Biography
Dr. Wendy Chavkin is co-founder of Global Doctors for Choice and previously served as the chair to the Board of Directors of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health. IN 2004-2005 she was a Fulbright New Century Scholar for her research on Fertility Decline and the Empowerment of Women, from 1994 to 2002 she was editor-in-chief of The Journal of the American Medical Women's Association, and from 1984 to 1988, the director of The Bureau of Maternity Services and Family Planning in New York City's Department of Health. She has written extensively about women's reproductive health issues , including the consequences of welfare reform for the health of women and children, HIV and illegal drug use in pregnancy, policy responses to declining birthrates, and conscientious objection to providing reproductive health care. She has received numerous awards from public health organizations for advocacy including the Jean Pakter and Allan Rosenfield awards.
Topics
Education
MPH, 1981, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
MD, 1978, SUNY
BA, 1973, University of Michigan
Other Affiliations
Director, Soros Reproductive Health and Rights Fellowship, 2002-2006
Chair, Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health, 2001-2007
Chair (Interim), Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, 2000-2002
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of American Medical Women's Association, 1994-2002
Associate Editor, American Journal of Public Health, 1999-2003
Director, Bureau of Maternity Services and Family Planning, New York City Department of Health, 1984-1988
Honors & Awards
Felicia Stewart Advocacy Award, 2007
Bertha Van Hoosen Award, American Medical Women's Association, 2003
President's Award, American Medical Women's Association, 2002
Allan Rosenfield Award 2009
Jean Pakter Award 2013
Areas of Expertise
Infant Mortality, Disparities / Inequalities in Health, Social / Cultural Issues, Women's Health, Poverty, Healthcare Policy, Welfare Programs, Abortion, Birth Outcomes, Family Planning, Fertility / Infertility Issues, Maternal Health, Prenatal/Perinatal Care, Reproductive Health, Reproductive Rights, Addiction/Drug Abuse
Select Urban Health Activities
Finding Common Ground: Study of impact of welfare reform on health of women and children of Washington Heights
NYC Dept of Health: Consultant re infant and maternal mortality.
Planned Parenthood, NYC: Member, Medical Committee
Select Global Activities
Policy Responses to Fertility Decline : Comparative study of policies re work-family and assisted reproductive technologies as responses to declining birthrates. Edited The Globalization of Motherhood: deconstructions and reconstructions of biology and care ( Routledge 2010) and co-edited volume on globalized fatherhood forthcoming Berghahn Press 2014
Soros Reproductive Health and Rights Fellowship, http://www.soros.org/initiatives/repro/focus_areas/reproductive_fellowships: Dr. Chavkin was the Director of the Soros Reproductive Health and Rights Fellowship, which brought together scholar-activists from around the world to to focus on reproductive rights and health policy questions.
Global Doctors for Choice: Dr. Chavkin is co-founder of Global Doctors for Choice, an international group of doctors committed to advocacy for reproductive health and choice globally.
Select Publications
Chavkin W and Maher,JM eds The Globalization of Motherhood: deconstructions and reconstructions of biology and care
Routledge Press 2010
Rosenfield A, Charo RA, Chavkin W. Moving Forward on Reproductive Health
New England Journal of Medicine 359 1869 2008