Under the leadership of the AUGS Board, the six Society councils are dedicated to advancing the Board approved strategic plan and driving the future growth of AUGS. Each council is supported by several committees, each with a unique area of focus. This nimble and effective governance structure supports collaboration across the Society while also ensuring strategic goals are met. Click on the committee name to view the charter which includes purpose, roles, responsibilities, and qualifications.
Board Level Committees
Awards Committee
The Awards Committee solicits and reviews nominations, evaluates candidates, and recommends / selects award recipients. It also periodically reviews award criteria to ensure a fair process aligned with the Society’s mission.
Members: Marianna Alperin (Director-at-Large), Tanaz Ferzandi (Immediate Past President), Kim Ferrante (Annual Meeting Program Committee Vice Chair), Gazala Siddiqui (Membership Committee Rep), Charelle Carter-Brooks (DEI Committee Rep), Deb Meyers (Past President)
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee acts on behalf of the Board of Directors between meetings, guided by the Board’s known positions. In urgent situations where the Board’s stance is unclear, it may make timely decisions. The Committee also serves as the Board’s personnel committee, conducting the CEO’s annual performance review with input from the full Board.
Members: Emily Lukacz (President), Robert Gutman (President Elect), Tina Mahajan (Vice President), Jerome Yaklic (Treasurer), Tanaz Ferzandi (Immediate Past President)
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee provides oversight of the organization’s financial planning, budgeting, reporting, and risk management. The Committee monitors financial performance, ensures the integrity of financial policies and internal controls, and makes recommendations to the Board to support the Society’s long-term financial health and sustainability.
Members: Jerome Yaklic (Chair/Treasurer), Tina Mahajan (Vice President), Miles Murphy (Foundation Council Liaison), Heidi Brown, Mark Preston, Stuart Shippey
Governance Committee
The Governance Committee oversees the Society’s governance framework by reviewing and recommending amendments to policies and bylaws, overseeing the nominations process for elected positions, and monitoring Board composition and effectiveness. It ensures that governance practices support the Society’s mission, legal compliance, and long-term sustainability.
Members: Robert Gutman (Chair/President Elect), Tina Mahajan (Vice President), Tanaz Ferzandi (Immediate Past President), Marianna Alperin (Director at Large), Amy Rosenman (Past President), Stacey Barnes, AUGS CEO (Ex-Officio member)
Education Council
Advanced Practice Provider Education Committee
The Advanced Practice Provider Education Committee evaluates the educational needs of advanced practice providers in urogynecology and develops programs and services to address those needs. Advanced practice providers include nurse practitioners, nurses, physical therapists, and physician assistants.
Members: Carissa Aboubakare (Chair), Lisa Hickman (Vice Chair), Nathan Kow (Board Liaison), Dina Abdelsamad, Cara Connors, Sara Marie Forrest Jaimes, Megan Jasko, Barbara Nalley, Kelsey Pfau, Joelynne Radborne, Rita Sharma
Annual Meeting Program Committee
The Annual Meeting Program Committee maintains and enhances AUGS’ annual meeting, developing programming that highlights the latest scientific, clinical, and surgical advances while maximizing the educational value and overall attendee experience.
Members: Lauren Siff (Chair), Kim Ferrante (Vice Chair), Nathan Kow (Board Liaison), Teni Brown, Catrina Crisp, Emily Davidson, Alexis Dieter, Gabriela Halder, Jo Hill, Robert Kelley, Annetta Madsen, Ushma Patel, Elena Tunitsky-Bitton, Nicole Wood
CME Committee
The CME Committee ensures AUGS meets and/or exceeds all requirements for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) including review of programming to assure that the educational activities of the Society are developed and offered in a manner consistent with the requirements of the ACCME.
Members: Shilpa Iyer (Chair), Anita Sit (Chair), Nathan Kow (Board Liaison), Jennifer Bickhaus, Christine Horton, Melanie Meister, Prerna Pandya, Mary Rieger, Emily Wu, Johnny Yi
Education Committee
The Education Committee develops and oversees online education, including webinars and other virtual learning opportunities aligned with the Society’s educational strategy.
