The Road Ahead: Research to Accelerate Women's Health
2021 Annual Review
Message from the Executive Director
Marla Black
Executive Director
Doris Howell Foundation
for Women’s Health Research
In the News
Read about the Howell Foundation’s vision for 2022.
Our Mission in Numbers
Accelerating Women’s Health with Research
Top reasons for Howell Foundation support:
- 50% of our supporters appreciate our commitment to advance women's health research
- 34% support learning about the latest research impacting women’s health
- 14% support our commitment to fund research scholarships
What in our mission resonates most with our Supporters?
- 32% - Inspiring and funding scholars to conduct critical research in women’s health
- 27% - Raising the importance of science dedicated to women’s health
- 21% - Providing community outreach and early education on women’s health
- 19% - Helping keep women of all generations healthy
Information our supporters MOST want to receive:
- 68% of our supporters appreciate learning about critical research in women's health first hand
- 21% appreciate information on the top 10 issues impacting women's health
Supporter satisfaction:
- 51% of our supporters are satisfied with first-hand access to cutting-edge research
- 30% would like more virtual webinars
* 2021 Howell Supporter Survey Results.
The Howell Foundation is known for its Lecture Series Program. We provide a forum for medical researchers and experts to convey cutting-edge research on topics relevant to women’s health, many times hot-off -the-press. We promote health education that encourages self-advocacy for the long term health and well-being of women, their families and the community in which they live. By turning knowledge into action, we help keep the women we love healthy.
Top 10 Stories In Women’s Health, 2021 Edition.
In February, the Howell Foundation hosted three experts in the field of women’s health. The Annual Howell Foundation Top Women’s Health Stories reviewed an update of the most relevant research stories that took place in 2020, and the impact it has in women’s health during 2021 and beyond:
- Effects of COVID-19 in women during pregnancy and lactation, and how it affects newborns
- Heart disease awareness during menopause
- Most important health issues affecting women in the later stages of life
Christina Chambers, Ph.D.
Professor of Pediatrics and Co-Director of the Center for Better Beginnings @UC San Diego
Cynthia Stuenkel, MD
Clinical Professor of Medicine and Founding Member and Past President of the North American Menopause Society UC San Diego
Andrea LaCroix, Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor and Chief of Epidemiology and Director, Women’s Health Center of Excellence UC San Diego
The Importance of Sleep in Aging Women: Why Can’t Grammie Sleep?
Sonia Ancoli-Israel, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Center for Circadian Biology UCSD
In March, Dr. Ancoli-Israel addressed the reason older adults are not getting the sleep they need. Her presentation focused on the need vs. the ability to sleep, the consequences of poor sleep in older adults, the co-morbidities associated with poor sleep, the primary sleep disorders in older adults, and the cardinal rules for good sleep
COVID-19 and Pregnancy: Early Research Provides Critical Answers
Taking your health to heart during Heart Health Month
Relevant Research Stories for Aging Women, 2021 Edition
How Sleep in Aging Women Impacts their Health
Finding Resilience through Challenging Times: Self-help Care Tips for Women
June 2021
Micro-Plastic Pollution and Human Health
September 2021
Finding Self-Empathy and Compassion: Kelee Meditation
November 2021
It is well known that students who do research as undergrads gain both professional and personal skills such as problem solving, communication and teamwork. Research experience also helps students clarify their career goals and prepares them for success in their graduate school environments. Many of our Scholars wouldn’t be able to participate in research unless we provide them with financial support, thus by offering scholarship grants to deserving students, we are helping to foster the interest of students in research careers and improve their ability to succeed in any career.
Simply put: funding undergraduate and graduate research projects is the cornerstone to accelerating women’s health.
The Howell Foundation congratulates you!
Inspiring Careers: Howell Foundation Announces 2022 CSUPERB Awards
2021 Howell-UCSD Scholars: Reproductive Health as Main Area of Research
Howell Foundation Announces the 2021 USD-Cheryl Wilson Awards in Nursing
Where are they now?
Creating and Impact in Women's Health
Howell Happenings
Working to create a long-term, positive impact on women's health
Message From the Chair
Dear Friends:
This has been quite a year for the Howell Foundation. I’d like to start by recognizing our past and present Board Members who continue to work and deliver our mission to Keep the Women we Love Healthy.
We have continued our research grants at a high rate even though COVID has presented many challenges.
Our education efforts continue to focus on cutting edge research with our webinar program and an in-person luncheon this year. We also hosted a Donor Appreciation event with a presentation by one of our scientists on her current research that hasn’t even been published yet!
Our Board of Directors has had the expertise, guidance and accomplishment of Dr. Mandy Butler for many years. She has been the Chair of the Scholarships Committee. In December, she retired from the Board and has become a member of our Legacy Council. Mandy assures us that she will continue to help with Scholarships. We will miss her and thank her for all she has done as a part of the Howell family!
I have had the pleasure of welcoming five new members to the Board of Directors this year.
