By admin 
CureSearch for Children’s Cancer, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending childhood cancer by driving targeted and innovative research, has announced the appointment of three distinguished professionals to its national Board of Directors. The new members—Julianne Averill, Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik, and Mike Crowe—bring a diverse array of expertise spanning biotechnology finance, clinical oncology, and global information technology. Their addition to the board comes at a critical juncture for the organization as it seeks to bridge the "valley of death" in drug development, a term used to describe the gap between laboratory discovery and clinical application where many promising treatments stall due to a lack of funding or strategic guidance.
The expansion of the board reflects a strategic move to integrate high-level governance with specialized scientific and technological insight. As pediatric cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease among children in the United States, the need for accelerated research pipelines has never been more urgent. By recruiting leaders with proven track records in the life sciences and technology sectors, CureSearch aims to enhance its ability to identify, fund, and shepherd the most promising pediatric cancer treatments toward regulatory approval and patient access.
Strategic Expertise in Healthcare Finance and Artificial Intelligence
Julianne Averill joins the board with over two decades of experience in the life sciences and digital health sectors. As a Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer specializing in healthcare AI, Averill’s background is uniquely suited to the modern landscape of medical research, where data science and financial sustainability are increasingly intertwined. Currently serving as a Managing Director at Danforth Health, Averill has spent her career helping science-driven organizations scale their operations and translate complex biological discoveries into viable healthcare solutions.
Averill’s appointment is expected to strengthen CureSearch’s financial oversight and strategic planning. In the nonprofit sector, particularly in medical research, the ability to manage complex funding models and ensure long-term fiscal health is vital for maintaining multi-year research projects. Her experience in healthcare AI also positions the organization to better understand how emerging technologies can be leveraged to analyze pediatric genomic data, potentially identifying new therapeutic targets more efficiently than traditional methods.
Beyond her professional accolades, Averill’s commitment to volunteer leadership and governance suggests a focus on organizational transparency and impact. Her role will involve not only fiscal stewardship but also advising on how CureSearch can optimize its investment in biotech startups and academic institutions that are working on high-risk, high-reward pediatric therapies.
Clinical Leadership and the Integration of Immuno-Oncology
Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik, a veteran pediatric hematologist-oncologist, brings a deep clinical perspective to the board. Currently the Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at Inovio, Dr. Skolnik has spent years at the forefront of immuno-oncology, specifically focusing on DNA medicines. His previous leadership roles at global pharmaceutical giants such as AstraZeneca and GSK have given him an insider’s view of the drug development lifecycle, from early-phase clinical trials to global medical affairs.
Dr. Skolnik’s relationship with CureSearch is long-standing, having served as the Chair of the Industry Advisory Council (IAC) for nearly a decade. The IAC plays a pivotal role in the CureSearch ecosystem by providing a "real-world" industry filter for research proposals. While academic reviewers focus on scientific merit, the IAC evaluates whether a project has a realistic path to commercialization and clinical use. Dr. Skolnik’s elevation to the national board ensures that this industry-focused rigor remains central to the organization’s grant-making process.
The timing of Dr. Skolnik’s appointment coincides with his selection as the recipient of the CureSearch 2025 Scientific Visionary Award. This honor recognizes his efforts to streamline pediatric drug development, an area often hindered by the small patient populations inherent in childhood cancers, which can make traditional large-scale clinical trials difficult to execute. Dr. Skolnik’s expertise in innovative trial designs and immunotherapy is expected to be a cornerstone of CureSearch’s future research strategy.
Technological Innovation and the Power of Personal Legacy
Mike Crowe joins the board following a 34-year tenure at Colgate-Palmolive Company, where he served as Chief Information Officer for nine years. A specialist in global technology infrastructure and data management, Crowe currently advises various AI-focused organizations and academic institutions. His inclusion on the board highlights the growing importance of "Big Data" in oncology. Efficiently managing the vast amounts of data generated by clinical trials and genetic sequencing is essential for accelerating the pace of discovery.
However, Crowe’s connection to CureSearch is also deeply personal. Following the loss of his son, Steven, to cancer, the Crowe family established "Team Steve: The Steven Crowe Legacy Fund" at CureSearch in early 2023. This fund is dedicated to supporting research that prevents other families from experiencing similar tragedies. Crowe’s dual perspective—as a high-level technology executive and a bereaved parent—provides the board with a unique balance of professional expertise and mission-driven urgency.
By integrating Crowe’s knowledge of enterprise-level technology and data systems, CureSearch is well-positioned to improve its internal operations and its external data-sharing initiatives. In the modern research environment, the ability to collaborate across institutions and share data securely and efficiently is a major factor in the success of multi-center clinical trials.
