2026 Board of Directors Candidates

Position:  Asia, Oceania, and Pacific Board Representative Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology Personal Statement:  I am seeking to serve on the Board of Directors of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society because I am deeply committed to its mission to reduce global disparities in gynecologic cancer care. Despite advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, many women still lack access to timely diagnosis, specialized expertise, and multidisciplinary care. IGCS has been instrumental in addressing these inequities through education, training, mentorship, and global collaboration, and I am committed to advancing this work. My commitment to this mission is reflected in my work expanding sustainable training programs in diverse global settings. In collaboration with the IGCS Preinvasive Disease Program, I adapted the curriculum to deliver Phases 1 and 2 through an in-person, translated workshop for 24 gynecologists in Uzbekistan. This was developed with national stakeholders in preparation for the country’s first breast and cervical cancer screening program, which aims to reach over 700,000 women. Building on this, we launched the first Phase 3 Preinvasive Disease workshop in Central Asia, with the goal of scaling training nationally Building on this foundation, we launched the first Phase 3 Preinvasive Disease workshop in Central Asia, with the goal of training the remaining gynecologists in Uzbekistan and supporting subsequent regional expansion. I am committed to building equitable global partnerships. I am the founder and Director of the Rural, Global and Underserved Women’s Health Program at the University of Utah and of the Women’s Health Equity Fellowship, through which postgraduate fellows train on the Navajo Nation and at the University of Rwanda in Kigali. I mentor fellows and collaborate on initiatives including a national research curriculum in Rwanda and implementation studies such as community-based HPV self-testing. These efforts emphasize capacity building, local leadership, and sustainable systems of care. My dual board certification in gynecologic oncology and palliative care allows me to integrate cancer treatment with symptom management, communication, and supportive care—an approach essential across resource settings. I am collaborating with a palliative care physician in Rwanda to develop a fellowship program to strengthen sustainable palliative care training on the continent. My clinical, educational, and academic work across multiple continents has shaped a global perspective grounded in partnership, adaptability, and respect for local context. As a Board member, I will advocate for scalable, context-responsive education and training programs, greater inclusion of low- and middle-resource settings in research and leadership, and strategic use of digital platforms to expand IGCS’s global reach and impact. I envision an IGCS that ensures excellence in gynecologic cancer care is not defined by geography, but made accessible and achievable in every health system globally. I am a dual board-certified gynecologic oncologist and palliative care physician whose work spans clinical care, global health leadership, and system-level capacity building across diverse settings. I am committed to translating global collaboration into sustainable improvements in gynecologic cancer outcomes worldwide.