Jennifer Rubio, co-founder and CEO of Away, joins the Board of Directors at Scripps Research

Slack co-founder and CEO Stewart Butterfield to serve as an observer to the Board of Directors 

Scripps Research bridges world-class research with innovative drug development 

LA JOLLA, Calif., March 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Entrepreneur and philanthropist Jennifer Rubio has been named to the Board of Directors at Scripps Research. Rubio is the co-founder and CEO of travel lifestyle brand Away, which launched in 2016 and has been named one of Fast Company's "World's Most Innovative Companies" and has been recognized on TIME's list of "Best Inventions." In addition to her business acumen, Rubio has an active interest in global health; in 2021, she and her husband, Stewart Butterfield, donated $25 million to UNICEF to accelerate its global COVID-19 vaccination programs.

"We are delighted to have Jen join our board," says Peter Schultz, PhD, President and CEO of Scripps Research. "She brings business savvy, boundless energy, and a new perspective to the Board which will be enormously helpful as we pursue major new initiatives at Scripps Research."

"It's an honor to be able to offer my expertise to the incredible visionaries at Scripps Research, who work tirelessly on the creation and delivery of medical breakthroughs to better human health around the globe," Rubio says. "As an organization tackling the world's most dire health issues, Scripps Research is developing the next generation of leaders in science and I'm excited to offer guidance and support to the entire organization." 

With Rubio's appointment to the board, Scripps Research will also gain the insight of Stewart Butterfield, co-founder and CEO of Slack. Butterfield will serve as an observer to the Board of Directors. He, too, has long supported scientific research and medicine—in 2015, he pledged his personal shares in Slack to the Equity Giving program operated by Science World, a charitable organization promoting the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) fields.

Additionally, Rubio serves on the board of trustees for the Whitney Museum of American Art. Rubio regularly appears as a guest lecturer at universities and conferences, and she serves as an angel investor and advisor to many startup companies.

About Scripps Research
Scripps Research is an independent, nonprofit biomedical institute ranked the most influential in the world for its impact on innovation by Nature Index. We are advancing human health through profound discoveries that address pressing medical concerns around the globe. Our drug discovery and development division, Calibr, works hand-in-hand with scientists across disciplines to bring new medicines to patients as quickly and efficiently as possible, while teams at Scripps Research Translational Institute harness genomics, digital medicine and cutting-edge informatics to understand individual health and render more effective healthcare. Scripps Research also trains the next generation of leading scientists at our Skaggs Graduate School, consistently named among the top 10 US programs for chemistry and biological sciences. Learn more at www.scripps.edu.

SOURCE Scripps Research