Committees

District IX has six standing committees: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Global Health; Health Care for Underserved Women; Patient Safety and Quality Improvement; Physician Wellness; and State Legislation. Most of the committees' work is done via email and conference calls throughout the year, with occasional in-person meetings (one to two per year).

Committees consist of approximately 25 members. Committee Chairs are appointed by the District Chair. Committee terms are typically one year, renewable up to three years and can be extended at the Chair’s discretion. Each committee also has a Junior Fellow chair.

Committee membership is open to Fellow and Junior Fellow members. Applications are reviewed at the end of each year for committee appointments beginning the following January. To be considered, submit your CV and letter of interest to Michelle Clark, District IX Manager, at mclark@acog.org by November 30.

If you want to apply for more than one committee, please submit a separate letter for each committee. Committee membership is limited to no more than two committees per person in order to maximize opportunities for participation among District members.

Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The DEI committee seeks to promote health equity and to address the ways racism affects the obstetrician–gynecologist workforce as well as health outcomes for patients.

Co-Chairs

Cat Cansino, MD

Deirdre Logan, MD

Shayna Vega, MD

Committee on Global Health

Aims to promote resource sharing and educational opportunities around global health challenges unique to women. The committee advocates for high quality health care for women and families around the world.

Co-Chairs

Juliana Melo, MD, MS

Minako Watabe, MD

Mariana Ramos-Rivera, MD (Junior Fellow Co-Chair)

Committee on Health Care for Underserved Women

This committee works to identify health care issues that affect underserved women and recommends solutions and activities for District IX involvement.

Co-Chairs

Tania Basu Serna, MD, MPH

Eve Zaritsky, MD

Negar Hosseinifar, DO (Junior Fellow Co-Chair)

Committee on Physician Wellness

This committee works to further ACOG’s goal of providing quality care to patients by actively promoting physician wellness, realizing that a healthy and happy physician serves as a role model and provides higher quality care to patients.

Co-Chairs

Mibhali Bhalala, MD

Laurie Gregg, MD

Marie Boller, MD (Junior Fellow Co-Chair)

Committee on State Legislation

This committee reviews pertinent legislation and regulations and recommends positions to the Advisory Council.

Co-Chairs

Kelly McCue, MD

Yen Truong, MD, MPH

Joyce Sutedja, MD (Junior Fellow Co-Chair)

Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Committee

This committee engages health care clinicians, organizations, and policymakers to help establish an environment of patient safety that optimizes outcomes for women and infants.

Co-Chairs

Susan Crowe, MD

DJ Singh, MD

Allyson Jang, MD (Junior Fellow Co-Chair)