Thursday, April 16, 2026

Pasadena Urologist Among Physicians on Free Menopause Panel in South Pasadena April 23

The Woman’s Club of South Pasadena will host a free physician panel on perimenopause and menopause on Thursday, April 23, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the organization’s historic clubhouse, 1424 Fremont Ave. in South Pasadena. The event is open to the public.

The panel will feature Dr. Ashley Winter, a board-certified urologist who maintains a private practice in Pasadena, and Dr. Tara Nowakhtar, an OB-GYN and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner based in Los Angeles. According to the event page on the Woman’s Club website, the evening is billed as a physician-led conversation on navigating midlife hormonal changes.

Winter, who completed her medical degree at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and her urology residency at Weill Cornell Medical Center, holds a fellowship in sexual medicine. According to her professional profiles, she specializes in treating genitourinary syndrome of menopause — a condition involving urinary and vaginal symptoms tied to declining estrogen levels — as well as hormone therapy and sexual health across genders. Her Pasadena office is located on East Green Street.

Nowakhtar, who earned her medical degree from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, has shifted her clinical focus in recent years toward menopause care. According to her professional website, she spent a decade in full-scope OB-GYN practice before pursuing additional training and certification through The Menopause Society, the national organization that credentials practitioners who pass its competency examination in midlife women’s health.

The April 23 panel follows a related event the club held on March 1, when Nowakhtar and personal trainer Krista Ramirez led a morning workshop on exercise and hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause. That earlier event, which was reported by the South Pasadena Review, charged $15 for club members and $25 for nonmembers. According to the source document provided by the event organizers, the April panel was brought back after the earlier session generated sufficient community interest to warrant a follow-up — this time at no cost to attendees.

The shift to free admission may broaden access for women in the Pasadena area who lack regular access to specialist care on the subject. Menopause typically occurs between ages 45 and 55, though perimenopause — the transitional period marked by hormonal fluctuations — can begin years earlier. The topic has historically received limited public attention, though that has begun to change. In 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration removed longstanding black-box warnings from hormone replacement therapy, and several states introduced workplace accommodation measures for employees experiencing menopause symptoms.

The Woman’s Club of South Pasadena, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was founded in 1899 by a group of local businesswomen, teachers, writers, and homemakers. According to the club’s website, the organization was originally known as the Women’s Improvement Association and raised funds to beautify the city before building its current clubhouse in 1913. The Craftsman-style building, designed by architect Norman Marsh, is listed on South Pasadena’s Cultural Heritage inventory.

The event requires an RSVP. Details and registration are available at womansclubsp.com. The Woman’s Club can also be reached at 626-799-9309.

WOMAN’S CLUB OF SOUTH PASADENA: PRIME TIME – NAVIGATING PERIMENOPAUSE & MENOPAUSE Date & Time: Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. | Venue: The Woman’s Club of South Pasadena, 1424 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena, CA 91030 | Phone Number:  626-799-9309 | Website: https://www.womansclubsp.com/event-details/join-us-for-an-important-conversation-2