ACOG's COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence Champions
ACOG is proud to feature the following physician cohort for their work as COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence Champions. As trusted sources of information, ob-gyns have unique opportunities to educate colleagues, patients, and communities about the safety and benefits of COVID-19 vaccines.
These Champions demonstrate exceptional progress toward increasing COVID-19 immunization rates among pregnant people. This includes sharing ACOG’s Inform to Empower: Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence One Conversation at a Time training and tools to inspire their ACOG peers and other women’s health care clinicians to engage in confident COVID-19 vaccine conversations to help increase vaccine uptake among patients.
COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence Champions
Layan Alrahmani, MD, FACOG
Layan Alrahmani, MD, FACOG, is a board-certified obstetrician–gynecologist, maternal–fetal medicine specialist, and assistant professor at the Loyola University of Chicago concentrating in the care of high-risk pregnancies. She manages a wide range of maternal and fetal high-risk conditions, with a particular interest in diagnostic fetal ultrasound, fetal diagnostic procedures, and maternal disease. She views technology as a way to educate and mentor her more than 20,000 social media followers on maternal–fetal medicine, women’s reproductive rights, and physician wellness and burnout.
Carol Archie, MD, FACOG
Carol Archie, MD, FACOG, is an ob-gyn who specializes in maternal fetal medicine in Los Angeles, California, and is an associate professor at UCLA. Dr. Archie's goal and passion is to help pregnant people deliver healthy babies. She prioritizes women's health and helps families with complicated pregnancies. In addition to direct patient care, Dr. Archie helps oversee the training of medical students, resident physicians, and maternal fetal medicine fellows. She has been recognized for her community work, which is a vital part of her personal mission. Dr. Archie is also the current board member and past board chair of the Venice Family Clinic, recognized as the country's largest free clinic.
Kevin Ault, MD, FIDSA, FACOG
Kevin Ault, MD, FIDSA, FACOG, is a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. In 2021, Ingram's Magazine recognized Dr. Ault as the "Top Doctor" in Kansas City, Kansas. His research interests include maternal immunization, infectious diseases, and HPV vaccine development and immunology. In 2018, Dr. Ault was appointed to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for a four-year term. He is one of the few physicians in the United States that holds fellowships with both the Infectious Disease Society of America and ACOG. During the pandemic, Dr. Ault has appeared on multiple local and national news outlets and used his social media channels to educate about the importance of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy.
Komal Bajaj, MD, MS-HPEd, FACOG
Komal Bajaj, MD, MS-HPEd, FACOG, is chief quality officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi in the Bronx, New York and professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Bajaj serves as clinical director for NYC Health Hospitals Simulation Center and co-chairs the Health Equity Monitoring and Evaluation subcommittee for NYC Health Hospitals. She considers herself an agency-building warrior for equitable health and care and is passionate about ingraining equity into quality/safety structures. She is a member of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's National Advisory Committee and is on the Board of Trustees for the Center for Medical Simulation.
Richard Bardowell, MD, FACOG
Richard Bardowell, MD, FACOG, is a board-certified ob-gyn in Burbank, California. In addition to his private practice, he is affiliated with Glendale Adventist Medical Center and Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, where he serves as medical director of the maternity center and chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Bardowell provides compassionate and individualized care to his patients, making sure they experience the best health possible at every stage of development—from puberty to menopause. In 2015, Dr. Bardowell was recognized as an ACOG immunization champion. He improved immunization programs and established a culture of vaccine confidence by working to reduce barriers to vaccination and increasing immunizations among his patients.
Amy M. Burkett, MD, FACOG
Amy M. Burkett, MD, FACOG, is an ob-gyn hospitalist and centering pregnancy facilitator with Cleveland Clinic Akron General in Ohio. She serves as ACOG's District V legislative chair and immediate past Ohio section chair. In October 2021, Dr. Burkett answered questions live about COVID-19 vaccines in a webinar hosted by the Ohio Department of Health, "COVID-19 and COVID-19 Vaccines During Pregnancy, Lactation, and Infancy," and encouraged the participants to get a COVID-19 vaccine as a preventive and protective measure for severe illnesses of pregnant women and family members. Dr. Burkett views COVID-19 vaccines as a powerful and protective step to protect pregnant women, other vulnerable populations—such as cancer patients, the babies she delivers, and young children—and their families during the pandemic.
