Though I find myself focused more on administrative responsibilities in recent years, I remain a patient-oriented researcher at heart. As an optometrist and vision scientist, I revere rigorous, well-designed research and believe in the transformational power of scientific inquiry. It truly can improve and save lives. Because of this passion, I joined Ohio State’s Biomedical Sciences Institutional Review Board (IRB) in 2002 and have chaired it almost continuously since 2004. For those who are unfamiliar, an IRB is responsible for holding researchers accountable to ethical and scientific standards when their research involves human subjects. Through this work, I’ve seen the many ways in which our colleagues throughout Ohio State and the Wexner Medical Center strive to improve health and health equity right here in Columbus and throughout the world.
This winter issue of our College of Public Health Magazine features an acclaimed alumna who is instrumental in driving international medical advances. Peyton Howell ’90 MHA, whose career started not far from Cunz Hall on the medical center campus as a graduate student, provides a shining example of how a health administration education can equip someone to advance public health and medicine in incredible ways. As chief executive officer of the clinical research organization Parexel, Peyton oversees an organization of 21,000 people with the united goal to improve health, prioritize the patient experience, and emphasize inclusiveness and accessibility in clinical trials throughout the world.
This approach to researching treatments for an array of health threats — from cancer to infectious diseases to eye conditions — is what is needed to make the greatest strides that advance health for all populations. This kind of commitment to health equity alongside a deep understanding that one size does not fit all is what public health is all about.
I hope you’ll enjoy learning more about Peyton’s journey, her Buckeye memories, and her enduring connections to our Master of Health Administration program. In this issue of the digital magazine, you’ll also find inspiring stories about an undergraduate student committed to helping businesses prioritize sustainable practices, a student-turned-professor who has returned to our college to inspire the next generation of public health thought leaders, and more.
