By admin 
The appointment of three distinguished leaders to the CureSearch for Children’s Cancer national Board of Directors marks a pivotal expansion of the organization’s strategic capabilities at a time when the pediatric oncology landscape is undergoing rapid transformation. By integrating high-level expertise from the fields of healthcare finance, clinical drug development, and global information technology, CureSearch aims to bridge the critical funding and developmental gaps that frequently stall the progress of life-saving treatments for children. The new board members—Julianne Averill, Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik, and Mike Crowe—bring a combined several decades of experience that aligns with the organization’s mission to move promising research from laboratory settings into clinical environments with greater efficiency and speed.
A Strategic Response to the Pediatric Oncology Funding Gap
The inclusion of these three leaders comes as the non-profit sector faces increasing pressure to address the "Valley of Death" in drug development—the period between initial laboratory discovery and the start of human clinical trials. In the United States, cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease among children. Despite this, pediatric oncology research receives significantly less federal and private industry funding compared to adult cancers. According to the National Cancer Institute, only about 4% of federal funding for cancer research is dedicated specifically to childhood cancers.
CureSearch has positioned itself as a catalyst in this ecosystem, focusing on high-potential research that has the highest likelihood of reaching the clinic. The addition of Averill, Skolnik, and Crowe is designed to bolster this "accelerator" model. Their diverse backgrounds provide the necessary oversight to manage complex financial structures, navigate the rigorous FDA approval pathways, and leverage emerging technologies like artificial intelligence to identify new therapeutic targets.
Julianne Averill: Strengthening Governance and Healthcare AI Integration
Julianne Averill joins the board with a formidable background in healthcare finance and strategic advisory. As a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Business Officer (CBO) specializing in healthcare AI, her expertise is particularly relevant as the industry increasingly turns to computational biology and machine learning to predict drug efficacy. Averill currently serves as a Managing Director at Danforth Health, where she assists life sciences and biotech organizations in scaling their operations and translating complex scientific data into viable business models.
With over 20 years of experience, Averill’s role on the board will likely focus on enhancing the organization’s financial sustainability and governance. Her history of working with science-driven organizations ensures that CureSearch’s investments are managed with the rigor required for long-term impact. Averill has emphasized that her commitment is rooted in supporting the infrastructure that allows scientists and clinicians to focus on meaningful patient outcomes. In a sector where financial transparency and strategic scaling are paramount, her presence on the board provides a layer of corporate sophistication essential for managing multi-million-dollar research portfolios.
Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik: Driving Clinical Excellence and Industry Synergy
The appointment of Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik represents a deepening of the relationship between CureSearch and the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Skolnik, a trained pediatric hematologist-oncologist, currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at Inovio. His work focuses on immuno-oncology DNA medicines, a cutting-edge field that seeks to harness the body’s immune system to fight cancer at the genetic level.
Dr. Skolnik’s history with CureSearch spans nearly a decade, during which he has served as the Chair of the Industry Advisory Council (IAC). The IAC plays a vital role in the CureSearch ecosystem by providing a "real-world" industry perspective on research proposals. While academic scientists evaluate the biological merit of a project, the IAC evaluates whether a project is commercially and clinically viable. Dr. Skolnik’s leadership ensures that CureSearch-funded projects are not merely scientific curiosities but are designed with the regulatory requirements of the FDA and the logistical requirements of hospital systems in mind.
His recent receipt of the CureSearch 2025 Scientific Visionary Award underscores his influence in the field. By bridging his academic role as an adjunct associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania with his corporate experience at giants like AstraZeneca and GSK, Dr. Skolnik is uniquely qualified to help CureSearch navigate the complexities of pediatric drug trials, which are notoriously difficult to enroll and execute.
Mike Crowe: Harnessing Technology and Personal Advocacy
Mike Crowe brings a unique blend of global corporate leadership and deeply personal motivation to the Board of Directors. As the retired Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Colgate-Palmolive Company, Crowe spent over three decades managing the digital infrastructure of one of the world’s most recognizable brands. His expertise in data analytics, cybersecurity, and digital transformation is increasingly critical as oncology research becomes more data-intensive.
