Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders in Medicine of 2023. The number of women choosing medicine as a career continues to grow. Back in 1960, women represented a mere 6% of all U.S. physicians. However, in the present day, women now constitute over one-third of the physician workforce, and approximately 47% of residents and fellows, thanks to an increase in the acceptance of women into medical schools. Interestingly, as of 2019, the majority of U.S. medical students are women.
This shift in the medical landscape can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, women have historically been seen as leaders within households, and these leadership skills readily transfer to the medical realm. Furthermore, there is a growing recognition of the significance of diversity within the medical field, with research demonstrating that gender diversity among healthcare providers results in improved patient outcomes. For this year's award, we have narrowed down some of the top women leaders in medicine, a list that is composed of physicians, doctors, clinicians and educators who are changing the face of medicine through their profession, teachings, and personal lives. We recognize and honor each awardee for their commitment to quality care and advancements within the field.
This year's prestigious list features several notable honorees, including Connie Savor Price, who serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Denver Health. Price boasts an impressive track record of securing federal funding and has authored over 75 manuscripts and delivered more than 175 lectures on the prevention of healthcare-associated infectious diseases and related subjects. Another deserving recipient of recognition is Catherine Counard, who holds the position of State Medical Officer at the Illinois Department of Public Health, one of the state's long-standing agencies with an annual budget of approximately $500 million. Lastly, we have Sara Fazio, an award-winning Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders in Medicine of 2023.
1. Debra Houry
Chief Medical Officer & Deputy Director for Science and Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Debra Houry is the Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science at CDC. In this role, she is responsible for establishing, strengthening, and maintaining collaboration and coordination across CDC’s national centers including infectious diseases, chronic disease, environmental health, injury prevention, and public health infrastructure. She also provides overall direction to, and coordination of, the scientific and medical programs. Dr. Houry is also the Designated Federal Officer for the Advisory Committee to the CDC Director, working directly with private and public sector constituents to prioritize CDC’s activities and address key areas including data modernization and health disparities. As a board-certified emergency physician, she has seen firsthand the impact of infectious diseases, chronic health conditions, and injuries on individuals, families, and communities and strives to address and prevent challenges with implementable, evidence-based practices.
Prior to this role, Dr. Houry served for nearly two years as CDC’s acting principal deputy director, overseeing improvements to lab quality, updating global health strategy and governance, and elevating cross-cutting initiatives across the agency such as social determinants and mental health. She was also a key leader in the CDC Moving Forward reorganization process for the agency. From 2014-2021, she served as the director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC. Under her leadership, the budget increased from $150 to $714M with the expansion of multiple programs. Other notable achievements under her leadership included releasing the CDC Opioid Prescribing Guidelines for Chronic Pain, acquiring the management of the Drug-Free Communities program encompassing 700 local coalitions, expanding the National Violent Death Reporting System from 18 to 50 states, and standing up new funding lines in adverse childhood experiences, suicide, drowning, and firearm violence prevention.
She previously served as vice chair and tenured associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and as associate professor at the Rollins School of Public Health. Dr. Houry also served as an attending physician at Grady Memorial Hospital in the emergency department and in the medication-assisted treatment clinic for opioid use disorder. She received her MD and MPH degrees from Tulane University and completed her residency training in emergency medicine at Denver Health Medical Center.
2. Avril Beckford
Chief Pediatric Officer, WellStar Health System
Avril Beckford is a pediatrician who founded the Pediatric and Adolescent Center in 1993 in Atlanta Georgia, and is the Chief Pediatric Officer of the WellStar Health System as well as a member of the WellStar Board of Trustees. She has an unmatched passion and unwavering
commitment to the children, adolescents, and multi-professional team she works with. Their goal is to serve every patient and family as if they are their very own and as if they were the only ones that they serve. They believe overarching is the commitment to up to current best
practice and evidence-based medicine.
Beckford is the past president of the Georgia Chapter of the Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the National Nominating Committee of the Academy of Pediatrics. She is passionate about Pediatrics and Pediatric advocacy and has served on a number of other volunteer boards including that of The Lovett School, The Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education, The 1998 Society of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, and Camp Kudzu for Children with Diabetes. She has authored 3 books; a parenting book titled Allow Your Children to Fail if You Want Them to Succeed, and two children's books I Love You 65 Bulldozers and The Tooth Fairy, as well as writing the forward of Typecast and a chapter in a major pediatric textbook. She enjoys public speaking and has given presentations internationally. Beckford graduated from the University of Cape Town with an MD in pediatrics.
3. Ursula Boynton
Chief Medical Executive - Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Sutter Health
Ursula Boynton is the Chief Medical Executive of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center at Sutter Health, one of the nation's leading not-for-profit healthcare networks, which includes award-winning physician organizations, acute care hospitals, surgery centers, medical research facilities, and specialty services. Their team of 68,000 doctors, employees, and volunteers proudly cares for Northern California.
Boynton has an experienced executive with a proven track record of providing operational and strategic oversight within the Sutter Health family since 2000. Demonstrated exceptional leadership, interpersonal, and negotiation abilities. As the lead physician responsible for medical affairs and clinical oversight of the hospital, Boynton, a Bay Area native, is passionate about driving high-quality patient care. With a strong belief that a healthy work culture and community connections are essential for exceptional patient care, she strives to deliver an integrated care model that offers coordinated, patient-centered medical services. Boynton is a member of the Sutter Care at Home board, a practicing physician, and speaks Spanish.
Before joining Sutter Health, Boynton was a hospitalist physician at Avant Inpatient Services, ABSMC, and before that an urgent care physician at Kaiser Permanente. Boynton graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine with an MD and from New York University with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
4. Monique Díaz
Chief Medical Information Officer for Pacific Central Coast Health Centers, Dignity Health
Dr. Monique Díaz is the Chief Medical Information Officer of a non-profit community clinic organization that oversees nearly 50 health centers primarily located on California’s central coast. Within her first two years in this role, Dr. Díaz managed to deliver on the acute needs of the COVID-19 pandemic while overhauling the organization’s approach to value-based care. With her eyes on real-time data and population trends, Dr. Díaz also sounded the alarm on healthcare disparities among area farmworkers and collaborated with local and national level leaders to generate support for this vulnerable community.
Currently, Dr. Díaz represents her clinically integrated networks to support relations for ACO contracts. She has been asked to speak at multiple meetings with commercial payers to share her approach to comprehensive workflows. Dr. Díaz’s “TAR PIT” method has been shown to close care gaps, with some health centers reporting 6-fold improvements in quality measures. Board-certified in clinical informatics, she is also committed to cultivating an interest in her field and supporting medical residents in data-driven QI projects.
5. Mariam Bekhit
Founder & Medical Director, Healthy Minds
Mariam Bekhit is the Founder and Medical Director of Healthy Minds, an in-person and virtual child and adolescent psychiatric clinic serving children with all psychiatric conditions with the exception of substance use. Additionally, she has spent over 15 years serving as a psychiatrist for Psychiatric Care Associates. Bekhit is a passionate psychiatrist who treats patients with a combined psychotherapeutic and pharmacological intervention approach.
