Planned Parenthood of Southern New England Announces Dr. Nancy L. Stanwood as Chief Medical Officer

As CMO, Dr. Stanwood will lead, oversee, and participate in PPSNE’s clinical care services, ensuring high-quality, safe, and patient-centered health care across the 15 health centers in Connecticut and Rhode Island. 

NEW HAVEN, CT – Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) announces that effective June 1, 2022, Nancy L. Stanwood, MD, MPH, joined the organization as the inaugural full-time Chief Medical Officer.  

Dr. Stanwood is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist with over 20 years of experience in clinical practice, medical education, and reproductive health and rights advocacy—with a long-standing relationship with Planned Parenthood. In her new role, she will lead, oversee, and participate in PPSNE’s clinical care services, ensuring high-quality, safe, and patient-centered health care across the 15 health centers in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Dr. Stanwood will lead the organization’s strategic efforts to advance health equity, focusing on improving health outcomes and reducing disparities in PPSNE patient communities. 

“As a leader in sexual and reproductive health care, clinical practice, teaching, and advocacy, Dr. Stanwood brings immeasurable experience that embodies our commitment to provide care-no matter what,” said Amanda Skinner, President and CEO of PPSNE. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Stanwood’s leadership, clinical expertise, and commitment to our patients, our mission, our communities, and the reproductive health and rights movement at such a profoundly critical moment.” 

Since 1998, she has worked as an abortion provider at Planned Parenthood health centers. And for the past eleven years, she has served dual roles: at Yale School of Medicine as the Section Chief of Family Planning and director of the Complex Family Planning fellowship while also serving part-time as PPSNE’s Associate Medical Director.  

In reflecting on this new chapter in her career, Dr. Stanwood says, “I first walked into a Planned Parenthood health center as a patient seeking contraception when I was in medical school. This care allowed me to focus on becoming a physician so that when I next walked into a Planned Parenthood health center, it was as an abortion care provider.” She continues, “In this critical time, with the erosion of almost 50 years of legal protection for reproductive rights and with growing health disparities due to systemic racism, I am committing myself fully to the mission and work of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. All people deserve access to the care they need to live their lives with dignity and to thrive. I am thrilled to join the vibrant PPSNE team as we work to bring high-quality health care to the communities we serve.”  

A Connecticut native, Dr. Stanwood received her undergraduate degree from Brown University, a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency training at the University of Michigan and her fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Stanwood has been awarded notable distinctions for her work in sexual and reproductive health and medical education. She is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecologists and of the Society of Family Planning. 

A determined advocate for reproductive health policies that center patients’ needs and sound science, she previously served on the board of directors and as board chair for the Physicians for Reproductive Health. Dr. Stanwood brings this deep experience to her new role at PPSNE.   

“Dr. Stanwood is no stranger to Planned Parenthood. Her long-tenured commitment to sexual and reproductive health care brings the leadership and expertise necessary to ensure our patients continue to receive high-quality health care – care that is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, equitable, and accessible,” comments Chief Operating Officer, Zari Watkins. “We look forward to working with Dr. Stanwood to continue providing our valued clinical teams with the support necessary to gain the best outcomes possible for our patients.”

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Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) is one of the region’s largest providers of sexual and reproductive health care services. Since 1923, PPSNE has evolved into an organization with 15 health centers in Connecticut and Rhode Island, delivering care to 65,000 patients annually. For nearly 100 years, PPSNE health centers have provided a broad range of services, sexual health education, information, and health counseling. PPSNE’s works towards fulfilling the vision of a just society where sexual and reproductive rights are basic human rights, where health care is equitable and accessible to all, and where each person lives their healthiest life.