AAOGF Welcomes New President Angeles Alvarez Secord, MD, MHSc, and Vice President Irina Burd, MD, PhD
The American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Foundation (AAOGF) is pleased to welcome Angeles Alvarez Secord, MD, MHSc, as President and Irina Burd, MD, PhD, as Vice President. We also welcome Kartik Venkatesh, MD, PhD, as a new At-Large Member and congratulate William Catherino, MD, PhD, on his election to a second term as Scholar Committee Chair. Donna Johnson, MD, will continue serving as Secretary/Treasurer.
Together, these leaders bring outstanding expertise in clinical research, academic medicine, mentorship, and advancing women’s health. AAOGF looks forward to their leadership and continued commitment to supporting the next generation of obstetrician-gynecologist scholars.
Angeles Alvarez Secord, MD, MHSc — President
Dr. Angeles Alvarez Secord is a Professor in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at Duke University Medical Center, where she has served on the faculty since completing her gynecologic oncology fellowship in 2001. She earned her undergraduate degree in biology with honors from Carroll College and graduated with honors and membership in Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) from the University of Washington School of Medicine. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology and fellowship in gynecologic oncology at Duke University Medical Center.
Dr. Secord serves as Director of Gynecologic Oncology Clinical Trials, Associate Director of Clinical Research in Gynecologic Oncology, and Principal Investigator for NRG Oncology at the Duke Cancer Institute. Her leadership roles include Chair of the NRG Oncology Investigator and Career Development Committee and Chair of GOG Education and Mentoring. She has also served on the National Cancer Institute Ovarian Cancer Task Force and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committee on the Assessment of NIH Research on Women’s Health.
A nationally recognized investigator, Dr. Secord’s research focuses on novel therapeutics and biomarkers for gynecologic cancers and innovative clinical trial designs.
Dr. Secord is the past president of the Mid-Atlantic Gynecologic Oncology Society and the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO). She has received numerous research and leadership awards including SGO Best Clinical Science Award and Foundation for Women’s Cancer Outstanding Service and Dedication. In 2019, she founded the Endometrial Cancer Molecularly Targeted Therapy Consortium, which includes more than 25 member institutions. She has authored more than 260 peer-reviewed publications and received over 100 grants including National Institutes of Health funding through the National Cancer Institute since 2014 for translational research awards and clinical trial leadership. Her dedication to clinical investigation, education, and mentoring future oncology leaders reflects a strong commitment to advancing academic medicine.
Irina Burd, MD, PhD — Vice President
Dr. Irina Burd is the Sylvan Frieman, MD Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Maryland. She earned her undergraduate degree from Rutgers University and completed a combined MD/PhD program at Rutgers University–Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Following her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where she served as Administrative Chief Resident, she completed a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Before joining the University of Maryland, she advanced through the academic ranks at Johns Hopkins University to become a Full Professor.
Dr. Burd has published more than 200 peer-reviewed research articles, book chapters, and reviews. Her many honors include the Passano Foundation Clinician Scientist Award, the Society for Reproductive Investigation President’s Achievement Award, and the American Society for Reproductive Immunology Distinguished Service Award. She is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and has received continuous National Institutes of Health funding since 2009. From 2016 to 2021, she chaired the NIH National Institute of Child Health and Human Development study section on Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Biology.
A dedicated leader in reproductive science and maternal health, Dr. Burd is the past president of the Perinatal Research Society and the American Society for Reproductive Immunology, and Immediate Past President of the Society for Reproductive Investigation. At the University of Maryland, she leads statewide and national initiatives to reduce severe maternal morbidity and improve maternal-fetal health. Her work brings together academic institutions, public health stakeholders, and state agencies to advance evidence-based care and address racial and geographic disparities in maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Welcoming New Leadership and Continuing Service
AAOGF is also pleased to welcome Kartik Venkatesh, MD, PhD, as a new At-Large Member. His appointment adds to the foundation’s leadership as it continues its mission of supporting academic obstetrics and gynecology and developing future leaders in the specialty.
William Catherino, MD, PhD, has been elected to a second term as Scholar Committee Chair, continuing his service and leadership in advancing the foundation’s scholarly mission. Donna Johnson, MD, will continue as Secretary/Treasurer, providing continuity in the foundation’s governance and financial stewardship.
AAOGF extends its congratulations and sincere appreciation to all its officers and leaders for their commitment to academic excellence, research, education, and mentorship. We look forward to the contributions of this outstanding team as the foundation continues to invest in the future of obstetrics and gynecology.