Prior to her current role, Bekhit served as the chief medical officer of Hidden River Eating Disorder Treatment. Hidden River provides residential eating disorder treatment for girls and women ages 12 through 21 utilizing an expert, compassionate treatment team emphasizing family involvement. They offer a beautifully designed facility in a peaceful, natural environment conducive to recovery and healing.
Bekhit is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and by the American Board of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. In addition to being an excellent clinician, she has undertaken a vast amount of administrative responsibilities, which she handled with great success. She also serves with Summit Oaks Hospital as a child psychiatrist. Bekhit graduated from Alexandria University with an M and spent her fellowship at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
6. Raina Karanjeet
Chief of Medicine, VA Medical Center - Salem
Raina Karanjeet is the Chief of Medicine of the VA Medical Center - Salem. With extensive experience as a physician and healthcare leader, Karanjeet has provided outstanding patient care, developed innovative operational strategies, and combined both clinical expertise and in-depth business knowledge to promote excellence across all processes. Her ability to build collaborative, team-centric environments while maintaining an acute focus on patient care is the foundation of her success and continues to support her ability to positively impact healthcare.
Previously, Karanjeet was an attending and assistant professor at Baylor Scott & White Health, and before that an internal medicine physician at Carolinas Hospital SystemCarolinas. She earned an MBA in physician executive from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and an MBBS from Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College.
7. Connie Price
Chief Medical Officer, Denver Health
Connie Savor Price is the Chief Medical Officer at Denver Health and a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Prior to becoming the CMO, she served as the chief of infectious diseases and the medical director of infection control and prevention at Denver Health for 13 years. Price is board-certified in internal medicine, infectious diseases, and medical microbiology. Her research and clinical interest focus on healthcare epidemiology and methods to prevent and rapidly detect emerging and antimicrobial-resistant infections.
Price has a track record of successful federal funding as a principal investigator from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. She has published >75 manuscripts and delivered >175 lectures on the prevention of healthcare-associated infectious diseases and related topics. She is active in the Infectious Diseases Society of America, served in an elected position on the board of directors of the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and is a past chair of the American Society for Microbiology section on Healthcare Epidemiology.
Price was the physician representative on the inaugural Colorado Healthcare Associated Infections Advisory Committee for public reporting of healthcare-associated infections for Colorado. She has recognized expertise in outbreak management and has served as a consultant to public health authorities around the world on control of emerging infections, specifically MERS and SARS, as well as Ebola preparedness. Price graduated from Northwestern University - The Feinberg School of Medicine with an MD, from the University of Denver - Daniels College of Business with an MBA, and from Beloit College with an undergraduate degree in biochemistry.
8. Janice Johnston
Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder, Redirect Health
Johnston co-founded Arrowhead Health, now Redirect Health, and is serving as the Chief Medical Officer for the organization. She oversees all medical operations as well as patient experience, spearheading efforts to enhance quality of care while improving administrative efficiencies.
Johnston is integral to both telehealth and in-person clinical operations, continually advancing strategies to improve member service and ensure positive patient outcomes. She has been recognized numerous times by AZ Business Magazine in the categories of Most Influential Women Business Leaders, Outstanding Medical Director, and Telehealth Leader. She was also recognized as a Keeping the Blues Alive award recipient for her work advocating for musicians’ health. Additionally, Johnston is part of the MusicCares Provider Network through the Grammy Foundation. She holds an MD from the University of Toronto and is currently a Health Insider for ABC15.
9. Luxme Hariharan
Chief of Ophthalmology & Chief Population Health Officer, Dayton Children's Hospital
Luxme Hariharan is the Chief of Ophthalmology and Chief Population Health Officer at Dayton Children's Hospital. She is building a division of pediatric ophthalmology, optometry, opticians, and childhood blindness prevention at the hospital. Hariharan and her teams are reinventing the pathway to eye health for children, from prevention to early detection, to screening, glasses, access, surgery, and integrated care.
As an accomplished global researcher and child health advocate, Hariharan has a passion for international health that is deeply rooted in her own background. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and she has written textbook chapters on childhood blindness prevention. Hariharan’s life and career passion is to create and scale effective programs and policies to prevent, diagnose, and treat childhood vision disorders both locally and abroad. Specifically, she has experience in policy, advocacy, and governance, working with ministries of health on the implementation of childhood blindness prevention programs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and with the United Nations’ World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.
As part of the University of Wisconsin’s competitive medical scholar program, Hariharan majored as an undergraduate in biology, as well as Spanish and Caribbean studies. She earned her medical degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison. She completed a residency in ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania/Scheie Eye Institute in Philadelphia, followed by a fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine/Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Hariharan then pursued an additional fellowship in pediatric cornea, cataract, and glaucoma with an emphasis on international health at the University of Southern California Gayle and Edward Roski Eye Institute at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She also holds an MPH with an emphasis on global and child health policy from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. Hariharan is board-certified in ophthalmology. She is a member and serves on several committees within the American Academy of Ophthalmology, The American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology, and Strabismus; and sits on the board of directors of Combat Blindness International.
10. Kelly Roy
Chief Medical Officer, CrossBay Medical
Kelly Roy is the Chief Medical Officer of CrossBay Medical, a women’s health company that believes 51% of the world’s population is grossly underserved due to the state of trans-cervical uterine health products. Roy is a specialist in surgical gynecology and advanced laparoscopy, robotics, and hysteroscopy. She is a long-time resident of Arizona and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical engineering at Arizona State University before finishing her Doctorate of Medicine at the University of Arizona. She also attended Northern Arizona University where she studied the arts as a piano performance major. Roy completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the then Good Samaritan Hospital (now Banner University Medical Center), in Phoenix, Arizona.
Well known for her surgical ability, she is teaching faculty in the residency program at both Banner University Medical Center and Creighton Medical School and is a clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Roy has taught advanced surgical techniques to medical students, residents, surgical fellows, and colleagues for over 20 years.
She is the founder, managing partner, and medical director of ARIZONA GYNECOLOGY CONSULTANTS which opened in 2006, a practice dedicated to providing specialty surgical and ambulatory gynecology care to women. In 2009, she opened GYNESURGICAL, a state-licensed, AAAASF-certified, and Medicare-certified ambulatory surgery center in order to provide a setting for women to have advanced minimally invasive procedures in a supportive and intimate environment.
11. Nevena Zubcevik
Chief Medical Officer, Invisible International
Nevena Zubcevik is the Chief Medical Officer of Invisible International, a nonprofit organization working at the intersection of healthcare innovation, education, and access. Zubcevik is a Harvard-trained and board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician with experience in biotechnology, education, and innovation, offering both academic and industry perspectives. Her skills span healthcare, biotech, regulatory affairs, clinical research, medical education, innovation, patient care, and healthcare value.
Zubcevik's experience as a device CMO and medtech advisor in the space of chronic illness and brain injury has her engaged as a KOL in the space of biotech. She serves as an expert witness, educator, and innovator in disruptive technologies and collaborations for the betterment of humanity. Zubcevik graduated from Touro University California with an MD in osteopathy, from the University of California, San Francisco with an MS in physical therapy, and from Texas Lutheran University with an undergraduate degree in biology.
