d-mars.com Top 30 Influential Women of Houston
Melissa Edwards
Executive Director, Central South Texas, American Diabetes Association She is also currently serving her second six-year term on the Texas Council on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders. In 2009, Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst appointed Edwards to her first six-year term after she served five years on the board of directors for the Alzheimer’s Association Houston and Southeast Chapter. She also serves on the board of directors and the executive committee for the Darrell K. Royal Fund for Alzheimer’s Research. Edwards has also served on the boards of Neighborhood Centers, Theatre Under The Stars, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, Boys and Girls Harbor, SEARCH for the Homeless and the Houston Zoo Education Committee. She chaired events for Memorial Hermann Children’s Hospital, 60th Annual Consular Ball, Women’s Fund, Neighborhood Melissa Edwards Centers, American Diabetes Association, Executive Director, Central South Texas Culinary Institute of Houston, University of American Diabetes Association Houston, El Centro de Corazon, H.E.A.R.T, 7670 Woodway Drive, Suite 230 the Weather Museum, Ensemble Theatre Houston, TX 77063 713-977-7706 x6091 | www.diabetes.org/centralsouthtexas | medwards@diabetes.org and Boys and Girls Harbor. Melissa is a Leadership Houston Class 29 alum and elissa Edwards is no stranger the American Diabetes Association with has been a philanthropy panelist for the to not-for-profits, as she Insulin for Life USA, Juvenile Diabetes Raindrop Foundation and Leadership has extensively served Research Foundation, Endocrine Houston. in leadership roles that Society, American Association of Clinical represent the needs of the arts, human Endocrinologists, American Association University of Houston named her a 2014 services and education for the greater of Diabetes Educators, Research!America UH Frontier Fiesta Honoree. In 2011 she Houston community. She is currently the and T1D Exchange to become the Diabetes received the Huffington Center on Aging executive director for American Diabetes Emergency Relief Coalition. at Baylor College of Medicine “Excellence Association Central South Texas area in Bloom” award and was named one of and oversees a 3.8 million-dollar budget Edwards graduated Summa Cum Laude Houston Woman Magazine “50 Most for the Houston, Austin, Corpus Christi from the University of Houston with a Influential Women in Houston.” Edwards and San Antonio markets. In her first six Bachelor of Arts in art history. She served was honored in 2010 as an ABC Channel months at the ADA she was responsible for three years with UH Regent Appointment to 13 Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Woman leading the logistical execution of Harvey the System-Wide Art Acquisition Committee of Distinction, and in 2008 she was named relief efforts for Houston, San Antonio and two terms as board chairman for one of five Outstanding Young Houstonians and Corpus Christi. Unprecedented for the the College of Liberal Arts and Social by the Houston Jaycees, and one of five ADA, more than 8,000 pounds of insulin Sciences Dean’s Advisory Board. She Outstanding Young Texans by the Texas and other medical supplies were shipped currently serves on the UH College of Jaycees. to Houston for relief. Harvey relief efforts Art Advisory Board and UH Friends of resulted in the first ever coalition led by Women’s Studies.
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Top 30 Influential Women of Houston 2018
