Sept. 25, 2023
Mukilteo OB-GYN Named President of WSMA
SEATTLE - Mukilteo obstetrician-gynecologist Nariman Heshmati, MD, MBA, FACOG, was named president of the Washington State Medical Association at its annual House of Delegates meeting on Sunday, Sept. 24. The WSMA represents nearly 13,000 physicians, physician assistants, resident physicians, and medical students throughout Washington state.
Dr. Heshmati is the executive medical director of affordability, advocacy, and pharmacy for Optum Washington, which includes The Everett Clinic, The Polyclinic, and The Optum Care Network Pacific Northwest. In his role at Optum Washington, Dr. Heshmati has accountability for total cost of care, external relationships, and pharmacy services.
Born in Iran to a family of clinicians-his father an orthopedic surgeon and his mother a psychologist-a young Dr. Heshmati and his family fled their home country during the Iranian Revolution, eventually emigrating to the United States and settling in Satellite Beach, Florida. Reestablishing medical careers in their new country, Dr. Heshmati's father and mother became role models for their children, inspiring them to pursue careers in medicine, with Dr. Heshmati's brother also becoming a physician and his sister a psychologist.
Dr. Heshmati received his undergraduate degree in 2001 at the University of Florida in Gainesville, followed by a medical doctorate in 2005 from Florida State University in Tallahassee where he served as class president and founded the medical school college council. He completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology in 2009 at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, during which time he was a contributor to the 5th edition textbook of Blueprints in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Dr. Heshmati recently received an MBA from Seattle University.
Dr. Heshmati moved to Mukilteo, Washington, in 2009 with his wife Kathryne to join The Everett Clinic, where they continue to live with their two children, Robert and Sirena. Dr. Heshmati has served Everett and the surrounding Snohomish County communities as a practicing OB-GYN for more than 14 years and has pursued executive and leadership roles in local clinics and health systems. At Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, he served as chief of women's and children's services and medical director of obstetrics. At The Everett Clinic, he has served on the clinical leadership board, as a senior regional medical director, as medical director of advocacy, and as associate medical director of surgical services, among other roles.
Demonstrating a steadfast commitment to his community and to organized medicine, Dr. Heshmati has served on the Washington Health Alliance Low Back Pain Implementation Collaborative, was appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee to the Washington Pandemic After Action Review Task Force, and is on the March of Dimes Washington State board of directors. He is the Washington section legislative chair for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Along with his membership in the WSMA and the national and state chapters of his specialty society, he is a member of the American Medical Association. In addition to his executive leadership at the WSMA, Dr. Heshmati serves as a WSMA delegate to the AMA and is past board chair of WSMA's political action committee, WAMPAC.
Dr. Heshmati is widely published, has presented at numerous national conferences including AMGA (formerly American Medical Group Association), Becker's Hospital Review, America's Physician Groups, and State of Reform, and has received a number of awards, including Seattle Met Magazine "Top Doc." He is the host of a popular YouTube channel, "DrNari," featuring women's health informational videos and is active on X, formerly known as Twitter, under the handle "@nariheshmati."
The following physicians were also elected as officers at the meeting: John Bramhall, MD, PhD, Seattle anesthesiologist, president-elect; Bridget Bush, MD, FASA, Anacortes anesthesiologist, vice president; and Matt Hollon, MD, MPH, FACP, Spokane internist, secretary-treasurer. The fifth officer of WSMA's executive committee is Past President Katina Rue, DO, FAAFP, FACOFP, Yakima family physician, who will serve as committee chair.
WSMA members newly elected to the association’s board of trustees include Rajneet Lamba, MD, Kirkland internist; Amy Ellingson, MD, Brewster family physician; Lisa Ivanjack, MD, Bothell internist; John Scott, MD, Seattle gastroenterologist; Peter Barkett, MD, Silverdale internist; and Andy Shang, medical student, Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences. For more information, see this full roster of WSMA board of trustees members.
Download a high-resolution portrait of WSMA President Nariman Heshmati, MD, FACOG.
For more information, contact:
Graham Short
WSMA Director of Communications
206.329.6851 (cell/text)
gfs@wsma.org
About the WSMA
The Washington State Medical Association represents nearly 13,000 physicians, physician assistants, resident physicians, and medical students across all specialties and practice types in Washington state. The WSMA has advocated on behalf of the house of medicine for more than 125 years. Our vision is to make Washington state the best place to practice medicine and receive care.