12. Daniela Ferrara
Principal Medical Director, Genentech
Daniela Ferrara received her medical degree summa cum laude from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, one of the most prestigious universities in South America. During medical school, she joined a research group from the Biophysics Institute and conducted laboratory research projects on macromolecular metabolism. She completed a surgical internship and ophthalmology residency at the same University, followed by a master’s degree in ophthalmology. Ferrara completed her training at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, achieving a PhD degree in ophthalmology and visual sciences. Ferrara moved to the US in 2006 to complete a research fellowship in Medical Retina at the Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital affiliated with New York University, and since then she has been working on multimodal imaging analysis for clinical trials on retinal diseases. Ferrara’s training and career are shaped to bring together basic research and clinical challenges.
Ferrara’s major research interests include imaging of the posterior segment of the eye, and multimodal imaging analysis on pathological conditions of the vitreous, retina, and choroid. As assistant professor of ophthalmology at Tufts University School of Medicine, Ferrara is currently involved with the Optical Coherence Tomography Team at the New England Eye Center, a multidisciplinary group that promotes the scientific contribution in a clinical setting between retina specialists and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
As Principal Medical Director in the Clinical Science team of Genentech, one of the largest biotech companies worldwide, Ferrara participates in the development and execution of clinical initiatives within the Clinical Ophthalmology group. She is a key contributor in building an integrated plan for late product development, providing support and clinical guidance, and assessing future opportunities to advance the science and address unmet needs in ophthalmology.
13. Stephanie Coyne
Doctor of Physician Assistant, Veterans Administration
Stephanie Coyne, Lead Clinician for the Western Market VISN 4, continues to advocate on a micro and macro level to increase access to specialty care for veterans in rural areas. Responsible for developing, collaborating, and implementing clinical programs, Coyne has worked to reduce the reliance on community care needs by strategically placing specialists directly onsite or accessible virtually to rural veterans. These programs offer veterans continuity of care, a whole team collaborative approach to their healthcare, and more. Many of the programs implemented by Coyne and her team work to modify risk factors of early-stage disease, reduce burden, and optimize health outcomes. She has been part of several national initiatives that have worked to improve veteran's access to care across the nation. She continues her journey and vision within her role to continue to open specialty care access for veterans on a larger scale.
Before joining the Veterans Administration, Coyne was a surgical physician assistant at UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside. She graduated from the University of Lynchburg with an MD in physician assistant studies and from Chatham University with an MPAS.
14. Tamara Horwich
Medical Director, Cardiac Rehabilitation & Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease, UCLA Health
Tamara Horwich is an attending cardiologist and health sciences clinical professor of medicine/cardiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She is the Medical Director of UCLA's Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, including the Dean Ornish Comprehensive Lifestyle Program for Reversing Heart Disease, Co-Director of the UCLA Women's Cardiovascular Health Center, and an active member of the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center.
Horwich's clinical interests include treating and preventing heart disease in women, cardiac rehabilitation, treating patients with heart failure, and performing and interpreting echocardiograms. Horwich's main research interests include studying obesity, body composition, and cardiovascular disease, as well as risk factors and novel therapies for patients with heart disease, with a focus on women. She has been a grant recipient from the National Institutes of Health, the Heart Failure Society of America, as well as the Iris Cantor Women's Center at UCLA. Horwich graduated from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons with an MD and from UCLA STAR Program with an MS.
15. Ivana Jankovic
Medical Director of Digital Technology, Elevance Health
Ivana Jankovic is the Medical Director of Digital Technology at Elevance Health. She is a board-certified physician who completed subspecialty training in endocrinology at Stanford University. She graduated with the highest distinction from the University of Michigan and obtained her MD at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She subsequently completed her internal medicine residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. She was a founding co-chair of the Housestaff IT Enhancement Council at Stanford. Her current work is focused on developing and implementing AI-based tools for improving patient care. Jankovic graduated from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA with an MD and from the University of Michigan with an undergraduate degree in CMB and Spanish.
16. Sunny Kung
Medical Director, Merrimack Valley Bridge Clinic
Sunny Kung is currently the Medical Director of the new Merrimack Valley Bridge Clinic in Haverhill, MA. She completed her addiction medicine fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital in June 2022 with her longitudinal clinic on the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program's CareZone mobile van in Nubian Square Roxbury, MA. She completed her internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital in 2021.
Kung has experience in substance use disorders, value-based healthcare delivery, population health, QI, health equity, racial justice, narrative and op-ed writing, and physician advocacy. She specializes in substance use disorders, chronic diseases, anti-racism, and caring for systematically oppressed people including people who use drugs, immigrants, patients with limited English proficiency, persons experiencing homelessness, and those with experience in the carceral system. Kung earned a BS degree in bioengineering from UC Berkeley with the highest distinction and her MD from the University of Chicago.
17. Heather Sojourner
Community Medical Director Utah, WellBe Senior Medical
Heather Sojourner is a board-certified family physician and fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Sojourner is on a mission to help patients lead meaningful lives and improve access to care for the highest-risk populations. After 16 years of creating and owning a thriving five-physician privately owned medical practice in Utah and being the former US medical director for an international digital health technology company, she is now focusing on making healthcare easier for Utah’s highest-risk Medicare population as the WellBe Senior Medical Utah Medical Director. As an advocate for digital healthcare and other innovative care models, Dr. Sojourner is proud to work within the WellBe care model providing concierge-level home-based primary care to patients struggling with the traditional models of care. She believes in an interdisciplinary team approach to healthcare so leading the Utah WellBe team of nurse practitioners, social workers, pharmacists, and other clinicians is a natural fit for her leadership.
Dr. Sojourner was born and raised in Little Rock, AR where she attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville for her undergraduate degree and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock for medical school. She then completed the Virginia Commonwealth University Riverside Regional Family Medicine Residency Program in Newport News, VA. Dr. Sojourner moved to Utah in 2005 where she happily resides with her husband, kids, and three dogs.
Dr. Sojourner currently serves on the American Academy of Family Physicians Commission for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness and the Utah Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors. Other notable roles for Dr. Sojourner include a four-year term as the Intermountain Medical Center Department of Family Medicine chairperson, Salt Lake County Medical Society president, and an active member of both the American Medical Association and Utah Medical Association.
18. Aenor Sawyer
MD, UCSF
Aenor Sawyer has more than two decades of experience in the development and evaluation of health technologies, telemedicine, and remote medical management. Her experience in remote medical management includes 15 years as an Expedition Medic and Medical Advisor for extreme ocean rowers. She also conducts research with the Australian Antarctic Division on remote medical monitoring. Additionally, she has expertise in remote care and Space Health/Medical management as the Director of the UC Space Health Program and previously served as the Chief Health Innovation Officer for the Translational Research Institute for Space Health, a NASA-funded program.
Sawyer is a member of the UCSF IT Governance Committee, Co-Founder and Co-Director of the UCSF Center for Advanced 3D+ Technologies, Co-Founder of the Center for Digital Health Innovation, and a UCSF HEALTH HUB board member. Her external roles also include chair of the MCRI HealthTechnology Advisory Board, advisor to UCSF Invest Fund, advisor to ANDHealth, External Advisory Board Member of the Scripps Translational Sciences Institute, and prior associate editor of Nature’s Digital Medicine Journal.
