2012 SMFM Board of Directors Candidate Statements - Society for ...

1. Contact Information
Name and Title: - John R. Barton, M.D.
Affiliation: - Central Baptist Hospital
Address: - Perinatal Diagnostic Center
Address 2: - 1740 Nicholasville Road
City/Town: - Lexington
State: - KY
ZIP: - 40503
Country: - USA
Email Address: - jbarton@bhsi.com
Phone Number: - 859-260-6970
2. Please provide a description of your background and qualifications, including relevant
educational and employment history, past work with SMFM, and any other relevant
experiences.
I developed a community based MFM service in Lexington, KY after completing my MFM fellowship in Memphis, TN in 1991. During
the past 20 years in active MFM private practice, I have been able to continue research in medical complications of pregnancy,
primarily hypertension, publishing over 80 peer-reviewed manuscripts and over 120 abstracts (60 of which have been presented at
the SMFM). I am also familar with the practice of MFM in academic settings having served as volunteer faculty at the University of
Kentucky and University of Cincinnati.
3. Please list all committees you have been involved with at SMFM. Have you led any
initiatives or special projects for the committee, or served in any other leadership role?
SMFM Finance committee. I have been involved with the committee chair, Dr Brian Mercer, in structuring a 3-tier approach for cash
management and investment for the society.
4. What other service have you given to SMFM (for example, as a course speaker,
Scientific Forum/Special Focus Group organization)?

SMFM postgraduate course director: 2006, 2011 SMFM postgraduate course speaker: 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011 SMFM
Hypertension special interest group speaker: 1998, 2003 SMFM abstract reviewer yearly since 1998 Contributor to the SMFM
monograph: High-Risk Pregnancy Care, Research and Education
5. Please write a brief statement indicating your interest in serving, any special
qualifications you have for the SMFM Board, and the ways in which you will enhance the
diversity of the Board.
I believe I would represent an important and growing constituency within the SMFM, the private practice MFM program. I bring a
substantial business background with practice management skills and a knowledge of fund raising having served on the boards of
several charitable foundations. Further, I believe I would bring research and clinical experience in medical complications of
pregnancy to the board.
6. What other volunteer leadership positions have you held with medical/professional
societies?
Central Baptist Hospital Foundation, Chairman of the Board of Directors since 2004 Ephraim McDowell House Museum, Board of
Directors 2001-2009 Copeland Foundation for Neglected Children, Board of Directors 1994-1997 Centre College, Board of Trustees
since 2004
7. What other societies/membership associations do you belong to?
1. - International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy
2. - North American Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy
3. - American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
4. - Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
5. - Kentucky Medical Association

1. Contact Information
Name and Title: - Dr. Neil Silverman
Affiliation: - Center for Fetal Medicine and Women's Ultraound, LA
Address: - 6310 W. San Vicente Blvd., Suite 520
Address 2: - Center for Fetal Medicine and Women's Ultrasound
City/Town: - Los Angeles
State: - CA
ZIP: - 90048
Country: - USA
Email Address: - nssilvermanmd@gmail.com
Phone Number: - 3238571952
2. Please provide a description of your background and qualifications, including relevant
educational and employment history, past work with SMFM, and any other relevant
experiences.
I have been involved in academic and clinical MFM practice since completing my fellowship in 1990, including serving as MFM
fellowship director at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center during my faculty time there. I am currently adjunct faculty at UCLA School of
Medicine, involved in MFM training of fellows and residents: our fellows have oral presentations at 2 national/international meetings
this year under my supervision (IDSOG, ISUOG). I also currently serve at the chair of ACOG's Practice Bulletin Committee for
Obststrics, having been a committee member for the past 3 years, and as a member of IDSOG's Executive Council, and on the
Scientific Committee for this year's scientific meeting.
3. Please list all committees you have been involved with at SMFM. Have you led any
initiatives or special projects for the committee, or served in any other leadership role?
I have been involved in SMFM's Education Committee in the past.
4. What other service have you given to SMFM (for example, as a course speaker,
Scientific Forum/Special Focus Group organization)?

