Dr. Barbara Levy

Barbara Levy, MD, FACOG, FACS is a recognized obstetrician-gynecologist, health policy leader, and lifelong advocate for improving women’s health. She graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University in 1974 with a degree in psychology and earned her medical degree from the University of California, San Diego in 1979. She then completed her internship and residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Oregon Health Sciences Center, now known as Oregon Health & Science University. For more than three decades, Dr. Levy practiced comprehensive women’s health in Tacoma, Washington, and served as Medical Director for Women’s Health and Breast Center as well as Medical Director of Women’s and Children’s Services at the Franciscan Health System.

In 2012, Barbara Levy moved from private practice into health policy by joining the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as its first full-time woman physician leader. As Vice President for Health Policy at ACOG, she oversaw the expansion of the Advocacy Division and the Office of Global Women’s Health, where her work helped reduce maternal mortality and build sustainable health programs internationally. She guided initiatives to improve access to contraception, expand postpartum care, and address menopause management, ensuring women’s health needs were represented at both national and global levels.

Dr. Levy has been a strong voice for women’s health in both academic and public arenas. She has appeared on programs including The Oprah Winfrey Show and has published more than 85 studies and articles on topics such as chronic pelvic pain, surgical outcomes, hysterectomy, minimally invasive and endoscopic surgery, and physician payment policy. Her clinical and research work has emphasized equitable and comprehensive care for women across their lifespans.

She has held leadership positions in several major organizations. In 1994, she became the first female President of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, reflecting her pioneering role in minimally invasive surgery. Since 1999, she has represented physicians on the American Medical Association Relative Value Scale Update Committee, advocating for fair and evidence-based physician payment. She has also contributed as a reviewer and editor for respected medical journals, including Obstetrics & Gynecology and the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Throughout her career, Barbara Levy has consistently combined clinical expertise, research, advocacy, and policy leadership to improve outcomes for women. Her work has spanned local patient care and international health programs, shaping the way women’s health is understood and supported around the world.