As a UCSF Orthopedist, she is the Founder and Director of the Skeletal Health Service where she combines her background as an orthopaedic surgeon, physical therapist, and exercise physiologist enabling pediatric to geriatric patients to optimize their bone health across the lifespan. Her career includes 10 years as a Physical Therapist, after which she received an MS in human physiology and her MD from the University of California, Davis. Upon completion of her orthopaedic surgery residency at Stanford University, she completed fellowship training in paediatric orthopaedic surgery and paediatric/adolescent sports medicine, both at Boston Children's Hospital and in the Harvard Orthopaedic program.
19. Kristy Jackson
Medical Director, Centene
Kristy Jackson is the Medical Director of Centene, a leading healthcare enterprise committed to helping people live healthier lives. Centene offers affordable and high-quality products to nearly 1 in 15 individuals across the nation, including Medicaid and Medicare members as well as individuals and families served by the Health Insurance Marketplace and the TRICARE program.
Jackson is a board-certified adult psychiatrist and fellow of the American Psychiatric Association with experience working in inpatient, outpatient, and psychiatric emergency settings. She enjoys treating a diverse patient population with a wide array of emotional and behavioral health issues. She considers it an honor to guide others along their journey to wellness and employs a collaborative treatment approach with her patients. Jackson is also passionate about medical education and currently serves as an adjunct assistant professor at Morehouse School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
Before joining Centene, Jackson was a staff psychiatrist at WellStar Health System and before that a staff psychiatrist at the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Earlier in her career she worked with Morehouse School of Medicine as a psychiatry resident. Jackson graduated from Morehouse School of Medicine with an MD and from Emory University with an undergraduate degree in neuroscience and behavioral biology.
20. Elizabeth Juneman
Medical Director of Advanced Heart Failure and Transplantation, Banner Health
Elizabeth Juneman is the Medical Director of Advanced Heart Failure and Transplantation at Banner Health. She joined the UA faculty in 2007 and worked at Southern Arizona VA Health Care System where she served as director of echocardiography and director of heart failure for eight years. Juneman also served as assistant program director for the Cardiovascular Fellowship Program, while at the Tucson VA. Juneman is currently a key faculty lecturer & co-director in the Cardio-Pulmonary-Renal Block for first-year medical students and she has won multiple teaching awards. She has successfully mentored medical students, residents, fellows, and graduate students. Juneman is also a UA Reynolds Scholar in Applied Geriatrics at the UA Center on Aging.
Juneman received her undergraduate degree in electrical engineering at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where she graduated with honors. She graduated from medical school at the University of Texas - Houston Health Sciences Center in 2000. Juneman’s research interest is focused on mechanical and cellular remodeling in heart failure. She is interested in alterations in left ventricular dysfunction and has collaborated on cellular therapy for heart failure. Her clinical interest is cardiac physiology in the failing heart as well as women’s cardiovascular disease. She has authored multiple manuscripts, editorials, and book chapters as well as serves as principal investigator on multiple clinical trials.
21. Samira Ummat
Medical Director, Longevity Medical Clinic & Bellamedica
Dr. Samira Ummat is a regenerative medicine specialist in Kirkland, WA, with over 20 years of experience in transforming the way people age. She is currently the Medical Director of Longevity Medical Clinic and Bellamedica, an upscale age management practice with several locations in the Puget Sound area of Washington State. She believes in empowering her patients and others with knowledge and tools to transform their health on her popular weekly radio show Leading Edge Medicine and Beautiful You. Dr. Ummat has also appeared on the TV show New Day Northwest with King 5 in Seattle to discuss aging and hormonal balance.
After obtaining her medical degree from a renowned school, she then completed her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation, a field of internal medicine dedicated to helping people heal after injuries, strokes, and complicated medical setbacks. Her goals changed after several years of practice to focus on prevention and well-being and proactively reduce the risk and progression of many diseases. She is certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American Academy of Regenerative Medicine.
Dr. Ummat integrates evidence-based interventions with a comprehensive and proactive approach to patient care. Her specialties include disease prevention, women's and men’s health, hormone replacement therapy, nutritional and metabolic therapy, and exercise physiology. She combines cutting-edge, age management treatments with her mind-body philosophy in patient management. She emphasizes the importance of preventive medicine, focusing on early detection and intervention to address potential health issues before they become more serious. By identifying risk factors and implementing personalized preventive strategies, Dr. Ummat aims to delay the onset of age-related conditions, addressing the unique needs of each individual to help them achieve their goals and enjoy a fulfilling life.
22. Catherine Counard
State Medical Officer, Illinois Department of Public Health
Catherine Counard is the State Medical Officer for the Illinois Department of Public Health. IDPH is one of the state’s oldest agencies with an annual budget of approximately $500M, with headquarters in Springfield and Chicago, and with seven regional offices, three laboratories, and approximately 1,100 employees. Each office operates and supports many ongoing programs and is prepared to respond to emergency situations as they arise.
Counard’s prior positions include director of the Skokie, Illinois municipal health department, assistant medical director for emergency preparedness and communicable disease control at the Cook County Department of Public Health, and serving for seven years as a family physician with the United States Navy. She is dedicated to providing meaningful field practicum experiences for public health students and promoting regional collaboration to reduce health inequities. She has extensive experience with legislative and public policy issues such as improving access to healthcare, tobacco control, food safety, and communicable disease control.
Counard serves on the UIC School of Public Health Executive Advisory Board. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine with an MD, from the University of Illinois Chicago with an MPH, and from the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts with an undergraduate degree in biology.
23. Susana Gonzalez
Medical Director, Takeda
Susana Gonzalez is the Medical Director of Takeda. At Takeda, they aim to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments in their core therapeutic and business areas, including gastrointestinal and inflammation, rare diseases, plasma-derived therapies, oncology, neuroscience, and vaccines.
Gonzalez received her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and her medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School. She completed her internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at the New York Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center. She then completed an additional fellowship in Interventional Endoscopy at New York Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center. Gonzalez has extensive experience in pancreaticobiliary diseases and the diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal cancers. Her clinical work specialized in advanced endoscopic procedures including therapeutic and diagnostic endoscopic ultrasound, fine needle aspiration, endoscopic mucosal resections, radiofrequency ablation, and cryoablation.
24. Dana Mitchell
Group Medical Director, Galaxy palmer
Dana Mitchell serves as Group Medical Director for the Galaxy palmer. In this role, she oversees clinical operations for the south-central region of the US. She also serves as a member of the clinical peer review committee at DaVita.
Mitchell is a practicing nephrologist who serves as CEO of Global Kidney Center in Houston, Texas. She has chaired and served on a variety of professional panels focused on clinical performance, quality, diversity, and inclusion as well as medical ethics. She currently chairs the Nephrology Clinical Performance Committee for the Memorial Hermann Physician Network and is also an active member of the ASN Excellence in Patient Care Committee.
Mitchell received her medical degree from Louisiana State University. She completed her internship and residency at Louisiana State University and her fellowship at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.
25. Nieca Goldberg
Medical Director, Atria New York City
Nieca Goldberg is the Medical Director of Atria New York City. Prior to joining Atria, Goldberg was the medical director of NYU Women’s Heart Program, senior advisor of Women’s Health Strategy at NYU Langone Health, and the founder and medical director of the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health at the NYU Langone Medical Center.