I was invited as a speaker at this year's Scientific Meeting for the Infectious Diseases Special Interest Group.
5. Please write a brief statement indicating your interest in serving, any special
qualifications you have for the SMFM Board, and the ways in which you will enhance the
diversity of the Board.
I have involved in SMFM since my fellowship at Jefferson Medical College, which was completed in 1990. I would consider it an
honor to be asked to serve on the Board: this would reflect and be, in my opinion, a natural extension of my ongoing interest and
experience in research, teaching, and clinical care in the area of maternal-fetal medicine. As an academic private practitioner, with a
long preceding experience in medical-cente-based academic MFM, including administrative management, I feel that I would
represent an important segment of our membership.
6. What other volunteer leadership positions have you held with medical/professional
societies?
As noted above, I am actively involved in guideline preparation for ACOG (in addition to authoring 2 of the current Practice Bulletins,
including the recent one on Antibiotics in L&D, July 2011). I will serve as chair of the Practice Bulletin Committee for ACOG for the
next 2 years, in addition to being an ex officio member of ACOG's Committee on Obstetric Practice (chaired by Dr. Macones) during
that period. I have ongoing input into the coordination of scientific meetings for IDSOG.
7. What other societies/membership associations do you belong to?
1. - ACOG
2. - IDSOG
3. - LA ObGyn Society

1. Contact Information
Name and Title: - Jeanne S Sheffield, MD
Affiliation: - University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Address: - 5323 Harry Hines Blvd
Address 2: - -
City/Town: - Dallas
State: - TX
ZIP: - 75390-9032
Country: - USA
Email Address: - jeanne.sheffield@utsouthwestern.edu
Phone Number: - 214 648-3113
2. Please provide a description of your background and qualifications, including relevant
educational and employment history, past work with SMFM, and any other relevant
experiences.
I received my OB/Gyn training at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and then completed a 3 year MFM fellowship at the
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. I have been out of fellowship now for 10 years and have remained at UTSW in
the academic division of MFM. I am a clinical scholar here, splitting time between research, clinical care and teaching medical
students, residents and fellows. I started my research career in a basic science lab, completing a K08 NIH grant. I now focus mainly
on clinical research. I am the MFM fellowship director and an MFM board examiner so keep current on issues pertaining to the
fellowship and the MFM world. I also work with the NIH and the CDC, focusing on infectious disease issues affecting pregnant
women.
3. Please list all committees you have been involved with at SMFM. Have you led any
initiatives or special projects for the committee, or served in any other leadership role?
I have been on the SMFM Fellowship Committee now for 3 years. I have run the MFM Fellows lecture series with Bill Goodnight
(Informatics Committee) during this period, scheduling speakers for the monthly teleconference. I have also been involved in the
development of the first MFM Fellows retreat which was held in 2010 and am currently involved in the organization of the next
retreat.

4. What other service have you given to SMFM (for example, as a course speaker,
Scientific Forum/Special Focus Group organization)?
I have spoken at the Infectious Diseases Scientific Forum on several occasions as well as been the course director and speaker for
the Infectious Diseases Postgraduate Course in 2010. I am currently the course director for the 2012 ID Postgraduate Course and
the local chairperson for the annual meeting. I have also served as a Poster judge for several of the annual meetings.
5. Please write a brief statement indicating your interest in serving, any special
qualifications you have for the SMFM Board, and the ways in which you will enhance the
diversity of the Board.
I have a passion for teaching and service to my patients - it is a passion that I can bring to the SMFM board. I come with a strong
clinical training background and currently devote my energies to the maternal aspects of Maternal-Fetal Medicine. I am also a tad
obsessive/compulsive as many of us are - practical and willing to work in the trenches to get a job done.
6. What other volunteer leadership positions have you held with medical/professional
societies?
I have a number of leadership activities for the NIAID and now an international DSMB for the Gates Foundation.
7. What other societies/membership associations do you belong to?
1. - American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
2. - Infectious Disease Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
3. - Teaxs Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

