About the WIO

WIO Officers

WIO Chair (1 year term): Susan Cordes
WIO Chair-Elect (1 year term): Mona Abaza
WIO Immediate Past Chair (1 year term): Shannon Pryor
Information Officer/Secretary (2 year term): Marcy Bothwell
Member-at-Large (2 year term): Liz Dunham
Member-at-Large (1 year term): Soha Ghossaini
Financial Officer (3 year term): Pell Ann Wardrop
Chair of the Council on Committees (2 year term): Linda Brodsky
Historian (3 year term): Kristina Hart

The purpose of the Women in Otolaryngology Section is:

• To enhance the careers of women otolaryngologists through the creation of professional development, mentoring, and networking programs and through the promotion of leadership opportunities within the AAO-HNS/F;
• To enhance the appeal of otolaryngology for women residents by strengthening and encouraging their leadership role in the Section for Residents and Fellows-in-Training (SRF); improving their voice in issues unique to training programs and by promoting effective, efficient, and diverse career opportunities;
• To encourage young women in high school, college, and medical school to pursue a career in otolaryngology; and
• To collaborate with AAO-HNS/F committees to enhance member engagement, foster leadership development, and by engaging the energy of this membership segment.

The WIO Section functions as an advisory body to the Boards of Directors (BOD) of the AAO-HNS/F to:

• Fully use the resources and talents of the women in otolaryngology;
• Support women otolaryngologists by identifying and addressing their needs, fostering their development, and cultivating women as leaders in the specialty;
• Facilitate communication on issues of interest to and about women in the field of otolaryngology—head and neck surgery and in medicine;
• Make recommendations about programs and policies of particular interest to women in otolaryngology;
• Support the specialty of otolaryngology, clinical and academic excellence, education outreach, and the medical profession by promoting diversity, and recognizing and utilizing the unique value of all perspectives of the specialty;
• Involve more women otolaryngologists; assist them to develop and enhance their careers and engage their expertise to further the specialty;
• Offer leadership training and mentoring opportunities; and
• Prioritize the use of the WIO Endowment Fund.

Membership in the WIO

Who are our members?
The Section for WIO is composed of all women who are active members of the Academy. All other members of the Academy are welcome to communicate with and participate in any open meetings of the section and its committees, but may not vote or serve in any official capacity.

Governance of the WIO

The Section is governed by the Women in Otolaryngology Governing Council (GC). The WIO GC is comprised of the WIO chair, chair-elect, immediate past chair, information officer, financial officer, two members-at-large, and the chair of the Council on Committees.  

For more information, contact WIO staff at wio@entnet.org