A hallmark feature of OB COAP’s collaborative quality improvement process is leadership from its Management Committee. This volunteer governing board has members and advisors that represent the participants, stakeholders and thought leaders in OB. Establishing what data to collect, which outcomes to focus on, setting best practice standards, and creating opportunities for education and other efforts to effect change are all responsibilities of this committee.  

OB COAP invites any interested OB practitioners as well as stakeholders in the OB community, to attend this monthly meeting and to let us know if you would like to be involved.  

OB COAP Management Committee  

CHAIR
Audrey Levine, LM, CPM                                                     
Licensed Midwife                                                                 
Midwives Association of Washington State                     
Olympia, WA                                                                        

VICE CHAIR
Peter Napolitano, MD
Maternal Fetal Medicine
UW Medical Center  
Seattle, WA  

RESEARCH DIRECTOR  
Vivienne Souter, MD 
OB GYN 
Seattle, WA  

Susan Bishop, RNC-OB, MN
Perinatal Outreach Coordinator   
Multicare Health System 
Tacoma, WA 

Angela Chien, MD 
OB GYN
Evergreen Healthcare 
Kirkland, WA 

Esther Chung, MD, MPH
Pediatrics 
UW Medical Center/Seattle Children’s Hospital
Seattle, WA 

Jane Hitti, MD, MPH
Maternal Fetal Medicine  
UW Medical Center
Seattle, WA   

Carolyn Kline, MD, MPH 
Maternal Fetal Medicine
Evergreen Healthcare 
Kirkland, WA

Mary Lou Kopas, MN, CNM 
Chief of Midwifery 
Northwest Hospital Medical Center  
Seattle, WA 

Michele Kulhanek
Director Safety and Quality Maternal-Infant Health
Washington State Hospital Association
Seattle, WA

Carl Olden, MD 
Family Medicine  
Virginia Mason Yakima Memorial  
Yakima, WA  

Amber Pattison, RN, MN
Perinatal Quality Improvement Clinical Specialist
Northwest Hospital Medical Center
Seattle, WA 

Betsy Pesek, MN, BSN, RN, CCRN, CPHQ 
Clinical Outcomes Specialist, Clinical Effectiveness  
Overlake Hospital Medical Center  
Bellevue, WA  

OB COAP Management Committee Advisors  
 
Peter Dunbar, MB, ChB, MBA
CEO Associate Director, 
Foundation for Health Care Quality
Seattle, WA  

Amber Weiseth, DNP, RNC-OB
Delivery Decision Initiative   
Ariadne Labs, Harvard School of Public Health 
Boston, MA

Ellen Kauffman, MD
Founder, Medical Director Emeritus   
OB COAP  
Seattle, WA 

Lara Blair, RN 
Clinical Specialty Coordinator
Armus Corporation 
San Mateo, CA 

Zeila Schmidt, MLIS 
Business Analyst 
Armus Corporation 
Chicago, IL 
 
OB COAP Staff 

MEDICAL DIRECTOR – INTERIM 
Peter Napolitano, MD
Maternal Fetal Medicine
UW Medical Center 
Seattle, WA  

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR  
Kristin Sitcov 
Foundation for Health Care Quality
Seattle, WA    

STATISTICIAN  
Ian Painter, PhD 
Foundation for Health Care Quality  
Seattle, WA