1. Contact Information
Name and Title: - Deborah A. Wing, MD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Affiliation: - University of California, Irvine
Address: - 100 The City Drive South,
Address 2: - Building 56, Suite 800
City/Town: - Orange
State: - CA
ZIP: - 92869
Country: - USA
Email Address: - dwing@uci.edu
Phone Number: - 714 456 5967
2. Please provide a description of your background and qualifications, including relevant
educational and employment history, past work with SMFM, and any other relevant
experiences.
My current position is as Division Director of MFM at the University of California, Irvine, where I am appointed as a professor of
clinical obstetrics and gynecology. I began my post at UCI in 2003, and was pleased to inherit an MFM fellowship in a well-appointed
division. Both came with a rich tradition for academic accomplishment inspired by Thomas Garite, MD, former chairman of obstetricsgynecology
at UCI. I completed my ob-gyn residency and MFM fellowship training at the University of Southern California where
Daniel R. Mishell, Jr., MD was the chairman. I remained on faculty for nearly 8 years after completion of my training, and there
launched my career in maternal-fetal medicine. I am a full-fledged academic and proud of the scholarly tradition from whence I came.
Early in my career (during fellowship), I had the very lucky circumstance to be prompted by my then Division Director, Richard Paul,
MD, to study the effectiveness of misoprostol, a prostaglandin E1 analogue, for use in cervical ripening and labor induction. We
conducted many trials together, and this work has had widespread impact for women's health care. My experiences have been broad
and vast, and I have been privileged to serve in many different ways during my career. I will look forward to serving the Society if I
am elected to its Board.
3. Please list all committees you have been involved with at SMFM. Have you led any
initiatives or special projects for the committee, or served in any other leadership role?
None.

