Meet the 2026 AMA Foundation Excellence in Medicine Honorees
AMA Foundation award recipients and leadership (from left): John Whyte, MD, MPH, AMA CEO; Andy Bell, AMA Foundation executive director; April Miller, MD, MPH, FACOG; Hansini Laharwani, MD; Julia Visgauss, MD; Nancy Mueller, MD, FAAN; Sommer Aldulaimi, MD; Dionne Hart, MD, DABPN, DFAPA, FASAM, CCHP-MH; Hailey Greenstone, MD, MPH; and Mary Beth Ellison, AMA Foundation board president.
On June 6, 2026, nine health care professionals were honored by the AMA Foundation at the 2026 Excellence in Medicine Awards ceremony. The event took place during the AMA Annual Meeting in Chicago, where honorees were recognized for exemplifying the highest values of volunteerism, community engagement, and dedication to underserved populations. In recognition of their achievements, each awardee selected an organization to receive a grant honorarium.
The AMA Foundation is honored to celebrate these individuals and the impact they have made across the country.
Courage in Women’s Health Advocacy Award
April Miller, MD, MPH, FACOG
April Miller, MD, MPH, FACOG, is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and associate professor at Wake Forest School of Medicine. She serves as division chief of general obstetrics and gynecology at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, where she provides comprehensive care and leads clinical, educational, and quality initiatives. Dr. Miller earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, her medical degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, and completed her residency at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Miller is deeply committed to advancing maternal health outcomes through institutional, departmental, and community-driven efforts. A dedicated educator and mentor, she teaches health equity, implicit bias recognition, and active bystander intervention to promote inclusive health care environments. She has held leadership roles within the North Carolina Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, including president, and serves on the North Carolina Physician Advisory Group, advising the state on improving care for Medicaid beneficiaries. Her work reflects a sustained commitment to patient-centered care, medical education, and health equity.
In honor of Dr. Miller, a grant was awarded to Planned Parenthood South Atlantic.
Dr. Debasish Mridha Spirit of Medicine Award
Dionne Hart, MD, DABPN, DFAPA, FASAM, CCHP-MH
Dionne Hart, MD, DABPN, DFAPA, FASAM, CCHP-MH, was the inaugural chair of the AMA Minority Affairs Section and has authored numerous policies, including the organization’s first policy addressing the school-to-jail pipeline. She serves as the AMA representative to the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and is a board member of both the American Psychiatric Association and the National Medical Association. Dr. Hart was also the first Black woman elected to the Minnesota Medical Association Board of Trustees.
A trailblazer in her field, Dr. Hart has focused her work on underserved and justice-involved populations. She is recognized for ensuring that care provided to these communities is clinically excellent, ethically grounded, and patient-centered. Her commitment to advocacy is reflected in her willingness to challenge systemic barriers and mentor the next generation of physicians to lead with empathy, integrity, and cultural humility. Through her work bridging medicine and social justice, Dr. Hart has helped advance policies and programs that improve access to mental health services and strengthen care for vulnerable populations.
In honor of Dr. Hart, a grant was awarded to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Minnesota.
Dr. Edmond and Rima Cabbabe Dedication to the Profession Award
Julia D. Visgauss, MD
Julia Visgauss, MD, is an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at Duke University Medical Center and a member of the Duke Cancer Institute, specializing in orthopaedic oncology with a focus on complex sarcoma care, pelvic tumor resection, and innovative reconstructive techniques. She completed her undergraduate education at New York University and earned her medical degree from Johns Hopkins University, followed by orthopaedic surgery residency training at Duke University and a musculoskeletal oncology fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto.
Dr. Visgauss serves as associate program director for the Duke Orthopaedic Surgery Residency, where she is deeply involved in resident education, curriculum development, and mentorship. She mentors residents, medical students, and undergraduate trainees while leading multidisciplinary research projects spanning clinical outcomes, tumor biology, and health disparities in sarcoma care. She also serves as a preceptor across multiple educational programs at Duke University and its School of Medicine. Her research portfolio includes translational investigation of metastatic drivers of chondrosarcoma, clinical studies optimizing surgical and perioperative care, and work addressing financial toxicity and social determinants of health among sarcoma patients.
In honor of Dr. Visgauss, a grant was awarded to The Visgauss Laboratory.
Dr. Jacqueline A. Bello Friend of the AMA Foundation Award
Nancy L. Mueller, MD, FAAN
Nancy Mueller, MD, FAAN, is an associate professor of neurology at New York University Langone Health and maintains a solo private practice in neurology. Her interest in medicine began early and ultimately led her to pursue neurology, a field she has remained deeply passionate about throughout her career. She completed an internal medicine residency before training in neurology at NYU, where her experiences across the university, Bellevue Hospital, and the VA hospital helped define her clinical and academic perspective.
After completing residency, Dr. Mueller established her practice in New Jersey while maintaining close ties to NYU’s neurology program. Over the years, her role within the university has continued to grow and now includes supervising the Bellevue Neurology Outpatient Clinic and serving as a preceptor to inpatient consultation services at Bellevue. In these roles, she teaches neurology residents, trainees rotating through psychiatry and neurosurgery, and medical students during clinical rotations. Dr. Mueller values the unique balance between private practice and academic medicine, which has allowed her to care for patients while mentoring future physicians.
In honor of Dr. Mueller, a grant was awarded to the Christian Healthcare Foundation.
