Howard honored as a 2021 YWCA Woman of Achievement

Congratulations to Dr. Mary Howard, executive director, Ohio State East Hospital, for being selected as a 2021 YWCA Woman of Achievement. Learn how Howard achieved her leadership role at the university and what advice she has for other women who are working to advance.

Portrait of Dr. Mary Howard

The YWCA Woman of Achievement award, which has been given to honor central Ohio women for more than 30 years, is granted to nominees, such as Dr. Mary Howard, who demonstrate a deep commitment to breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for women.

Whether she's involved in big decision-making that impacts the health care of Central Ohioans or in small caring acts to motivate young minds and emerging professionals, Dr. Howard has been influential at The Ohio State University and throughout the greater Columbus area. Through her work at the university and volunteer efforts, Howard supports programs designed to improve East Side residents’ overall health and well-being by addressing systemic racism and other social and environmental determinants that lead to disparities and poor health.

In her role as executive director of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center East Hospital, one program she oversees is the annual Healthy Community Days, which welcomes thousands of area residents each year for free health screenings, medical care and community engagement. For many, this is the only time they see a doctor during the year, so these assessments can have an immediate and critical impact on the health of participating individuals and help curb more preventable disease. She also hosts Moms2B, a program dedicated to addressing the critical health issue of infant mortality.

Dr. Mary Howard standing outside in front of Ohio State Hospital East

Another program she devotes her time to is the Health Sciences Academy at various East Side elementary schools, Champion Middle School and East High School. The program encourages minoritized students early in their educational journey to consider a career in health care by creating educational opportunities utilizing real-world learning experiences. She leverages her current role as executive director to mentor students and peers alike.

Howard has also been involved in the university’s Near East Side home ownership program that assists East Hospital and university employees with the down payment to buy a home in the neighborhood. This program helps the community’s economy by bringing new residents to the neighborhood.

Dr. Howard's commitment to community extends beyond her role at Ohio State. She dedicates her time to a number of organizations, including the Community Refugee & Immigration Services Board, among her many other community board responsibilities. In her role on the board she supports causes such as resettlement issues; victims of crime; family services; employment and English language education; mentorship; and health and wellness.

Beyond her contributions at the university, she holds several prestigious positions on community boards and committees. She assists local school districts in a number of ways, from serving as a tutor to association president. Her work on the Community Refugee & Immigration Services Board to support causes such as resettlement issues; victims of crime; family services; employment and English language education; mentorship; and health and wellness, further demonstrates her strong commitment to transforming lives and making this a better world. Dr. Howard truly embodies the university's motto, "Education for Citizenship."

The Women's Place asked Howard the following questions to learn how she achieved her leadership role at the university and what advice she has for other women who are working to advance.

Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and style.

Which personal/career accomplishments are you most proud of, and why?

One of my proudest moments was having my family and close friends present seven years ago for my doctoral hooding at The Ohio State University College of Nursing (OSU-CON) Convocation. Obtaining a doctoral degree in nursing was never in question for me. The question was, "When?" 

In high school as I plotted out the path to achieve my career of choice, earning a doctorate degree in nursing was at the top of my list. The time frame I established for myself to achieve that goal was within five years of completing my undergraduate degree. Well, as they say, “life is what happens when you are busy making plans.” Two years after graduating from Capital University with my bachelor’s degree in nursing, I was married and raising a family. I decided it was time to continue on the course I charted for myself back in high school.

While raising a young family and working full time, I earned my master’s degree from Ohio State College of Nursing. Receiving my master’s degree from Ohio State was one of the most uplifting experiences in my educational career and was pivotal to accomplishing my key career goals. Despite the fact that it was 15 years after undergrad versus the five years I had envisioned, I was only one degree away from my ultimate goal of earning my doctorate degree.

Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to mentor nurses and students in various professions. Attaining a doctoral degree would allow me to be the example I frequently discussed with mentees — being a life-long learner and advancing their formal education. I also thought about the values instilled in me by my parents. They stressed the importance of education, setting goals, never giving up, and the belief that I could do anything I set my mind to.

Fast-forward twenty years after receiving my master’s I once again became a proud Buckeye graduate receiving a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from OSU-CON. I am grateful for a supportive family and an organization such as OSU to enable me to realize my dream  —  a dream deferred but not denied.

Aside from the obvious hard work and dedication, is there anything else you attribute your career success at Ohio State to?

Along with educational preparation, building relationships and trust with all levels of staff and leadership is vital to accomplishing the work that we do and success of the team. Supporting and empowering others and building strong leadership teams is important. I have been fortunate to work with many wonderful leaders and mentors who have invested in my development as a leader.

I have been afforded opportunities to be involved in programs and initiatives beyond my role that support our mission to create healthy communities. Serving on various boards such as Moms2B, Community Refugee and Immigration Services, and Community Relations Commission representing OSU has been very rewarding and has allowed me to give back to my community.

What does it mean to you to be a YWCA Woman of Achievement?

It means everything to be recognized for work that I love and enjoy doing. I was humbled to have been nominated and to be selected to receive this award is an incredible honor. This has been an experience that I will always remember and I am forever grateful.

What advice would you give to other women looking to advance their careers at Ohio State?

Invest in yourself and your own personal development. Make sure your work speaks for you and follow through. Leverage your “personal capital” — ask for what you want in a gracious and thoughtful way. Make it known that you are interested in career advancement. Avoid being too modest, especially when it comes to applying for jobs. Be willing to take stretch assignments and seize every opportunity to step out of your comfort zone.

Do not worry if you stumble a little. As someone once said, “use your stumbling block as a stepping stone.” Volunteer to help with projects that may be beyond your typical scope, see them as exposure to new skills. It may not be something you get extra pay for but very well may be an opportunity to show your value to the organization.

Develop and cultivate relationships with team members and others outside your team/network. Find mentors and role models — they do not necessarily need to be in your workplace or in your same industry. Valuable mentors and advocates can be found in people of all backgrounds and genders, not just those who match your own.

How can we empower women to seek leadership roles at the university?

We can empower women by creating supportive environments. The keys to creating supportive environments for women include: making time to mentor and devote resources to workplace gender equity; creating opportunities to observe and learn in a low-pressure environment; making space for roles for women in everyday projects and in leadership; and making opportunities for women to succeed and share their valuable skills and unique perspectives.

As leaders, we can cast a wide net to look for opportunities to elevate women, whether that’s advocating for diversity in recruitment in our workplace or just making someone know you’re available for career advice.

What would you like to see for the future of women at Ohio State?

I am encouraged by some of the advancements made and programs for women at Ohio State. For example, the College of Medicine developed a one-year fellowship designed for senior women faculty to prepare them for the “next level” of leadership. We have a Women of Color employee resource group that focuses on “increasing the promotion of women of underrepresented ethnic groups into leadership positions, development and mentoring.”

I am inspired by the work and vision of The Women’s Place serving as a “catalyst” for change to support the advancement of women. I would like to see Ohio State continue to expand efforts to promote gender equity for women and for women to be represented proportionally at all levels of leadership throughout the medical center and university.