Camille A. Clare, MD, MPH, CPE, FACOG
Camille A. Clare, MD, MPH, CPE, FACOG, is a board-certified ob-gyn and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Downstate Health Sciences University in New York. She has held leadership roles as a member of the National Medical Association. She has served on the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's COVID-19 Perinatal Task Force and the ACOG Ethics Document Review Panel. As ACOG District II and Industrial Exhibits Committee chair, Dr. Clare understands the importance of sharing the unique effects COVID-19 has on pregnancy. She has participated in COVID-19 webinars and town hall meetings designed to share evidence-based information on COVID-19 vaccine uptake in pregnant people and highlight issues such as vaccine equity, mis- and disinformation, and safety and effectiveness.
Shannon M. Clark, MD, MMS, FACOG
Shannon M. Clark, MD, MMS, FACOG, is a dual board-certified ob-gyn and professor in maternal-fetal medicine at University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston, Texas. She is an educator, researcher, and clinician with a passion for taking care of high-risk and complicated pregnancies. She has a large social media following and hosts a podcast entitled, "A Doctor Delivers," which she uses to guide people from conception to parenthood using her medical expertise, personal experiences, and help from other medical experts. During the pandemic, Dr. Clark used her platform to share information about COVID-19 vaccines and pregnancy, so people who were pregnant or planning to become pregnant, could make informed decisions about vaccination and their health.
Aaron Elkin, MD, FACOG
Aaron Elkin, MD, FACOG, is an ob-gyn in Hollywood, Florida, and is affiliated with Aventura Hospital and Medical Center and the Unified Women's Healthcare OB/GYN, a private practice group. Currently he chairs ACOG's Educational Committee and is an ACOG 2021 immunization champion. Early in the pandemic, Dr. Elkin created one of the first COVID-19 drive-through vaccination centers in the United States. Florida healthcare practitioners and those in contact with the essential healthcare workers were some of the first to receive vaccines while in their cars. Participants included state paramedics, fire rescue workers, and the National Guard. Dr. Elkin, in collaboration with his partners, the Broward County Medical Association and the Florida Department of Health, administered more than 500 vaccines.
Candice Fraser, MD, FACOG
Candice Fraser, MD, FACOG, is an ob-gyn with more than 12 years of experience caring for women of all ages in Harlem, New York. Dr. Fraser is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside, and Mount Sinai West Hospitals. As an ACOG fellow, she serves as the Women's Health Medical Director at Juno Medical, and she is the co-founder and chief medical officer at Kiira Health. Dr. Fraser is passionate about empowering women and seeks to effect positive change in her patients. She has also written articles about adolescent contraception barriers and prenatal nutrition.
Joseph M. Gobern, MD, MBA, FACOG
Joseph M. Gobern, MD, MBA, FACOG, is a surgeon and system chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Main Line Health in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. Dr. Gobern co-chaired their COVID-19 Vaccine Ambassador Program dedicated to organize, train, and educate colleagues and staff about accurate information on COVID-19 vaccines for employees, as well as vulnerable and hesitant populations. His interests include racial and ethnic disparities, minimally invasive robotic surgery, and chronic pelvic pain. With more than 25 years of experience, Dr. Gobern is a physician executive who leverages organizational strengths to address healthcare gaps to achieve equitable care and favorable patient experiences. As a 2021 recipient of ACOG's Immunization Champion Award, Dr. Gobern was recognized for demonstrating exceptional progress in increasing immunization rates among adults and pregnant individuals.
Howard Herrell, MD, FACOG
Howard Herrell, MD, FACOG, is an ob-gyn at Greeneville Community Hospital West in Tennessee. He is a tenured associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at East Tennessee State University's College of Medicine. Dr. Herrell is an ACOG diplomat and a member of the American Medical Association. He is a prolific writer and has published an e-book entitled, Clinical Reasoning: How Doctors Should Think, He has also authored several scientific articles and howardisms.com, a website dedicated to a wide range of medical topics. In 2018, Dr. Herrell wrote a compelling post encouraging childhood vaccination. His podcast, Thinking About OB/GYN, offers an evidence-based perspective on obstetrics and gynecology aimed at all medical practitioners.