Eileen Gaffen joins us, after being elected to her second term as President of the San Diego Press Club. She brings us her extensive experience in public relations and connecting to our community. Trista Campbell and Carmen Colombo join our leadership having been former Howell Scholars. Carmen holds a PhD in Nursing Research and heads the Specialty Hospital Care at Sharp Healthcare. Trista also holds a PhD in Nursing and is the CEO of a healthcare company. Undergraduate student, Bioengineering: Biotechnology, UCSD, Aditi brings the passion of following a career in women’s health. Angel has a degree in journalism from the University of Southern California and her Juris Doctor from the Whittier School of Law. These are wonderful women and offer so much to making our programs successful.
I am privileged to work with a dedicated Board that makes women’s health research a priority. I want to be sure to emphasize how much we value our Friends of Howell! Our donors are the key to making everything else happen. This year we hope to expand our reach with joint work with more academic institutions and health leaders. We cannot do this without you!
Thank you so very much!
Thank you so very much!
Carol
Carol Tuggey
2021 Chairperson
Welcome On Board
CEO, Dream Care Group Homes, Righteous Inc.
Chief Nursing Officer Specialty Hospitals, Sharp Health Care
Public Relations Strategist, Founder and President, Steres Gaffen Media
Undergraduate student, Bioengineering: Biotechnology, UCSD
Social Media Researcher and Jury Consultant, IMS Consulting & Expert Services
Mandy Butler, PhD.
Division of Biological Sciences,
UC San Diego
Thank you Mandy, for your years of service to the Howell Foundation.
Mandy served on the Howell Foundation Board of Directors from 2002 until 2021 . Throughout her history with the Foundation, she led the Scholarship Committee until her retirement in 2021, and held many positions over the years including Secretary of the Board.
Voted unanimously for Board Emeritus, Mandy will now serve in the Foundation’s Legacy Council, where she will continue to provide valuable feedback on the best road to keep the women we love healthy. Thank you for your dedication and support! Your leadership will be missed. We wish you a happy retirement.
Support for Community Research Affecting Women's Health
A Must-Attend: UCSD's Take Charge of your Magnificent Menopause
The major benefit of being part of the Howell Community is the opportunity to learn, first-hand, about cutting-edge research efforts that will have a profound impact in the future of women’s health.
Taking Charge of your Magnificent Menopause
March 3
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
“The focus on Menopause research goes to the very origins of the Foundation, since this was the topic of our very first community program on Women’s Health”, comments Dr. LaCroix. “The Symposium will summarize the major findings from two major research programs funded for last the 20 years to improve our knowledge about menopause as part of the aging process for women, and to rigorously test treatments and get this information to women in the US and throughout the world.”Howll
- It will cover paradigm-shifting research findings from the Study of Women Across the Nation (SWAN) and the Menopause Strategies: Finding Lasting Answers to Symptoms and Health (MsFLASH) Trials Network.
- Attendees will have a chance to find out what researchers have learned about the menopause transition, how long it lasts, who is most affected by vasomotor and other symptoms of menopause, and what they have learned about the most effective treatments.
- There will be a demonstration of the brand new MyMenoPlan, a digital resource where women will have a chance to learn the hot-off-the-press preliminary results of the first randomized trial evaluating its effectiveness. It is meant to help women understand menopause, research their symptoms, and find out about the evidence on whether treatments work for their symptoms or not, including how to create their own MyMenoPlan.
Thank you for Keeping the Women we Love Healthy
Your support accelerates research for the benefit of women, their families and the communities in which they live.
Women’s Health Research Accelerator
The Reuben H. Fleet Foundation Fund of The San Diego Foundation
Alexander and Eva Nemeth Foundation
Full Scholarship Donor
Susan Baxter, PhD
The National CHEERS Foundation
Betty Jo Petersen
Soroptimist International of La Jolla
Women’s Health Research Pioneer
Marla Black
Madeline Butler, PhD
Jane Georges, PhD, RN
Laury Graves
Diana Hill
Gladys Kohn
Hamilton Loeb
Stanley Maloy, PhD
David Mulvaney
Colleen Peterson
Laurayne Ratner
Ruth Lane Charitable Foundation
Sheryl Scarano
Marilyn Tedesco
Irving Tragen
Carol Tuggey
Cheryl Wilson, RN
Women’s Health Innovator
Brad Benter
Gaylyn Boone
Carmen Colombo, PhD, MBA, RN
Janet Douglas
Janet Hawkins
Daniel Lee
Jean McGrath
Virginia “Jill” Patch
Angel Ryan
Vici Willis
Women’s Health Advocate
Betty Brayshay
Joyce Dostart
Berit Durler
Eileen Gaffen
Kippy Gambill
Stacy Holzman
William Littlejohn
Kathleen McGuire
Patty Moises
Janace Pierce
Patricia Price
Meg Richman, MD, FACR
Marlene Turrentine
Sheila Weinberg
Pattie Wellborn
William Wurch JD, CPA, LLM
Friend of Howell
Barbara Arledge
Carole Banka, PhD
Karen Bowden
Sally Clair
Tanya Fortuna
Aditi Gnanasekar
Sheila Harden
James and Ruth Harris
Mary Lynn Hyde
Jesse Kartus
Adele Kayser
John Kelleher
Ronda Landrum
Mimi Lee
Candice McCarty
Sharon McDonnell
Irene Mylonas
Jeanne Nichols
Lynn Payette
Marilyn Scheininger
JoAnn Siudara
Maryanne Sorge
Sharon Weremiuk
Judith White
Additional Donations:
Paulette Bohrer
Elaine Feuer-Barton
Kathleen Franklin
Denise Gudzikowski
Andrea LaCroix
Amy Sitapati
Carolyn Northrup
We have entered a new era in Women’s Health and “tomorrow’s breakthrough” depends on what we do today to make a difference in the future of health care. It’s an honor to be part of this incredible group of people who believe in women’s health causes.