4. What other service have you given to SMFM (for example, as a course speaker,
Scientific Forum/Special Focus Group organization)?
I joined the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in 1993 and have presented over 4 dozen abstracts at the annual meetings since
1992. I have attended every meeting since 1995, except in 2006 when a prior commitment to a meeting of the World Health
Organization (WHO) precluded my attendance. I am pleased to report that I have been invited to present five lectures for the SMFM:
four at post-graduate courses at annual meetings (2003, 2005 and two in 2009), and the other at the 25th Annual Meeting,
Luncheon Round Table Meeting in 2005. All were lectures related to my areas of research expertise: cervical ripening and labor
induction and infectious diseases in pregnancy. I have served as a judge of posters and oral presentations at several meetings over
the years, and moderated an oral plenary session in 2010 (see roster below). With my interests in clinical research, I would endeavor
to conscientiously contribute to the selection of relevant topics and presenters for our meetings to ensure that bright leaders in our
field have the forum to disseminate relevant research. Scientific Poster Judge, Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, 31st Annual
Meeting, 2011. Moderator, Oral Plenary Session on Clinical Obstetrics, Labor and Computers, Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Annual Meeting, 2010 Moderator, Oral Plenary Session on Clinical Obstetrics, Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Annual Meeting,
2009 Oral Plenary Judge, Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine Annual Meeting, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009 Abstract Judge,
Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Annual Meetings, 1999-present. Scientific Poster Judge, Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine 21st
Annual Meeting, 2001. Scientific Poster Judge, Society of Perinatal Obstetricians Annual Meeting, 1998.
5. Please write a brief statement indicating your interest in serving, any special
qualifications you have for the SMFM Board, and the ways in which you will enhance the
diversity of the Board.
Thank you for your consideration of me as a nominee to the SMFM Board of Directors. I believe that I live up to the Hebrew
translation of my first name, Deborah, which translates to “the bee” or “industrious”. My personal and professional attitude is
characterized by continual growth and change, and consistent pursuit of new challenges. I seek out leadership opportunities and
strive to expand the training, careers and pursuits of those around me. I will regard selection for the SMFM Board of Directors as
service to the subspecialty and those affiliated with it, and will bring to this appointment the same energy and drive with which I
approach each of my other professional commitments. I am currently a Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at University
of California, Irvine Medical Center and the director of its Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Currently, we have 17 members within
the division. I am also the fellowship director, and run one of the largest MFM fellowships in the country. I am proud of the fact that at
nearly 60% of the fellows that I have trained both here at UCI and at the University of Southern California are currently in academic
positions. I believe that solid training in the conduct of clinical research is integral to the fellowship program, and the effects of such
training leave a legacy in the provision of evidence-based health care and the attainment of optimal clinical results. I am privileged to
be able to serve the American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as a member of its Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and
in that role, oversee the conduct of subspecialty training for MFM across the nation. Since joining the University of California, Irvine
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Department in 2003, I have been involved in bringing about changes to the department through progressive
thinking and a re-focus on research and large scale grant pursuits. I am a Principal Investigator for the NICHD-funded National
Standard for Normal Fetal Growth and for the NICHD-sponsored study of Preterm Birth in Nulliparous Women. I propose to commit
this same level of assiduous dedication as well as administrative acumen to the Board should I be elected. Thank you for the honor
of considering me for nomination to the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Board of Directors. I am uniquely qualified to participate
as a Board member and would passionately contribute in all endeavors of the SMFM Board of Directors. With the changing
demographic of obstetrical and gynecological practitioners in this country, I believe the presence of an Asian woman will serve the
needs of the Board for diversity well.
6. What other volunteer leadership positions have you held with medical/professional
societies?
GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS Speaker and Section leader, US Food and Drug Administration, Division of Radiologic
Devices: Hearing on Electronic Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring and Computer-Assisted Devices, November 2008. Consultant, United
States Food and Drug Administration, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Medical Devices Advisory Committee, Obstetrics
and Gynecology Devices Panel, 2003-present. INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES OR ORGANIZATIONS Advisor,
World Health Organization and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Guidelines for the Use of Misoprostol in
Reproductive Health, 2006–2009. NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES OR ORGANIZATIONS Member (elected), Division of
Maternal-Fetal Medicine, American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2008-present. Oral Examiner, American Board of
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal Fetal Subspecialty, 2004-present. Oral Examiner, American Board of Obstetrics and
Gynecology, General Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2003-2008. Moderate/Poster Discussant, Session on Clinical Perinatology, Society
for Gynecological Investigation Annual Meeting, 2011. Moderator/Poster Discussant, Session on Clinical Perinatology, Society for
Gynecological Investigation Annual Meeting, 2010 Abstract Reviewer/Judge, Society for Gynecologic Investigation, 2002-2008,
2010. Consultant, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Conference: “The Menstrual Cycle of Adolescent Health”, New
York, 2007 Panel Member, Stanford-UCSF Evidence-Based Practice Center, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,
2007. Speaker, National Youth Leadership Forum Medicine, 2002. LOCAL PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES OR ORGANIZATIONS
Member, Program Committee, Pacific Coast Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, 2003-2007.
7. What other societies/membership associations do you belong to?
1. - Society for Gynecologic Investigation
2. - American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

3. - Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics
4. - Pacific Coast Obstetrical and Gynecological Society

1. Contact Information
Name and Title: - Sean C. Blackwell MD
Affiliation: - UT Health- University of Texas Medical School at Houston
Address: - 6431 Fannin
Address 2: - Suite 3.264
City/Town: - Houston
State: - TX
ZIP: - 77003
Country: - USA
Email Address: - sean.blackwell@uth.tmc.edu
Phone Number: - 713-500-6415
2. Please provide a description of your background and qualifications, including relevant
educational and employment history, past work with SMFM, and any other relevant
experiences.
I graduated medical school from University of Illinois (1989-1993), and then completed one year Transitional Internship at Wayne
State University (1993-1994). At the time I was interested in critical care obstetrics and did the extra year of medical training prior to
OB/GYN residency for this reason. I then completed OB/GYN residency (1994-1998) and MFM fellowship (1998-2001) both at
Wayne State University (WSU), Detroit, MI. From 2001-2006 I was a faculty member at WSU; also serving as Director of Informatics
and Antenatal Testing. I also served as the NICHD MFMU Alternate PI (2003-2006). In 2006 I left WSU and joined MFM and Fetal
Imaging at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI. After Dr. Larry Gilstrap retired in 2006 as the Chair at University of Texas
Health Sciences Center at Houston (UTHSC), Dr. Susan Ramin became the new Chair and thus there was a need for a new PI for
their NICHD MFMU Network site. Thus, I was recruited and joined UTHSC in 2007. Since that time I have been the PI for the UT-
Houston MFMU site, and also the Director for the Larry C. Gilstrap M.D. Center for Perinatal and Women’s Health Research (created
2008). In 2011, I became an Assistant Dean for Healthcare Quality in Perinatal Medicine and Women's Health. Additional
educational epxerience includes coursework for Master of Science in Clinical Research Degree (graduate Fall 2011). Additional skill
set and expertise that can be useful to serving on the SMFM board include experience as an IRB member (> 8 years), service on
ACOG committees (Practice Bulletins Committee-Obstetrics), NICHD study section grant reviewer, and experience working with
multi-center clinical research.
3. Please list all committees you have been involved with at SMFM. Have you led any