David Lagrew, MD, FACOG
David Lagrew, MD, FACOG, is a maternal fetal medicine specialist and physician informaticist. Holding triple board certification in Obstetrics/Gynecology, Maternal Fetal Medicine, and Clinical Informatics, Dr. Lagrew serves as medical director of Women's and Children's services for Providence St. Joseph-Southern California. He is a clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UC, Irvine, and president-elect of the Pacific Coast Obstetrical and Gynecological Society. Dr. Lagrew is chair of the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine's Clinical Informatics Committee and a member of the Executive Committees of the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative and California Maternal Data Center. He has worked on numerous national perinatal quality initiatives with focuses on cesarean section rates, maternal hemorrhage, and elective deliveries.
Kristin Lyerly, MD, MPH, FACOG
Kristin Lyerly, MD, MPH, FACOG, is a board-certified ob-gyn in Green Bay, Wisconsin. She specializes in obstetrics and gynecology with an emphasis on minimally invasive surgery. Having practiced in rural and underserved regions of Wisconsin, Dr. Lyerly is committed to ensuring obstetrical service providers throughout the state have the training and resources they need so all mothers and babies have excellent outcomes. Dr. Lyerly promotes mentorship, advocacy, and access to rural obstetrics care through her roles as District VI legislative chair and treasurer. She is an advocate for vaccinating pregnant people against COVID-19 and has spoken about vaccine safety and effectiveness on local news and on her social media channels.
Hayley Miller, MD, FACOG
Hayley Miller, MD, FACOG, is a maternal-fetal medicine clinical fellow at Stanford University where she researches healthcare disparities, labor induction, and family planning. She is passionate about bridging the gap between maternal-fetal medicine and family planning as a means to decrease maternal morbidities and improve healthcare equity. She is the former chair of ACOG's District IX Junior Fellows. Dr. Miller has worked at the state and federal level for legislation that advances maternal healthcare and addresses health disparities. Throughout the pandemic Dr. Miller has worked to advance the health policies that affect access to and education about COVID-19 vaccines. She believes these are essential factors in the fight to keep patients and communities safe.
Marta Perez, MD, FACOG
Marta Perez, MD, FACOG, is assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, and begins a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at UT Austin Dell School of Medicine in August 2022. Dr. Perez is passionate about providing evidence-based perinatal information through her social media channels, where she regularly addresses medical and COVID-19 misinformation. She actively promotes COVID-19 vaccination for her pregnant patients, citing the vaccine's safety, effectiveness, and benefits. Currently, her research is focused on vaccine hesitancy and increasing access to COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant and postpartum patients.
Maria Phillis, MD, JD, FACOG
Maria Phillis, MD, JD, FACOG, is an ob-gyn in Cleveland, Ohio. She is completing her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Case Medical Center Program, where she is specializing in women's reproductive tract, pregnancy, and childbirth. Dr. Phillis currently serves as vice chair for ACOG's Junior Fellow College Advisory Council. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Phillis helped keep District V connected using technology and was recently honored for her commitment and leadership. Her monthly sessions on anti-racism topics have become a model for District V. Before becoming a physician, Dr. Phillis was trial attorney.
Ashanda Saint Jean, MD, FACOG
Ashanda Saint Jean, MD, FACOG, is a board-certified ob-gyn with extensive experience in New York City where she focuses on providing quality care to underrepresented minority women. Dr. Saint Jean is chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at HealthAlliance of Hudson Valley and medical director of Advanced Ob-Gyn Associates at Westchester Medical Center Health Network. She is committed to women's health issues, racial disparities, health equity and inclusion, maternal health safety and policies, teen pregnancy, and telemedicine in maternal health. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Saint Jean's department developed plans to serve their community during this unprecedented crisis. Her team mobilized outpatient operations, consolidated their ob-gyn outpatient practice, and developed a telemedicine structure that provided improved healthcare access.
