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Robert Ball, MD

Vice Chair for E-Health

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Baylor College of Medicine

Dr. Ball serves as Vice Chair for E-Health at Baylor College of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. An MFM by training, Dr. Ball’s Vice Chair role is to promote high quality, cost effective medical care, patient satisfaction, and healthcare provider/staff satisfaction throughout the Department and the Hospital by facilitating the efficient and effective use of eHealth.

He participates in the design, development, critique, implementation and evaluation of new eHealth use-cases, and in long range planning of eHealth for the Department.

Recently, Dr. Ball served as the Enterprise-wide physician champion for the roll-out of Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX) Copilot, which is an AI-powered ambient listening solution by Microsoft and Nuance. Dr. Ball will share this experience, positive feedback on the software, and lessons learned.

Joe English MBA, MHA

Chief Administrative Officer
Vice President, Women’s and Newborn Service Line
Duke Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

As the chief administrative officer for the Duke Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Joe works with divisional and departmental administration to meet the academic, clinical and educational missions of the department. Joe is originally from West Virginia and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from West Virginia University, as well as Master of Business Administration and Master of Healthcare Administration degrees from Pfeiffer University. Joe was selected as a member of the Duke Management Academy (Cohort 1) and completed the program in 2019. He is also the recipient of the 2019 Michelle P. Winn Inclusive Excellence Award (Staff Award). Additionally, Joe currently serves as the treasurer for the Association of Managers of Gynecology and Obstetrics (AMGO).

Prior to joining Duke, Joe worked in public accounting for Grant Thornton, LLP, providing audit/assurance services to clients in the public, real estate, defense, hospitality and professional sports sectors. He also worked as an internal auditor and financial analysis for a Fortune 500 retailer, The Pantry, Inc. before joining Duke in 2011.

Meg Ferris, PhD, MPH

Administrator
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Baylor College of Medicine

Meg grew up on Long Island, New York, and majored in Psychology at Bryn Mawr College near Philadelphia. She earned a Masters in Public Health degree from George Washington University in 1999, and a PhD in Public Health from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in 2006.

Her early career was spent supporting the NIAID-funded multicenter Pedicatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group (PACTG), working from her office on the NIH main campus. She moved to Texas in 1999 to help develop the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI) which she did for 13 years. In her work with BIPAI, Meg traveled extensively and helped to establish clinical care programs in Romania, Mexico, Venezuela, and many southern African countries.

She pivoted to serve as the Baylor College of Medicine Neuroscience Department Administrator from 2013-2018. She found her calling in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology -- and AMGO -- in 2018. The BCM Ob/Gyn Department has ~175 faculty, 48 residents, ~25 fellows, ~70 research support staff, and ~30 administrative and educational support staff.

Meg is delighted to serve as President of AMGO and looks forward to learning from all of her remarkable colleagues. Personally, Meg is married to Christopher Ferris and has two adult children, Mary and John, and a ten year-old rescue beagle named Willie Nelson.

Kara Hoppe, DO, PhD

Professor (CHS), Vice Chair of Clinical Research

Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Kara is a UW Health maternal-fetal medicine doctor and a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She also serves as the vice chair of clinical research for the department. Dr. Hoppe brings deep experience caring for people with complex pregnancies and has served in leadership roles supporting high-quality perinatal care.

Dr. Hoppe specializes in caring for patients with high-risk pregnancies and complex medical needs. She works with patients who need advanced monitoring or support throughout pregnancy to keep both parent and baby as healthy as possible.

In her practice, Dr. Hoppe focuses on providing personalized and evidence-based care. She believes in partnering with patients, listening closely to their concerns and helping them understand their health and treatment choices in clear, supportive language. Her approach includes community engaged care that aims to improve outcomes during pregnancy and after childbirth. She leads programs designed to support ongoing health after delivery, including remote monitoring to help patients safely manage blood pressure at home.

Outside of work, Dr. Hoppe enjoys hiking, canoeing, hockey, photography, creating art and spending time with her family and pets.

Hannah Little, DrPH, MHA

Associate Chair for Administration

Obstetrics and Gynecology

UNC Chapel Hill

Hannah earned a Doctor of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, her Master of Health Administration from the University of Kentucky and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from McGill University.

Prior to joining the Department of Medicine at UNC, she gained experience in hospital financial and administrative management at Johns Hopkins Medicine, UK HealthCare, and a small, private hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Kevin McClelland, MBA, MHA

Assistant Vice President

Academic Administrator

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Indiana University

Kevin is the Assistant Vice Chair of Clinical and Academic Administration for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Indiana University. He received a BA in Economics from Furman University and dual MBA and MHA degrees from Indiana University.

Kevin joined the department in 2008 while in graduate school and has been in his current role since 2021. His primary responsibilities include the financial and administrative management of the department’s research mission and the day-to-day management of physician compensation.

Kevin and his wife Katie have two young children, Cameron and Erin. When not working or spending time with his kids, Kevin enjoys playing golf, exercising, and running.

Kara Mulligan, MHA, MBA, FACHE

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Kara attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison and graduated with a BS in Spanish. After working for several years in clinical research, she moved to Minneapolis to pursue her dual graduate degrees at the Carlson School of Management.