initiatives or special projects for the committee, or served in any other leadership role?
SMFM Publications Committee (2009-present) Vice-Chair (2011-present) 2008, 2009, 2010 Scientific Session Poster Judge, Society
for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Annual Meeting 2010 Scientific Session Oral Session Moderator, Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Annual Meeting 2011 Scientific Session Oral Session Judge, Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Annual Meeting
4. What other service have you given to SMFM (for example, as a course speaker,
Scientific Forum/Special Focus Group organization)?
I was course speaker for 2011 Annual Meeting: Controversial Obstetric Management Postgraduate Course at the Society for
Maternl-Fetal Medicine Annual Meeting; San Francisco, California; Feb 9, 2011. I was an organizer for Scientific Forum/Special
Focus Group for Computers in Perinatal Medicine from 2003-6.
5. Please write a brief statement indicating your interest in serving, any special
qualifications you have for the SMFM Board, and the ways in which you will enhance the
diversity of the Board.
My interest in serving on the SMFM is to contribute to the mission of our specialty and the needs of our patients. Specifically I would
like the SMFM to have greater visibility and "ownership" with respect to the production and dissemination of evidence-based clinical
practice guidelines for women with high risk patients. This will require collaboration with ACOG and other organizations, and the
ability to communicate and negotiate with different stakeholders within and outside MFM. SMFM as an organization is uniquely
qualified to successfully complete this important task to provide practical evidence-based guidance to improve and maintain a high
quality of medical care for women with high risk pregnancies.
6. What other volunteer leadership positions have you held with medical/professional
societies?
NICHD MFMU Publications Committee Vice Chair SMFM Publications Committee Vice Chair
7. What other societies/membership associations do you belong to?
1. - ACOG
2. - AIUM
3. - Society Clinical Trials

1. Contact Information
Name and Title: - Catalin S. Buhimschi M.D.
Affiliation: - Yale University School of Medicine
Address: - 333 Cedar Street
Address 2: - 900 Chapel Street
City/Town: - New Haven
State: - CT
ZIP: - 06520
Country: - USA
Email Address: - catalin.buhimschi@yale.edu
Phone Number: - 203-785-4536
2. Please provide a description of your background and qualifications, including relevant
educational and employment history, past work with SMFM, and any other relevant
experiences.
Dr. Catalin S. Buhimschi received his M.D. degree in 1990 from The University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila,” Bucharest,
Romania. After a postdoctoral fellowship in Basic Reproductive Sciences at the University of Texas, Dr. Buhimschi entered the
residency program in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine where he graduated in 2001. This
was followed by completion of a fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine. In 2004 he joined the
Yale faculty in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences where currently he is an Associate Professor.
Dr. Buhimschi also serves as Director of the Maternal-Fetal-Medicine Fellowship and Director of the Perinatal Research Program.
For almost 2 decades, Dr. Buhimschi has committed his career to translational research focused on pregnancy complications. He is
first or senior author on over 100 original research publications in both basic science and clinical research. In addition, he authored
numerous review articles and book chapters. He is Co-Editor of the “Drugs for Pregnant and Lactating Women” textbook. Dr.
Buhimschi has attended the Annual Meetings of the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM) and had presentations every year
since 1994. He has authored and co-authored over 200 abstracts and received many awards from the Society. He is also the
recipient of the “March of Dimes Best Research in Prematurity” award presented at the SMFM annual meeting 2006. Currently, Dr.
Buhimschi serves as Associate Editor of the American Journal of Perinatology, and on the Editorial Board of several other subspecialty
journals. In 2009, Dr. Buhimschi was elected Council Member of the Perinatal Research Society. Dr. Buhimschi is member
of the NIH/CSR SBIR study section, and served as a grant reviewer for the March of Dimes Foundation, several Governmental
agencies, and private foundations. He has received extramural funds from the NIH/NICHD as principal investigator on several
research grants. The most recent R01 grant was awarded in 2010 and Dr. Buhimschi is principal investigator. The purpose of the
grant is to pursue research in the field of fetal injury and antenatal damage related to prematurity. In addition, Dr. Buhimschi is co-

