Earlier this week First Lady Dr. Jill Biden traveled to Atlanta to spotlight the need for more investment in women’s health research as part of the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research. As part of the visit, Chair of the Initiative and Women’s Health Research at Yale Director Dr. Carolyn M. Mazure facilitated a roundtable focused on public-private partnerships.
During her opening remarks, Dr. Biden underscored, “We have a clear goal: to fundamentally change how we approach and fund women’s health research. Together, we will build a future where women – all women – aren’t just an after-thought but a first thought, where health care meets the needs of everyone.”
Themes during the roundtable included an overarching interest in improving women’s lives with more investment in research and the need for new and expanded partnerships. Atlanta has a strong track record of innovation and collaboration.
“It was tremendous to hear from this panel and learn about innovations in research, in collaboration with community and corporate efforts, all centered on improving understanding and the health of women,” said Dr. Mazure.
Roundtable participants included:
- Dr. Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States
- Monica M. Bertagnolli, director of the National Institutes of Health
- Linda Goler Blount, president of the Black Women’s Health Imperative and chair of the Rare Disease Diversity Coalition
- Stefanie Diaz, manager of Industry Discovery and Research at Catalyst by Wellstar
- Tené T. Lewis, professor of epidemiology at Rollins School of Public Health at Emory
- Eloisa Klementich, president and CEO of Invest Atlanta
- Valerie Montgomery Rice, president and CEO of Morehouse School of Medicine
- April L. Spencer, chief operating surgeon at Dr. Spencer’s Global Breast Health & Wellness Center
- Maria D. Toler, founding and managing partner of Steel Sky Ventures
“New public-private partnerships will spark the innovation needed to improve the health of all women,” said Dr. Mazure. “I am inspired by the work in Atlanta and know we’ll continue to learn from powerhouse leaders including today’s fantastic panelists.”
To learn more about the White House Initiative on Women’s Health, click here.