2011 Flame of Hope Award

Dr. Jennifer L. Howse

Dr. Jennifer L. Howse became president of the March of Dimes Foundation in January 1990. Under Dr. Howse’s leadership, the March of Dimes has doubled its revenue and achieved impressive mission results for mothers and infants, including the successful national folic acid campaign, and the launch of a National Prematurity Prevention Campaign.

Dr. Howse joined the March of Dimes as Executive Director of the Greater New York Chapter. Prior to that, Dr. Howse held several top public service leadership positions including State Commissioner for Mental Retardation in Pennsylvania, Associate Commissioner for Mental Retardation in New York State, and Executive Director of the Federal Court appointed Willowbrook Review Panel in New York City.

Dr. Howse holds a doctorate from Florida State University. She serves on the Board of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, Partnership for Prevention, the National Health Council, and the James Beard Foundation. She has served on national advisory committees for the Secretary of Health and Human Services, including the Committee on Genetic Diseases in Newborns. Dr. Howse is an Honorary Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics, recipient of the 2002 Distinguished Service Award from CDC, the 2005 Stanley Graven Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Perinatal Association, the 2010 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Humanitarian Award – National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, the 2010 National Association for Female Executives – Woman of Achievement, and The Stan and Mavis Graven Leadership Award for Outstanding Contributions to Enhancing the Physical and Developmental Environment for High Risk Infants and their Families.