I’m a female pelvic medicine reconstructive surgeon/urogynecologist, trained obstetric fistula surgeon and Executive Director for International Medical Response, an international health non-profit committed to partnerships that increase health capacity globally. I’ve served as an obstetric fistula surgeon for the Eritrean Women’s Project in Mendefera, Eritrea since 2007, and as a surgical team co-leader for Medicine In Action’s spring trip to Kingston, Jamaica, and worked with numerous local UNFPA offices to expand fistula services in Haiti, Malawi and Liberia and others. I spent 6 years on the executive committee of the International Society for Obstetric Fistula Surgeons (ISOFS) and rejoined as a regional representative for the Americas and Europe this year.

In January, 2013, I developed the Haitian Women’s Heath Collaborative in partnership with the Department of Ob/Gyn at the National Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. This project has expanded to a partnership with St. Boniface Hospital in the southern part of the country, continuing our pledge to increase safe surgical capacity in Haiti. Additionally, I’ve help lead IMR pelvic/fistula surgery projects in Liberia, Malawi, and Pakistan. Our focus is on caring for women and also training surgeons in pelvic reconstructive and fistula surgery safe maternal care and advocating for all women who suffer from birth inequity, injury and neglect. Currently, IMR is working with the UNFPA office in Gambia to expand pelvic surgical training for residents at the teaching hospital, as well as in Ghana.

Ambereen is a member of USA for UNFPA’s Leadership Council.