Goldberg continues to serve as a clinical associate professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. A graduate of Barnard College and SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Goldberg completed her medical residency at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center and a cardiology fellowship at SUNY Downstate.
26. Sara Fazio
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Sara Fazio practices general internal medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. At Harvard, she is the Advisory Dean and Director of the Walter Bradford Cannon Society and chairs the Principal Clinical Experience Committee, which oversees the core clinical curriculum and all clerkships. She is the Associate Director of Medical Education at the HMS Center for Primary Care. She directed the BIDMC Internal Medicine clerkship from 1999-2015 and was the CME Editor for the New England Journal of Medicine from 2011-2014. Fazio has received numerous teaching awards including the Best Clinical Teacher award from HMS on three occasions, the S. Robert Stone Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine Educational Program Development Award, and the Society of General Internal Medicine National Award for Scholarship in Medical Education.
Fazio received her undergraduate and medical degree from Brown University magna cum laude. After completing her internal medicine training at the Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, she was a chief resident at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and subsequently completed a Rabkin Fellowship in Medical Education. She has been an advisor in academic societies since 2009 and is passionate about mentorship.
27. Luti Kashimawo
PICU Medical Director & Section Head Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Ochsner Health
Luti Kashimawo is the PICU Medical Director and Section Head of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at Ochsner Health. She earned her medical degree from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife in Nigeria. She completed her internship and practiced at the Massey Street Children's Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, before immigrating to the US. Kashimawo completed her pediatric residency and fellowship in pediatric critical care medicine at the University of Miami and Jackson Memorial Hospital. She is board-certified in general pediatrics as well as pediatric critical care medicine and has been on staff at Ochsner since August 2001 as a pediatric intensive care provider. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine.
Kashimawo is the section head and medical director of the pediatric intensive care unit at Ochsner Hospital for Children. She has been very instrumental in the growth of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and has built a solid team of specialists caring for critically ill children with complex needs and their families. She believes every child should be cared for with respect and compassion.
28. Shifteh Sattar
Medical Director, Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego
Shifteh Sattar is the Medical Director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and the EEG laboratory at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego. In addition to her role as a health professional at the epilepsy center and the EEG lab, she is also an associate clinical professor of neurosciences and pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Sattar is triple board certified in pediatrics, and neurology with special qualifications in child neurology, and epilepsy.
Before her current position providing EEG services, Sattar came to Rady Children's from Miami Children's Hospital where she was trained in surgical approaches for the treatment of epilepsy. As a health professional, the medical director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and the EEG laboratory at Rady Children's, Sattar has built a comprehensive epilepsy surgery program that provides EEG services, with the goal of improving patients' quality of life. Her interest is in identifying epilepsy surgery candidates and tailoring the best surgical treatment option with the consideration of minimally invasive neurosurgical procedures such as the use of robotic stereotactic assistance for implantation of electrodes and laser ablation therapy. Epilepsy surgery after being diagnosed at the EEG lab is a potential option for patients with intractable epilepsy to help reduce or eliminate seizures and Sattar has dedicated her career to helping achieve this for children with epilepsy.
29. Sulin Chung
Medical Doctor, Envision Healthcare
Sulin Chung is the Medical Director of the adult emergency room at Westchester Medical Center for Envision Healthcare. Envision Healthcare is pioneering solutions to the toughest challenges in healthcare. They serve as a partner to help navigate the constantly evolving landscape of healthcare delivery and are vigilantly working with health systems and hospitals to identify opportunities to better serve communities. Chung has over 10 years of experience in emergency medicine at multiple level 1 trauma centers.
Chung is board-certified and licensed in several states to conduct patient care through telemedicine. She is trained in medical aesthetics and certified by AAOPM. In addition to her roles with Envision Healthcare, she is the medical director of Hedera Spa for medical aesthetic consultation and services in the comfort and privacy of clients' homes. Chung has also recently joined the faculty at BP Rehabilitation and Nursing Center providing care for residents undergoing rehabilitation and practicing geriatric medicine. She graduated from Binghamton University with an undergraduate degree in biology and from State University of New York Upstate Medical Center with an MD. She completed her residency in Emergency Medicine at Stony Brook University.
30. Kenyani Davis
Chief Medical Officer, Community Health Center of Buffalo
Kenyani Davis is the Chief Medical Officer of Community Health Center of Buffalo, a Federally Qualified Health Center operating patient centers across Western New York in Erie and Niagara Counties, in addition to a Mobile Healthcare Unit. Davis is a skilled communicator and collaborator committed to the Western New York medical community, specializing in healthcare for underrepresented communities.
Davis believes everyone should have access to quality affordable healthcare and works each day to provide exceptional services at the Community Healthcare Centers of Buffalo. She is an expert in healthcare disparities and social determinants of health. She has traveled across WNY speaking, advocating, and shaping policies that improve the quality of medical care and address the drivers of poor health outcomes. Davis graduated from Ross University School of Medicine with an MD, from the University at Buffalo with an MPH, and from William Penn University with an undergraduate degree in biology.
31. Sacsha T.M. Sanders
Physician Consultant & Territory Manager, Vikor Scientific™
Dr. Sacsha T.M. Sanders made history when she became the first African American from Portage County, Ohio to earn an MD. As a modern-day renaissance woman, she empowers other female physicians to branch into the business of medicine, fostering physician-owned and operated hospitals, pioneering physician-developed medical devices and products as well as drawing focus to the impact of the intersection of biotechnology and medical diagnostics.
Dr. Sanders believes that innovation and entrepreneurship are the driving forces to setting this generation of female physicians apart. Her transformational leadership and commitment to philanthropy have had an international and local impact. She has participated in missions focused on small islands in the Caribbean as well as serving underprivileged communities in Ohio through various Christian charities and organizations including Emmanuel's Mission which she co-founded with her mother, and the Miss Universe Organization which she holds the title of Miss Ravenna, USA.
32. Alexandra Goetjen
Resident Physician in Family Medicine, New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Alexandra Goetjen is a Resident Physician of Family Medicine at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, a not-for-profit healthcare system serving southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina. A teaching hospital, regional referral center, and Level 2 Trauma Center, NHRMC is dedicated to providing a wide range of health care services. Their mission is to lead their community to outstanding health, a bold statement that reinforces their goal to reach far beyond the walls of their hospitals and into the communities that rely on them for their care.
Goetjen has a demonstrated history of working in clinical and bench lab settings and aims to apply what she has learned to a career in family medicine serving those affected by poor social determinants of health and substance use disorders. Her awards include Outstanding Service to Fellow Students in recognition of her empathy toward others, an NIH F30 Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to support her study of epigenetic factors associated with a predisposition to developing alcohol use disorder, and an MD/PhD Leadership Award for outstanding and lasting contributions to the UConn Health MD/PhD program. She also serves as a volunteer Crisis Text Line counselor for those in need. Goetjen graduated from The University of Connecticut School of Medicine with an MD and PhD in genetics and developmental biology, from the University of Connecticut with an MS in cell and developmental biology, and an undergraduate degree in molecular and cell biology.
