
Celebrating the Howell Undergraduate and Graduate Scholars and their Contributions to Women’s Health.
Message from the ED

Your donations matter! With your constant financial assistance, the Howell Foundation is able to continue to support undergraduate and graduate students who are researching the most pressing issues in women’s health.
Marla Black / Executive Director
Dear Howell Foundation Supporters,
As we enter the warm San Diego summer months, I want you to know that the Howell Foundation is full steam ahead to support scholars working on key initiatives that help accelerate women’s health research. Our dedicated Board of Directors continues to work to support our mission by connecting with scholars, donors and researchers.
The new Alumni Scholar committee has researched where our past scholars are. Our partnership with past scholars inspire the new generations of women’s health researchers. We are thrilled to hear from so many past scholars and will be highlighting what they are doing in future newsletters and on our website. You will be very proud of our scholars who create a positive impact in women’s health in our community.
We sponsored a webinar in February highlighting our own Board Member Katherine “Meg” Richman, MD, FACR, Clinical Professor of Radiology and Medical Director of Thornton Radiology at UCSD. Dr. Meg highlighted her journey in eating healthy “green/plant based ” foods to support a heart healthy lifestyle. In May we met in person at the La Jolla Country Club to learn about “loving our eyes”, Aging and Age-related Eye Diseases: The Women Perspective. Our presenter was Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Ophthalmology and Center for Translational Vision Research at the School of Medicine UC Irvine.
Lastly, we received two legacy gifts this year that will ensure the sustainability of our Scholarship Program. This is a wonderful way to remember Howell Foundation in your estate planning.
I appreciate all of your support -past, present and future! I look forward to connecting with you soon. Have a healthy and happy summer!
I want to Donate and Accelerate
Women's Health Research
The Impact of a Howell Scholarship: Where are they now?
Present. Past. Future. Meet the scholars supporting women's health research today!
"Since receiving the Howell Foundation Scholarship, I successfully applied and was accepted to Loma Linda University School of Medicine, where I am currently studying. The scholarship helped with the cost of applications, taking the MCAT, and other financial needs that helped me to get to where I am today. So thank you again for gifting me the Howell Foundation Scholarship! It helped me in many ways!"
Emmanuelle Issa, Graduate Student at Loma Linda University
A key component of addressing gender disparities in women’s health research is the ability to fund seed grants to undergraduate and graduate students. By financially supporting studies focused on issues affecting women’s health, the Howell Foundation seeks to accelerate research that will benefit the health of women in our community. We reached out to our group of outstanding scholars to learn more about how the Howell Foundation aided in achieving their goals.
From Nurse Practitioner to Captain in the US Navy Nurse Corps.

"My proudest accomplishment is making Captain in the United States Navy Nurse Corps in 2020."
Jennifer Buechel
In 2014, the Howell Foundation awarded the Cheryl Wilson Award in Nursing to Jennifer Buechel. Back then, her doctoral thesis focused on HPV vaccine knowledge and uptake among military personnel.
At the time, she commented: “As an Adult Nurse Practitioner, I have first-hand experience in how challenging it is for clinicians to provide routine and preventive care for female military populations in an operational environment, including sexual health and immunization prevention programs. I have the opportunity as a future nurse scientist to significantly improve health policy and education through research and evidenced-based practice.”
After completing her dissertation on the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), HPV vaccine and HPV testing, she graduated with her PhD in Nursing in 2016. She published her team’s research in three peer-reviewed journal articles. She worked as an Associate Director and Department Head for Naval Medical Center San Diego. Today, she is an Executive Officer for the Navy’s premier medical research laboratory for submarines and undersea warfighters.
The Role of Genomics in Women's Health

