Executive Director: Jessica McKinney, PT, MS – As an active member of WAI’s Board since 2010, Jessica recently transitioned into the Executive Director role. She is co-founder and Director of The Center for Women’s Health at Marathon Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, LLC. She is a senior clinician, mentor to staff and students, and educator for patients and the community. She is a regular guest lecturer at area physical therapy schools on women’s health and pelvic floor dysfunction. In addition to her career in physical therapy, Jessica has long been involved in women’s health promotion through various activities and international service projects. Since 2009 she has been a partner with the hospital HEAL Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo) in the development of skills and resources for providing pelvic floor rehabilitation to women recovering from obstetric and/or traumatic fistula. She regularly speaks to healthcare providers, graduate students, and the community on matters regarding pelvic floor and obstetric physical therapy and women’s health matters and has worked with physical therapy students at Boston University on several women’s health related projects since 2006. Jessica is a candidate in the Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy (DSc) program at Andrews University and is author of the chapter “Physical Therapy and Pelvic Pain” in the textbook, Pain in Women (2012, Springer Publishing). She is a mother of three children, ages 7, 5, and 1.
Founder: Angela Hughes Halliwell – Angela is a mother of two and brings a 7-year background in successfully developing, proposing, and selling technology service solutions, software, and consulting solutions, with companies such as Akamai Technologies and Symantec Corporation. In addition to being a social entrepreneur, Angela is a trained doula and has supported many women of very diverse backgrounds and circumstances through labor and delivery since 2007. Angela founded the WAI out of a desire to impact women positively during what can be a very challenging time, the post-partum period.
Board Members:
William Camann, MD – Bill is the Director of Obstetric Anesthesiology at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, overseeing pain management during labor and birth or cesarean delivery of close to 9000 women per year. Bill was President (2006) of the national Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP) and the author of Easy Labor. Bill has published over a hundred research articles, book chapters, reviews, editorials and other literature related to obstetric anesthesia.
Eman Elkadry, MD – Eman is fellowship trained in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery and a clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School. She has been practicing at Mount Auburn Hospital since 2003 and is the fellowship director of FPMRC at Mt. Auburn Hospital. Eman is also a member of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons and the American Urogynecology Asssociation.
Michele A. Helgeson, CNM, MPH – Michele is a nurse midwife and the Centering Pregnancy Program Coordinator for Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates in Wellesley, MA. Since her certification with the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) in 1985, Michele has not only been working as an obstetrics and gynecology provider, but she has also served as ACNM’s MA Chapter Treasurer (1993-96); lectured on topics such as healthy pregnancy, breastfeeding and breast health; and achieved distinctions like the Boston University’s School of Public Health Leadership Award in 2006.
Hollis Herman, MS PT, OCS, BCIA-PMDB Biofeedback Certified – Holly has been practicing Physical Therapy for 33 years. Her practice focuses on treating women for orthopedic, gynecologic, urological, colorectal, sexual, and obstetric complaints and treating men for urological, sexual, and pelvic pain dysfunctions. For the past 20 years, Holly has trained other physical therapists around the country to evaluate and develop treatment plans for these populations. She also co-founded the Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute.
Nawal M. Nour, MD MPH - Nawal is a board certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist and is the Director of the Ambulatory Obstetrics practice at the Harvard-affiliated Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. She is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and is a member of the Board of Trustees at both Brigham & Women’s Hospital and at Faulkner Hospital. She also established the African Women’s Health Center which provides appropriate health and outreach programs to the African community in Boston. She was honored as a 2003 MacArthur Foundation Fellow for creating the country’s only center of it’s kind that focuses on both physical and emotional needs of women who have had or undergone FGC. Nawal also actively researches the health and policy issues regarding female genital cutting (FGC) and has spoken in numerous academic and national conferences regarding the medical management of women who have undergone this practice. Committed to eradication of FGC, she travels throughout the US conducting workshops. She has received numerous awards for her work, several honorary doctorate degrees, and both national and international press coverage.
Allison Bailey, MD – Allison is a physiatrist practicing physical medicine and rehabilitation at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. ~bio info coming soon~
Management + Board of Directors
Founder: Angela Hughes Halliwell – Angela is a mother of two and brings a 7-year background in successfully developing, proposing, and selling technology service solutions, software, and consulting solutions, with companies such as Akamai Technologies and Symantec Corporation. In addition to being a social entrepreneur, Angela is a trained doula and has supported many women of very diverse backgrounds and circumstances through labor and delivery since 2007. Angela founded the WAI out of a desire to impact women positively during what can be a very challenging time, the post-partum period.
Board Members:
William Camann, MD – Bill is the Director of Obstetric Anesthesiology at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, overseeing pain management during labor and birth or cesarean delivery of close to 9000 women per year. Bill was President (2006) of the national Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP) and the author of Easy Labor. Bill has published over a hundred research articles, book chapters, reviews, editorials and other literature related to obstetric anesthesia.
Eman Elkadry, MD – Eman is fellowship trained in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery and a clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School. She has been practicing at Mount Auburn Hospital since 2003 and is the fellowship director of FPMRC at Mt. Auburn Hospital. Eman is also a member of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons and the American Urogynecology Asssociation.
Michele A. Helgeson, CNM, MPH – Michele is a nurse midwife and the Centering Pregnancy Program Coordinator for Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates in Wellesley, MA. Since her certification with the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) in 1985, Michele has not only been working as an obstetrics and gynecology provider, but she has also served as ACNM’s MA Chapter Treasurer (1993-96); lectured on topics such as healthy pregnancy, breastfeeding and breast health; and achieved distinctions like the Boston University’s School of Public Health Leadership Award in 2006.
Hollis Herman, MS PT, OCS, BCIA-PMDB Biofeedback Certified – Holly has been practicing Physical Therapy for 33 years. Her practice focuses on treating women for orthopedic, gynecologic, urological, colorectal, sexual, and obstetric complaints and treating men for urological, sexual, and pelvic pain dysfunctions. For the past 20 years, Holly has trained other physical therapists around the country to evaluate and develop treatment plans for these populations. She also co-founded the Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute.
Nawal M. Nour, MD MPH - Nawal is a board certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist and is the Director of the Ambulatory Obstetrics practice at the Harvard-affiliated Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. She is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and is a member of the Board of Trustees at both Brigham & Women’s Hospital and at Faulkner Hospital. She also established the African Women’s Health Center which provides appropriate health and outreach programs to the African community in Boston. She was honored as a 2003 MacArthur Foundation Fellow for creating the country’s only center of it’s kind that focuses on both physical and emotional needs of women who have had or undergone FGC. Nawal also actively researches the health and policy issues regarding female genital cutting (FGC) and has spoken in numerous academic and national conferences regarding the medical management of women who have undergone this practice. Committed to eradication of FGC, she travels throughout the US conducting workshops. She has received numerous awards for her work, several honorary doctorate degrees, and both national and international press coverage.
Allison Bailey, MD – Allison is a physiatrist practicing physical medicine and rehabilitation at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. ~bio info coming soon~