Laverne Mensah, M.D., FACOG, FACS

Laverne Mensah, M.D., FACOG, FACS, was appointed deputy clinical director of the NICHD Office of the Clinical Director (OCD) in December 2020; she served as the acting clinical director from April 2022 to September 2023. She coordinates with other NIH clinical and scientific directors on research oversight, scientific review, and administration of OCD’s clinical trials and clinical research portfolio, which includes natural history studies of rare diseases and drug and device development involving pediatrics and women’s health.

As a result of her cumulative professional experiences, Dr. Mensah has developed broad-based oversight, administrative, entrepreneurial, and scientific leadership skills in women's health and health policy in academic, private practice, and hospital-based care. She has distinguished herself as a local, regional, and national educator, mentor, and advisor on policies and procedures.

As a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist, Dr. Mensah is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Society of Clinical Oncologists, and the American College of Surgeons. She has provided her expertise as the principal investigator of a gynecologic oncology group affiliate as well as to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She has served as an advisory board member for the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance and the American Cancer Society. She also has served as member of institutional review boards, the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection and Control Advisory Committee, and the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists. She contributed to the society’s scientific program and education, clinical practice, and patient safety committees on white papers and guidelines on quality of care and provider and patient education. She also has presented at the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists and American Society of Clinical Oncologists annual meetings.

Dr. Mensah received her S.B. in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her M.D. from Washington University School of Medicine-St. Louis. She did her obstetrics and gynecology residency at Wayne State University School of Medicine and her gynecologic oncology fellowship with the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.