Alumni Awards

Jay D. Iams, MD ’72
Vice Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Director
Prematurity Clinic Frederick P. Zuspan Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
The Ohio State University
Wexner Medical Center

“Dr. Iams is noted by his colleagues as a modest man who believes that persistence is a defining characteristic of a successful career. Dr. Iams served as lead clinician for the Ohio Perinatal Quality Collaborative until his retirement in 2020, with the goal of reducing infant mortality and assuring optimal perinatal care for every pregnant woman and her baby in Ohio. He is an exceptionally collaborative man who has helped so many Maternal-Fetal Medicine physicians, including us. His work on progesterone use in women with a history of preterm labor transformed obstetrical practice.”

— J. Igor Iruretagoyena, MD
Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Director, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Katharina S. Stewart, MD
Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Sharon M. Weber, MD ’93, PG ’99
Chief, Division of Surgical Oncology
Medical Director of Surgical Oncology, UW Carbone Cancer Center
Endowed Professor, Tim and Mary Ann McKenzie Professorship in Surgical Oncology
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

“We were very fortunate to recruit Dr. Weber in 2001 as an Assistant Professor in the Clinical Health Sciences track. Since that time, she has proven herself to be an exceptionally skilled leader, researcher, and clinician. Her increasing list of accomplishments prompted a track transfer and her receipt of tenure and the rank of full Professor in 2012. It is important to note that Dr. Weber was the first tenured female surgeon in the Division of General Surgery and only the second tenured female surgeon in our entire department.”

— Rebecca M. Minter, MD, MBA
A.R. Curreri Distinguished Chair and Professor, Department of Surgery
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Paul M. Grossberg, MD, PG ’78
Professor Emeritus
Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Department of Pediatrics
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

“Dr. Grossberg has shown exceptional commitment to educating learners of all levels at SMPH and elsewhere. He has a national reputation for motivational interviewing and high-risk behavior screening/brief interventions, as evidenced by his numerous publications and presentations. His motivational interviewing educational sessions are legendary and highly regarded by students and residents. As the director of the Adolescent Medicine rotation for the Pediatric Residents at SMPH, I can attest to his attention to detail and ability to engage the learners; the residents walk away from his session having mastered a crucial skill and adolescent patients benefit from this training. I personally have attended some of these sessions and am amazed that I learn something new each time.”

— Paula Cody, MD, MPH
Associate Professor, Adolescent Medicine Section Chief
Division of General Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
Department of Pediatrics
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Summer E. Hanson, MD ’05, PG ’12, MS, PhD
Associate Professor of Surgery
Director, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Research
University of Chicago

“Dr. Hanson is a consummate physician and surgeon, accomplished surgeon-scientist, talented and committed educator, and effective leader and administrator. Equally important to her, however, are her successful responsibilities as mother, wife and daughter. While what she has accomplished in the early part of her career is impressive, it is what is yet to come that is even more exciting. Through all of this work, she remains warm, grounded and fully respected by her peers and team.”

— Michael L. Bentz, MD
Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs, UW Department of Surgery
Layton F. Rikkers MD Endowed Professor of Surgical Leadership
Professor of Surgery, Pediatrics and Neurosurgery
UW Division of Plastic Surgery
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Daniel J. Schumacher, MD ’05, PG ’09, PhD, MEd
Professor of Pediatrics with Tenure
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

“It has been a joy to collaborate with Dan over all these years. His work in medical education assessment is brilliant. He is a great thinker, an excellent writer, and a trusted colleague. Most importantly, he prioritizes principles of assessment in medical education that work in support of service to the patient as well as the development of learner competence.”

— Carol Carraccio, MD, MA
Tenured Professor of Pediatrics
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Former Vice President for Competency-Based Medical Education
American Board of Pediatrics

Diane Bless, PhD ’69, MS
Professor Emeritus
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

“Dr. Bless’s is a nationally/internationally recognized SMPH faculty member whose immense and immeasurable contribution has made significant impacts to the field of speech language pathology and otolaryngology head and neck surgery. Her career work and influence have been extensive, substantial, and outstanding; and she is a proud Emeritus Professor of SMPH.”

