Each year the SGS President has the distinct honor of recommending to the Executive Committee the nominee for the SGS President’s Award. We are thrilled to announce that this year’s President’s Award recipient is Dr. Cheryl Iglesia. The 49th SGS President, Cheryl has dedicated her career to improving women’s health, clinically and surgically. Never afraid to speak up, she is a fierce advocate for justice, diversity, equity and inclusion. She has brought sexual health, what some considered taboo, into the normal conversation for patients. Her work in SGS has been far-reaching, including the SGS Program Committee, Nomination Committee, Research Committee, Systematic Review Group and Fellows Pelvic Research Network. She is the recipient of the Best Surgical Video Award in 2011 and the SGS President’s Award for Research in 2013. As President, Dr. Iglesia was visionary in determining the effect of the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v Wade on training Ob/Gyn residents. She has a great awareness of the importance of working with our industry partners and when asked to help after her Immediate Past President role, she took on leadership of the newly formed Industry Advisory Group with her usual energy and vigor.
An annual and time-limited targeted funding campaign is associated with this award and Dr. Iglesia has requested that all donations in honor of the award this year are earmarked to support the PAG Digital Library and CoRPS Fund.
Cheryl B. Iglesia
MD, FACOG, FACS
Dr. Iglesia is Founding Director of the Section of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and the National Center for Advanced Pelvic Surgery (NCAPS) at MedStar Health, a renowned center that combines urogynecology and minimally invasive gynecologic surgery in Washington, DC. She is also Professor of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Urology at Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Dr. Iglesia is nationally and internationally recognized for advancing surgical techniques in reconstructive pelvic surgery. Among her many roles, Dr. Iglesia has Chaired the Advisory Board of the Pelvic Floor Disorders Network (PFDN) at the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and is a past chair of both the Committee for Gynecologic Practice at the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the ACOG Patient Education Board. She has served as Program Chair for the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons (SGS) and the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) and has also served on the AUGS Board of Directors. Since 2011, Dr. Iglesia is an appointed special governmental employee for the ObGyn Devices Panel at the US FDA.
Dr. Iglesia has published 143 peer-reviewed articles, numerous other articles and book chapters and has edited textbooks and high-impact practice guidelines. She is the recipient of multiple teaching awards including the Karen Gale Award at Georgetown University, the 2023 University of Florida Most Distinguished Alumni Award and the 2024 MedStar Health Gold-Headed Cane Award. She has been invited for many visiting professorships but is most proud of the 34 fellows, and dozens of residents and students she has mentored and trained over the past 26 years!
Please join us in celebrating Dr. Iglesia with a donation in her honor. Be sure to include your personal message to Dr. Iglesia. Messages will be collated in and presented at the SGS Award Ceremony on March 23. All donations must be made by March 8, 2026.