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
Executive Committee
Purpose: The Executive Committee acts on behalf of the Board of Directors in the intervals in between Board meetings only to the extent that it knows how the Board of Directors would act on any given topic. In unusual cases, usually due to the timeliness of decisions, the Executive Committee may act on a matter when the Board’s position is not clear. The Executive Committee also functions as the “personnel committee” of the Board of Directors, performing the annual performance review of the Executive Director, based on the input of the Board of Directors.
Members: Tanaz Ferzandi (President), Emily Lukacz (President Elect), Robert Gutman (Vice President), Jerome Yaklic (Treasurer), Jennifer Wu (Immediate Past President)
Awards Committee
Purpose: The AUGS Awards Committee serves the Society through soliciting and reviewing nominations annually for AUGS awards.
Members: Marianna Alperin (Director-at-Large), Jennifer Wu (Immediate Past President), Lauren Siff (PFD Week Vice Chair), Gazala Siddiqui (Membership Committee Rep), Charelle Carter-Brooks (DEI Committee Rep), Ingrid Nygaard (Past President)
Finance Committee
Purpose: The Finance Committee serves the Society through the oversight of the AUGS and Foundation budget to ensure sound financial practices. Ongoing committee activities include providing review and oversight to the monthly financial reports, investments, and records; and providing guidance on the preparation of the annual budget and annual audit.
Members: Jerome Yaklic (Chair/Treasurer), Robert Gutman (Vice President), Heidi Brown (Foundation Council Liaison), Zaid Chaudhry, Geoffrey Towers, Monique Vaughan
Governance Committee
Purpose: The Governance Committee serves both the Society and Foundation through oversight of the process and governance by which they function. Ongoing activities include review of the policy and procedures manual and bylaws, conducting an annual assessment of the Board of Directors, ensuring conflicts of interest are disclosed and handled appropriately, overseeing the Call for Volunteers and Call for Board Nominations processes including vetting of Board candidates, and reviewing and monitoring best practices in association management.
Members: Emily Lukacz (Chair/President Elect), Robert Gutman (Vice President), Jennifer Wu (Immediate Past President), Marianna Alperin, MD (Director at Large), Amy Rosenman (Past President), Stacey Barnes, AUGS CEO (Ex-Officio member)
Education Council
Annual Meeting Program Committee
Purpose: The PFD Week Program Committee is charged with maintaining and enhancing PFD Week, AUGS’ annual meeting, to ensure it is the leading meeting for health care professionals interested in urogynecology education. The Committee is charged with developing programming that maximizes the attendee experience and focuses on the latest scientific and surgical advances in the field.
Members: Amy Park (Chair), Lauren Siff (Vice Chair), Nathan Kow (Board Liaison), Teni Brown, Catrina Crisp, Gabriela Halder, Sara Houlihan, Robert Kelley, Annetta Madsen, Emily Sandwith, Adrienne Sim, Victoria Pickering, Ushma Patel, Elena Tunitsky-Bitton.
Education Committee
Purpose: The Education Committee evaluates the educational needs of urogynecologists, gynecologists and urologists focused on urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery and develops an educational strategy which is responsive to those needs.
Members: Taji Yazdany (Chair), Kimia Menhaji (Vice Chair), Nathan Kow (Board Liaison), Sarah Ashmore, Mary Duarte Thibault, Katherine Husk, Colin Johnson, Padma Kandadai, Lauren Rascoff, Christine Vaccaro, Eva Welch
Fellowship Training Committee
Purpose: The Fellows Training Committee evaluates the educational needs of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery fellows and fellowship programs and develop programs and services that AUGS can provide. The Fellowship Training Committee oversees the Robotics Course and Fellows Cadaver Course planning committees.
Members: John Occhino (Chair), Leslie Rickey (Vice Chair), Nathan Kow (Board Liaison), Lauren Caldwell, Jennie Choi, Christopher Hong, Joseph Kowalski, Pamela Levin, Lioudmila Lipetskaia, Hoa Nguyen, Katie Propst, Kaitlin Renkosiak, Megan Tarr
Fellows Cadaver/Hands On Course Planning Committee
Purpose: The Fellows Cadaver Course Planning Committee oversees the development of an advanced vaginal surgery course for specialist fellows in Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery and those in Female Urology, already well versed in basic vaginal surgery, who are looking to increase their knowledge about more complex vaginally approached and laparoscopic/robotic operations.