investigator on research projects funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. One of the projects is developed in collaboration
with the Maternal and Infant Health Care Strategies Unit of the South African Medical Research Council and is focused on practical
strategies for reducing maternal mortality due to delayed diagnosis of preeclampsia in developing countries.
3. Please list all committees you have been involved with at SMFM. Have you led any
initiatives or special projects for the committee, or served in any other leadership role?
Dr. Buhimschi brought a significant contribution to the scientific program of the SMFM by presenting high quality research. He had
numerous oral presentations and research excellence awards on studies where he served as first or senior author. He has
volunteered yearly for membership in 2 committees: Fellowship Affairs and Government Relations Committees.
4. What other service have you given to SMFM (for example, as a course speaker,
Scientific Forum/Special Focus Group organization)?
Dr. Buhimschi served as Co-Director and organizer of the 2011 SMFM “Basic, Clinical and Translational Research Course”. He was
invited speaker at several Special Forums, and served as SMFM reviewer and judge for numerous concurrent oral and poster
sessions. He is also one of the Co-mentors for one of the AAOGF/SMFM scholars.
5. Please write a brief statement indicating your interest in serving, any special
qualifications you have for the SMFM Board, and the ways in which you will enhance the
diversity of the Board.
I would like to thank the Nominating Committee for considering my name as member of the SMFM Board of Directors. It will be an
honor to be able to bring my contribution for the advancement of the scientific and educational agenda of the Society. I believe that
my diverse educational background provide me with the ability to draw on a wide range of viewpoints, skills and professional
experiences. I believe the SMFM Board will benefit from my first hand practical knowledge as trainee and principal investigator as
well as physician and basic science researcher. My recent interest in Global Health has provided me with expertise on medical
practice in diverse international settings. I believe my wide range of skills and experiences will increase the likelihood of making the
right decisions to benefit the SMFM. As Director of Perinatal Research and Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program I
was successful in developing an infrastructure that fosters research and promotes educational excellence of our clinical fellows while
respecting their individual interests and priorities. I have the necessary leadership skills and I work effectively as a team member. I
have the willingness to represent and promote the SMFM at professional meetings and conferences. I am enthusiastic, pragmatic
and have a strong commitment to excellence in medical education of our future generations. I believe I can also enhance the
presence of the SMFM in the Global Health arena where I see much need but also opportunity to make a significant difference in
perinatal health. My expertise in education and training will allow me to contribute to SMFM’s mission of preparing our future leaders.
My involvement in publications at various levels from contributor to editor will be useful for another mission of SMFM.
6. What other volunteer leadership positions have you held with medical/professional
societies?
Since 2009, I serve as Member of the Board for the Society for Perinatal Research. As Member of the Board I participated in all
conference calls required to advance the administrative and scientific mission of the Society. I participate in developing the scientific
program of the annual meetings, and I have been successful in increasing the membership of the society. For the past 10 years, I
successfully increased the visibility of the Perinatal Research Society by promoting participation of junior investigators during our
annual meetings. Many of my nominees were selected as NIH Young Investigator awardees by the Society for Perinatal Research
and are currently independent investigators.
7. What other societies/membership associations do you belong to?
1. - American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology
2. - Society for Gynecologic Investigation
3. - Society for Perinatal Research
4. - The Endocrine Society

