May 2025

Greetings! 

At the heart of SOAP is a powerful and passionate community—one that brings together clinicians, educators, researchers, and advocates dedicated to improving the health and well-being of mothers and babies. Whether we’re developing cutting-edge research, shaping the next generation of obstetric anesthesiologists, or championing maternal health on the national stage, our collective impact is undeniable.

Our strength lies in our collaboration. Across hospitals, universities, and policy circles, SOAP members are driving progress through innovative education, rigorous science, and tireless advocacy. Together, we’re not just advancing knowledge, we’re changing lives.

In this issue, we celebrate the power of our community and the meaningful strides we’re making in maternal healthcare. Let’s keep the momentum going!

Heather Nixon, MD 
President, Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology 

BOARD STATS 
  • To date, there are 51 SOAP State Representatives, and we continue to work towards securing a representative from each state.  SOAP State Representatives will provide a key contact in each state to help us reach a broader audience, as SOAP strives to meet its mission to provide safe and equitable care for women and newborns everywhere. If you know someone who is interested in becoming a SOAP State Representative, please contact SOAP HQ.  
COMMITTEE STATS 

Annual Meeting and Live Events Committee 

  • Next meeting: May  21, 2:00pm Eastern
  • The 2025 Annual Meeting took place April 30 – May 4, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. 
    • Over 800 individuals in attendance
    • 2025 Annual Meeting Virtual Highlights will be held June 9 & 10, 2025.
      • Virtual highlights registration as of May 22: 39
      • 2025 Annual Meeting theme: Leveraging Technology for Better Outcomes: Improving Lives of Patients & Clinicians
      • Paint Portland “Party with a Purpose” Fundraising Event at the 2025 SOAP Annual Meeting. Check out our Alumni Showdown Winners!

Education Committee

  • Teacher of the Year Award Recipients were named at the 2025 Annual Meeting
    • Brinda Kamdar, MD (More than 10 Years)
    • Jessica Ansari, MD (Less than 10 Years)

Diversity Committee 

  • Chawla LaToya Mason, MD, FASA was awarded the Diversity & Inclusivity Award at the 2025 Annual Meeting
  • Jordan A. Francke, MD, MPH & Sebastian M. Seifert, MD were awarded the Diversity & Inclusivity Mentored Grant at the 2025 Annual Meeting

Governance Committee 

  • Election Results:
  •               Incoming Vice President -  Dr. Grace Lim
  • Board of Director Appointments:
  •               Research Chair -  Dr. Jill Mhyre
  •               Interim (1 year term) AMLE Chair -  Dr. Dan Katz

Intersociety Committee  

  • SOAP/Kybele International Outreach Grant was awarded at the 2025 Annual Meeting
    • Arran Seiler, MD
    • Kimberly Mendoza, MD, PhD, MPH

Member Value Committee 

  • Mentoring Excellence Award recipient was announced at the 2025 Annual Meeting
    • Manny Vallejo, MD 
  • Join one of the fifteen Special Interest Groups. To see a full list of the Special Interest Groups visit the SOAP website. 

Research Committee  

  • Research Survey Request Spring Cycle closed March 1. The committee is currently reviewing applications.

Finance Committee 

  • Combined net assets for SOAP and the SOAP Endowment were $6.7M as of April 31, 2025
  • “Party with a Purpose” Benefit- was a huge success with opportunities for networking, socializing and even trying local foods.   Make sure to join us next year in Montreal!
    •  Final Registration: 153
    • Paid tickets = 112
    • Fellow tickets (comp) = 41

SOAP Headquarters 

  • Log into the SOAP Community! We’re happy to invite you to join the NEW official SOAP online community platform at TradeWing! The new platform has many of the features members requested.  
    • Add [email protected] to your safe sender's list so you can receive announcements from SOAP Community. 
    • View the full list of features and frequently asked questions.