Members: Peter Jeppson (Chair), Maria Florian-Rodriguez (Co-Chair)
Advanced Practice Provider Course Planning Committee
Purpose: The APP Course Planning Committee evaluates the educational needs of allied health professionals focused on Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery and develop programs and services that address those needs.
Members: Carissa Aboubakare (Chair), Lisa Hickman (Vice Chair), Nathan Kow (Board Liaison), Jennifer Dillman, Sara Marie Forrest Jaimes, Megan Jasko, Nicole Morris, Diane Newman
Business Side of Medicine Planning Committee
Purpose: The Business Side of Medicine Planning Committee oversees the educational programming for the AUGS Business Side of Medicine course to ensure physicians have the business and policy acumen needed to succeed in the ever-changing world of modern medicine. The Committee monitors and evaluates the educational needs of this audience to ensure adequate programming exists to meet their needs.
Members: Mikio Nihira (Chair), Ray Foster (Vice Chair), Tanaz Ferzandi (Board Liaison)
Clinical Meeting Planning Committee
Purpose: The Clinical Meeting Planning Committee oversees the development of a course that is clinically focused and assists physicians with staying informed on the latest clinical advancements in the field, as well as how to run a practice in today’s environment.
Members: Miles Murphy (Chair), Roger Goldberg (Vice Chair), Nathan Kow (Board Liaison)
CME Committee
Purpose: The CME committee is charged with ensuring AUGS meets and/or exceeds all requirements for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME); reviewing policies and procedures to assure that the educational activities of the Society are developed and offered in a manner consistent with the requirements of the ACCME; and evaluating program quality, needs assessment, review speakers’ content for all CME programs and provide feedback to planning committee chairs on how to improve the scientific content for courses/meetings
Members: Shilpa Iyer (Chair), Anita Sit (Chair), Nathan Kow (Board Liaison), Heather Barbier, Matthew Karlovsky, Melanie Meister, Prerna Pandya, Mary Rieger, Joy Wheat
Question Writing Committee
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, Jason Cruff, Christina Escobar, Cynthia Hall, Priyanka Kadam Halani, Katherine Husk, Matthew Karlovsky, Lioudmila Lipetskaia, Saya Segal, Stuart Shippey, Ruchira Singh, Eva Welch
Research Council
Scientific Committee
Purpose: The Scientific Committee supports the research component of AUGS’ mission by advising and facilitating the advancement of research through funding, education, and advocacy. The Committee focuses on increasing and maintaining the workforce of the urogynecology physician-scientists and researchers to catalyze the advancement of clinical practice with an end goal of improving care through impactful research. Members of the Scientific Committee represent the various research areas within urogynecology and serve as advocates to advance this mission.
Members: Isuzu Meyer (Chair), Julia Shinnick (Vice Chair), Naz Siddiqui (Board Liaison), Marsha Guess (Basic Science Subcommittee Chair), Milena Weinstein (Grants Review Chair), C. Emi Bretschneider, Stephanie Glass Clark, Julia Geynisman-Tan, Rachel High, Edward Kim, Kate Meriwether, Michael Pezzillo, Abbas Shobeiri, David Sheyn, Amanda White
Basic Science Sub-Committee Members: Marsha Guess (Chair), Robert Kelley (Vice Chair), Amanda Artsen, Lindsay Burnett, Rui Liang, Michael Pezzillo, Alec Szlachta-McGinn, Morgan Watson
Mentoring Committee
Purpose: The Mentoring Committee serves the Society through the identification and administration of mentorship opportunities for early career members.
Members: Cecile Ferrando (Chair), Mary Ackenbom (Vice Chair), Naz Siddiqui (Board Liaison), Amy Askew, Linda Burkett, Amanda Clark, Ian Fields, Salma Rahimi
Research Grants Committee
Purpose: The Grants Committee serves the Society through the oversight of the grants program. Goals of the mentored research grant program are to support the pilot projects to help fulfill the AUGS Foundation’s mission of supporting novel clinical, translational, and bench research directions and enabling junior investigators to obtain future independent funding for research focused on female pelvic medicine.
Members: Milena Weinstein (Chair), Pamela Moalli (Vice Chair), Naz Siddiqui (Board Liaison), Cynthia Fok, Kristen Gerjevic, Rodger Rothenberger, Stephanie Zuo
Practice Management Council
Coding and Reimbursement Committee
Purpose: The Coding and Reimbursement Committee is charged with educating AUGS members on current coding procedures. Ongoing committee activities include addressing payment and coverage issues, answering coding questions from members, developing fact sheets for the AUGS website, and writing coding articles for Urogyn News. The committee also responds to Commercial Carriers and regional MACs when nationally accepted policy is being ignored.
