Hazelden Betty Ford's Alta DeRoo honored by American Medical Women's Association

Center City, Minn. (November 16, 2022) – Dr. Alta DeRoo, chief medical officer of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation—the nation's leading nonprofit system of addiction treatment, mental health care, recovery resources and related prevention and education services—has been named one of AMWA INSPIRE's 2022 awardees.

The AMWA INSPIRE Award, given by the Leadership Council of the American Medical Women's Association, honors women physicians who are inspirational and who demonstrate vision, integrity, collaboration and service.

It is the latest recognition for the extraordinary Dr. DeRoo, a former Naval flight officer, and currently board-certified addiction medicine physician and obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) who is a leading national expert on treating pregnant patients who have substance use disorders. Last year, she became the first woman to serve as chief medical officer of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, where she leads all clinical operations.

"Dr. DeRoo is an exceptional physician-leader," said Joseph Lee, MD, president and CEO of Hazelden Betty Ford. "From flying combat aircraft to catching babies in the birthing center to providing compassionate care for those in crisis, her career trajectory follows the ethos of helping others, and I am grateful she chooses to apply her hard work and talents toward the health and healing of our patients."

Dr. DeRoo is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and a member of the American Association of Addiction Psychiatry and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Prior to her civilian career in medicine, she served for 24 years in the U.S. Navy, where she led 40 missions and was the first woman assigned to her combat squadron.