Six remarkable women physicians took center stage at the fourth annual Women Physicians Leadership Council (WPLC) Trailblazer Awards on Tuesday, Oct. 27, celebrating leaders who are creating new paths in medicine and making a meaningful difference for patients, colleagues and the HonorHealth network.
The Trailblazer Award is the WPLC’s highest recognition for HonorHealth-affiliated women physicians, honoring those who lead with courage and compassion, bring bold ideas to life and open doors for others along the way. It’s a fitting reflection of the WPLC’s work to create greater access to professional development and leadership opportunities for women physicians.
Congratulations to the 2026 Trailblazer Award recipients
Christina Reuss, MD: Championing women's heart health through cardio-obstetrics and founding Phoenix's first Women's Cardiology Journal Club.
Helen Markowski, MD: Advancing trauma care through system improvements and the development of a dedicated geriatric trauma guideline focused on older adults.
Pragyna Shankar, MD: Expanding access to global surgical care through One World Surgery, providing anesthesia support for 52 complex surgeries in Honduras and sharing resource-conscious techniques with local teams.
Rebecca Zaner, DO: Advancing patient care and colleague well-being through leadership in Lifestyle Medicine, the Hospitalist Collaborative, LIFT and peer support.
Shanyn Lancaster, MD: Breaking barriers in sports medicine as the first female head physician for the Pac-12 and now head physician for USA Gymnastics.
Zeena Merchant, DO: Championing physician colleagues, particularly women physicians, through years of leadership, advocacy and service.
Recognizing this year's nominees
Alongside the six award recipients, nine additional physicians were nominated for their leadership and contributions to HonorHealth:
- Meggan Bauer, MD
- Laura Goetz, MD
- Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller, MD
- Heather Hamilton, MD
- Navneet Jalal, MD
- Sushmitha Patibandla, MD
- Melanie Patton, MD
- Alyssa Stassi, DO
- Kelsey Staudinger, DO
Held at the Bob Bové Neuroscience Institute at HonorHealth, the celebration featured HonorHealth CEO Todd LaPorte and President John Neil, MD. The event also included a special conversation with Holly Lisanby, MD, Founding Dean and Professor of the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering.
Dr. Lisanby shared insights on treatment-resistant depression and reflected on the experiences and leadership journey that have shaped her career.
New WPLC co-directors
The WPLC also announced three new co-directors: Lea Alhilali, MD, Simrat Kaur, MD, and Lee Hwang, MD. Their leadership will help advance the council's work to support and empower women physicians across HonorHealth.
Thank you to this year's Trailblazers, nominees and WPLC leaders for showing what it means to lead, lift others and keep moving medicine forward.
Learn more about the WPLC
HonorHealth physicians and APPs can visit the WPLC page on HonorHub to learn more about the council and its initiatives. For questions, email wplc@honorhealth.com.