Katrina Mitchell
In recognition of her passionate and outspoken advocacy for women’s health, Dr. Katrina Mitchell is the recipient of the Lois Phillips Founder’s Award from the Association of Women in Communications – Santa Barbara Chapter.
The award will be presented at the chapter’s holiday reception at 5 p.m. Dec. 14 at Villa Wine Bar, 618 Anacapa St. Lauren Bianchi Klemann, AWC-SB’s Member of the Year, will also be honored at the event.
Dr. Mitchell is a breast surgeon, lactation consultant, and perinatal mental health provider at Sansum Clinic and Ridley-Tree Cancer Center.
During the pandemic, Dr. Mitchell wrote and published the “Physician Guide to Breastfeeding” to address the breastfeeding challenges and complications resulting from isolation, restricted contact with medical professionals and incorrect advice from unreliable sources.
In the months since the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Dr. Mitchell has been a vocal advocate for women’s dignity, bodily autonomy and access to health care as a fundamental human right.
She has called for the establishment of a Santa Barbara task force, composed of community leaders, healthcare providers and stakeholders, to address the full spectrum of women’s healthcare needs, from puberty to post-menopause.
Dr. Mitchell subsequently formed the Women’s Health Collective, which met for the first time in October. More than 100 women attended, varying widely in ages and backgrounds.
The WHC will present its community needs assessment findings to local health care leaders with hopes of garnering support and resources to make effective change.
Presented by Dr. Lois Phillips, founder of the Santa Barbara Chapter of the AWC, the award recognizes an individual woman who used the power of communication to do something innovative, to communicate a “big idea” and to speak publicly about a current and/or controversial issue. Past recipients include Kristine Schwarz, Beth Pitton-August and Jen Baron.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit awcsb.org/2022-holiday-party.
email: mmcmahon@newspress.com
