Association for Academic Surgery (AAS)

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Member Spotlight for January – Ashley Vavra, MD

Each month, the AAS Membership Committee presents the “Member Spotlight” – an opportunity to introduce you to a member of your association.

Dr. Ashley Vavra is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Vascular Surgery at Northwestern Medicine, in Chicago, IL. Originally from Texas, she studied English Literature at Rice University, and then went to medical school at Baylor College of Medicine. She completed residency training in general surgery and additional fellowship training in vascular surgery at Northwestern University. Most recently Dr. Vavra completed a Masters degree in quality and safety. She currently serves as the Chief of Vascular Surgery and Medical Director of the Vascular Diagnostics Laboratory at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, and is the Director of Operations for the Division of Vascular Surgery at Northwestern Fienberg School of Medicine.

Dr. Vavra practices the full breadth of vascular surgery with a special interest in upper extremity vascular disorders, thoracic outlet syndrome, lower extremity peripheral arterial disease, and quality improvement and patient safety. She is actively involved in multiple quality improvement initiatives including medication adherence, enhanced recovery after lower extremity bypass, and blood product utilization. Dr. Vavra is also the medical director of the Mid-America Vascular Study Group where she leads collaborative quality improvement in vascular care for the Midwest region. Dr. Vavra’s work to implement a surgical safety checklist was funded to promote a culture of safety at the University of Colorado.

Dr. Vavra is an active member of the Association for Academic Surgery; she currently serves on the Leadership Committee and on the Publications Committee. She also serves as the Vice-Chair of the Society for Vascular Surgery Quality Committee, is a member of the Research Committee for the Women in Science Summit, and on the Performance Measures Committee of the SVS. She embodies excellence as an academic surgeon, and I am honored to call her a colleague, mentor, and friend.

Neel Mansukhani

Neel Mansukhani

Neel Mansukhani is a vascular and endovascular surgeon and health services researcher. He practices the breadth of vascular surgery with a special interest in complex aortic diseases and peripheral vascular disease. His research is focused on addressing sex based disparities in vascular surgery and improving efficiency of the healthcare system.