2026 TMAA Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Marleta Reynolds is a nationally recognized pediatric surgeon, educator, and advocate for women in medicine. She recently retired after serving as Chair, Department of Surgery and Surgeon-in-Chief at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. She received her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine and became the first woman to complete the surgical residency at Tulane.
Dr. Reynolds continued her surgical training in Pediatric Surgery at Children’s Memorial Hospital and Cardiothoracic Surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She joined the staff at Children’s Memorial Hospital as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Northwestern. For decades she taught medical students, residents, and fellows the art and science of pediatric surgery. She held leadership roles in local, state, and national medical associations and was active in clinical research.
Advancing up the academic ladder to Professor positioned her to participate in critical search committees for Northwestern’s School of Medicine and Lurie Children’s Hospital. Dr. Reynolds was often the only woman serving on these committees. As Division Head of Pediatric Surgery and Chair of the Department of Surgery, she successfully recruited top surgical talent, including many women in a very male dominated field. Her recent honors include the Jonas Salk Award from the March of Dimes, the George D. Kennedy Leadership Award, and the Arnold Salzburg Mentorship Award.
