Celebrating Excellence in Mentorship: Dr. Harriet Hopf Receives the 2026 AUA Mentoring Award
by Ted (Tetsuro) Sakai, MD, PhD, MHA, FASA
The Association of University Anesthesiologists (AUA) is proud to recognize Harriet W. Hopf, MD, FASA, Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Utah, as the recipient of the 2026 AUA Leadership Advisory Board (LAB) Mentoring Award. This prestigious honor recognizes Dr. Hopf’s extraordinary, sustained, and nationally influential commitment to mentorship, which has shaped generations of anesthesiologists and academic leaders.
Dr. Hopf was nominated by Susan M. Martinelli, MD, FASA, Residency Program Director and Edward A. Norfleet, MD ’70 Distinguished Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In her nomination, Dr. Martinelli emphasized the defining and enduring nature of Dr. Hopf’s mentoring legacy:
“Dr. Hopf exemplifies a longitudinal and generative mentoring practice. Many of her mentees have advanced to leadership roles, received their own awards for mentorship, and now mentor others—creating a vibrant mentoring chain that amplifies her influence.”
A Career Defined by Sustained Commitment to Mentorship
For more than three decades, Dr. Hopf has mentored individuals across every stage of the academic continuum, including students, residents, fellows, junior faculty, senior faculty, and interprofessional colleagues. Her mentoring relationships are notable not only for their breadth, but for their longevity, often spanning decades and continuing across institutional transitions.
Dr. Martinelli noted that Dr. Hopf’s mentorship is distinguished by its durability and intentionality, observing that her influence does not diminish over time but instead compounds through the success of those she mentors and the mentoring cultures they go on to create.
Transformational Impact on Individual Careers
Letters from mentees across the country attest to the transformational impact of Dr. Hopf’s mentorship. Her mentees consistently credit her guidance with helping them navigate promotion, research training, leadership development, and complex career decisions.
Mark D. Rollins, MD, PhD, Professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, reflected on more than 25 years of mentorship:
“She has guided me for more than 25 years—since my time as a graduate student in bioengineering, anesthesia resident, NIH research fellow, and now as a Professor of Anesthesiology. Her commitment to mentoring spans multiple institutions and appears timeless.”
He further emphasized the personal and professional confidence her mentorship instilled:
“Harriet’s mentorship gave me the confidence and freedom to complete a successful doctoral project and to define my long-term career goals.”
Mentorship Rooted in Sponsorship and Accessibility
A hallmark of Dr. Hopf’s mentoring approach is her active sponsorship of mentees. She is widely recognized for her hands-on support—reviewing manuscripts and grants, encouraging national presentations, nominating mentees for leadership opportunities, and connecting them with collaborators nationwide.
Her accessibility and dedication are frequently cited as exceptional. As Dr. Rollins shared:
“Harriet is remarkably accessible, even during travel or personal milestones. On one occasion, she provided project feedback less than 24 hours after giving birth to her first child.”
Building Mentoring Infrastructure and Culture
Beyond individual mentoring relationships, Dr. Hopf has been a transformative leader in building mentoring capacity and institutional culture. As Co-Director of the Utah Coaching and Advancement Network (U-CAN), she has led comprehensive mentoring and coaching initiatives that support faculty across career stages and disciplines, with measurable impact on retention, promotion success, and professional fulfillment.
Her influence also extends interprofessional. Joanne Rolls, MPAS, MEHP, PA-C, Professor (Clinical) and Vice Chair of Education in the Division of Physician Assistant Education and Sciences at the University of Utah, described Dr. Hopf’s mentorship as catalytic:
“Dr. Hopf mentored and supported me in my work as a first-time chair (of Department Advisory Committee), making sure that I was able to execute the complicated retention and promotion process in accordance with university policy. Her mentoring has had an exponential effect on career development, retention, and promotion.”
National Leadership and a Multiplicative Legacy
Nationally, Dr. Hopf’s leadership on the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER) Board of Directors, including service as Chair, and her direction of the FAER Medical Student Anesthesia Research Fellowship Program, have extended her mentoring impact to hundreds of aspiring anesthesiology investigators. Her rapid adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic—creating virtual mentoring communities—demonstrated innovation, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to mentee success.
As Dr. Martinelli concluded in her nomination, Dr. Hopf’s influence is best understood through its multiplicative effect:
“Dr. Hopf’s mentoring legacy is not limited to those she directly mentors. It is visible in the generations of mentors and leaders who follow her example, carrying forward her values of generosity, rigor, and advocacy.”
A Worthy Recipient of the AUA Mentoring Award
In honoring Dr. Harriet Hopf with the 2026 AUA Mentoring Award, the AUA celebrates a mentor whose career embodies sustained excellence, national impact, and transformative influence. Her work has shaped individual careers, strengthened institutions, and elevated the culture of mentorship within academic anesthesiology.
The AUA congratulates Dr. Hopf on this well-deserved recognition and thanks her for her extraordinary contributions to the specialty and its future leaders.
Author Tetsuro (Ted) Sakai, MD, PhD, MHA, FASA
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