1. Contact Information
Name and Title: - Professor Peter S. Bernstein, MD, MPH
Affiliation: - Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Address: - Montefiore Medical Center
Address 2: - 1825 Eastchester Road
City/Town: - Bronx
State: - NY
ZIP: - 10461
Country: - USA
Email Address: - pbernste@montefiore.org
Phone Number: - 718-904-2767
2. Please provide a description of your background and qualifications, including relevant
educational and employment history, past work with SMFM, and any other relevant
experiences.
After completing college and medical school at Yale University, I did my obstetrics and gynecology residency at Yale-New Haven
Hospital and then a clinical fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. I have also
completed a Masters Degree in Public Health at Columbia University while doing my fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine. I was the
medical director of obstetrics and gynecology at Comprehensive Family Care Center (CFCC), a federally qualified community health
center operated by Montefiore Medical Center (the University Hospital for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine) from 1998-2007. I
now serve as the Director of Perinatal Network Development and Quality for the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and
Women's Health at Montefiore Medical Center. I am also the Director of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program at the
Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Our fellowship program is one of the largest programs in the country and offers one of the
broadest experiences to trainees in programs that stretch from the laboratory and classroom to the bedside and the developing
world. My clinical and research interests concern improving systems of care for women, particularly for underserved and medical
complicated women. I am nationally recognized in the area of preconception care, serving on a CDC Select Panel that has issued
several documents aimed at improving the quality of preconception care in the United States. Another major focus of mine has been
developing improved systems of prenatal and perinatal care through the creation of a nationally recognized training program utilizing
obstetrical simulations to improve patient safety and through the development of an electronic prenatal medical record, and the
implementation and promotion of a revolutionary model of group prenatal care (Centering Pregnancy). I also have expertise in
outcomes research and as a result, have been designated as the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health
‘Physician Champion’ for the Montefiore Medical Center Outcomes Research Team. My work in patient safety and medical
simulation has led to my co-chairing the Subcommittee on Medical Simulation for the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine (a

subcommittee of the Education Committee). Our committee organized a postgraduate course on medical simulation at the Annual
Meeting 2010 and a special interest group that first met at the Annual Meeting in 2011. I am also a Member of the Steering
Committee, New York City Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) for the CDC.
3. Please list all committees you have been involved with at SMFM. Have you led any
initiatives or special projects for the committee, or served in any other leadership role?
I co-chair the Subcommittee on Medical Simulation, a subcommittee of the Education Committee. At the SMFM Annual Meeting of
the Society, I was on the planning committee for the postgraduate course on medical simulation.
4. What other service have you given to SMFM (for example, as a course speaker,
Scientific Forum/Special Focus Group organization)?
Since 2007 I have served as an Associate Editor for the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Edition of the American Journal of
Obstetrics & Gynecology. In that role I have reviewed and sheparded 20-40 manuscripts each year through the Journal's editorial
process, in order to make sure that SMFM members who submit their work for possible publication get the best quality reviews
possible of their papers. I have also been an abstract reviewer for the SMFM annual meeting and a manuscript reviewer for the
SMFM edition of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology for more than 10 years. I was on the faculty for the postgraduate
course on medical simulation at the SMFM Annual meeting in 2010.
5. Please write a brief statement indicating your interest in serving, any special
qualifications you have for the SMFM Board, and the ways in which you will enhance the
diversity of the Board.
Ever since completing my fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine I have had a deep interest in promoting the well-being of pregnant
women, their newborns and families. My approach has been more public health oriented, focusing on how we provide care. Much of
my work has been through quality and performance improvement. My work has ranged from how we provide prenatal care to how
care is provided prior to pregnancy. I have worked on issues related to the development of electronic systems to help improve the
quality of care and how to promote improved performance of providers from multiple disciplines on the labor floor. All this has
enhanced my commitment to the education of students, residents, fellows and attending physicians at all levels, as well as in the
broader healthcare community. I believe that my unique background will assist the SMFM Board in focusing on education issues and
in promoting patient safety among the membership.
6. What other volunteer leadership positions have you held with medical/professional
societies?
I co-chair the Committee on Patient Safety and Quality Improvement for District II/American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists. This is a very active committee that has run several conferences and has promoted a variety of patient safety
initiatives in New York State. I also have served as a Maternal Mortality Case reviewer as part of the NYS Safe Motherhood Initiative
that was run by District II/ACOG. As part of my membership on the CDC's Select Panel on Preconception Care, I have served on the
Clinical Practice Committee and was involved with the development of a best practices publication and the development of an online
curriculum to educate primary care providers about preconception care that awards continuing medical education credits. For the last
five years I have served on (and currently Chair) the Board of Directors for the Clinical Directors Network. This nonprofit organization
performs translational research in community practice settings and provides educational opportunities for primary care providers
working in community health centers. I am a member of the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists Simulations
Consortium which is developing simulation curricula for resident education. I have also been a member of Preterm Birth International
Collaborative (PREBIC) for the World Health Organization since 2007.
7. What other societies/membership associations do you belong to?
1. - American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists
2. - Society for Simulation in Health
3. - Preterm Birth International Collaborative (PREBIC) for WHO

