By admin 
The national nonprofit organization CureSearch for Children’s Cancer has officially announced the appointment of three distinguished leaders to its Board of Directors, signaling a strategic reinforcement of its mission to end childhood cancer. The new appointees—Julianne Averill, Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik, and Mike Crowe—bring a combined wealth of experience in healthcare finance, clinical development, and global information technology. This expansion comes at a critical juncture for the organization as it seeks to bridge the significant funding and developmental gap between laboratory discoveries and life-saving clinical treatments for pediatric patients.
By integrating experts from diverse sectors of the life sciences and technology ecosystems, CureSearch aims to enhance its governance and strategic oversight. The organization’s primary focus remains the acceleration of the drug development pipeline, ensuring that high-potential research does not stall in the "valley of death"—the precarious phase between initial discovery and commercial viability. The addition of these three leaders is expected to provide the fiscal, scientific, and technological rigor necessary to navigate the complexities of modern oncology.
The Landscape of Pediatric Cancer Research and the Need for Leadership
To understand the significance of these appointments, it is essential to consider the current state of pediatric oncology. While survival rates for some childhood cancers have improved significantly over the last several decades, cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease among children in the United States. According to data from the National Cancer Institute, while adult oncology has seen a surge in targeted therapies and immunotherapy approvals, the development of drugs specifically designed for children has historically lagged behind.
Funding disparities play a major role in this delay. It is estimated that only about 4% of federal funding for cancer research is directed toward pediatric-specific studies. This creates a heavy reliance on nonprofit organizations like CureSearch to identify and fund the most promising research. CureSearch differentiates itself by utilizing a unique "venture philanthropy" model, which treats charitable donations as strategic investments in the most viable medical breakthroughs. The new board members are tasked with upholding this model, ensuring that every dollar contributes to a faster path toward FDA approval and clinical implementation.
Julianne Averill: Strengthening Fiscal Strategy and AI Integration
Julianne Averill joins the CureSearch Board of Directors with over two decades of experience in the healthcare and biotech sectors. As a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Business Officer (CBO) specializing in healthcare AI, her expertise is particularly relevant in an era where data science is revolutionizing drug discovery. Currently serving as a Managing Director at Danforth Health, Averill has a proven track record of helping science-driven organizations scale their operations and translate complex biological data into actionable business strategies.
Averill’s role on the board will likely focus on the financial sustainability and governance of CureSearch’s diverse portfolio. In her previous roles, she has partnered with numerous leadership teams to navigate the capital-intensive nature of the life sciences industry. Her deep understanding of the biotech ecosystem allows her to evaluate the commercial viability of research projects, a crucial step in ensuring that nonprofit-funded science can eventually attract the private investment needed for large-scale clinical trials.
In her statement regarding the appointment, Averill emphasized the personal and professional importance of the role, noting that her governance experience would be utilized to support research that has the potential to fundamentally change lives. Her background in AI-driven healthcare also positions CureSearch to better utilize emerging technologies to identify patterns in pediatric data that could lead to more precise, less toxic treatments.
Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik: A Bridge Between Clinical Practice and Industry Development
Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik’s appointment to the Board of Directors represents a continuation of nearly a decade of dedicated service to CureSearch. A trained pediatric hematologist-oncologist, Dr. Skolnik currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at Inovio. His career has been defined by a focus on immuno-oncology and DNA medicines—areas of science that hold immense promise for treating aggressive pediatric tumors with fewer long-term side effects than traditional chemotherapy.
Dr. Skolnik’s contribution to CureSearch is already well-established. For more than nine years, he has been a pivotal member of the organization, most notably serving as the Chair of the Industry Advisory Council (IAC). The IAC is a specialized body within CureSearch that provides a "real-world" industry lens to the research evaluation process. While the Scientific Advisory Council (SAC) assesses the academic and biological merit of a proposal, the IAC, under Skolnik’s leadership, determines if a project has a realistic path to being manufactured and adopted by the pharmaceutical industry.
