Inspiration Award honoree listings, last names A-H

Amanda Addington, MD, MS

"Dr. Addington guided me toward a specialty I love and showed that purpose and balance can coexist. Her support, openness and mentorship inspired me and many others to lead, mentor and uplift. She exemplifies integrity, resilience and what it means to be a role model in medicine, especially emergency medicine."

Nominated by Prisha Patel

Susan Rudd Bailey, MD

"Dr. Bailey eased my entry into organized medicine in active practice and showed me ways to balance family, practice and successful advocacy, and supported my efforts to get more involved."

Nominated by Melissa Garretson 

Saritha Beauchamp, MD, MPH

"I am honored to nominate Dr. Saritha Beauchamp. Her thoughtful guidance, personal insights and unwavering support have significantly shaped my professional growth and exemplify the impact of dedicated mentorship. As a fellow, she continues to be approachable, insightful and deeply invested in the growth of future pediatricians."

Nominated by Jaclyn Lo

Irma Luisa Ceja Martinez, MD, FACP

"Dr. Irma Ceja Martinez has been an important mentor, supporter and inspiration to so many learners and colleagues, including me. We initially connected when she was the first female governor of the American College of Physicians Mexico Chapter and we shared the goal of building stronger ties between our members. As governor, her early career physician team developed an app to connect students and residents across the country, so they could tap into additional opportunities and mentorship. 

Dr. Ceja is empathetic, curious, as well as a great listener and leader. She deeply understands the influence of culture and language in medicine and how they impact the ability to heal, communicate effectively and care for others. Though she is retired, it is not surprising that she remains in high demand and continues to care for underserved patients, who may not have easy or safe access to care. As she says of the days that she volunteers in clinic: 'I know what time I start, but not the hour at which I will finish.' For all these reasons and more, this nomination for the AMA-WPS Inspiration Award for Dr. Irma Ceja is fitting and well-deserved."

Nominated by Tammy Lin

Amy M. Chapman, MD, MBA

"Dr. Chapman made a specialty I was previously afraid of into an experience I will never forget. 

She takes every opportunity she can to educate her patients and herself so she can continuously provide the most up to date and reliable counseling possible to her patients and their families. On top of the generations of families she has delivered at this point, she continues to take on new patients young and old. I highly admire her top notch knowledge of menopause care and hormonal therapeutics, and her drive to push herself to always know the most up to date information about the therapy including future research prospects. 

Above all the greatest thing I learned from her was how to sit with patients and help them through understanding their own health processes. Her patients always leave feeling empowered and knowledgeable about what their treatment options are and what they would entail."

Nominated by Lux Herron

Sonia Nagy Chimienti, MD, FIDSA

"Dr. Sonia Chimienti is the dean of educational affairs at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. She previously served as associate dean for student affairs at UMass Chan Medical School as well as fellowship director for infectious disease at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Her strong leadership as a woman in academic medicine is inspiring, and she goes above and beyond to support early career women in medicine like myself. 

I hope to one day emulate so much of who she is both personally and professionally, and to pay forward all that she has provided to me in the way of mentorship. She is more than deserving of this recognition and any student at Dartmouth's School of Medicine will undoubtedly attest to this. For more information about Dr. Chimienti, please see the following: https://geiselmed.dartmouth.edu/news/2021/sonia-nagy-chimienti-md-named-senior-associate-dean-for-medical-education/"

Nominated by Elena Gupta

Melanie Cree, MD, PhD

"I am honored to nominate Dr. Melanie Cree. Her mentorship over the past 5 years has shaped my career and values, inspiring my pursuit of inclusive, compassionate medical care through science, service and advocacy. It has also led to my pursuit of additional training via the women's health/sex and gender medicine and research tracks in medical school."

Nominated by Jaclyn Lo

Silvia Diego, MD

"I would like to nominate Dr. Silvia Diego for the AMA Inspiration Award. Dr. Diego has always been a mentor to me, and when she made the bold decision in 2015 to open up her own practice, and asked me to join her, we began this journey together. I have watched her tireless sacrifice throughout the years to ensure patient care was of the upmost quality. I have witnessed her open these office doors on holidays and after hours for patients in need of acute care. 

Her passion for medicine keeps our entire team thriving, and her unwavering compassion for patients is something I have always admired greatly. When I saw this award was going to be presented, I immediately thought of Dr. Diego. She has not only steered me into the physician I am, but she has guided and steered countless woman into the field of medicine. Nobody deserves this honorary award more than Dr. Silvia Diego."

Nominated by Lisa Gil

Tyra Fainstad, MD

"It is with great enthusiasm and deep gratitude that I nominate Dr. Tyra Fainstad for the AMA-WPS Inspiration Award. Dr. Fainstad is a role model, mentor and advocate whose presence in academic medicine has been transformative not only for me personally, but for countless trainees and colleagues who have been fortunate enough to learn from her."

Nominated by Kimberly Kopecky

Josephine Lee Aguhob Glaser, MD, FAAFP

"Dr. Glaser has been both a trusted leadership partner and a spiritual counselor to me during the most demanding moments of our specialty medical society's Congress sessions. We share not only hotel rooms and expenses, but also strategies, encouragement, and quiet strength. In times of anxiety, she is my steadying force. When outcomes don't align with our hopes, she remains focused on the long-term goal with unwavering faith.

She is, quite simply, my 'Josephine the Calm.' "
 

Nominated by Janet Hurley

Bernadine H. Han, MD

"Dr. Han is a brilliant teacher, writer and clinician. In our work, she taught me that bridging psychoanalytic theory and contemporary medicine involves more than just intellectual integration. It means staying curious, monitoring one's emotional responses and setting clear, compassionate boundaries."

Nominated by Giselle Appel

Lara R. Hart, MD, FACOG

"It is my honor to nominate Dr. Lara Hart for the AMA WPS Inspirational Physicians. Dr. Hart is a dedicated obstetrician and gynecologist at Women's Healthcare Associates in Athens, GA. She is a graduate of Drexel College of Medicine and completed her residency at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN. She is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and specializes in low- and high-risk obstetrics, pediatric and adolescent gynecology, benign gynecology and minimally invasive surgery.

Dr. Hart is deeply committed to medical education. She has served as the OB/GYN site clerkship director at the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership since 2022. Dr. Hart regularly delivers lectures on women's health topics to first- and second-year medical students, assists anatomists with the reproductive module dissections in the lab, and has contributed to the revision and enhancement of several small group learning cases used in the second year. Additionally, she has mentored numerous students with interest in OB/GYN and is actively involved in events hosted by the LGBTQ+ student interest group.

Dr. Hart's passions extend beyond clinical practice and teaching. She is a strong advocate for addressing maternal health disparities, reproductive health policy and expanding access to health care for the LGBTQ+ community. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Dr. Hart is a kind and supportive colleague, offering friendship and encouragement to many of her female peers."

Nominated by Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, MD

Saba A Hasan, MA, MACP

"Dr. Saba Hasan inspires and nurtures many physicians-in-training and fellow colleagues as the long-time internal medicine residency program director at Capital Health. She is a powerful, empathetic and quiet leader that exhibits much integrity. In addition to being a well-respected clinician, educator and administrator that encourages learners to pursue scholarship and leadership opportunities, she is also a tremendous advocate for the advancement and well-being of talented international medical graduates, knowing how challenging and non-linear their pathways can be. 

She has been a generous mentor to us within the American College of Physicians and we are fortunate to benefit from her advice, wisdom and the inclusive and positive environment she fosters. Dr. Hasan is a very inspiring role model for so many and we recommend her highly for this prestigious honor."

Nominated by Tammy Lin and Susan Lee