Mariam Savabi, MD, MPH, FACOG
Mariam Savabi, MD, MPH, FACOG, is a general practitioner at MultiCare Ob-Gyn Associates, with a faculty position at the University of Washington, Tacoma, where she holds a family medicine residency and a fellowship in rural obstetrics. Dr. Savabi is a member of ACOG's Diversity, Equity & Inclusive Excellence Workgroup and serves as Junior Fellow chair for ACOG District VIII. Her clinical interests are reproductive health and justice, LGBTQIA+, and global women's health issues. She is the founder of the Healthcare Anti-oppression Institute and a trained anti-oppression educator. She believes in the importance of an anti-oppressive approach to medicine and uses her skills to treat patients across the gender spectrum.
Barton Staat, MD, Col, USAF, MC (Ret.) FACOG
Barton Staat, MD, Col, USAF, MC (Ret.) FACOG, is a dual board-certified ob-gyn and maternal-fetal medicine specialist with Tri-State Perinatology at The Women's Hospital in Newburgh, Indiana. As a member of the Air Force, he served as the Air Force Surgeon General Consultant for maternal-fetal Medicine and completed several duty assignments before retiring as chair for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Staat is the ACOG Armed Forces District immediate past-chair and prior voting member of the ACOG executive board. He has been on the front lines of the pandemic caring for pregnant patients and is currently developing two manuscripts on the clinical management of pregnant patients infected with COVID-19.
Scott Sullivan, MD, MSCR, FACOG
Scott Sullivan, MD, MSCR, FACOG, is a maternal-fetal medicine sub-specialist and division director at INOVA Health System in Fairfax, Virginia. His research has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. Dr. Sullivan was inducted into the American Gynecologic and Obstetrics Society, an honor society for academic researchers. Harnessing the power of evidence-based guidelines, Dr. Sullivan co-founded the South Carolina Birth Outcomes Initiative (BOI), a perinatal multi-disciplinary care collaborative. In 2016, BOI was recognized as the ACOG national safety project of the year.
Geeta Swamy, MD, FACOG
Geeta Swamy, MD, FACOG, is an ob-gyn and vice dean for Scientific Integrity, and associate vice president for research at Duke University. She has achieved international acclaim as a clinician researcher and expert in maternal immunization and perinatal infection. As a consultant to the World Health Organization, Dr. Swamy works to advance and evaluate the immunogenicity, safety, and efficacy of vaccines in pregnant women. She currently serves as the co-principal investigator for Duke's NIH-NIAID/CDC Vaccine Treatment and Evaluation Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment project. Dr. Swamy has led clinical trials involving influenza, Tdap, GBS, and RSV vaccines during pregnancy. She has extensive experience conducting both epidemiologic and clinical trials involving pregnant people and has received numerous grants covering federal, foundation, and industry-sponsored investigations.
Yen Truong, MD, MPH, FACOG
Yen Truong, MD, MPH, FACOG, is an ob-gyn at San Leonardo Medical Center with experience in women's health, perinatal health, health policy, and public health. As a maternal fetal medicine specialist, Dr. Truong has extensive experience managing high risk pregnancies. She advocates for quality of care in underserved populations, women's health policy and protection, and pregnancy outcome improvements. She is an active member of the ACOG District IX Committee on State Legislation and Advocacy promoting initiatives that improve wome's health. In her practice, Dr. Truong guides her patients with information and resources that help inform decisions for healthy pregnancies. She is an advocate for educating patients about COVID-19 vaccine benefits to prevent serious complications during pregnancy.
Past Champions
Christina Adams, MD, FACOG
Christina Adams, MD, FACOG, is an ob-gyn and the Regional Medical Director for Women’s Care in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Adams is a women’s health advocate with interests in organized medicine and physician leadership. She also serves as ACOG's District XII Section 2 vice chair, where she promotes women's health. Dr. Adams is involved in her community, serving as a member of the board of directors for Hubbard House and as chair of the Department of Women's and Children's Services at Baptist Medical Center Beaches. She is the president-elect of the Jacksonville OB-GYN Society and serves on ACOG's District XII Committee on State Legislation and Professional Liability. Currently, she serves as a delegate to the Florida Medical Association House of Delegates for ACOG.