1. Contact Information
Name and Title: - Suneet P. Chauhan
Affiliation: - Eastern Virginia Medical School
Address: - 825 Fairfax Ave
Address 2: - Suite 514
City/Town: - Norfolk
State: - VA
ZIP: - 23507
Country: - USA
Email Address: - chauhasp@evms.edu
Phone Number: - 757-672-5955
2. Please provide a description of your background and qualifications, including relevant
educational and employment history, past work with SMFM, and any other relevant
experiences.
I completed my MFM fellowship at the University of Mississippi in 1994 and took circuitous route back to academic medicine, after
being in private practice for 12 years. At Eastern Virginia Medical School, I am currently the director of MFM division and was
recently approved by ABOG to start a MFM Fellowship, the only one in Virginia.
3. Please list all committees you have been involved with at SMFM. Have you led any
initiatives or special projects for the committee, or served in any other leadership role?
Currently, I am on the SMFM Publications committee, being chaired by Dr Vincenzo Berghella. For a year I was on Literature Alert
Series committee, working with Dr Thomas Garite on identifying publications of special interest to MFM.
4. What other service have you given to SMFM (for example, as a course speaker,
Scientific Forum/Special Focus Group organization)?
Last year in San Francisco, I chaired a course with Dr Baha Sibai, titled “Debate on Controversies in Obstetric Management”. The

CME had over 400 attendees, and the transcript of the debate is being published by Am J Obstet Gynecol. While in private practice, I
had the foresight to nominate Dr Vincenzo Berghella and Dr William Grobman to the SMFM Board, both of whom were selected in
the first try! I was a co-author of the very first practice bulletin jointly written with SMFM and ACOG, titled “Multiple Gestation:
Complicated Twin, Triplet, and High-Order Multifetal Pregnancy”.
5. Please write a brief statement indicating your interest in serving, any special
qualifications you have for the SMFM Board, and the ways in which you will enhance the
diversity of the Board.
Having straddled academic and private settings, my interest lies in quantifying and enhancing adoption of evidence-based practice in
obstetrics. My special qualification is derived from the range of my work experience, from a level I hospital during Desert Storm,
where the nearest MFM was over 6,000 miles away in Virginia, to being the director of a MFM fellowship at a tertiary center. The
diversity I will bring is my interest in obstetrics in India, the country with the most childbirth (25.7 million), and more neonatal
(1,105,100) and maternal (63,000 in 2008) deaths then any other country.
6. What other volunteer leadership positions have you held with medical/professional
societies?
Currently I am the Vice Chair of Program Committee for Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (CAOG)
7. What other societies/membership associations do you belong to?
1. - Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists