APOPS History and Leadership

Like most women, Sherrie Palm was a member of the "discovery upon diagnosis" demographic. She recognized within two weeks of her diagnosis that pelvic organ prolapse was the biggest secret in women's health, and that millions of other women were suffering in silence. Sherrie's journey began when she wrote the book Pelvic Organ Prolapse:The Silent Epidemic, and shortly after the publication of the 1st Edition, founded APOPS, a grassroots movement to increase POP awareness and provide guidance and support to women navigating the condition.

Board of Directors

APOPS' Board of Directors work diligently to evolve APOPS global vision, bridging patients, healthcare, industry, research, academia and policy for the betterment of POP understanding, patient voice acknowledgement, vaginal health destimatization, and vaginal health empowerment. APOPS BOD is 100% comprised of women who have experienced pelvic organ prolapse.

Medical Advisory Committee
Urogynecology

ROGER R. DMOCHOWSKI, MD, MMHC, FACS, FPMRS

Dr. Dmochowski is a Professor at the Department of Urology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and Director of the Section of Female Pelvic Medicine and supervisor of the Fellowship in Pelvic Medicine at Vanderbilt. He is also Clinical Assistant Professor in Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland and holds additional positions as Vice Chair, Section of Surgical Sciences Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Associate Director of Quality and Safety, Vanderbilt Health System, Executive Director of Risk Prevention for Vanderbilt Health System, Executive Medical Director for Patient Safety and Quality (Surgery),Associate Chief of Staff, and Medical Director of Risk Management at Vanderbilt University Hospital.  Dr. Dmochowski has published more than 230 articles and 68 book chapters, and 340 abstracts, and has given over 230 presentations at various national and international meetin

S. ABBAS SHOBIERI, MD, MBA, FACOG, FACS, CMPE, FPMRS

Dr. Shobeiri is a gynecologic surgeon board certified in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. He has over 22 years of clinical experience. He is an expert in management of obstetric perineal and pelvic floor injury, 3D ultrasound imaging of pelvic floor, management of vaginal agenesis or stenosis, ultrasound imaging and management of vaginal mesh. Dr. Shobeiri is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Virginia Commonwealth University, George Washington University, and is also a professor of cell biology and anatomy at OUHSC. Dr. Shobeiri is the vice chair of gynecologic subspecialties at Inova Fairfax Hospital. Dr. Shobeiri has authored more than 100 scientific articles, authored many book chapters, and is the editor of Practical Pelvic Floor Ultrasonography: A Multicompartment Approach. His work in pelvic floor imaging and complex pelvic floor repair draws patients nationally and internationally who require specialized management. His work has directly and indirectly helped numerous patients and providers.

HUGO H DAVILLA, MD, FMPRS

Dr. Hugo Davila completed his surgery and urology training at University of South Florida and Moffitt Cancer Center. He is a board-certified urologist and Clinical Assistant Professor at Florida State University, College of Medicine. Currently practicing at Florida Healthcare Specialists and Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, Dr. Davila previously worked on fibrosis, aging and nitric oxide with 11 publications in prestigious Journals such as Biology of Reproduction, Cardiovascular Research, Urology, and British Journal of Urology. His investigations include the evaluation of robotic surgical techniques and intraoperative imaging for the correction of pelvic organ prolapse, with several publications in the Journal of Robotic surgery and Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Davila recently introduced a robotic and laparoscopic single site approach to apical prolapse using native tissue; his most recent publication in the Journal of Robotic Surgery described a new approach utilizing ultrasonography assisted robotic surgery with pubocervical fascia plication.

Cosmetic Urogynecology and Gynecology

MICHAEL GOODMAN, MD, FACOG, IF, AAACS

Michael Goodman, MD, a world-renowned gynecologist, has specialized for decades in menopause and sexual medicine as well as cosmetic gynecology. Presently limiting his practice to female genital reconstructive and cosmetic surgery, he provides innovative and integrative women’s healthcare. As a surgeon, teacher, and menopause expert, as well as author of scientific research and articles, medical textbooks, and books to educate the lay community, he shines a light to clarify and treat diverse facets of vaginal health. Dr. Goodman is a pioneer in the development and advancement of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. Since 2000, Dr. Goodman has performed over 1000 genital plastic/cosmetic surgical procedures. Dr. Goodman remains active in educating and training, continues to sit on multiple review boards for medical organizations and journals, and is a critically acclaimed author of books designed to address both patient educational and physician curriculum needs, and additionally is a sought-after Faculty Member for Sexual Medicine, Aesthetics, and Genital Plastics Congresses worldwide.

HICHEM BENSMAIL, MD

Dr Hichem Bensmail is a globally-distinguished obstetrician and gynecologist based at Clinique George V in Bordeaux, France. He specializes in both aesthetic and cosmetic gynecologic surgery and urogynecology. Dr Bensmail is a pioneer of cosmetic vaginal surgery in France, being one of the first physicans to introduce hyaluronic acid and fractional CO2 laser use in gynecology. He additionally was the first physician to introduce quadripolar radio frequency treatments in France, historically contributing to the development of new techniques in the gynecologic and cosmetico-gynecologic fields. Dr Bensmail practices in both France and Dubai. He frequently speaks at international medical conferences, and hosts clinical training courses. Dr. Bensmail has published multiple articles in peer-reviewed journals to clarify the uses and efficacy of current and evolving gynecologic surgical techniques and treatments.

STEPHANIE MOLDEN, MD, FACOG, FPMRS

Director of Medicine at the Female Pelvic Health Center, Dr. Molden is a Board Certified Urogynecologist, she is a pioneer in Medical Urogynecology and Female Cosmetic Gynecology. She has performed over 2000 minimally invasive procedures, including the first Urogynecologic surgeries using the daVinci robotic surgical system at both St Luke’s and St. Mary Medical Centers. She is one of a small number of doctors in the region to complete a three-year fellowship in Urogynecology, and one of the first in the entire country to be Board Certified. For Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery, she trained under Dr. David Matlock, “cosmetic surgeon to the stars,” in Beverly Hills. A lecturer, noted researcher, and leading educator on Urogynecologic procedures, Dr. Molden is a proctor to an international list of surgeons, has appeared on national television to speak on Female Pelvic Health issues, presented at numerous national and international symposiums and published in leading medical journals.