His long-term commitment was recently recognized with the CureSearch 2025 Scientific Visionary Award. This accolade highlights his efforts in streamlining the transition of laboratory findings into clinical settings. Dr. Skolnik’s presence on the board ensures that the organization maintains a high level of clinical rigor, focusing on "the best of the best" research that is not only scientifically sound but also strategically positioned for rapid development.
Mike Crowe: Leveraging Technology and Personal Legacy
The appointment of Mike Crowe brings a unique perspective to the CureSearch Board, combining high-level corporate expertise with a deeply personal connection to the cause. Crowe is the retired Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Colgate-Palmolive Company, where he spent 34 years managing global information systems. His experience in digital transformation, cybersecurity, and data management is invaluable to a nonprofit that must manage vast amounts of donor and research data.
Crowe’s involvement with CureSearch is also rooted in a family legacy. In early 2023, the Crowe family established "Team Steve: The Steven Crowe Legacy Fund" at CureSearch to honor the memory of their late son, Steven. This fund is dedicated to advancing pediatric cancer research, ensuring that other families might be spared the pain of losing a child to the disease.
By joining the board, Crowe intends to align his professional skills in technology and advisory with his personal mission. In the modern research environment, "Big Data" is essential for understanding the genetic drivers of pediatric cancer. Crowe’s expertise will help CureSearch optimize its technological infrastructure, fostering better collaboration between research institutions and improving the transparency of research outcomes. His perspective as a bereaved parent also serves as a constant reminder of the human stakes involved in the organization’s work.
Analysis of Implications: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Cancer
The decision to appoint these three individuals reflects a broader trend in the nonprofit sector toward multi-disciplinary governance. The fight against childhood cancer is no longer confined to the laboratory; it requires a sophisticated understanding of global finance, regulatory hurdles, technological integration, and industry partnerships.
- Accelerated Translation: By having a board member who chairs the Industry Advisory Council (Skolnik) and a CFO with biotech experience (Averill), CureSearch is better equipped to identify "druggable" targets early. This reduces the time wasted on research that, while scientifically interesting, may never reach a patient due to manufacturing or regulatory barriers.
- Data-Driven Innovation: With Mike Crowe’s background in information technology and Averill’s focus on healthcare AI, CureSearch is positioned to lead in the digital transformation of pediatric oncology. This could include supporting platforms for data sharing among researchers, which is often a bottleneck in the rare disease space where patient data sets are small.
- Governance and Transparency: The professional backgrounds of the new directors reinforce CureSearch’s reputation for rigorous governance. For donors, this provides an added layer of assurance that their contributions are being managed by individuals with decades of experience in oversight and strategic planning.
The 2025 Outlook: Moving Faster Toward a Cure
As CureSearch moves toward 2025, the organization is doubling down on its commitment to speed and efficacy. The recruitment of Averill, Skolnik, and Crowe is a clear indication that the organization is not content with the status quo of pediatric drug development.
The organization’s strategy involves not just funding research, but actively managing it. Through their "Catapult" and "Impact" award programs, CureSearch provides the necessary resources to move projects through the most difficult phases of development. The board’s role is to ensure these programs remain agile and responsive to new scientific discoveries.
The broader impact of these appointments will likely be seen in the increased number of pediatric clinical trials. Currently, many children with cancer are treated with drugs developed for adults, which can lead to severe, lifelong side effects or "late effects," such as heart damage or secondary cancers. The expertise of the new board members supports the development of therapies specifically tailored to the unique biology of children, with the ultimate goal of not just survival, but long-term health.
In conclusion, the addition of Julianne Averill, Dr. Jeffrey Skolnik, and Mike Crowe to the CureSearch Board of Directors represents a significant strengthening of the organization’s leadership. Their diverse skills in finance, clinical science, and technology provide the holistic approach necessary to tackle the multi-faceted challenges of childhood cancer. As they begin their tenures, the focus remains clear: accelerating the progress of research from the lab to the bedside, ensuring that every child diagnosed with cancer has a chance at a healthy future.
