By admin 
CureSearch for Children’s Cancer, a national non-profit organization dedicated to ending childhood cancer by driving targeted and innovative research, has officially announced the appointment of three new members to its National Board of Directors. The new appointees—Julianne Averill, Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik, and Mike Crowe—bring a diverse array of expertise spanning biotechnology, clinical development, artificial intelligence, and global corporate governance. These appointments come at a critical juncture for the organization as it seeks to bridge the gap between academic discovery and clinical application, a phase often referred to in the medical community as the "valley of death." By integrating high-level financial strategy, deep clinical insights, and advanced technological oversight, CureSearch aims to accelerate the delivery of less toxic, more effective treatments for the thousands of children diagnosed with cancer each year.
The addition of these leaders reflects a strategic shift in the non-profit sector toward "venture philanthropy," a model that applies the rigors of venture capital and corporate efficiency to charitable giving. As pediatric cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease for children in the United States, the specialized skill sets of Averill, Skolnik, and Crowe are expected to enhance the organization’s ability to navigate the complex regulatory and commercial landscapes of drug development.
Profiles in Leadership: Bridging Science and Strategy
The first of the new directors, Julianne Averill, brings over two decades of experience in the life sciences and digital health sectors. Currently serving as a Managing Director at Danforth Health, Averill has established herself as a pivotal figure in the intersection of healthcare and artificial intelligence. Her background as a Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer for AI-driven healthcare firms provides CureSearch with a sophisticated understanding of how to scale science-driven organizations. In her role at Danforth Health, she has been instrumental in helping biotech companies translate complex scientific concepts into viable, patient-impacting business models. Her appointment to the board is seen as a move to bolster the organization’s fiscal governance and strategic planning, ensuring that donor contributions are managed with the same rigor found in top-tier financial institutions.
Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik, the second appointee, represents the clinical and scientific cornerstone of the new board members. As the Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at Inovio, Dr. Skolnik is at the forefront of developing immuno-oncology DNA medicines. A trained pediatric hematologist-oncologist, his career has been defined by a transition from direct patient care to the broader impact of pharmaceutical development. Having held senior leadership positions at global pharmaceutical giants such as AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Dr. Skolnik possesses a rare "bench-to-bedside" perspective. His nine-year history with CureSearch, specifically as the Chair of the Industry Advisory Council (IAC), has already shaped the organization’s research portfolio. His presence on the board ensures that the scientific projects funded by CureSearch are not only academically sound but are also commercially and clinically feasible.
The third appointee, Mike Crowe, provides the board with deep expertise in technology and global operations. As the retired Chief Information Officer of the Colgate-Palmolive Company, Crowe spent 34 years managing the technological infrastructure of a multi-billion-dollar global enterprise. His experience in digital transformation and AI is increasingly relevant as oncology research becomes more data-intensive. Beyond his professional accolades, Crowe brings a deeply personal perspective to the board. Following the loss of his son, Steven, he and his family established "Team Steve: The Steven Crowe Legacy Fund" within CureSearch. This duality of high-level corporate expertise and personal mission provides a unique bridge between the organization’s strategic goals and the families it serves.
The Landscape of Pediatric Oncology and the Funding Gap
To understand the significance of these appointments, one must look at the broader context of pediatric cancer research in the United States. While survival rates for certain types of childhood cancers have improved significantly over the last 50 years, the statistics for high-risk and recurrent cancers remains sobering. According to data from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), approximately 15,000 children and adolescents under the age of 20 are diagnosed with cancer annually in the U.S. alone.
Despite being a leading cause of childhood mortality, pediatric cancer research receives a disproportionately small fraction of federal funding compared to adult cancers. It is estimated that only about 4% of the National Cancer Institute’s annual budget is dedicated specifically to childhood cancer research. This funding gap creates a reliance on non-profit organizations like CureSearch to fund early-stage research that pharmaceutical companies often find too risky or too small in terms of market size to pursue.
The drug development process is notoriously expensive and time-consuming. On average, it takes 10 to 15 years and costs upwards of $2.6 billion to bring a new drug to market. For pediatric drugs, the hurdles are even higher due to smaller patient populations for clinical trials and the ethical complexities of testing new therapies on children. By bringing in leaders like Dr. Skolnik, who understands the pharmaceutical pipeline, and Julianne Averill, who understands biotech financing, CureSearch is positioning itself to de-risk these projects, making them more attractive for eventual industry partnership and clinical adoption.
