The North Carolina Obstetrical & Gynecological Society brought the energy to a fantastic weekend at the Grandover Resort, welcoming nearly 80 physicians, advanced practice providers, and medical students from across the state. Many thanks to Annual Meeting chairs A. Jenna Beckham, MD, MSPH, FACOG, FACS from WakeMed and Jenna Hong, MD, FACOG from Atrium Health for putting together an excellent program!
The event kicked off on Friday with a lively welcome reception where attendees connected with colleagues and exhibitors. Saturday kept the momentum going with a dynamic general session, featuring an inspiring keynote from Haywood L. Brown, MD, along with insightful and timely presentations on topics such as fibroids and complex vulvar disease. Throughout the day, attendees stayed engaged with advocacy and ACOG updates and the annual business meeting.
The evening reception offered a chance to celebrate excellence within the community, including the presentation of the Distinguished Physician Award to Velma V. Taormina, MD, MSE, FACOG, and the 2026 Harold C. Pollard, III Award to Elizabeth Livingston, MD. Lydia N. Wright, MD, the 2025 recipient of the Pollard Award was also honored at the dinner.
Sunday wrapped things up with expert-led discussions on genetic screening, substance use in pregnancy, and breast disease. The spotlight then turned to the future of the field, as residents from across North Carolina showcased their research with oral presentations; the competition ended in a tie between residents Max Edmonds, MD, PhD, and Nicole El Helou, MD.
Award Winners
Resident Oral Presentation Winners
Tie for 1st Place:
Max Edmonds, MD, PhD – “Photoacoustic imaging of the mouse uterus and placenta after uterine injury: development of a placenta accreta spectrum murine model.”
Nicole El Helou, MD – “Implementation of a Mediterranean Diet Program for Overweight or Obese Pregnant Women in a Low-Resource Clinical Setting”
Poster Winners
Tie for 1st Place
Alexis D. Pean, MS at Duke University: “Race as a Determinant in Screening for Pregestational Diabetes in Prenatal Care”
Brianna H.N. Riley, MBS at Wake Forest University School of Medicine: “Nutrition Knowledge and Counseling During Pregnancy”
2nd Place
Stephanie S. Sperry, MPH at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“Models of Birth Doula Access in Hospital Settings: Insights from the ACURE4Moms Study in North Carolina”