After completing an Administrative Fellowship and Clinic Manager position with Park Nicollet Health Services, she worked at Dean Health System as the Clinical Manager of the Neurological Institute and Spine Center. From there Kara joined the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health’s Department of Surgery as the Manager of Vascular Surgery. She then became the Associate Administrator and Director of Clinical Operations for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Wisconsin, and in 2022 became the Department’s Chief Administrative Officer.

Kara was AMGO President from 2022-2023 and remains an active member along with being a former board member and current active member of the Wisconsin Chapter of ACHE.

Stephanie Radke, MD, MPH, FACOG
Clinical Professor
Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Iowa

Stephanie practices clinically as a laborist on both the University of Iowa Campus and Downtown (community) Campus and serves as the Director of Quality Improvement and Patient Safety for the department.

She is active in service to the state of Iowa through her roles as the Executive Director of the Iowa Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (IPQCC), Iowa's Perinatal Quality Collaborative; the co-director of the Iowa Statewide Perinatal Program, an outreach program that visits Iowa birthing hospitals; and the chair of Iowa's Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC).

Her research interests include rural-urban disparities in perinatal health, health system design, and quality improvement as a strategy to improve population health. She is federally funded with grants from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Joanie Riley, MBA

Clinical Department Administrator

Obstetrics and Gynecology

UT Southwestern

Joanie is an experienced transformational leader in academic healthcare, currently serving as the Clinical Department Administrator for Obstetrics and Gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.

In this role, she leads multidisciplinary teams of faculty and staff to advance strategic initiatives across clinical operations, financial performance, provider productivity, medical education, and research. She is passionate about driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and delivering measurable outcomes that support excellence in patient care and academic achievement.

James Rhee

Acclaimed impact investor, founder, CEO, goodwill strategist, community connector, and educator

James Rhee, author of Red Helicopter, is a globally acclaimed leader, CEO/investor, creator, and humanist whose human-centered operating system has fueled transformative success across industries and peoples. He is a former high school teacher and Harvard Law School graduate who became a storied private equity investor and acclaimed CEO. He is an expert in human and organizational behavior, bridging math with emotions by marrying capital with purpose, while designing systems and stories that bridge peoples, disciplines, and ideas. His transformational and visionary leadership have been recognized by the leading civic, education, and business organizations.

In addition to his private sector pursuits, James is a Trustee of the storied National Humanities Center, the only independent institute dedicated exclusively to advanced study in all areas of the humanities. He also currently serves as Yale University's Cultural Innovation Lab's inaugural artist and entrepreneur in residence, where his rock opera, which he produced, wrote, and performed in, recently made its debut.

John Ruch, MMA

Senior Business Manager

Duke Obstetrics and Gynecology

John is the Senior Business Manager for Duke OB/Gyn, a position he has held since 2022. In this role he manages and evaluates Departmental finances, administers the faculty compensation plan, and supports clinical operations while helping to advance the clinical, education, and research missions. Prior to joining Ob/Gyn, he worked as a financial analyst for the physician practice of Duke Health. He first joined Duke as part of its 2015 administrative fellowship class.

John is an alumnus of Clemson University and of the Duke University Fuqua School of Business, where he earned his Master of Management Studies degree.

Meredith Stringer, MSN, APRN, AGACNP-BC

Assistant Director of Advanced Practice Providers for the University Hospital

UT Southwestern Medical Center

Kehinde (Kenny) Taiwo, MS, CPPM, COC, CPC
Sr. Mgr., Clinical Coding & Health Informatics – ACOG
Health IT Strategist
Coding Policy Advocate

Kehinde serves as the Senior Manager of Clinical Coding and Health Informatics at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), where she leads the development of comprehensive educational programs in medical coding, billing, revenue cycle management, and health information technology. With a deep understanding of regulatory and industry standards, Kehinde ensures that ACOG’s coding content remains current, compliant, and aligned with healthcare technology trends.

A Certified Professional Coder with credentials in outpatient and practice management (CPC, COC, CPPM), Kehinde holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a Master of Science in Health Informatics Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

Prior to joining ACOG, she held various roles in healthcare organizations, where she championed accurate clinical documentation, compliant coding practices, and reimbursement optimization. Her expertise spans inpatient and outpatient settings, and she has been pivotal in provider education on clinical documentation improvement (CDI).

Kehinde also plays a key role in shaping national health and coding policy. She has contributed to numerous Code Change Applications (CCAs) and serves on ACOG’s Committee on Health Economics and Coding (CHEC). Additionally, she represents ACOG on the AMA AI Specialty Collaborative, helping to guide the integration of artificial intelligence into healthcare coding and practice.

Bridget Toomey, MS, CPC

Department Administrative Officer

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

University of Iowa Health Care

Bridget has been with University of Iowa Health Care since 2009. During this time, she has worked on various teams within Patient Financial Services, Project Management Office, and is now the Department Administrative Officer the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

She has a passion for cancer advocacy, serving as an advocate leader with the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance and as the Iowa District 1 lead for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. Bridget sits on several advisory boards for the University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center and is a member of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology Coding and Reimbursement subcommittee.

She received her Master of Science in healthcare management from Johns Hopkins University. In her free time, she loves to hike, hang with her cats, and complete home renovation projects.

Association of Managers of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Inc.

420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455

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