33. Diana Chavkin
Infertility Specialist & Reproductive Endocrinologist, Pacific Fertility Center Los Angeles
Dr. Diana Chavkin is a double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and an infertility specialist who is passionate about helping people build their families. She sees patients at Pacific Fertility Center Los Angeles. For over 30 years, people have been choosing the Pacific Fertility Center of Los Angeles, one of the leading fertility clinics in the world. With success rates that are among the best in the nation, they have been a part of over 13,500 happy, healthy births, creating families, and making dreams come true all over the world.
Having struggled with her own infertility, Dr. Chavkin knows the value of a compassionate, transparent, and effective medical team. She offers personalized care with exceptional outcomes. Her approach is holistic and thoughtfully individualized to each patient. She has empowered thousands of families and individuals through fertility treatment and fertility preservation.
34. Kenna Stephenson
Physician for Primary Care, Northern Arizona VAHCS
Kenna Stephenson, a native Texan, graduated with honors from The University of Texas at Austin, joining the estimated 3% of children orphaned at birth who hold university degrees. At age 5, she declared her desire to become a physician. As a teen she worked in cotton fields, excelled in fast food, and following her 18th birthday, she eagerly became a certified nurse’s aide. She received her last nurse’s aide paycheck on graduation day from medical school. A human artist with an eternal passion for patient care, she thrives on helping others achieve well-being and has cared for over 100,000 patients in diverse settings: on a Marae in rural New Zealand, under triple canopy jungles of Guatemala, inside a mobile unit traversing East Texas minefields, and on a Paramount Pictures’ set.
Stephenson received a Doctor of Medicine degree with Research Honors from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and completed a student clinical research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. Her residency at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center culminated with the Resident’s Resident Award. She is board-certified in Family Medicine, a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, and a member of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. Her career has spanned private practice, community medicine, the creation of a health center for female veterans, employee health, academic medicine, and global health. She has practiced in underserved areas of Texas, Arizona, Belize, Guatemala, Southeast Asia, and New Zealand. Her research has been featured in Family Practice News, Cardiology News, Ob/Gyn News, Medscape, and UK News Digest and she is an award-winning science educator in radio and television. Doctor Kenna currently practices medicine in Northern Arizona and is an associate professor of family, community & preventive medicine at The University of Arizona College of Medicine. Her book, The Gospel of Women’s Health: Awakening Athena Again has received international acclaim.
35. Jamie Engel
Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon, Parkview Medical Center
Jamie Engel is an Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon at Parkview Medical Center. Her clinical interests include polytrauma, complex fracture care, periarticular fractures, nonunions, and pelvic/acetabular fractures. Engel’s experience is primarily within clinical and biomechanical research with national and regional presentations, as well as multiple publications of peer-reviewed articles and a book chapter.
Engel currently serves on committees in the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society, the Orthopaedic Trauma Association, and the ACGME. She is passionate about orthopaedic education and research and the advancement of women in orthopaedics. Previously, she served as an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine where she was responsible for covering trauma calls, operating on complex fractures, teaching residents and medical students, and conducting research. Engel graduated from Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo with an MD and from the University of Notre Dame with an undergraduate degree in science professional studies.
36. Haley Parker
Director of Clinical Operations, Virginia University of Integrative Medicine
Haley Parker is a state board-licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in VA, DC, MD, NJ, and GA. She is a New Mexico State Board Doctor of Oriental Medicine, and a Diplomat in Oriental Medicine certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
Haley received her master’s degree in The Science of Oriental Medicine from Southwest Acupuncture College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her background as a Division 1 athlete contributed to her successful strategy of working with student-athletes on sports-related psychology, competitive performance, and nutritional aspects of their athletic training. Haley’s passion for athletics and physical fitness continued to serve her as she worked as the resident acupuncturist at the prominent El Gancho Racquet and Fitness Club in Santa Fe, New Mexico before she joined Princess Cruise Lines to travel the world for 5 years. Over this time, she became extremely proficient at teaching acupuncture to guests and jump-starting their healing while they were on vacation.
For the past 5 years, Haley worked for Palmercare Chiropractic in two locations in Northern Virginia. She onboarded and coached the newly hired acupuncturists into the company and helped them transition into their businesses. Her passion for teaching was ignited, and she joined the Virginia University of Integrative Medicine in 2021 to teach the practice management and clinical communications curriculum. She is currently serving as the Director of Clinical Operations for the University, overseeing the VA, NJ, and GA locations.
Haley is a board member of the Acupuncture Society of Virginia lobbying for acupuncture advocacy, The NCCAOM Professional Ethics and Disciplinary Committee, and the Acupuncture Advisory Board for the Virginia Board of Medicine. She has worked to represent acupuncturists, as well as the community, in the healthcare system. She is passionate about the acupuncture movement across the legislative and integrative healthcare systems. She is inspired to become more informed and involved through her work with her colleagues in the state and wants to continue to encourage professional networks and group representation across the state, nation, and even further.
37. Heather M. Prendergast
Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs, College of Medicine
Dr. Heather Prendergast is a physician-scientist and leader recognized for developing high-quality medical programs and creating strategic alliances while fostering positive hospital, physician, and community relationships. She has successfully increased engagement through effective retention strategies that focus on developing and mentoring staff, faculty, and students.
Dr. Prendergast's passion and focus have been on minority cardiovascular health, particularly for individuals seeking care within the emergency department, together with community engagement. Her research has been well funded, most notably she has been the recipient of continuous funding since 2007. She currently serves as the principal investigator for the first Randomized Clinical Trial funded by NHLBI focused on addressing asymptomatic undiagnosed/uncontrolled hypertension in a predominantly minority population being discharged from the emergency department.
As a physician-leader, Dr. Prendergast led the efforts to establish the first off-site University of Illinois Multispecialty Ambulatory Clinic in 2020. She also spearheaded the submission to the Illinois Department of Health and Family Services for the Inaugural Healthcare Transformation Initiatives Collaborative on behalf of the University of Illinois Physicians Group, with a subsequent award of $17.2M. This award established the 55th and Pulaski Healthcare Collaborative, the second off-site University of Illinois Multispecialty Ambulatory Clinic.
Dr. Prendergast has received several awards for her work. She received an MD degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and completed a residency in emergency medicine at the University of Maryland Hospital in Baltimore, MD. She received her MPH, Master in Clinical and Translational Science, and MHA from the University of Illinois School of Public Health. She received her MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago Business Liautaud Graduate School.
38. Ilkcan Cokgor
MD, PhD, MarinHealth
Ilkcan Cokgor is the Stroke Director of MarinHealth, assuming the role in May of 2017. She oversees ER, hospitalists, neurologists, physical, occupational therapy, and speech therapy services. Cokgor is responsible for the timeliness and availability of offering every cutting-edge therapy to patients. MarinHealth Medical Center is one of the main stroke centers in the Bay Area and is diamond-certified for the care of patients admitted to MGH.
Cokgor received her MD from Hacettepe University in Ankara, Turkey, and her PhD at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. She completed her residency in neurology at Duke University in North Carolina. She sub-specialized in neuro-oncology after completing her residency and joined the faculty as an assistant professor at Duke University. After moving to the San Francisco Bay Area, she started her practice in San Anselmo, Marin County. In addition, she was a clinical associate in the Department of Neurosurgery at UC Davis until 2006. Cokgor sees patients at Novato Community Hospital as well.
