Maureen G. Phipps, MD, MPH, FACOG, Joins the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as CEO

Washington, DC—Today, Maureen G. Phipps, MD, MPH, FACOG, assumed the role of CEO of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the nation’s leading membership organization of 58,000 ob-gyns and women’s health care providers.

“As a longtime ACOG Fellow, I value ACOG as an authority in women’s health,” says Dr. Phipps. “As we chart our path forward as an organization representing women’s health providers in an evolving health care landscape, we have a responsibility to continue our leadership in the pursuit of excellence and the highest-quality care for women.”

As CEO, Dr. Phipps will work with ACOG’s executive board to drive ACOG’s strategic vision, continued organizational growth, and advocacy for the ob-gyn profession and women’s health. She will oversee the execution of ACOG programs and day-to-day operations and provide leadership to more than 250 staff members with the help of her executive team.

Building on her experience as the chair of a large department composed of hospital-based and community-based ob-gyns, midwives, nurse practitioners, and medical trainees, Dr. Phipps’ vision for the future of ACOG highlights the role of the ob-gyn in team-based care to support women’s health: “As the physicians dedicated to caring for women, it’s important that ob-gyns lead in our collaborative relationships with clinicians and providers to improve the lives of women.”

This leadership extends across ACOG’s membership. “Having spent much of my career working with future obstetrician-gynecologists, I am committed to mentoring the next generation of women’s health leadership,” says Dr. Phipps. “It is critically important to grow leaders who can support and improve women’s health outcomes in the years to come.”

Dr. Phipps stresses that support for ACOG’s membership comes in many forms, including education, practice management, clinical practice, and advocacy, saying, “As we confront challenges as an organization, we must remain focused on one overarching goal: trying to improve the lives of all women. This means giving members the tools and training that they need to communicate with women about their health, to deliver care effectively and efficiently, and to sustain their own practices and careers.”

Dr. Phipps comes to ACOG from the Women & Infants Hospital and the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, where she was department chair, held the Chace-Joukowsky professorship, and was assistant dean for Teaching and Research in Women’s Health. She was also the executive chief of obstetrics and gynecology for the Care New England Health System.

As an ACOG Fellow, Dr. Phipps has held many roles during her tenured career in obstetrics and gynecology. She is past chair of ACOG’s Committee on Health Care for Underserved Women and a member of the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative advisory panel, the Committee on Practice Bulletins for gynecology, the Scientific Program Committee, the Committee on Industrial Exhibits, and the Evidence-Based Medicine Expert Work Group for gynecology.

Dr. Phipps has held leadership roles with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Foundation for Exxcellence in Women’s Health, the Council of University Chairs in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the American Gynecological and Obstetrical Society and has been celebrated on numerous occasions as an outstanding teacher and mentor. She has been recognized nationally with the ACOG Mentor Award for District I, the Council on Residency Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Excellence in Teaching Award.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is the nation’s leading group of physicians providing health care for women. As a private, voluntary, nonprofit membership organization of more than 58,000 members, ACOG strongly advocates for quality health care for women, maintains the highest standards of clinical practice and continuing education of its members, promotes patient education, and increases awareness among its members and the public of the changing issues facing women’s health care. www.acog.org