The Landscape of Pediatric Cancer Research: A Data-Driven Context
To understand the significance of these appointments, one must consider the broader challenges facing the pediatric oncology community. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), while survival rates for some childhood cancers have improved significantly over the last 50 years, progress has been uneven. For certain high-risk cancers, such as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) or metastatic osteosarcoma, survival rates have remained stubbornly low for decades.
Furthermore, the "funding gap" remains a significant hurdle. Historically, only about 4% of the federal budget for cancer research is allocated specifically to pediatric cancers. This disparity places a heavy burden on private organizations like CureSearch to fill the void. Moreover, because the market for pediatric drugs is much smaller than that for adult cancers (such as lung or breast cancer), pharmaceutical companies often lack the financial incentive to develop drugs specifically for children.
CureSearch addresses this by utilizing a "venture philanthropy" model. Instead of merely providing grants for basic science, the organization focuses on projects that have a clear line of sight to the clinic. This approach requires a board that understands both the nuances of molecular biology and the complexities of the biotech market—a requirement met by the new appointments of Averill and Skolnik.
Chronology of Organizational Evolution
CureSearch has undergone a significant transformation over the last decade. Originally operating as a traditional clinical trials network, the organization pivoted to become a specialized funder of high-impact research. This evolution was driven by the recognition that the primary bottleneck in pediatric oncology was not a lack of scientific ideas, but a lack of resources to move those ideas through the early stages of drug development.
- 2010-2015: Transition toward a more targeted funding model, emphasizing the "Catapult" and "Acceleration" grant programs.
- 2016-2020: Establishment and strengthening of the Industry Advisory Council (IAC) to ensure research was "industry-ready."
- 2023: Launch of the Steven Crowe Legacy Fund, marking a renewed focus on philanthropic partnerships and family-led initiatives.
- 2024-2025: Strategic board expansion to include AI, finance, and advanced clinical development expertise.
This timeline demonstrates a clear trajectory toward professionalization and specialized oversight, moving away from a generalist approach toward a highly strategic, results-oriented framework.
Analysis of Implications for the Future of Pediatric Oncology
The appointment of Averill, Skolnik, and Crowe signals a shift toward a more multidisciplinary approach to nonprofit governance. The inclusion of an AI-focused CFO like Averill suggests that CureSearch is preparing for a future where financial engineering and computational biology are as important as traditional lab work. By helping biotech startups navigate the complexities of "Series A" and "Series B" funding rounds, CureSearch can act as a bridge, ensuring that a promising drug doesn’t fail simply because of a lack of business infrastructure.
Dr. Skolnik’s role on the board will likely focus on the "RACE for Children Act" (Research to Accelerate Cure and Equity), a federal law that requires companies developing adult cancer drugs to also investigate those drugs in children if the molecular targets are relevant. His deep understanding of the regulatory environment will be invaluable in helping CureSearch-funded researchers comply with these mandates and leverage them to gain access to industry resources.
Meanwhile, Mike Crowe’s influence will likely be felt in the organization’s digital transformation. As the healthcare industry moves toward decentralized clinical trials and real-world evidence (RWE) gathering, having a former CIO of a Fortune 500 company on the board provides a significant advantage. This can lead to more efficient patient recruitment and better long-term tracking of survivors, which is crucial for understanding the late effects of toxic cancer treatments.
Official Responses and Strategic Vision
The leadership at CureSearch has expressed high confidence that these new appointments will catalyze the next phase of the organization’s growth. The overarching goal remains clear: to move discoveries from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside faster than the current industry average of 10 to 12 years.
In a statement reflecting the board’s sentiment, Dr. Skolnik highlighted the synergy between the Scientific Advisory Council (SAC) and the Industry Advisory Council (IAC). He noted that this multi-faceted review process ensures that only the "best of the best" projects receive funding—those that are not only scientifically sound but also have the potential to attract the private investment necessary for large-scale production.
Julianne Averill echoed this focus on impact, emphasizing that her role is to support the scientists and clinicians who are turning discovery into meaningful outcomes for families. Mike Crowe’s participation underscores the human element of this work, stating that his service is a direct alignment with his family’s goal of ensuring that no other family has to endure the loss of a child to cancer.
As CureSearch moves into 2025, the integration of these three leaders is expected to enhance the organization’s ability to navigate the increasingly complex intersection of medicine, technology, and finance. For the thousands of children diagnosed with cancer each year, this strategic reinforcement of the CureSearch board represents a significant step toward a future where "incurable" becomes a term of the past.