39. Deborah Gilboa
Founder & CEO, Ask Doctor G
Resilience expert, Dr. Deborah Gilboa, teaches individuals, teams, and companies some of the most valuable skills they need to learn - how to transform fear, stress, and anxiety into resilience, productivity, and innovation. Dr. Gilboa is a popular TV guest and a board-certified family physician who frequently appears on top television programs including TODAY, Good Morning America, and The Doctors. She is also a contributor to the Washington Post, The New York Times, Huffington Post, Forbes, and other print and digital outlets. Dr. Gilboa is the author of five self-development books, which include From Stressed to Resilient: The Guide to Handle More and Feel It Less.
Popularly known in the wellness world as “Dr. G.,” Dr. Gilboa helps companies foster resiliency in the workplace by teaching professionals how to develop the skills they need to cope with difficult events, daily pressures, and trauma they may face on the job or at home. She collaborates with a broad range of brands that include Westinghouse, the Young President’s Organization, Boy Scouts of America, and the Foundation for Alcohol Responsibility.
A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine and Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. G. serves a highly diverse, multilingual population in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the Squirrel Hill Health Center. She is also a clinical associate professor for the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and has received many awards for clinical excellence in teaching including the Alpha Omega Alpha Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award. Fluent in American Sign Language, Dr. Gilboa’s work with the Deaf community has received national recognition, as well as being the focus of her service as an Albert Schweitzer Fellow. An alumna of Second City Improv Theater in Chicago, she has a great sense of humor that has earned her the appreciation of audiences and patients alike. Past clients note her ability to positively impact corporate culture, help them navigate change without pain, and cut through complex subjects in a clear and entertaining manner.
40. Vivien Tham
Ophthalmologist & Medical Director, Pacific Vision Institute of Hawaii
Vivien Tham is the Ophthalmologist and Medical Director of the Pacific Vision Institute of Hawaii. Tham prides herself in the genuine way she interacts with her patients and always treats every patient with the same level of care, detail, and surgical excellence as she would give to her own family. Ophthalmology is her passion and it shines through in every interaction she has with her patients.
Tham has performed thousands of cataract and refractive surgeries, including many on colleagues and their family members. She is also actively training future doctors and ophthalmologists as an assistant clinical professor at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at UH. In addition to her busy practice and teaching schedule, Tham continues researching the latest innovations in techniques and technology through projects with leading academic centers. She graduated from the Royal Free Hospital, School of Medicine, University of London with an MBBS.
41. Aarti Singla
Interventional Pain Physician, Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
Aarti Singla is passionate about helping people regain their active lifestyles. She specializes in providing comprehensive non-surgical care for spine-related issues, joint pain, and a wide variety of pain syndromes. She is dual board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, pain medicine, and independent medical examinations and is an integral member of the Beacon Spine care team. Singla embraces a comprehensive approach to patient care, customizing each treatment plan to her patients’ specific needs. Her practice is mainly referral-generated from primary care providers, specialists, and patients. At her disposal is a wide variety of options, including interventional pain procedures, regenerative treatments, medications, therapy, bracing, and patient education.
Singla has additional certification in independent medical examinations from the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners. She conducts independent medical examinations, serves as an expert witness, and reviews records. Singla attended an accelerated program for undergraduate and medical school at Northeastern Ohio Medical University and completed her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. She further advanced her training and education by completing a fellowship in pain management at the University of Kentucky. Previously, she worked for a private practice orthopaedic group in St. Louis and Cincinnati and served as medical director of an inpatient rehabilitation unit prior to joining Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine.
42. Allyson Shrikhande
Chief Medical Officer, Pelvic Rehabilitation Medicine
Dr. Allyson Shrikhande is a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, Chief Medical Officer of Pelvic Rehabilitation Medicine, and an expert in women’s and men’s health and sexual health. A leading expert on pelvic health and a respected researcher, author, and lecturer, Dr. Shrikhande is a recognized authority on female and male pelvic pain diagnosis and treatment. Formerly affiliated with Weill Cornell, Shrikhande helped to found the Weill Cornell Medical Center Women’s Health Musculoskeletal Outpatient Clinic. Dr. Shrikhande is passionate about this cause and dedicated to helping women and men with pelvic pain who often suffer without anyone willing to listen, understand, or find the cause of their pain.
After suffering from persistent pelvic pain herself, Dr. Shrikhande was left feeling unseen by the healthcare system which led her to develop the protocol that is used nationwide by the pelvic pain specialists at PRM to help stop the suffering patients have to endure. Shrikhande founded PRM to serve chronic pelvic pain patients - a population that is often silent and silenced. As a physiatrist treating pelvic pain, she focuses not on a single organ system but on the interplay of the different organ systems in the pelvis with each other and with the muscles and nerves. The treatment she created is safer, more comfortable, and efficacious. The best part? It’s safer for women (who are a majority of PRM's patients - such as those with endometriosis), as it avoids radiation and offers the ability for patients to receive treatment and go on with their day. PRM is proud to be the only national organization of pelvic pain specialists that offers a unique and comprehensive ultrasound-guided approach to the pelvis - the first of its kind in the country.
For Shrikhande, her passion is in validating patients' symptoms and letting them know they aren't alone, even if they feel they are - something PRM sees so often being on the front lines of endometriosis. She loves to help them connect the dots to come up with a treatment plan to get them on their way to living their life again, along with educating them and reminding them that the pain they’re feeling is not in their head, that this is real, and there is a plan to get them on a better path.
43. Rohini Bogineni
Chief of Staff & Trauma Medical Director, Doctors Medical Center of Modesto
Rohini Bogineni is a practicing trauma and general surgeon. She has been the Chief of Staff for Doctors Medical Center as well as the Trauma Medical Director for their busy Level 2 ACS-verified Trauma Center for the past 5 years. A very skilled and compassionate surgeon, Bogineni has over 20 years of experience in general surgery with a special interest in advanced robotic surgery. She is among one of the busiest female robotic surgeons in the Central Valley area of California. Bogineni also has a special interest in endocrine surgery for thyroid and parathyroid pathology. She has held various leadership roles and strived to work hard not only in the field of trauma and general surgery but also towards improving the processes geared towards the overall quality of care for surgical patients. She has served as the past chairman of the Department of Surgery and was instrumental along with other physician leaders in reshaping surgical care during the COVID pandemic.
Bogineni obtained her MD from the prestigious Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, India. She trained in general surgery at the Worcester Warwickshire BST program in the UK for 3 years prior to her move to the United States. Her general surgery residency was at the Bronx Lebanon Hospital in New York before completion at the Carolinas Medical Center, affiliated with Wake Forest School of Medicine. She has also served as the cancer liaison physician for the Cancer Committee for Doctors Medical Center. In addition to her surgical practice, Bogineni serves as the secretary at Stanislaus Medical Society and has been on the board of directors for the Medical Society. She is a board-certified general surgeon by the American Board of Surgery and a current fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
44. Christie-Michele Hogue
CEO & Founder, Mouth Mirrors
Dr. Christie-Michele Hogue is a dental clinician, researcher, educator, and author. She has devoted over a decade of service to our nation’s veterans as a dental clinician with the VAMC. She previously served as a dental research investigator at the Miami VA Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center. Dr. Hogue's research focuses on cultural competence and health literacy for minority veterans to address oral health disparities. Her areas of interest include oral health and frailty, preventative/behavioral dentistry, dental ageism, oral health literacy, oral health disparities, health equity, and cultural competency. As a dental clinician, she is passionate about patient education and sharing the correlation between oral and systemic health. As a dental researcher, she hopes to enhance and innovate interactive models of care to empower patients to participate in their healthcare through knowledge and behavior modifications.
