Washington, DC (October 19, 2017)—The Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) announced the unanimous election of Roberta L. Gartside, MD, as the new Chair of its Board of Directors for 2018-2019. As a business leader with a strong commitment to nonprofit service, Dr. Gartside will lead the organization’s mission-based efforts to eliminate imbalances in care for women through science, advocacy, and education.
Dr. Gartside is a leading board-certified plastic surgeon in the Washington, D.C. metro area. She dedicates her practice to improving the function and appearance of her patients through the use of the most advanced aesthetic techniques and technologies. Dr. Gartside is passionate about her work and is committed to excellent patient care, believing that providing skill, support, and compassion are her main duties as a surgeon.
“SWHR is expanding its scope into disease and conditions that only or primarily impact women. Dr. Gartside is well-positioned to help the organization move from its foundation in science and advocacy into the practice of medicine,” said Amy M. Miller, PhD, president and CEO of SWHR.
Dr. Gartside is a fellow in the American College of Surgeons and also a member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Previously, she was Vice President for Membership and Communications of ASPS, and the ASPS representative to the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). Locally, Dr. Gartside is a member of the National Capital Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Virginia Society of Plastic Surgeons. She also served as a trustee for Elizabethtown College, her alma mater for 14 years.
“Roberta has been steadfast in supporting our quest to advance discovery in women’s health, and her leadership will open many new doors of opportunity for SWHR,” said John J. Seng, the outgoing chair.
Dr. Gartside holds a Bachelor of Science from Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania, and a Doctor of Medicine from Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. She has completed residencies in general surgery at the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont, and plastic surgery at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She is an author of several influential articles, including “The Biology of Human Malignant Melanoma.”
“I’ve been involved with the Society since its founding and have seen the organization evolve over the course of years to the standout nonprofit organization it is today and will continue to be in the future. It is my honor to lead its expansion into new areas of healthcare,” said Dr. Gartside.
SWHR leads the way in advocating for greater funding for women’s health research and for the study of biological differences between the sexes that affect disease, its presentation, and treatment; promotes the inclusion of women and minorities in medical research; pushes for the analysis of research data for sex and ethnic differences; and informs women, health care providers, and policymakers about women’s health issues.
A full list of the SWHR Board of Directors is available here.