Anne L. Banfield, MD, FACOG
Anne L. Banfield, MD, FACOG, is an ob-gyn and the Physician Clinical and Administrative Director for MedStar: Women's Health at Leonardtown in Leonardtown, Maryland. Before moving to St. Mary's County, Maryland, Dr. Banfield practiced in West Virginia for 13 years. Dr. Banfield is a past member of the West Virginia Perinatal Partnership's Board of Directors and Central Advisory Council and served as the treasurer for the West Virginia State Medical Association. Dr. Banfield has also served as the National Young Physician-At-Large for ACOG. She sits on the District IV Section Legislative Committee and is the chair of the Subcommittee on Reproductive Access. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Banfield has educated her patients about the myths surrounding COVID-19 vaccines and fertility.
Natalie Dawn Bingham, MD, MPH, FACOG
Natalie Dawn Bingham, MD, MPH, FACOG is a board-certified ob-gyn at Prisma Health OB/GYN in Columbia, South Carolina and a clinical assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of South Carolina, School of Medicine. Dr. Bingham's 20-year career is grounded in her belief that sharing knowledge gives people the tools to change their lives. This is exemplified by her love for teaching people of all ages about sex education and family planning. As ACOG South Carolina's vice chair, legislative chair, and the 2020 McCain Fellow, Dr. Bingham has participated in legislative delegations to Washington, DC and spoken with local and national representatives to work towards removing barriers to quality healthcare.
Katie Borders, MD, FACOG
Katie Borders, MD, FACOG, is an ob-gyn and medical director at Atrium Health Shelby Women's Care in Shelby, North Carolina. Dr. Borders specializes in minimally invasive hysterectomies and contraceptive management. She is passionate about preventing teen pregnancies and eliminating maternal health disparities. Dr. Borders is the chair of ACOG's District IV North Carolina section and regional obstetrics champion for the North Carolina Maternal Health Innovation Grant. She partnered with her colleagues at Atrium Health to produce a video, COVID-19 Vaccine & Pregnancy: What you need to know (YouTube). The video aims to help dispel pregnancy related COVID-19 vaccine concerns and misinformation.
John W. Caravello, MD, FACOG
John W. Caravello, MD, FACOG, is an ob-gyn in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and is affiliated with Saint Mary’s Medical Center. Dr. Caravello holds adjunct clinical professor appointments at both the University of Vermont, College of Medicine and Florida Atlantic University School of Medicine. He is also the clerkship coordinator for third- and fourth-year ob-gyn medical students at St. Mary’s Medical Center. As a member of the Palm Beach Health Network, Dr. Caravello has promoted the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant women. One example is a YouTube video, Pregnancy & COVID-19: Interview with Dr. Caravello of St. Mary's Medical Center, which Dr. Caravello helped create to teach patients how vaccines help prevent severe disease during pregnancy.
Shelly Holmström, MD, FACOG
Shelly Holmström, MD, FACOG, is a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the division of General OB/GYN at the University of South Florida (USF) Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa, Florida. She practices general obstetrics and gynecology at USF, provides care for underserved populations in Hillsborough County, and teaches medical students and resident physicians. As the ACOG District XII chair, Dr. Holmström advocates for her fellow ob-gyn physicians and their patients to help women achieve affordable, equitable and accessible health care. She previously served as her ACOG district chair in 2018 and is passionate about leadership and advocacy in medicine.
Brenna L. Hughes, MD, MSc, FACOG
Brenna L. Hughes, MD, MSc, FACOG, is chief of the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine and vice chair for Quality and Obstetrics at Duke in Durham, North Carolina, and a member of ACOG's Immunization, Infectious Disease, and Public Health Preparedness Expert Work Group. She also serves as the co-chair of ACOG'S COVID-19 task force and is involved in sharing safety and efficacy data and guidance about COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. In her recent research, entitled "Coronavirus Disease 2019 vaccines in pregnancy," Dr. Hughes and her colleagues address the best strategies to access and safely administer COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant populations.
