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Nirvana Manning, M.D.
Women’s Foundation of Arkansas Names Nirvana Manning, M.D., Woman of the Year in Public Service
| Nirvana Manning, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), has been named Woman of the Year in Public Service by the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas (WFA).
Manning will be honored along with two other Women of the Year, one in Business and one in Philanthropy, at an Oct. 2 Power of the Purse luncheon.
The annual event began in 1998, when the Women’s Foundation was founded, to recognize the accomplishments of women in Arkansas, celebrate the work of the organization and raise money toward attaining economic security for Arkansas women and girls.
“It is our privilege to announce this year’s Power of the Purse honorees,” said Anna Beth Gorman, CEO of the foundation. “For the past quarter century, the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas has championed inspiring women who are shaping our state, and we can’t wait to spotlight even more business leaders, philanthropists and public servants whose dedication creates boundless opportunities for all women and girls in Arkansas.”
In addition to Manning, the foundation named Lenore Trammell, chief administrative officer, chief compliance officer and general counsel at Big River Steel the Woman of the Year in Business, and Cathy Tuggle, owner and principal broker for Apartment Hunters and Arkansas Suites, the Woman of the Year in Philanthropy.
The foundation had this to say about Manning: “She is an advocate for women’s health and has implemented numerous projects designed to improve health outcomes for women and girls across the state.”
She was praised for playing a vital role in bringing national attention to the fact that Arkansas has the highest maternal mortality rate in the country, as well as participating in grant programs aimed at improving postpartum maternal outcomes in populations that experience health disparities and providing prenatal care in rural areas with limited access to providers.
The foundation notes that Manning, director of Women’s Health Services at UAMS, is one of only 10 providers in Arkansas to become a Certified Menopause Practitioner. She is an elected member of the Arkansas Medical Society’s Board of Trustees and a member of the Arkansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee.
In addition, Manning is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Council of University Chairs in Obstetrics and Gynecology, the North American Menopause Society and the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics.