Women’s History Month

Celebrating Women in Gastroenterology

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Spotlight

Sita S. Chokhavatia, MD, MACG
Chair, ACG Board of Governors
Associate Director, Department of Medicine, Valley Hospital

Throughout her career, Sita S. Chokhavatia, MD, MACG, has exemplified leadership—breaking barriers, elevating others, and shaping the future of gastroenterology. Her story is one of resilience, vision, and unwavering dedication, making her an inspiring figure to celebrate during Women’s History Month.

Dr. Sita Chokhavatia’s career is a testament to leadership, mentorship, and a lifelong commitment to advancing gastroenterology. From her early medical training in Mumbai, India, her journey reflects excellence across clinical care and education.

After earning her medical degree from Seth G.S. Medical College in Bombay, Dr. Chokhavatia continued her training in the United States, completing residency, chief residency, and fellowship in gastroenterology at Jersey City Medical Center. She has held faculty positions at institutions including Mount Sinai, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and Texas Tech University, ultimately achieving the rank of Professor.

Clinically, Dr. Chokhavatia has held numerous leadership roles, including Chief of Gastroenterology at Mount Sinai Queens and Associate Chief at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. She currently serves as Associate Director of the Department of Medicine at Valley Hospital, where she continues to deliver expert patient care and lead institutional initiatives.

A dedicated educator, Dr. Chokhavatia has shaped generations of physicians through her work as a fellowship director, curriculum developer, and mentor. Dr. Chokhavatia’s scholarly work includes extensive publications, clinical research, and contributions to textbooks, with particular expertise in geriatric gastroenterology, motility disorders, and functional GI diseases. She has been instrumental in advancing training in geriatric gastroenterology and developing innovative educational models.

Within the American College of Gastroenterology, Dr. Chokhavatia has served as Governor for North Jersey and is currently Chair of the Board of Governors and serves on the Board of Trustees. Her contributions span numerous committees—including Women in Gastroenterology, Membership, Professionalism, and International Affairs—reflecting her dedication to advancing the field and supporting its members. Currently she serves as the Board Liaison to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. In recognition of her impact, she was elevated to Master of the ACG in 2018.

True to her humble nature, Dr. Chokhavatia wishes to share, “gratitude and acknowledgement of amazing mentors and sponsors—all of whom she credits for her success (friends, family, and colleagues, including students, residents, and fellows)—for the unwavering support of an entire community/village.”

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Women in ACG Leadership

ACG Board of Trustees

ACG Women Committee Chairs

For the 2025–2026 term, the College proudly shares that women hold 50% of all ACG Committee Chair positions.

• Advanced Practice Providers: Sarah M. Enslin, PA-C, MS
• Archives: Carol A. Burke, MD, MACG
• Credentials: Nikila C. Ravindran, MD, FACG
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Sonali Paul, MD, FACG
• FDA-Related Matters: Amanda K. Cartee, MD, FACG
• Patient Care: Alisa Likhitsup, MD, FACG
• Pediatric Gastroenterology: Inessa Normatov, MD, FACG
• Practice Management: Sapna V. Thomas, MD, FACG
• Professionalism: Sara N. Horst, MD, MPH, FACG
• Public Relations: Reezwana Chowdhury, MD, FACG
• Research: Patricia D. Jones, MD, FACG
• Women in GI: Kathryn E. Hutchins, MD, FACG

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Resources

Conversations with Women in GI Collection

ACG Webinars

• Defining the Gender Gap and Breaking the Glass Ceiling
  Dr. Asma Khapra
• Advancing Your Career Through Mentorship, Sponsorship, and Coaching
  Dr. Mark Pochapin
• Career Opportunities for Women in GI
  Dr. Lin Chang, Dr. Danielle Marino, Dr. Shireen Pais, Dr. Kumkum Patel, Dr. Vonda Reeves, Dr. Aasma Shaukat & Dr. Lavanya Viswanathan
• Hidden in Plain Sight: Bringing Women Into the Scope of Gastroenterology
  Dr. Amy Oxentenko
• Ergonomics in Endoscopy: What Do Women Do Differently?
  Dr. Asmeen Bhatt
• Promoting Gender Diversity in Non-Clinical Realms: Engaging Women in Research and Authorships
  Dr. Millie Long
• It’s Time to Break Another Glass Ceiling: Women and Interventional Endoscopy
  Dr. Allison Schulman
• Exploring Gender Diversity in GI
  Dr. Asmeen Bhatt, Dr. Millie Long & Dr. Allison Schulman

Articles from The American Journal of Gastroenterology

• Women in Medicine: Honoring the Past and Bringing Women Further Into the Scope of Gastroenterology
  Amy S. Oxentenko, MD, FACG
• The Time Is Now to Understand and Address Sex-Related Disparities in Gastroenterology and Hepatology
  Aasma Shaukat, MD, MPH, FACG & Amy S. Oxentenko, MD
• Let’s Have Some Clarity on Academic Parity
  Debbie L. Shawcross, MBBS, MD & Florence Wong, MBBS, MD
• The Need for Allyship in Achieving Gender Equity in Gastroenterology
  Bilal, et al.
• Gender, Race, and Ethnicity Representation Among Gastroenterologists: A Review of Recent Trends
  Rahal, et al.
• Survey Finds Gender Disparities Impact Both Women Mentors and Mentees in Gastroenterology
  Rabinowitz, et al.
• Identifying Gender Barriers for Colorectal Cancer Screening and Assessing the Need for a Multigender Endoscopy Team: A Prospective Multicenter Study
  Khara, et al.
• Gender Trends in Authorship of Gastroenterology Randomized Controlled Trial Literature
  Liu, et al.

Health Equity & DEI Module on the ACG Education Universe

In 2022, the IGD developed a digital guide highlighting the five GI societies’ individual DEI initiatives, research opportunities, pipeline development programs, education, and awards in a helpful at-a-glance format with links to learn more.