Chronology of Organizational Evolution
The appointment of these three directors is the latest step in a multi-year evolution for CureSearch. Founded on a legacy of collaborative research, the organization has shifted its focus over the last decade toward a more targeted, results-oriented funding model.
In 2013, CureSearch launched its Industry Advisory Council (IAC), which Dr. Skolnik now chairs. This was a pivotal moment, as it brought together experts from the private sector to evaluate academic research proposals. The goal was to ensure that research was not just staying in the lab but had a clear pathway to the clinic.
By 2023, the organization further expanded its reach with the integration of legacy funds, such as the one established by Mike Crowe’s family. These funds allow for targeted research into specific, often underfunded, types of pediatric cancer. The appointment of the new board members in early 2025 serves as a culmination of this decade-long strategy to professionalize and diversify the leadership responsible for overseeing these initiatives.
Official Responses and Strategic Vision
The leadership at CureSearch has expressed high confidence in the new appointments, noting that the synergy between the three individuals addresses the three pillars of modern medical non-profits: science, finance, and technology. In official statements, board leadership emphasized that the diversity of experience among Averill, Skolnik, and Crowe will allow the organization to tackle the "bottlenecks" that often stall pediatric drug development.
Julianne Averill noted that her motivation for joining the board stems from a desire to apply governance and healthcare AI experience to support research that can "truly change lives." Her focus is expected to be on the scalability of scientific solutions and the rigorous oversight of the organization’s strategic investments.
Dr. Skolnik highlighted the unique structural advantage of CureSearch, which utilizes both a Scientific Advisory Council (SAC) and an Industry Advisory Council (IAC). This dual-review process ensures that only the "best of the best" projects receive funding. His elevation to the board follows his receipt of the CureSearch 2025 Scientific Visionary Award, signaling the organization’s intent to keep clinical development at the heart of its mission.
Mike Crowe’s response centered on the alignment of the organization’s "bold purpose" with his family’s personal goal. His background as a CIO will likely influence how the organization handles data management and utilizes AI to identify potential research breakthroughs more efficiently.
Analysis of Implications for the Future of Pediatric Research
The implications of these appointments extend beyond the internal governance of CureSearch. They signal a broader trend in the healthcare non-profit sector where the lines between "charity" and "strategic investment" are increasingly blurred.
- Acceleration of AI in Oncology: With both Averill and Crowe possessing significant backgrounds in AI and technology, CureSearch is well-positioned to leverage computational biology. AI can be used to model drug interactions and identify biomarkers in pediatric populations much faster than traditional methods. This is essential in a field where the patient population is small, making traditional large-scale clinical trials difficult to conduct.
- Bridging the "Valley of Death": The expertise of Dr. Skolnik is particularly relevant to the transition from Phase I to Phase II clinical trials. Many promising pediatric therapies fail not because the science is bad, but because the path to commercialization is unclear. Having a board member who has led clinical development at major firms like AstraZeneca provides a roadmap for researchers to navigate the FDA’s pediatric-specific regulatory requirements, such as the Research to Accelerate Cures and Equity (RACE) for Children Act.
- Financial Sustainability and Scalability: As the cost of research continues to rise, the financial acumen of Julianne Averill will be vital. Non-profits are increasingly looking at "evergreen" models where returns from successful drug developments are reinvested into new research. Her experience in biotech finance will be critical if CureSearch explores more complex funding or partnership structures.
- Strengthening Community and Donor Trust: The inclusion of Mike Crowe, who represents the "parent-advocate" perspective, ensures that the organization remains grounded in its ultimate mission. For donors, seeing a board composed of world-class experts who are also personally invested in the cause builds a high level of institutional trust.
Conclusion: A Multi-Faceted Approach to a Complex Crisis
The appointment of Julianne Averill, Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik, and Mike Crowe to the CureSearch National Board of Directors represents a sophisticated approach to a crisis that has long plagued the medical community. By combining the precision of AI and technology, the rigor of clinical drug development, and the strategic oversight of global corporate governance, CureSearch is reinforcing its infrastructure to meet the demands of 21st-century medicine.
As these leaders begin their tenure, the focus will remain on the organization’s primary objective: moving promising discoveries from the laboratory to the bedside as quickly and safely as possible. In an environment where every day matters for children with terminal diagnoses, the infusion of high-level industry expertise into the non-profit sector may prove to be the catalyst needed to overcome the systemic barriers to pediatric cancer cures. The progress of CureSearch under this new leadership will be a significant indicator of the effectiveness of the venture philanthropy model in addressing some of the most challenging areas of human health.