Members: Taji Yazdany (Chair), Kimia Menhaji (Vice Chair), Nathan Kow (Board Liaison), Padma Kandadai, Courtney Pfeuti, Elizabeth Robison, Rodger Rothenberger, Sayal Segal, Christine Vaccaro, Eva Welch
Fellows Training Committee
The Fellows Training Committee evaluates the educational needs of URPS fellows and fellowship programs and identifies opportunities for AUGS to provide support and education. The Committee also collaborates with certification and education bodies to promote enhanced surgical training and strengthen competencies across fellowships, ensuring alignment with the highest standards of clinical and surgical practice.
Members: Leslie Rickey (Chair), Lauren Caldwell (Vice Chair), Nathan Kow (Board Liaison), Megan Bradley, Jennie Choi, Erin Deverdis, Pamela Fairchild, Pamela Levin, Lioudmila Lipetskaia, Kaitlin Renkosiak, Ellie Schmidt, Christopher Tarnay, Megan Tarr
Question Writing Group
The Question Writing Group oversees the writing, reviewing, scoring and distribution of the annual AUGS Self-Assessment Fellows Exam (SAFE) Exam and the Urogynecology Self-Assessment Exam.
Members: Lindsay Turner (Chair), Lauren Giugale (Vice Chair), Nathan Kow (Board Liaison), Peter Aziz, Lauri Budnick, Jenifer Byrnes, Woojin Chong, Christina Escobar, Kerac Falk, Cynthia Hall, Priyanka Kadam Halani, Katherine Husk, Matthew Karlovsky, Lioudmila Lipetskaia, Saya Segal, Stuart Shippey, Kate Woodburn
Research Council
Research Grants Committee
The Grants Committee oversees AUGS’ mentored grants program by reviewing applications, selecting awardees, and overseeing the distribution of research funding. Through this work, the Committee fosters the development of early career investigators and supports high-quality research that advances the field of urogynecology.
Members: Pamela Moalli (Chair), Cynthia Fok (Vice Chair), Gena Dunivan (Board Liaison), Surbhi Agrawal, Kristen Gerjevic, Stephanie Zuo
Scientific Committee
The Scientific Committee fosters community among researchers and physician-scientists dedicated to advancing urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery. The committee identifies research gaps and priorities in urogynecology, provides education and resources for early career investigators, supports the development of physician-scientists across career stages, and advocates for increased research funding through both governmental (e.g., NIH) and non-governmental sources.
Members: Isuzu Meyer (Chair), Julia Shinnick (Vice Chair), Gena Dunivan (Board Liaison), Robert Kelley (Basic Science Subcommittee Chair), Pamela Maolli (Grants Review Chair), C. Emi Bretschneider, Feven Getaneh, Stephanie Glass Clark, Rachel High, Kate Meriwether, Sujatha Narayanamoorthy, Abbas Shobeiri
Basic Science Sub-Committee Members: Robert Kelley (Chair), Rui Liang (Vice Chair), Amanda Artsen, Sarah Rozycki, Alec Szlachta-McGinn, Morgan Watson
Practice Management Council
Coding and Reimbursement Committee
The Coding and Reimbursement Committee helps members stay current on coding practices and reimbursement issues. The committee provides practical education, answers coding questions, and advocates for fair physician payment to support both practices and patient access to care.
Members: Jameca Price (Chair), Evelyn Hall (Vice Chair), Patrick Nosti (Board Liaison), Mary Baker, Cindy Basinkski, Ashley Carroll, Sarah Collins, Emily Davidson, Ashley Hilton, Luke King, Mamta Mamik, Stephanie Molden, Jaclyn Muñoz, Mikio Nihira, Jasmin Nwachokor, Joseph Panza, Lisa Sappenfield, Nemi Shah, Marc Toglia (Advisor)
Outreach Council
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee fosters a welcoming and inclusive community for Society members. It also advances equity for underrepresented patient groups by promoting outreach, awareness, and efforts to reduce health disparities.
Members: Marian Acevedo Alvarez (Chair), Charelle Carter-Brooks (Vice Chair), Marcella Willis-Gray (Board Liaison), Samantha DeAndrade, Alexis Griffin Bonhomme, Caitlyn Painter, Alex Qin, Amine Sahmoud
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee represents the needs of AUGS members by overseeing membership structure, benefits, recruitment, and retention. The Committee evaluates member segments, reviews SIG and Life Membership applications, and periodically assesses programs, services, and technology to ensure they enhance the member experience.
