Mary Howard, executive director of the Wexner Medical Center East Hospital, received the YWCA Columbus Women of Achievement Award on June 23 for her service to the Central Ohio community. Credit: Courtesy of Mary Howard
Mary Howard wears many hats, from Sunday school teacher to volunteer track coach and aid to countless central Ohioans.
Howard, executive director of the Wexner Medical Center East Hospital, was among seven YWCA Columbus Women of Achievement Award honorees. She was awarded during the June 23 ceremony for her professional and personal service, including over 18 years of work for Ohio State and volunteering efforts during her free time.
“I don’t look at the things I do as being anything super special,” Howard said. “I have a passion for helping others, eliminating racism, and ensuring that we have equitable healthcare and eliminating disparities.”
The YWCA Columbus, founded in 1886, strives to eliminate racism and empower women through education, activism and by providing shelter for families in need, according to the organization’s website. The Women of Achievement Award honors “a select group of Columbus women who have made extraordinary contributions to their families, workplaces and communities,” Jessica Wichtman-Will, YWCA director of donor engagement, said in an email.
In her acceptance speech, Howard said her first nursing labs, which she performed in high school, took place in what would become the East Hospital. She said becoming executive director in 2017 gave her a “full-circle” opportunity to serve the community where she grew up.
“She is a remarkable woman who has worked hard for her success,” Wichtman-Will said. “But what is even more impressive is that she continues to share her talents with the community, outside of her position, advocating and caring for others so that they can be healthy and successful.”
In addition to increasing care opportunities at the hospital, such as adding 43 inpatient beds and expanding ambulatory surgeries, Howard said East Hospital offers a number of community services under her leadership.
Healthy Community Day is an annual event that offers free services like free head-to-toe health assessments, high school sports physicals and free produce. Howard said the event adapted for the pandemic, offering drive-thru voter registration and flu shots in October 2020 and COVID-19 vaccines at a scaled-back, in-person version of Healthy Community Day June 2.
“In spite of COVID, we still found a way to offer services to the community, and we were glad to be able to do that,” Howard said.
Howard said she serves on the advisory board of East Hospital’s Moms2B Program — which offers education and support for mothers to reduce infant mortality rates on the East Side of Columbus. The hospital staff provided monetary donations and gifts during Christmastime for 189 families, including 401 children.
Howard and the East Hospital nursing staff also participated in the Partners Achieving Community Transformation program, ensuring access to quality housing, healthcare, education and employment and volunteered at a nearby elementary school to teach science classes.
“I’m just proud to be with a team of health professionals that really care about the work that we do and provide the best possible care to our patients and our visitors, and serve our community,” Howard said.
Outside of her role with East Hospital, Howard said she has been a member of the Board of Trustees for Community Refugee Immigration Services for over 20 years — making her the longest-serving board member of the program. She said CRIS helps resettle refugees and immigrants in central Ohio and staffs people from 11 different countries to make the transition easier.
In her time with the CRIS, Howard said she has seen the agency grow from four volunteers to over 50 employees and, as a board member, aided and overseen the resettlement of over 10,000 refugees in central Ohio. Howard has also used her connections within East Hospital to pair refugees with health services and employment in the healthcare industry at Ohio State.
“Ensuring equal rights is important to me, that’s why I do the work I do with CRIS, and with the Community Relations Commision, and at the hospital in our role to serve the public and to be a part of that community,” Howard said. “The work that the YWCA does also aligns with that.”
