In recognition of his extraordinary commitment to advancing the careers of women in their specialty, G. Burkhard Mackensen, MD, PhD, FASE, FSCAI, was honored with the Excellence in Mentoring Award by the Women in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology (WICTA) at the 2025 Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (SCA) Annual Meeting in Montreal on April 26.
Dr. Mackensen is the Allan J. Treuer Endowed Professor and chair of the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He also serves as director of interventional echocardiography at the UW Medicine Heart Institute. A renowned clinician-scientist and international expert in interventional echocardiography and structural heart disease, his influence spans anesthesiology, cardiology, interventional cardiology, and cardiac surgery.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Mackensen’s multidisciplinary reach and inclusive approach has attracted widespread regard within academic medicine.
“I count myself incredibly fortunate to have been mentored by Burkhard,” said Dr. Sara Nikravan, vice chair for education and director of point-of-care ultrasound for University of Washington Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine. “His unwavering support, genuine care, and steadfast commitment to my personal and professional growth have been nothing short of transformative. Through his mentorship, I have grown not only as an anesthesiologist but also as a leader, mentor, and advocate for others.”
Dr. Kiran Belani, director of perioperative echocardiography at Northwestern Medicine and presenter of the award in Montreal, shared powerful personal reflections on Dr. Mackensen’s mentorship. “He has not only actively listened,” she remarked, “but taken a step into my shoes and offered solutions aligned with what I would do—not just what he would do. That is a deep form of empathy.”
She also highlighted his proactive sponsorship, recalling a time at a conference where only one of 35 faculty members was female, sharing, “Dr. Mackensen walked me to the course director to introduce me, advocating for greater female representation. He has championed my name in rooms I wasn’t in—sometimes in places I didn’t even know I needed it.”
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to receive this award from the Women in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology,” said Dr. Mackensen. “Although mentoring and sponsoring others is incredibly rewarding, receiving this award from WICTA and reading the letters of nomination that were written on my behalf is especially meaningful. Having served on the initial advisory board when WICTA was founded, I am in awe to see how successful this special interest group within the SCA has been—400 plus members and counting!”
Dr. Mackensen’s dedication to WICTA is longstanding. Since 2018, he has served on its advisory board, helping shape the careers of countless female leaders within the SCA. “He is the epitome of a ‘he-for-she,’” said Dr. Belani. “There is a delicate but perfect balance that must be struck between advocating for gender balance in opportunities without overdoing it. On behalf of Dr. Mackensen’s mentees, I can say that he gets this just right.”
On behalf of everyone at the University of Washington Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, congratulations to Dr. Mackensen on this well-deserved honor.
Top image: Dr. Mackensen and Dr. Belani at the 2025 SCA Annual Meeting in Montreal on April 26.