Hoag is proud to announce the establishment of two new endowed chairs—milestones that reflect visionary philanthropy and a continued commitment to advancing excellence in patient care, research, and education. These endowed chairs strengthen Hoag’s ability to lead in two critically important areas of medicine: maternal mental health and multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology.
The Tsao Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Maternal Mental Health builds on the Tsao family’s legacy of transformative philanthropy, which has already enhanced the birth experience for thousands of families at Hoag. From environments designed to reduce stress and promote healing to expanded support for mothers during labor and postpartum recovery, this generosity has helped redefine family-centered care.
“This gift reflects our belief that maternal mental health should be integrated into every aspect of family care. By investing in long-term solutions at Hoag, we hope to expand access, advance innovation, and help set a new standard for how mothers are supported before, during, and after childbirth.”
—Janie Tsao
The endowed chair ensures maternal mental health remains a foundational component of family wellness by providing long-term, sustainable support to expand access and advance innovative care—including PTSD screening and treatment for traumatic childbirth. Mercedes Szpunar, MD, PhD, a fellowship-trained reproductive psychiatrist recruited from Harvard in 2023, has been named the inaugural chair holder and is advancing a bold, patient-centered vision, including plans to establish a centralized Women’s Mental Health Center at Hoag.
The Janet Curci Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Multiple Sclerosis & Neuroimmunology, housed within Hoag’s Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute, represents a lasting investment in one of the most complex and rapidly evolving areas of medicine. Neuroimmunological diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) often strike during the most active years of life and require early detection, advanced therapies, and highly coordinated care.
“When someone you love is affected by a condition like multiple sclerosis, the importance of compassionate, expert care becomes profoundly clear. This endowed chair reflects a commitment to ensuring patients and families have access to the innovation, expertise, and support they need at every step of their journey.”
—Janet Curci
This new endowed position provides permanent funding to support groundbreaking research, strengthen patient-centered care, and ensure long-term clinical and scientific leadership. Yasir Jassam, MD, FRCP, FAAN, Chief of the Neurology Division and Director of the Multiple Sclerosis & Neuroimmunology Program, has been named the inaugural chairholder and is leading pioneering initiatives—from innovative blood tests for early MS detection to expanded access to precision immunotherapies—reflecting Janet Curci’s commitment to healing and advancing care for patients and families.
Together, these endowed chairs are a powerful example of how philanthropy fuels Hoag’s privademic model, which combines the personalized care of a leading private health system with the research, innovation, and academic rigor of a top academic medical center. Through investments like these, Hoag continues to elevate care, attract exceptional clinical leaders, and shape the future of healthcare with both scientific excellence and compassion.