She is the CEO and Founder of Mouth Mirrors LLC, an online education company, established to help bridge the gap through knowledge and education with an interdisciplinary approach to learning. The overall goal is to encourage health professionals to render compassionate, competent, comprehensive care for the oral health of our most vulnerable older populations. Dr. Hogue is also the host of the Aging Pearls Podcast.
Dr. Hogue is a distinguished fellow of the American Geriatric Society. She completed an advanced fellowship in geriatrics focusing on geriatric research, education, and clinic care at Bruce W. Carter Miami VA. She completed her general practice residency in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan at the John D. Dingell Veteran Affairs Medical Center. She graduated from Howard University College of Dentistry earning a Doctor of Dental Surgery. She completed her undergraduate studies at Tennessee State University graduating with a Bachelor of Science.
45. Vandana Palagiri
Medical Director, Virginia Premium Medical Care
Vandana Palagiri is the Medical Director of Virginia Premium Medical Care. At Virginia Premium Medical Care they are committed to providing compassionate and comprehensive care for all members of the family. Their goal is to deliver the very best, most cost-effective, and compassionate healthcare to all their patients.
Palagiri is the leading physician serving patients in Fairfax and Loudoun counties, coordinating their care in hospitals and nursing homes, outpatient, and medical house calls. She is a board-certified internal medicine internist, and a certified medical director and has been in practice since 2011. Consistently precise and thorough during consultations, she is committed to giving the best care and establishing long-lasting relationships with patients. Palagiri graduated from Sri Venkateswara University with an MD and from Siddartha Medical College with an undergraduate degree.
46. Kara Hartl
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Troy Medical
Kara Hartl is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Troy Medical. Hartl has been practicing medicine in Fairbanks, Alaska for almost 15 years where she has witnessed firsthand the challenges of obtaining medical treatment. She created Troy Medical with the belief that everyone should have access to excellent medical care, no matter where they live. Troy Medical is a new approach to telemedicine with the goal of bringing medical specialists from all over the country to remote and medically underserved communities using technology. Troy Medical provides an enhanced telemedicine experience using a hybrid of online and in-person care.
Previously, Hartl was an ophthalmology resident at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. She earned an MD from UC San Diego School of Medicine and an undergraduate degree in biology from Harvard University.
47. Alexis Anvekar
Founder & Concierge Physician, The Leela Integrative Medicine Center
Dr. Alexis Anvekar is a Concierge Integrative Medicine Doctor with a solo medical practice in Pasadena, California. She is board-certified with the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine, the American Board of Internal Medicine, and the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons.
Dr. Anvekar was raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was not allowed to attend college due to her gender, so she left home at age 18 and financed 100% of her room, board, and education. She recalls many nights sleeping in her car for the first couple of years and states that her inspiration came from famous quotes of people who were once struggling like her. She told herself every single day, “I’m giving it 110% today because I’m quitting tomorrow.”
Dr. Anvekar graduated with honors from UC San Diego, obtaining degrees in biochemistry and cell biology, with a minor in psychology. She graduated from the USC School of Medicine and was the sole student in her medical school class selected into USC’s highest secret honor society. As a senior at the medical school, she was invited along with the top 0.01% of graduating seniors to complete a coveted leadership fellowship called the USC Presidential Fellowship run by USC's Marshall School of Business.
Anvekar was very active in leadership roles throughout college and medical school, including roles as student body president, student body VP, editor-in-chief for the college newspaper, co-editor-in-chief of the medical school newspaper, co-founder of Student Organization for the Medical Awareness of AIDS, delegate for American Medical Association and American Medical Women's Association (AMWA). She received a national leadership award with AMWA given to the most promising female physician-in-training in the country.
48. Melissa Rosenhan
Certified Physician Associate, Schweiger Dermatology Group
Melissa Rosenhan is a Certified Physician Assistant at Schweiger Dermatology Group. As a clinician, she takes pride in seeing patients of all ages for both medical and cosmetic treatments. She believes and practices medicine in accordance with the strong correlations between self-confidence, overall health, wellness, and quality of life allowing for a holistic approach to her care. She focuses on a patient-centered approach, aiming to address each patient’s concerns by understanding motivations and adequately educating each patient with each visit.
Rosenhan graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in biochemistry. From there, she earned her MPH from New York University, focusing on community and international healthcare, education, and healthcare management. Her passion has always been attributed to clinical medicine, namely dermatology. As such, she went on to receive her master’s degree in physician assistant studies from Stony Brook University. She completed clerkships in psychology, obstetrics/gynecology, general surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, orthopedics, outpatient medicine, geriatrics, emergency medicine, and dermatology. In addition, she went on a medical mission to Honduras, where was given the opportunity to serve underprivileged communities from a public health and clinical medicine standpoint. During her two years at Stony Brook, Rosenhan served her class as the House of Delegate representative of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. She completed a dermatology residency program at Schweiger Dermatology Group, where she trained alongside top dermatology clinicians in medical and cosmetic treatments and surgical interventions. Melissa is a member of the New York State Society of Physician Assistants, the American Academy of Physician Assistants, and the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants.
49. Shira Weiss
Medical Director, Safe Travels
Shira Weiss is the Medical Director of Safe Travels. She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the suburbs. Weiss graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor of Science in microbiology. She attended medical school at Ben Gurion University of the Negev’s Medical School for International Health in Beer-Sheva, Israel. It was during that time that her interest in international health developed. She then spent a few months working in a hospital and rural clinic in Western Kenya to complete her international health training. Weiss completed her pediatric residency training at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland where she was also chosen to serve as chief resident for an additional year. She then spent a few years as a pediatric hospitalist in Montgomery County, Maryland before joining a thriving private pediatric practice in the area.
50. Robin Kroll
Medical Director, Seattle Clinical Research Center
Robin Kroll is the Medical Director of Seattle Clinical Research Center, a dedicated clinical trial investigative site. SCRC has successfully executed hundreds of multi-specialty Phase I-IV medical device and biopharma clinical trials since 1991 and has particular expertise in women’s health-related drugs and medical devices as well as migraine and vaccine studies.
Kroll is a leader in women's health and has been practicing in Seattle since 1986. She is certified and recertified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Kroll holds certification as a menopause clinician by the North American Menopause Society. Her special interests include menopause, vulvar disorders, and female sexual dysfunction.
She is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has also been selected by her peers to be included in Best Doctors™ and has been named in Top Doctors by Seattle Magazine. Kroll lectures frequently throughout the country on topics such as perimenopause, menopause, female sexual medicine, and state-of-the-art developments in contraception and hormone replacement. She graduated from the Medical College of Pennsylvania with an MD and from LaSalle College with an undergraduate degree in biology.