Gloria Sarto Reproductive Health Equity Symposium
The first UW Women’s Health and Health Equity Research Lecture and Symposium grew out of the pioneering vision of Dr. Gloria Sarto and Dr. Gloria Johnson-Powell in 2005. Since then, hundreds of people have shared their research addressing persistent gender, racial, and health disparities through presentations and posters at the event.
Dr. Sarto passed away on June 8, 2024. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Symposium and Dr. Sarto’s immeasurable impact as an advocate for health equity, we are honored to announce a new name for this important event: moving forward, the UW Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology will host the annual Gloria Sarto Reproductive Health Equity Symposium.
This meeting will remain a crucial connection point for health care professionals, population health experts, and community advocates who are dedicated to advancing health equity. We can think of no better way to honor Dr. Sarto’s enduring legacy than to name this event in her honor.
Keynote Presentation:
Endometrial Cancer: Interventions to Address a Growing Public Health Crisis
Attending Surgeon in Gynecologic Oncology
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Georgetown University School of Medicine
Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
Washington Cancer Institute MedStar Washington Hospital Center
2024 Gloria Sarto Reproductive Health Equity Symposium Agenda
Presentation: Endometrial Cancer: Interventions to Address a Growing Public Health Crisis
Endometrial cancer is one of the only cancers that has rising mortality rates in the United States over the past decade, now overtaking ovarian cancer in terms of lethality. It also has one of the widest racial disparities in survival of all cancers in the United States, with Black patients experiencing a 20% lower 5-year survival rate compared to White patients, and having double the mortality rate. Studies have focused on the individual risks conferred from molecular pathways, treatment injustices, or social determinants of health, yet the complex interplay between these factors, and how they drive this survival disparity remains unexplored. Even fewer studies have examined interventions that can successfully address these massive inequities. In this talk we will examine the state of this public health crisis and gaps in necessary research moving forward.
Attending Surgeon in Gynecologic Oncology
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Georgetown University School of Medicine
Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
Washington Cancer Institute MedStar Washington Hospital Center
Dr. Charlotte Gamble is a gynecologic oncologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington D.C. with her faculty appointment at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Her research has focused on health services delivery, specifically on outcomes for patients who receive gynecologic cancer care at safety net hospitals. She is currently studying barriers to and facilitators of care for patients with endometrial cancer in Washington D.C. She is an active member of the Society for Gynecologic Oncology, the National Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. She is a board member of the patient advocacy group Endometrial Cancer Action Network for African Americans.
Dr. Gamble obtained her Bachelor’s of Science in Brain Behavior and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Michigan. She earned her Medical Doctorate at the University of Michigan Medical School, and her Masters in Health Policy and Management from the T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health. She completed her residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology at Duke University and her Fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at Columbia and Weill Cornell Hospitals in New York City.
Assistant Professor (CHS), Gynecologic Oncology
Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) Scholar
Evolution of A Community Engaged Approach to Support Justice Impacted Pregnant and Postpartum Women
The incarceration rate of women has grown faster than that of men for several decades. About 80% of these women are of childbearing age. According to the Sentencing Project, between 1980 and 2016, the number of women incarcerated in American jails and prisons increased by more than 700%. Approximately five million children (7% of all U.S. children) have experienced the incarceration of a resident parent in their lifetime. A large proportion of women are incarcerated for non-violent drug-related and property offenses, which are often linked to substance use disorders.
Our research questions were formed during a retreat of community members, including formerly incarcerated mothers, tasked with advancing prison birth justice in Wisconsin. The evolution of our community/academic partnership is outlined by four projects. We will delve into our shared work and how and when we deviated from shared goals.
Dr. Jill Denson is a research assistant professor at the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. She serves as director of the UW Prevention Research Center, engaging researchers, community members, and translational partners in expanding community-based prevention research and health promotion to improve the health of women, infants, and families. Dr. Denson is passionate about maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health, and health equity, with a focus on examining how social and structural drivers affect health outcomes. Dr. Denson’s research interests are rooted in collaborating with community partners to address health disparities through community-engaged research. She is particularly interested in building robust community partnerships, and centering the voices of those who are marginalized through capacity building and innovative research strategies.
