Will serve as chair and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, pending board approval
Stephanie Teal has been appointed obstetrician and gynecologist-in-chief for University Hospitals and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. Teal will also serve as chair and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Case Western Reserve University, pending board approval.
She comes to UH and Case Western Reserve from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, where she served as division chief and fellowship director of complex family planning in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and vice-chair for faculty development and diversity. Teal was also a professor with tenure of obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics and clinical science.
“Dr. Teal brings a wealth of experience leading efforts in OB-GYN, with particular attention to maternal support in early pregnancy, building and coordinating prenatal care with community support to reduce infant and maternal mortality, and understanding the complexity of community support for pregnant women,” said Stan Gerson, interim dean of the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine and senior vice president for medical affairs at CWRU. “In our urban-focused community, these skills will leap us forward in support of a healthy community.”
Teal has received numerous accolades for teaching, mentorship, clinical care and research. Currently, she is the principal investigator of the NICHD Contraceptive Clinical Trials Network at University of Colorado. She is also the co-founder of BC4U, the nationally-recognized Adolescent Family Planning Clinic at Children’s Hospital Colorado, and serves as the medical consultant for family planning for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. In these roles, she was a key collaborator in the Colorado Family Planning Initiative, which reduced unintended teen pregnancy statewide by 40% over five years.
“Dr. Teal is a visionary leader in obstetrics and gynecologic medicine, well-known for her innovative work and research in contraception, adolescent wellness and reproductive health for disadvantaged women,” said Daniel Simon, the Herman K. Hellerstein Professor of Medicine at the School of Medicine and president of UH Cleveland Medical Center and chief clinical and scientific officer at UH. “We are thrilled to have her join University Hospitals health system and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center.”
Teal’s clinical and research interests center on pregnancy ambivalence and contraceptive choices, family planning decision-making by adolescents, contraception use by women with complex medical conditions and contraception delivery by non-OB-GYN and advanced practice clinicians. She has authored numerous publications on contraception and family planning, and is a frequent national and international speaker on the topics.
Teal received her medical degree from University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, and completed residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, San Diego. Teal completed her fellowship in complex family planning and master’s of public health in epidemiology at Columbia University. She is the immediate past president of the Society of Family Planning and serves on the Complex Family Planning Division of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
“Dr. Teal’s compassionate, patient-centered approach matches our mission at University Hospitals, from Ohio’s only hospital dedicated to women, UH MacDonald Women’s Hospital, to the one-of-a-kind health center, UH Rainbow Center for Women & Children,” said Patti DePompei, president of UH MacDonald Women’s and Rainbow Babies & Children’s hospitals. “We are pleased to have her expertise and energy as University Hospitals creates a vision for the future of women’s health care.”
Teal started at UH part-time June 1 and will start full-time Sept. 1. James Liu is stepping down from his role as chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UH Cleveland Medical Center. During Liu’s leadership, the department experienced strong growth and achievements in quality initiatives and outcome measures. Liu will continue to practice in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.