Although women live longer than men, they bear a greater burden of diseases & disability. I’m privileged to serve on the Howell Foundation Board of Directors to help this exceptional organization promote women’s health research through its student & community engagement research awards.”
For me, the Howell Foundation is about Education. Research. Next Generation. I learn so much about women’s health from the top physician researchers and scientists in San Diego. Knowing that my contribution is going toward women’s health research scholarships is rewarding.
I want to Donate and Accelerate
Women's Health Research
Other Ways to Accelerate Women's Health Research:
Meet your Board
Driving Women's Health Research Forward
2021 Executive Directors:
Carol Tuggey
Board Chairperson Community Leader Former CEO, Tuggey Interior Design, Inc.
William A. Wurch, JD, CPA, LLM
Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer
President , The Law Firm of
William A. Wurch, PC
Colleen Peterson
Secretary Chair, Strategic Planning, Governance, and Nominations Committee Founder and President Peterson Hill Marketing, Inc.
Marilyn Tedesco
Chair, Development Committee Founder and President of Training One and Consultants to Management
2021 Board of Directors
Susan M. Baxter, PhD
Adjunct Professor
College of Sciences
San Diego State University
Mandy Butler, PhD
Scholarship Review Committee Chair
Associate Professor of Teaching Emerita, Division of Biological Sciences.
CEO, Dream Care Group
Homes,Righteous Inc.
M. Carmen Colombo, PhD, MBA, RN
Chief Nursing Officer
Specialty Hospitals, Sharp HealthCare
Eileen Gaffen
Public Relations Strategist,
Founder and President, Steres Gaffen Media
Jane M. Georges, PhD, RN Dean, Hahn School of Nursing & Health Science
Aditi Gnanasekar
Undergraduate student,
Bioengineering: Biotechnology, UCSD
Diana Hill
Past President,
Soroptimist International of La Jolla
Andrea Z. LaCroix, Ph.D.,
Lecture Series Committee Chair,
Professor and Chief of Epidemiology, Director, Women’s Health Center of Excellence – UC San Diego
Senior Vice President and CEO,
Sharp HealthCare Foundation
Stanley Maloy, PhD,
Associate Vice President for Innovation,
San Diego State University
David Mulvaney
Director, Donor Engagement
St. Paul’s Senior Services
Carolyn Northrup,
Communications Committee Chair
Marketing Consultant
Clinical Professor of Radiology and Medical Director of Thornton Radiology at UCSD Health Sciences
Angel Ryan
Social Media Researcher and Jury Consultant,
IMS Consulting & Expert Services
OUR STAFF:
Marla Black,
Executive Director
Tanya Fortuna,
Administrative Coordinator
(tanya@howellfoundation.org)
2021 Legacy Council
Carole Banka, PhD Brad Benter Betty Brayshay Cher Conner Abigail D’Agostino Kathleen Franklin Gladys Kohn
Jean McGrath
Priscilla Moxley
Kay Pierce
Beatrice Rose, MD, MPH
Pattie Wellborn
Cheryl Wilson, RN
To all our Board Members who are committed to serve in the advancement of women’s health research, and to our volunteers and donors who with their support help us accomplish our mission, THANK YOU!
Howell Scholarship Program
We inspire and fund undergraduate and graduate researchers to pursue scientific innovation for the next-generation pool of physicians and scientists who will accelerate solutions to women’s health issues.
Outreach and Events
We promote health education by presenting cutting-edge research that encourages self-advocacy for the long term health and well-being of women, their families and the community in which they live.
Community Engagement Initiative
We award pilot research grants to scientists working with community organizations to develop and evaluate programs designed to address the most pressing health issues affecting underrepresented women in our community.
Always Stay In Touch
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Contact Details
If you are interested in working with us then please reach out, we would love to hear from you.
PO Box 910016
San Diego, CA 92191
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Where are they now?