Members: Cary Fishburne (Chair), Gazala Siddiqui (Vice Chair), Marcella Willis-Gray (Board Liaison), Adam Hare, Haley McEvoy, Lauren Nicola-Ducey, Tyler Muffly, Kemi Owoeye, Apurva Pancholy, Mindy Rathe, Simone Reaves, Alicia Smith, Sean Spector, Margaret Wilkes, Helen Zhang
Mentoring Committee
The Mentoring Committee supports the professional growth of AUGS members by fostering meaningful connections across career stages. The Committee designs, implements, and evaluates programs that provide career mentoring for Fellows and physicians within their first 1–8 years post-fellowship, helping them navigate early career challenges and connect with mentors in the field.
Members: Cecile Ferrando (Chair), Mary Ackenbom (Vice Chair), Marcella Willis-Gray (Board Liaison), Amy Askew, Linda Burkett, Ian Fields, Chris Hong, Jon Pennycuff, James Ross
Public Education Committee
The Public Education Committee guides AUGS’ outreach to diverse patient populations by promoting awareness of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery and the role of the urogynecologist. The Committee oversees patient education resources, the Voices for PFD website, and media relations to ensure accessible, accurate, and impactful information for patients and physicians.
Members: Lopa Pandya (Chair), Christine Chu (Vice Chair), Marcella Willis-Gray (Board Liaison), Sana Ansari, Leanne Brechtel, Lisa Dabney, Jessica Hammett Gatliff, Amie Kawasaki, Edward Kim, Tsung Muo, Erin Norman, Michele O’Shea, Stephanie Schatzman-Bone, Aalekhya Tenali
Social Media Committee
The Social Media Committee advances AUGS’ mission by amplifying the Society’s voice across digital platforms. The Committee develops and executes strategies to increase engagement, share educational resources, highlight priorities, and promote community connection.
Members: Cassandra Kisby (Chair), Elizabeth Southworth (Vice Chair), Marcella Willis-Gray (Board Liaison), Jocelyn Fitzgerald (Social Media Editor), Kyrsti Christensen, Simone Fertel, Vinita Gottipati, Nabila Noor
Publications Council
Publications Committee
The AUGS Publications Committee provides oversight to the development of clinical publications, including Clinical Guidance Documents, Research Reports, and Practice Advisories. The committee ensures the documents produced by writing groups and other AUGS committees and networks are of high quality, consistent form and content, and accurate terminology to ensure successful publication in Urogynecology and/or on the AUGS website.
Furthermore, the committee represents AUGS in cross society efforts for the development of joint publications as appropriate.
Members: Jerry Lowder (Chair), Sara Cichowski (Vice Chair), Scott Smilen (Board Liaison), Tirsit Asfaw, Lauren Cadish, Olivia Cardenas-Trowers, Olivia Chang, Angela DiCarlo-Meacham, Autumn Edenfield, Cara Grimes, Barbara Ha, Anne Hardart, Danielle Patterson, Krista Reagan, Abigail Shatkin-Margolis, Jens-Erik Walter, Emily Whitcomb, Will Winkelman
Urogynecology Journal
The Journal Editorial Board oversees the publication of Urogynecology, a peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary journal dedicated to specialists, physicians and allied health professionals concerned with prevention, diagnosis and treatment of female pelvic floor disorders. Current Editorial Board Members.
Foundation Council
Philanthropy and Development Committee
The Philanthropy and Development Committee ensures that AUGS’ fundraising and development efforts are in concert with the Society’s strategic direction and financial needs. The committee serves as the mechanism by which members are involved in the fundraising process.
Members: Thythy Pham (Chair), Danielle Antosh (Vice Chair), Miles Murphy (Board Liaison), Caroline Cox, Denicia Dwarica, Kristin Hung, Colton Mabis, Mwamba Mvula, Kristina Warner, Jole Winer
Course Directors
Business Side of Medicine Planning Committee
Members: Mikio Nihira (Chair), Ray Foster (Vice Chair), Tanaz Ferzandi (Board Liaison)
Fellows Cadaver/Hands On Course Planning Committee
Members: Peter Jeppson (Chair), Maria Florian-Rodriguez (Co-Chair)