Crowe’s involvement with CureSearch is also personal. In early 2023, he and his family established "Team Steve: The Steven Crowe Legacy Fund" at CureSearch to honor their late son. This dual perspective—having both the professional acumen of a Fortune 500 executive and the lived experience of a parent navigating the pediatric cancer system—allows Crowe to advocate for patient-centric innovation.
In his advisory roles for organizations focused on AI and technology, Crowe has seen firsthand how digital tools can streamline research and development. On the CureSearch board, his presence signals an intent to modernize how the organization utilizes data to track research progress and communicate outcomes to stakeholders. His goal is to ensure that the administrative and technological hurdles that often slow down non-profits are minimized, allowing for a more agile response to emerging scientific opportunities.
Timeline of Organizational Evolution
The appointment of these three directors is the latest step in a multi-year evolution for CureSearch.
- 2010-2015: CureSearch shifted its focus from being a broad clinical trial network to a targeted research accelerator, identifying the "funding gap" in pediatric oncology as its primary target.
- 2016-2020: The organization established and refined its Scientific Advisory Council (SAC) and Industry Advisory Council (IAC), creating a dual-review process for all grant applications that remains a gold standard in the non-profit sector.
- 2023: The establishment of legacy funds like "Team Steve" highlighted the growing importance of private-donor partnerships in funding specific high-risk, high-reward research projects.
- 2024-2025: The current expansion of the board reflects a move toward a "cross-disciplinary" leadership model, integrating AI, clinical DNA medicine, and global IT infrastructure into the core governance of the organization.
Analysis of Implications for the Pediatric Cancer Sector
The strategic selection of these board members suggests several broader implications for the future of pediatric cancer research funding. First, there is a clear move toward "venture philanthropy." By bringing in a CFO like Averill and an industry veteran like Skolnik, CureSearch is adopting a model that mirrors venture capital—selecting research projects not just for their scientific interest, but for their "exit potential" into the clinical market.
Second, the focus on AI and technology, spearheaded by Crowe and Averill, indicates that the next frontier of pediatric oncology will be data-driven. With smaller patient populations in pediatric cancer compared to adult cancer, the ability to use AI for "small data" analysis and predictive modeling is crucial. This technological shift could allow researchers to identify which existing adult medications might be repurposed for children, a process that is often faster and less expensive than developing new drugs from scratch.
Finally, the emphasis on clinical development expertise suggests that CureSearch is preparing for a more active role in the regulatory phase of drug development. The pediatric oncology community has long advocated for the RACE for Children Act, which requires companies developing adult cancer drugs to also investigate those drugs for pediatric use if the molecular targets are relevant. Having a board that understands these legislative and clinical nuances will be essential for CureSearch as it partners with biotech companies to fulfill these requirements.
Future Outlook: Better Treatments, Faster
The overarching goal of the newly reconstituted board is to reduce the time it takes for a discovery to reach a child’s bedside. Currently, it can take over a decade and billions of dollars to bring a new drug to market. For children with aggressive or relapsed cancers, this timeline is often too long.
By leveraging Julianne Averill’s financial strategies, Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik’s clinical pathways, and Mike Crowe’s technological frameworks, CureSearch is positioning itself to be more than just a funding body. It is becoming a specialized consultant and partner for the scientists it supports. This "hands-on" approach to philanthropy is designed to ensure that the "best of the best" research—as Dr. Skolnik described it—does not languish in a laboratory but is instead propelled forward by a board that understands the scientific, financial, and human stakes involved.
As CureSearch moves into its next fiscal year, the impact of these appointments will likely be seen in more targeted grant cycles, increased collaboration with the biotech industry, and a continued focus on precision medicine. For the thousands of families diagnosed with pediatric cancer each year, these changes at the top of the organization represent a renewed commitment to a future where "no child and no family ever again has to endure the pain and loss" associated with this disease.