“I was recently admitted to medical school! I will be attending the Keck School of Medicine of USC in the fall of 2022. As a medical student, I hope to expand my research endeavors to the fields of genomic medicine and its applications in the clinical setting. I hope to work towards personalizing treatment plans based on an individual's genetic makeup combined with social factors to prevent and predict disease.”
Jennifer Anderson
Jennifer Anderson received the Howell-CSUPERB scholarship in 2021. In the short time since, she has graduated from California State University, Northridge with a BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology. After graduation, she continued in her undergraduate research lab studying different metabolic pathways in breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers. In June 2021, she began work as a Medical Laboratory Assistant at Q2 Solutions in the Microbiology Department. In this role, she assisted in processing patient samples and running various viral tests.
Inspiring Careers in the field of Breast Cancer

"I have received an ASP Summer Research Fellowship that only 5 students receive nationwide. I really feel like the Howell Foundation Scholarship really prepared me to be a competitive candidate and allowed me to pursue my passion for research in women's health."
Esveidy Oceguera Nava
Esveydi Oceguera Nava is graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry B.S. She plans to pursue a Masters Degree in Chemistry this following fall at Fresno State to continue pursuing a career in women’s health. She received the Howell Award in 2021.
She plans to apply to a doctorate program to continue researching breast cancer. She hopes to teach at an institution or work for a corporation that focuses on women’s health, specifically breast cancer.
The Howell Foundation inspires careers for the benefit of women’s health.
“The Howell Foundation Scholarship gave me the opportunity to focus on research work critical to women’s health.”
Alex Pankov
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. 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 advancing women’s health.
We congratulate our 2022 undergraduate students, wishing them long-lasting careers in women’s health research!
Inspiring Careers: Howell Foundation Announces 2022 CSUPERB Awards
Meet the UCSD Scholars Accelerating Women’s Health Research
2022 Howell Foundation Lecture Series
Addressing women’s health in the areas of Nutrition and Eye Health
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.

The Howell Foundation started 2022 with the presentation “Be your own Valentine! Love your heart and your health” by Katherine (Meg), Richman, MD, FACR, Clinical Professor of Radiology at UC San Diego Health Systems and Board Member of the Howell Foundation.
Her presentation in February summarized a series of comprehensive studies that highlighted the importance of a plant-based nutrition plan to positively affect our health, including sexual health, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and dementia, and osteoporosis.

In May, the Howell Foundation hosted Dr. Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, PhD. She is Assistant Professor at the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Ophthalmology for the Center for Translational Vision Research at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
Her presentation “Aging and Age-related Eye Diseases: The Women Perspective” discussed the complex process of aging and the distinct molecular aspects that contribute to age-related tissue dysfunction. She described age related changes in vision in the animal models compared to the human eye. She focused on glaucoma and the understanding of the mechanism of the disease and presented the newest findings regarding the role of senescent cells in glaucoma, and discussed several potential approaches to reduce the negative impact on healthy cells.
Howell Happenings

Dear Friends of Howell:
Our foundation continues its mission to support women’s health research in our extended community. Not only do we do the work of identifying and placing strong scholars in successful labs with powerful mentors, but we work to make sure that our community knows about that research and can possibly benefit themselves and live healthier lives! We could not do this without your support!
We are pleased to be able to have in person events again. Our organization has thrived with the active interest and participation of those who attend our luncheons and learn from our speakers! We had a luncheon in May at the La Jolla Country Club. In the coming months we will plan to have more of these. Some will be in La Jolla and others will be at Morgan Run and other locations.
This last spring, we were invited to learn from our own Andrea LaCroix at a symposium presented by the Center for Life Course at UCSD. Building on that wonderful group of presentations on the most current menopause research from all over the world (the Keynote speaker was in Australia), Andrea presented her own research and tools for managing menopause at our August 5th luncheon. The topic had been one that had long been requested by our supporters. Be sure to check back for the summary of the event!
With thanks to our donors and all who help us in support of our mission!
Carol
Give today to accelerate women’s health research and keep the women we love healthy
- Become a Friend of Howell. Donate at one of the five giving levels at www.howellfoundation.org
- Attend our educational events. Learn first-hand about cutting-edge research affecting women’s health.
- Donate on behalf of your organization and invite us over. Get up close and personal with experts on the field of women’s health research.
- Consider us in your planned giving efforts. Honor the life of the women and men who mean the most to you.
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