Cheri Branham, BSW
Certified Perinatal Educator and Doula
Certified Peer Support Specialist
Cheri Branham has her bachelor’s degree in Social Work. She is also a Doula, Certified Peer Support Specialist, Family Recovery Coach, and has been a justice reform advocate for many years. After giving birth while incarcerated in 2014 due to a crimeless revocation and a lack of treatment options, Cheri dedicated her life to improving conditions for incarcerated pregnant individuals and expanding services to allow family reunification. She believes no one should have to go through birth while incarcerated alone. Cheri has experience working with many different work experiences, giving her a unique set of skills that allows her to provide one-on-one support and project monitoring and development at a larger capacity. Cheri shares her story with the hopes of bringing awareness to how pregnant incarcerated individuals are treated and the need for change in our carceral system. She has also devoted her time to seeing Wisconsin have a successful Prison Doula Project, following the work of Prison Doula Projects across the United States. This past year she hosted a pilot of the "Pregnancy and Beyond" curriculum in Brown County Jail where the evaluation process showed many positive outcomes. She was connected to Dr. Denson, who graciously offered to begin researching these subjects and involve Cheri in the process. This included Group Concept Mapping to design a Doula Project for the Wisconsin Prison Birth Project, as well as "Where Do The Babies Go?" to identify where the babies of incarcerated pregnant people go after birth. She believes this work is a significant need in Wisconsin and looks forward to continuing this work inside facilities with the University of Wisconsin Research Prevention Center as a partner in this work.
CALL FOR BRIEF & BRILLIANT TALK PRESENTATIONS
Brief & Brilliant (B&B) talks are TedX-style presentations aimed to translate women's health and health equity research in ways that engage a broad audience and emphasize the public relevance of this work.
The goal is to emphasize the main takeaways of your project rather than the methodological details behind it. Five scholars will be selected to each give a 3-minute lightning talk, highlighting an idea from their area of work that is particularly important, relevant, or intriguing. Click here to watch the 2023 Brief & Brilliant (B&B) talks.
The B&B talks will be in person at the HSLC on Thursday, October 10, 2024, starting at 7:45am.
Please submit your B&B talk proposal HERE by Sunday, August 18 at 11:59pm. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Selection Process:
B&B talk proposals will be evaluated by the Symposium Planning Committee. Successful proposals will:
- Align with reproductive health equity
- Deepen audience understanding of a particular research or quality improvement effort
- Offer fresh insight and relevant information through the combination of words and visuals
- Effectively communicate messages to a variety of audience members
All are welcome to submit, including students, researchers, residents/postdocs/fellows, clinicians, and community members.
Presenters chosen for B&B talks will be notified by September 3, 2024.
If you have any questions, please contact Autumn.
History of the Symposium:
The Symposium grew out of the pioneering vision of Dr. Gloria Sarto and the late Dr. Gloria Johnson-Powell.
Dr. Gloria Johnson-Powell (1936-2017), the first African American female professor at Harvard, joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty in 2001 as Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Associate Dean for Cultural Diversity, and Director of the Center for Cultural Diversity and Health Care. Dr. Johnson-Powell had remarkable influence in highlighting the importance of social equality as it impacts health equality. She labored all her life to seek equality for all, through her research, writings, and work within communities.
In 2003, Dr. Johnson-Powell and Dr. Sarto received NIH funding to establish a comprehensive center to investigate the role of biological and social factors on disparate health outcomes, primarily among minority ethnic and racial populations. The first Symposium was held in 2005.
Dr. Gloria Sarto has championed the health of women in innumerable ways throughout her professional career. As a physician, she personally treated many women and delivered their babies; as a department chair, she taught and mentored many students, residents, and young faculty; and as a national voice for women’s health, she continues to influence public policy, educational curricula, and national research initiatives.
Past Symposium Keynote Speakers:
- 2023: Denise Howard, MD, MPH (video)
- 2022: Vanessa Northington Gamble, MD, PhD (video)
- 2021: Elizabeth Howell, MD (video)
- 2020: Erica Marsh, MD (video)
- 2019: Tiffany Green, PhD (video)
- 2018: Sheri Johnson, PhD
- 2017: Haywood Brown, MD (video)
- 2016: Melissa Gilliam MD, MPH (video)
- 2015: Florence Haseltine, MD, PhD
- 2014: David Grimes, MD, FACOG, FACPM (video)
- 2013: Vivian Pinn, MD (video)