DR. WILLARDA V. EDWARDS NEW PRESIDENT

August 13, 2004

Baltimore -- The Sickle Cell Association of America has named Dr. Willarda V. Edwards President and Chief Operating Officer. Dr. Edwards, a practicing physician in Baltimore and the former national director of the national NAACP Health Advocacy Division, brings to the position combined years of experience in organized medicine and administration.

Dr. Edwards holds national office in both the American Medical Association (AMA) and the National Medical Association (NMA). She has served for over 12 years on the NMA Board of Trustees in numerous capacities, including Chairman of the Board from 2002 to 2004. She was recently elected Treasurer of the NMA.

“I am delighted with the opportunity to bring my experiences in clinical practice and organized medicine together to work for an improved SCDAA,” said Dr. Edwards. “My goal is to raise awareness to the continued dangers of sickle cell and to increase funding for research and treatment to the level of other blood disorders. Working with my colleagues in organized medicine and the SCDAA we will continue to educate and reach out to the community so we can accomplish change, awareness, patient access to care and support for families like never before.”

A graduate of the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine, Dr. Edwards also holds a Masters in Business Administration from Loyola College of Baltimore. She is the managing partner and an Internist in partnership with Dr. Theodore A. Stephens. She has been in private practice since 1984.

Her medical experience began with a four-year tour with the United States Navy at Annapolis and the Bethesda Naval Hospital. She was promoted to chief of the Internal medicine department while in Annapolis. 1995, Dr. Edwards became the first physician to serve as president of both local medical societies (AMA and NMA) concurrently. She is currently a delegate to the AMA from Maryland and is the Chair of the AMA Women Physician Congress. She also is serving as the President-elect of the Maryland state medical society (AMA) and will take office in October 2004.

Dr. Edwards’ administration experiences include assistant dean of Student and Faculty Development at her alma mater. There she worked with the Dean’s office in the administration of grants whose focus was the retention and recruitment of underrepresented minorities in the Maryland School of Medicine. She wrote grants for the funding of programs totaling over $2.5 million. As the National Health Advocacy Director of the NAACP, she was responsible for the programs conducted during the regional conferences and national convention.

Dr. Edwards is a recipient of the 1997 Zeta Phi Beta Women of the Year in Medicine award. As a health advocate, Dr. Edwards also enjoys a variety of activities including skiing, biking, scuba diving and golf. She is the recipient of the Maryland’s 2003 Top One Hundred Women award and was recognized by The Girl Scouts of Central Maryland in 2004.

She has served on several governor appointed commissions and task forces, including the Maryland High Blood Pressure Commission, the Maryland hospital rate setting commission in 1994, Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC), where she served as commissioner for eight years. Her task force experience includes work on the appeals and grievances process (with insurers, particularly HMOs), graduate medical education and the task force on small group insurance.

The SCDAA headquarters moved to downtown Baltimore this year after being headquartered in Los Angeles for 30 years.

The SCDAA’s mission is to promote finding a universal cure for sickle cell disease and improve the quality of life for individuals and families where conditions related to sickle cell disease exists.