the health of women and their families, empower women to leadership positions, and advocate for change. In 2015, Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber became the first Hispanic woman to serve as president of AMWA, a position she is now reprising in 2022-23. An inaugural Fellow of AMWA, Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber has been the recipient of numerous awards that include Outstanding Woman Leader, Innovations in Medicine, Exceptional Mentor, IU Trustee Teaching award, and AMWA’s Bertha Van Hoosen Award. She has also been named a Woman of Influence and Excellence in Advocacy. Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber is a past vice-chair of the Women Physicians Section of the American Medical Association (AMA) and serves on the Minority Affairs Section for the AMA.
About AMWA
Through its 100+ year history, members of AMWA have worked to support women physicians, helping to open doors, bolster careers and create an environment where women physicians can optimally influence the nature and quality of healthcare provided to all patients.
Today, AMWA’s membership and programming have expanded to advance women in medicine at all stages of their career. We also have a growing contingent of allies who champion the voice and skills that women physicians bring to medicine and are committed to furthering the goals of AMWA.
AMWA programming is led by member committees who work collaboratively to advance the mission of the organization and our advocacy efforts. Our initiatives and outreach stem from three main pillars: personal and professional development, advocating for equity, and education to improve healthcare.
AMWA membership is open to all who support the mission and vision of the organization, and we invite all members to engage in the work of our many initiatives.
News Media Contact: Heather Van Ness / hvanness@amwa-doc.org
