Diabetes Research Institute Foundation Appoints Natalie Geary, M.D., Executive Vice President

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Diabetes Research Institute Foundation

Jan 02, 2013, 02:01 ET

HOLLYWOOD, Fla., Jan. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Diabetes Research Institute Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Natalie Geary, M.D., as executive vice president. She will be based in the organization's national headquarters, located at 200 South Park Road, Suite 100, Hollywood, FL, 33021, and is responsible for the Foundation's strategic planning operations, major gift development and donor relationship management.

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Dr. Geary has extensive public health and medical experience that spans the globe. Having served a broad range of patient populations from Mumbai to Miami, she brings a unique set of skills as both a physician and a development professional to this newly-created position. She was most recently chief patient experience officer at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine's UHealth system, where she directed the highly-successful concierge services program. Through that executive role, Dr. Geary became highly familiar with the cure-focused work of the Diabetes Research Institute, a Center of Excellence at UM's medical school.

"This is an opportunity to be part of a mission to cure a debilitating disease. The DRIF provides great hope for families suffering from a medical crisis. As a pediatrician, I am especially honored to be part of the team of brilliant scientists, dedicated physicians and committed supporters," said Dr. Geary. "I look forward to watching the cure become a reality and am thrilled to be part of such a critical effort."

Dr. Geary began her career three decades ago in the field of medical anthropology, then in its infancy, and focused on improving healthcare delivery to underserved communities in third-world countries and in the U.S. Her desire to improve the health of children, in particular, led her to New Mexico, one of the poorest states in America, where she founded a non-profit organization called Mobile Pediatrics that provides health care, vaccines and health education to underprivileged children.

Originally from New York, she subsequently returned to New York City to open a large private medical practice before relocating to Miami in 2011.

A board-certified physician, Dr. Geary earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Harvard College, attended the pre-medical program at Columbia University, and received her medical degree from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Pediatrics at New York University Medical Center and also attended Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

In addition to her vast medical background, she has held numerous appointments on many international health committees and non-profit organizations and is recipient of several grant awards. She resides in Miami with her 6-year-old daughter, Addie. Her two older daughters, Isabelle and Lily, attend Harvard University.

"We are very excited and fortunate to have Dr. Geary join us at the DRI Foundation, particularly at a time when our researchers are on the cusp of so many promising breakthroughs. Her extensive medical experience, understanding of the philanthropic community and compassion for patients is a rare combination of skills that will be a great asset to our work in supporting the Diabetes Research Institute," said Robert A. Pearlman, president and CEO of the DRI Foundation. "We all look forward to working with her to spearhead a number of special fundraising projects."

The mission of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation is to provide the Diabetes Research Institute with the funding necessary to cure diabetes now. The Diabetes Research Institute, a center of excellence at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, leads the world in cure-focused research. As the largest and most comprehensive research center dedicated to curing diabetes, the DRI is aggressively working to shrink the timeline toward the discovery of a biological cure for this disease. Having already shown that diabetes can be reversed through islet transplantation, the DRI is building upon these promising outcomes by bridging cell-based therapies with emerging technologies. The Diabetes Research Institute was created for one reason – to cure diabetes – which is and will continue to be its singular focus until that goal is reached. For the millions of people affected by diabetes, the DRI is the best hope for a cure. For more information, visit DiabetesResearch.org.

SOURCE Diabetes Research Institute Foundation