AAGL Home

Barbara S. Levy, MD, FACOG, FACS
AchieveHER Award

About the Award

Barbara S. Levy, MD, FACOG, FACS, is a lifelong advocate for advancing the quality of women’s health. She was elected as the first female President of AAGL in 1994-1995. Dr. Levy was in private practice in comprehensive holistic women’s health for over 30 years and served as a Medical Director for Women’s and Children’s Services for the Franciscan Health System in Washington State. Dr. Levy served two terms as chair of the American Medical Association Resource Based Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) advocating for fair payment for physicians. She has served as a reviewer and editor for several medical journals, including Obstetrics & Gynecology, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JAMA, JMIG, Fertility and Sterility.

In 2012 Dr. Levy joined the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) as the first full-time woman physician leader. Serving as Vice President of Health Policy at ACOG Dr. Levy directed the expansion of the Advocacy Division to support the Office of Global Women’s Health reducing maternal mortality and building sustainable capabilities in several countries. She built a quality, safety and informatics team dedicated to supporting improvement in health care for women and launched the Birth Registry to improve inequities in maternity care. In addition, Dr. Levy supported and grew ACOG’s commitment to contraceptive access, post-partum contraception and menopause management.

Dr. Levy has been a vocal advocate for women’s health with appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and multiple other media outlets. Her research interests span from outcomes research in MIGS to optimizing care for women with chronic pelvic pain. Her clinical work focused on evidence-based, equitable, comprehensive care for women throughout their life course. She has published and co-authored over 85 studies.

This award is supported by an educational grant from Medtronic.

How to Nominate

The Barbara Levy AchievHER Award Application is now closed.

Award Eligibility

The nominee must be recognized as female leader in MIGS who has paved the way for female MIGS surgeons and meets the following requirements:

  • 5-15 years out of (fellowship) training.
  • Served in various leadership roles for the AAGL and other societies.
  • Considered an influential mentor to others for five or more years.
  • Must be a member of the AAGL and a Practicing Physician.
  • Board Members from an AAGL or FAAGL Board are not eligible for nomination during their active status on the board.
  • If selected, the winner will accept the award in-person at AAGL’s 52nd Global Congress in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Required Documents for Nominations

All nominations must include the following documents:

  • Completion of the award application outlining how the nominee exemplifies the qualities modeled by Dr. Barbara Levy such as paving the way for future female MIGS surgeons; serving in leadership roles within the AAGL or other societies; and providing mentorship for five or more years.
  • A current curriculum vitae (CV) of the nominee.
  • Self-nominations are acceptable and must include a letter of reference.

Award Notification

The Foundation of the AAGL Board will notify the award recipient and nominator.

Award Winnings

The winner of this prestigious award will receive:

  • Registration for the 2023 AAGL Global Congress in Nashville.
  • Travel stipend to attend AAGL Global Congress in Nashville.
  • Invitation to AAGL Leaders Reception with Industry.
  • Recognition on the Foundation website.
  • Recognition in Foundation promotional materials.
  • Recognition in the Global Congress Final Program.
  • Recognition on stage and presentation of a beautiful commemorative statue at the AAGL’s 52nd Global Congress in Nashville.

Contact Us

If you have questions, contact foundation@aagl.org. 

Recipients

2023
Sangeeta Senapati, MD, MS

2022
Jin Hee “Jeannie” Kim, MD

2021
Danielle E. Luciano, MD