July 2025

Dear SOAP Community,

It’s an honor to serve this society and its members as the new President of SOAP. This is a pivotal time for our society. We start the year with a new focused strategic plan to guide SOAP’s growth over the next one to three years — priorities rooted in listening to our members, strengthening our value, and advancing our mission. At the heart of this plan is a commitment to aligning our content, committees, and community. “Content is the message” is a call to ensure that what we create and how we deliver it reflects the excellence we strive for in clinical care. Whether through our annual meeting, learning platforms, or research network, SOAP is doubling down on high-quality, strategically delivered knowledge that drives impact. We are also sharpening our focus on accountability and alignment across committees — with clear deliverables, regular reporting, and support for translating discussion into action. We are exploring new philanthropic efforts expanding through targeted donor pathways and legacy giving, reinforcing that investing in SOAP is investing in safer maternity care. Lastly, we are embracing new ways to communicate, collaborate, and advocate — ensuring that SOAP remains agile, relevant, and member-driven. I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful to lead at a time of such clarity and momentum. Together, we will fuel the future of obstetric anesthesia — one aligned action at a time.

Ron George, MD, FRCP
President, Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology

BOARD STATS 
  • To date, there are 51 SOAP State Representatives, and we continue to work towards securing a representative from each state.  SOAP State Representatives will provide a key contact in each state to help us reach a broader audience, as SOAP strives to meet its mission to provide safe and equitable care for women and newborns everywhere. If you know someone who is interested in becoming a SOAP State Representative, please contact SOAP HQ.  
  • Retrievals Season 2 Podcast released on July 10.
COMMITTEE STATS 

Annual Meeting and Live Events Committee 

  • Recording available in the SOAP Learning Center for attendees of both Virtual Highlights and Annual Meeting

Education Committee

Diversity Committee 

Governance Committee 

  • The Call for Committee interest will launch in September. Terms for committees will began January 1 and end on December 31. 
  • Fred Hehre nominations closed July 18.

Intersociety Committee  

Member Value Committee 

  • Mentor/Mentee Pairing Program opened July 28. Deadline: August 22
  • 2025 SOAP Fundamentals Registration is open! 
  • Mark your calendars for the NEW SOAP PEAK: Professional Excellence Advancement Keys! This program will be a focused lecture series, allowing you to attend areas customized to your interests.
    • November 13, 2025 – Quality Improvement
    • February 5, 2026 – Education
    • June 25, 2026 – Career Advancement
    • August 27, 2026 – Research
  • Join one of the fifteen Special Interest Groups. To see a full list of the Special Interest Groups visit the SOAP website.

Research Committee  

  • Research Network Symposium to be held in conjunction with the ASA Annual Meeting on Sunday, October 12, 2025, from 10:00am – 1:00pm CST in San Antonio, TX.
    • Call for proposals is coming soon
  • Research Survey Request fall cycle opens July 31. Deadline to submit request: September 1.

Finance Committee 

  • Combined net assets for SOAP and the SOAP Endowment were $6.7M as of April 31, 2025
  • “Party with a Purpose” Benefit was a success!  The winner of the Alumni Showdown Challenge were:
    •  1st Place: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine - $3,350
    • 2nd Place: Stanford University - $1,220
    • 3rd Place: Brigham and Women's Hospital - $600

SOAP Headquarters 

  • Log into the SOAP Community! We’re happy to invite you to join the official SOAP online community platform at TradeWing! The platform has many of the features members requested.  
    • Add [email protected] to your safe sender's list so you can receive announcements from SOAP Community. 
    • View the full list of features and frequently asked questions.