Denise Jamieson, MD, CAP, MC USPH, FACOG
Denise Jamieson, MD, CAP, MC USPH, FACOG, is chair of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics and chief of gynecology and obstetrics for Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, Georgia. As an ob-gyn, her work focuses on emerging infectious diseases in pregnancy. She serves on several ACOG committees, including the Immunization, Infectious Disease, and Public Health Preparedness Work Group, the HIV Work Group, and the Obstetric Practice Bulletin committee. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated exemplary leadership in research, teaching, and patient care and was recently named the James Robert McCord Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Emory School of Medicine. She has been a practicing ob-gyn at Grady Hospital in Atlanta for 22 years, where she helped launch an initiative to increase maternal immunization rates.
Amy Kelley, MD, FACOG
Amy Kelley, MD, FACOG, is an ob-gyn in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Dr. Kelley is affiliated with Sanford Women’s Health and Sanford Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic. She specializes in pediatric and adolescent gynecology, family planning, and multiple births. Dr. Kelley promotes COVID-19 vaccines for her patients and shares the CDC guidance as a way to encourage vaccine confidence. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, she published information emphasizing how the coronavirus affects pregnant people more severely than in the general population and increases the risk of pregnancy complications. Additionally, she collaborated with other physicians across South Dakota to send letters encouraging school districts to adopt COVID-19 safety policies based on CDC guidance and recommendations.
Jennifer Lincoln MD, IBCLC, FACOG
Jennifer Lincoln MD, IBCLC, FACOG, is a board-certified generalist ob-gyn (OB) and attending physician in Portland, Oregon. As an OB Hospitalist, Dr. Lincoln works in labor and delivery and serves as medical director for the Postpartum Care Center as an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant. She sits on the Society of Ob-Gyn Hospitalists board and is the president-elect for the Association for Healthcare Social Media. Dr. Lincoln is a pioneer across social media platforms educating women and people with a uterus about their bodies to reduce shame and stigmas. She has been featured on the Today Show and Good Morning America, NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, BuzzFeed, Seventeen Magazine, and more. Dr. Lincoln has more than 3 million followers across her platforms.
Maria Small, MD, MPH, FACOG
Maria Small, MD, MPH, FACOG, is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University. With an interest in adverse maternal outcomes and community health, Dr. Small is experienced in designing care for women with high-risk gynecological and obstetrical conditions. Dr. Small is dedicated to reducing maternal mortality and serves as chair of the North Carolina Maternal Mortality Review Committee. She co-chairs Born in Durham, a coalition dedicated to perinatal equity and reduction of infant and maternal mortality. Dr. Small is active in organizations focused on addressing COVID-19 in communities of color. She is committed to supporting endeavors, such as walk-up, community-based COVID-19 testing programs, that increase testing in Black and Brown communities.
Reni Soon, MD, MPH, FACOG
Reni Soon, MD, MPH, FACOG, is an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Soon is the program director of the Fellowship in Complex Family Planning at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai’i in Honolulu and serves as the ACOG Hawaii section chair. She is a Native Hawaiian and focuses her clinical, research, and advocacy work on improving the health and wellbeing in her community. To address the low COVID-19 vaccine rates among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, Dr. Soon created several public service announcements, participated in COVID-19 webinars, and appeared on television to share accurate vaccine information.
Mark Allen Turrentine, MD, FACOG
Mark Allen Turrentine, MD, FACOG, is an ob-gyn at Texas Children's Hospital Pavilion for Women and professor and director of research for the Division of Gynecologic and Obstetric Specialists at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Dr. Turrentine is a board examiner for ACOG and chairs ACOG's Committee on Practice Bulletins. As a member of ACOG's Practice Advisory, he co-authored COVID-19 Vaccination Considerations for Obstetric-Gynecologic Care, which provides an overview of the currently available COVID-19 vaccines and guidance for their use in pregnant, recently pregnant, lactating, and non-pregnant people. Dr. Turrentine also participated in The Texas Children's Hospital webinar, COVID-19 Vaccine Spotlight on Pregnancy and Fertility, to answer general questions about the benefits and myths around COVID-19 vaccines.