Dear Mazzoni Center Community,

With my recent transition into the role of Interim Chief Executive Officer, I wanted to send a short message to introduce myself.

I grew up and completed my education as a Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemist in the United Kingdom, before starting a career in Research & Development in the biopharmaceutical industry. In 2002, I had the opportunity to move to the United States of America, with my employer GSK, and I settled in the Philadelphia area, where I continued to work until retirement in early 2023. The main focus of my career was clinical research on new medicines and vaccines, and I was fortunate to work in several different global roles encompassing clinical research science, education and capability, quality and risk management, technology and systems, and vendor management, all conducted within national regulatory frameworks.

My first interaction with the Mazzoni Center was when I joined the Board in January 2024, and I subsequently became Board Secretary and a member of the Executive Committee in the summer of that same year. With the recent resignation of Sultan Shakir, the Board offered me the opportunity to assume the role of Interim Chief Executive Officer, which I was both honored and excited to accept.

We find ourselves living in quite extraordinary times and the mission of the Mazzoni Center to provide quality comprehensive health and wellness services in an LGBTQ-focused environment while preserving the dignity and improving the quality of life of the individuals we serve, has never been more critical. While the search for the new permanent Chief Executive Officer is conducted, I am committed to partnering with the entire Mazzoni Center family and the broad community in which we operate, to deliver on this compelling mission.

On a personal note, my husband and I are delighted to have recently moved back into Center City and are living very close to our Mazzoni Center locations. In my spare time, I’m enjoying the proximity to the music, arts, and entertainment venues that our great city has to offer, and I also like to exercise, read, and I keenly follow several sports.

Thank you for your continued support of Mazzoni Center and our mission, and I hope to meet many of you over the coming months.

Sincerely,

Simon J Trowell (He/Him)

Interim Chief Executive Officer