— Sandra Lin, MD
Professor and Chair, Division of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery
Department of Surgery
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Laurel W. Rice, MD
Professor Emeritus
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

“Dr. Rice has made exceptional contributions to the university, to our health care institutions, and nationally. She is a unique and accomplished individual. You can see how many teams have benefited from her humor, her intelligence, her energy, her passion, and her unfailing support for and confidence in her team members.”

— Ellen Hartenbach, MD
Ben Miller Peckham, MD, PhD Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Professor, Division of Gynecologic Oncology
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Conrad L. Andringa, MD ’63, PG ’66
Retired Pediatrician
Dean Clinic Medical Center

“As a classmate, colleague/partner, former President of the WMAA, faculty member of the SMPH, and friend, I have watched Connie devote his life to community service and volunteerism.”

— Louis C. Bernhardt, MD ’63

Eleanor R. Eichman, MD ’09 (posthumous award)
Pediatrician
Sixteenth Street Clinic

“Dr. Eichman was an exceptional physician and colleague. We started working at the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center at the same time and worked closely together until she passed away suddenly 6 years later. She was incredibly bright. I marveled at how quickly she became fluent enough in Spanish to no longer need an interpreter during visits. She was an excellent clinician who had a huge heart for the special population we serve. She had the unique ability to connect quickly and compassionately with her patients and their parents. To this day I continue to hear from her former patients about how fondly they remember her with one of the most common comments among many being, ‘she really listened to us.”

— Colleagues at Sixteenth Street Community Health Center

Barbara A. Horner-Ibler, MD ’98
Internal Medicine
Founding Physician – Bread of Healing Clinic
Clinical Adjunct Faculty – Aurora Sinai Medical Center

“Dr. Barb focuses on serving others and does not seek recognition for her contributions. Her clinic is dedicated to serving all, regardless of individual faith tradition. The mission of Dr. Horner-Ibler and her clinic was to support social justice to ensure every person has access to the means to achieve health, and create safe physical emotional, social, and spiritual spaces to heal. Moreover, with close partnerships with medical students and SMPH her vision and commitment to educating the next generation of physicians about public health and whole person care of the underserved makes her a game changer!”

— Kyla R. Lee, MD ’98
Director of Student Programs at Gundersen Health System
Acute Care Block, Phase 2, Site Director
Inpatient Acting Internship: IM, Cardiology & Critical Care, Phase 3, Site Director
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Don J. Selzer, MD ’96
Willis D. Gatch Professor Chief, Division of General Surgery
Vice Chair, Clinical Affairs
Department of Surgery
Indiana University School of Medicine

“For nearly 30 years, Dr. Selzer has been the unwavering heart and soul of the Class of 1996, serving as a dedicated class representative. He has organized milestone reunions for the class every five years, including a virtual 25th reunion during the pandemic, and played a pivotal role in raising funds for the SMPH Class of 1996 Scholarship Fund. Dr. Selzer has been the crucial link between the class and WMAA. Beyond his leadership, he has extended his generosity by hosting students and recent graduates visiting Indianapolis, offering them guidance, support and a sense of belonging.”

— Sarah B. Rothschild
Executive Director
Wisconsin Medical Alumni Association

Andrea S. Fabian
Executive Assistant to the Dean
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

“Andrea Fabian represents the very best traditions of our School of Medicine and Public Health. She brings incredible warmth into every interaction with anyone who is lucky enough to meet her. Andrea is genuinely interested in people and in helping them as they literally and figuratively navigate the complicated hallways of our institution. I lost count a long time ago of the number of folks who shared with me how much they enjoyed and appreciated the way she welcomed them and made them feel at home. Her institutional loyalty, dedication, and work ethic serve as a daily inspiration to her colleagues (including her dean).”

— Robert Golden, MD
Dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health
Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs
Robert Turell Professor in Medical Leadership

Kristi F. Jones, MPH
Director, Community Services Program
UW School of Medicine and Public Health

“Kristi Jones, Director of SMPH Community Service Programs, works tirelessly to guide students in their extracurricular work with communities. She serves as a trusted mentor to student leaders, teaching and role modeling community engagement principles and skills as they make an impact though a variety of student organizations. Her support of the student-run MEDiC free health clinics is critical to its success.  It is clear that she cares deeply for our students as well as for the communities they serve.”

— Christine Seibert, MD
Associate Dean for Medical Student Education and Services
Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine
Department of Medicine
UW School of Medicine and Public Health