Members: Jameca Price (Chair), Evelyn Hall (Vice Chair), Matt Barker (Board Liaison), Ashley Carroll, Mary Baker, Cindy Basinkski, Sarah Collins, Rebecca Batalden, Daniel Biller, Emily Davidson, Gnankang Napoe, Fareesa Khan, Jaclyn Muñoz, Mikio Nihira, Olga Ramm, Nemi Shah, Mamta Mamik, Joseph Panza, Stephanie Molden, Marc Toglia (Advisor), Shannon Wallace
Outreach Council
Membership Committee
Purpose: The Membership Committee serves the Society by representing and monitoring the needs of the membership and ensuring a strong membership structure and benefits package. Additional ongoing activities include oversight of member recruitment and retention campaigns, evaluating the needs of membership segments, approval of SIG applications and Life Membership requests, and periodically reviewing existing programs, services and technology platforms to ensure that they enhance the AUGS member experience.
Members: Cary Fishburne (Chair), Gazala Siddiqui (Vice Chair), Marcella Willis-Gray (Board Liaison), Ijeoma Agu, Samuel Chacon, Adam Hare, Amie Kawasaki, Haley McEvoy, Simone Reaves, James Ross, Sean Spector
Public Education Committee
Purpose: The Public Education Committee is charged with representing and monitoring AUGS’ outreach efforts to the public about the Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery subspecialty and role of the urogynecologist. The committee ensures the seamless integration of all patient-related programs and services on behalf of AUGS. Ongoing activities includes oversight of the Voice for PFD website, development of patient education materials to be used by patients and physicians, and oversight of medial relations activities.
Members: Lopa Pandya (Chair), Christine Chu (Vice Chair), Marcella Willis-Gray (Board Liaison), Sana Ansari, Leanne Brechtel, Lisa Dabney, Alexandra Dubinskaya, Jessica Hammett, Tsung Muo, Erin Norman, Michele O’Shea, Sarah Rabice, Anna Romanova, Aalekhya Tenali
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
Purpose: The DEI Committee serves the Society through the creation and identification of opportunities for expanding the conversation regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion within AUGS and amongst its board, committees, and member communities.
Members: Marian Acevedo Alvarez (Chair), Charelle Carter-Brooks (Vice Chair), Nathan Kow (Board Liaison), Surbhi Agrawal, Sarah Boyd, Alexis Griffin Bonhomme, Trieu Do, Amr El Haraki, Caitlyn Painter, Amine Sahmoud
Social Media Committee
Purpose: The Social Media Committee is charged with assisting staff in the development and execution of strategy for AUGS programs and services, which includes but is not limited to Urogynecology journal, Voices for PFD, and educational programming. Ongoing committee activities include identifying areas of growth and engagement, monitoring social media trends, developing social media resources for members, and maintaining and implementing a social media strategy.
Members: Cassandra Kisby (Chair), Elizabeth Southworth (Vice Chair), Marcella Willis-Gray (Board Liaison), Jocelyn Fitzgerald (Social Media Editor), Vinita Gottipati, Deborah Levy, Shazia Malik, Camelia Malkami, Nabila Noor
Publications Council
Publications Committee
Purpose: The AUGS Publications Committee provides oversight to the development of clinical publications, including Clinical Guidance Documents (ie, Clinical Practice Statements, Clinical Consensus Statements, Terminology Reports, and Systematic Reviews), Research Reports, Advocacy Documents (ie, Position Statements and White Papers), 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, Olivia Chang, Lauren Cadish, Olivia Cardenas-Trowers, Angela DiCarlo-Meacham, Autumn Edenfield, Cara Grimes, Anne Hardart, Peter Jeppson, Danielle Patterson, Krista Reagan, Jens-Erik Walter, Emily Whitcomb, Will Winkelman
Urogynecology Journal
Purpose: 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.
AUGS Foundation
Philanthropy and Development Committee
The Philanthropy and Development Committee serves the Society by ensuring 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: Kim Ferrante (Chair), Thythy Pham (Vice Chair), Heidi Brown (Board Liaison), Caroline Cox, Kristin Hung, Mwamba Mvula, Jon Pennycuff, Kristina Warner, Erika Wasenda