Excellence in LGBTQ Health Award - Medical Student
Hailey Greenstone, MD, MPH
Hailey Greenstone, MD, MPH, is a Tufts University School of Medicine graduate and incoming resident pursuing a clinical and surgical career centered on LGBTQ+ health and human rights. Throughout medical school, she developed into a strong advocate for patients and physicians, particularly those who identify as LGBTQ+. Her advocacy leadership spans the AMA LGBTQ+ Governing Council, where she served as section alternate delegate and now delegate, as well as the Massachusetts Medical Society, where she has held multiple leadership positions, including trustee, delegate, and reference committee chair. Her advocacy work has included strengthening LGBTQ+ policy within the AMA, testifying before the Massachusetts Legislature in support of legislation addressing LGBTQ+ health disparities, conducting research and quality improvement initiatives centered on LGBTQ+ communities, and advancing physician and medical student education on LGBTQ+ health and policy. Dr. Greenstone remains committed to advocating for LGBTQ+ communities throughout her career, from the clinic to Capitol Hill.
In honor of Dr. Greenstone, a grant was awarded to The Fenway Institute.
Jack B. McConnell, MD, Award for Excellence in Volunteerism
Susan Boiko, MD, FAAP, FAAD
Susan Boiko, MD, FAAF, FAAD, has devoted her career to pediatric dermatology, medical education, and improving access to care for underserved communities. She earned her medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School, where she was active in the Student American Medical Association. She then completed a pediatric residency and served in the U.S. Air Force before pursuing dermatology residency training at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Boiko later moved to Carlsbad, California, where she became part of the first cohort of board-certified pediatric dermatologists in 2004 and co-chaired the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention. She retired from Kaiser Permanente San Diego, where she taught dermatology in the Family Medicine Residency Program.
Throughout her career, Dr. Boiko has remained dedicated to caring for underserved communities. At the University of California San Diego, she supported Vista Community Clinic and Farmworker Justice in expanding access to dermatologic care for farmworkers and Spanish-speaking populations while educating lay health workers about skin cancer. She currently co-directs Camp Discovery Arizona, provides free teledermatology consultations, lectures primary care clinicians on common skin conditions, and mentors physicians through the MAVEN Project.
In honor of Dr. Boiko, a grant was awarded to the MAVEN Project.
Outstanding International Medical Graduate Award
Hansini Laharwani, MD
Hansini Laharwani, MD, is a board-certified pathologist specializing in breast and gynecologic pathology. She is recognized for her clinical excellence, leadership, and commitment to advancing the field. Dr. Laharwani completed fellowship training at Washington University in St. Louis and is an elected member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. Dr. Laharwani was honored as the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Resident of the Year, reflecting her outstanding contributions to pathology, education, and leadership. She represents the state of Missouri in the CAP House of Delegates, where she contributes to initiatives that support pathologists and promote excellence in patient care.
A passionate advocate for international medical graduates, Dr. Laharwani has participated in national efforts addressing physician workforce challenges, visa pathways, and inclusion in medicine. She has also participated in the BridgeUSA Leadership Program, supporting mentorship and professional development for physicians navigating complex training and career transitions. Through her clinical work, leadership, and advocacy, Dr. Laharwani continues to advance pathology while fostering a more inclusive medical community.
In honor of Dr. Laharwani, a grant was awarded to the SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation.
Pride in the Profession Award
Belma Andric, MD, MPH
Belma Andric, MD, MPH, earned her medical degree from the University of Novi Sad College of Medicine in Serbia, completed preventive medicine and public health residency training with the Palm Beach County Health Department and a surgical internship at Mount Sinai Medical Center, and received her MPH from Florida International University. She is board-certified in preventive medicine and public health. Dr. Andric is executive vice president and chief medical officer at the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, a public health care system that includes federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), a rural hospital, a skilled nursing center, a trauma agency, aeromedical services, and a school health program. She leads strategic and population health initiatives, agency-wide data-driven performance improvement efforts, and partnerships focused on growth, innovation, and community health outcomes.
Under Dr. Andric’s leadership, the Health Resources and Services Administration ranked the district’s FQHCs among the top 10% nationally for clinical quality. She is also leading the development of the county’s first mental health crisis center and helped establish an award-winning outpatient behavioral health and substance use disorder program, which was later replicated statewide through Florida’s Coordinated Opioid Recovery Network.
In honor of Dr. Andric, a grant was awarded to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Palm Beach County.
Pride in the Profession Award
Sommer Aldulaimi, MD
Sommer Aldulaimi, MD, is a professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson and serves as co-director of Global Health Programs in the Office of Global and Border Health, medical director for the Tucson Family Advocacy Program, and co-director of Refugee Health Programs at the Department of Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Aldulaimi completed her medical training at the University of Arizona and has dedicated her career to caring for underserved populations domestically and globally, with a particular focus on refugee care.
Dr. Aldulaimi is a full-spectrum family physician whose work includes adult inpatient medicine, obstetrics, newborn care, outpatient refugee health, and refugee screening examinations. She has remained active in global health initiatives across numerous countries and has helped bring medical education programs to underserved communities worldwide, including neonatal resuscitation training in Tanzania, postpartum hemorrhage training in Ecuador, and Basic Obstetrical Life Support training in Bangladesh. Nationally, she serves on the American Academy of Pediatrics Global Neonatal Advisory Committee and remains passionate about teaching medical students and residents to care for underserved populations.
In honor of Dr. Aldulaimi, a grant was awarded to the International Rescue Committee-Tucson.
About the Excellence in Medicine Awards
Through the Excellence in Medicine Awards, the AMA Foundation recognizes physicians and medical advocates who exemplify the highest values of volunteerism, community engagement, and dedication to caring for underserved populations. Recipients are honored at an awards ceremony during the AMA Annual Meeting of the House of Delegates in Chicago and select a health-focused organization for a grant honorarium.