2016 Here We Come!

After a fun and frantic holiday season, I am reflecting on the Foundation's accomplishments in 2015, our 20th Anniversary year, and on the goals for 2016 and the next 20 years. So many have given of their time, their talent and their treasure to make this year a success.

Our Advisory Council met in the Fall and compiled a list of hot topics and exciting speakers for our luncheon series. Many of the members of the Council have served for years and we are grateful to all the participants. At the Council meeting we presented Dr. Irene Su, our newest CEI recipient, with the award for her project, "Developing a reproductive health intervention for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors."

We have strengthened our alliances with other amazing organizations including Soroptimist International of La Jolla, who made the Howell Foundation possible 20 years ago, The National CHEERS Foundation and Las Damas de Fairbanks Ranch. All have contributed to making this year a success for our Foundation.

And, of course, it is always a delight to hear from our past scholars. Most recently, we heard from Jeffrey Maloy, a 2010 scholar, who has leveraged his Howell Foundation research scholarship to pursue a Ph.D. at UCLA studying the bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei, which causes melioidosis, a severe and often fatal disease commonly found in Southeast Asia and Australia. (I love it when our scholars use big words). There will be more about Jeffrey on our blog "Keeping the Women we Love Healthy" soon.

And, speaking of our blog, this year, due to the splendid work of Carolyn Northrup, our Communications Chair, we have truly arrived on social media with followers on Facebook and LinkedIn, and a significant number of views per month on our wonderful blog. Check it out, won't you?  Just google "keeping the women we love healthy".

Finally, last month we welcomed three new Board members: Abigail D'Agostino, Bonnie Mendenhall and Carol Tuggy, who bring enthusiasm and talent to our Board.

iAnd...we look forward to:

  • The next 20 years of "Keeping the Women We Love Healthy"
  • Four exciting 2016 luncheons including presentations on autoimmunity, genetic screening and other "hot" topics
  • Meeting brilliant new scholars from UCSD, SDSU and USD

I thank our advisors, our volunteers, our "friends" and other donors and our dedicated Board of Directors for making our 20th Anniversary year a success.  Stay tuned!

Have a wonderful 2016!


Carole L. Banka, Ph. D.
Chair, Board of Directors, Howell Foundation.

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