2023 Annual Report

Letter from the President & CEO

As we commemorate Geneva’s 30th year in service of our mission to advance military medicine through research, development, and education, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude. Over the past three decades, we have evolved into a pivotal force in military medicine, impacting countless service members and the communities they serve.

Throughout our history, Geneva has solidified our leadership in military medicine by forming strategic partnerships and delivering impactful research. Collaborations with the NCAA-DoD Grand Alliance CARE Consortium and METRC have contributed to critical research in mTBI and trauma care. Our management of the USU-4D Bio³ Center for Biotechnology and the Musculoskeletal Injury Rehabilitation Research for Operational Readiness (MIRROR) program has driven military medical research forward, while providing early exposure to the rigor of research for the next generation of military clinicians and scientists. With a continued focus on combat casualty care and warfighter performance, Geneva established the Autonomous Reanimation and Evacuation (AREVA) Research Institute & Innovation Center and the Fort Liberty Research Institute (FLRI) to address some of the most pressing challenges in the health of the warfighter. These initiatives reflect Geneva’s continued investment as a strategic partner to ensure the successful advancement of military medicine.

The diversity of Geneva’s research priorities underscores our unwavering commitment to enhancing the health and readiness of all service members. From addressing disparities in women’s health and improving rehabilitation outcomes for injured soldiers to developing novel therapies for prehospital care in austere environments and pushing the boundaries of military biotechnology, these accomplishments affirm our dedication to those who serve.

Today, Geneva is poised for unprecedented growth and is dedicated to addressing emerging healthcare challenges within the military health enterprise and beyond. As a trusted partner in military medicine, we drive successful research outcomes through impactful collaborations between government, industry, and academia to build and sustain comprehensive research programs while facilitating pathways for technology transfer and commercialization. We align with DoD priorities and federal needs, broadening our research strategies, to be an institutional partner that influences policy and drives change.

As we celebrate our journey, I am reminded of the incredible importance of working together. Collectively, we have navigated challenges, seized opportunities, and led military medicine into new frontiers. With the support of our incredible team and partners, I am confident that we will continue to deliver life-saving solutions for our armed forces and the global community for years to come.

Sincerely,

Elise W. Huszar, MBA
President & CEO

Letter from the Board of Directors Chair

As The Geneva Foundation celebrates its 30th anniversary, I am inspired to reflect on the profound journey we’ve undertaken. From our humble beginnings to becoming a beacon in military medical research, our growth has been both transformative and steadfast.

In 2003, as an active-duty Captain and surgical resident at Madigan Army Medical Center, I connected with Geneva, then a budding organization founded to facilitate military medical research near Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Geneva helped me acquire industry funding, and after completing my research and residency, I pursued further opportunities in medicine.

Years later, Dr. David Shoultz, my friend and mentor, and a former Geneva Board member, unexpectedly invited me to join Geneva’s newly formed Scientific Advisory Board, and I eagerly accepted.

What made that time particularly interesting was that Geneva was on the cusp of transforming from a local entity into an expansive operation with a global footprint. The organization was on the brink of substantial growth, and it was an exciting time to be involved, watching and learning as Geneva evolved into a leading force in the field.

During this period, the nation was still dealing with the effects of the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a veteran of those conflicts and a battlefield surgeon who had just left active duty, I was struck by how intimately Geneva had aligned itself with the welfare of the warfighter. We expanded our role from a foundational support entity to an active force in improving and saving lives.

I knew many of the individuals coming home with physical and mental scars. This shift from facilitating research to directly changing lives was immensely powerful to me. I remember visiting the Center for the Intrepid not long after joining Geneva’s Scientific Advisory Board. It was a deeply moving and personal experience to see up close how our work was no longer theoretical. Seeing our teams on the ground, helping to put these young people’s bodies and minds back on track, was truly inspiring.

Since then, we’ve transformed biotechnology at the USU-4D Bio³ facility. We’ve printed human tissue on the International Space Station. We’ve been part of the team that developed COVID-19 vaccines. We’ve led groundbreaking efforts in rehabilitation from musculoskeletal to closed head injuries. We’ve built a Fort Liberty Research Institute, which is an unprecedented model for military, scientific, academic, and business collaboration. The list goes on and on. I have been truly lucky to keep watching and learning as Geneva has matured into a world-class organization, changing the course of scientific applications in the military and beyond. And, increasingly, changing the lives of our warfighters for the better. I could not be prouder.

Even as we have grown exponentially, the essence of our original team—a dedicated, local group focused on impactful work—remains intact. It’s carried forward by leaders, scientists, project managers, and others throughout the organization who remain focused on that belief – that we can both advance scientific research and meaningfully impact those who have pledged their lives to our defense. That belief is a gift that each of us in Geneva can carry with us and, in equal measure, pass on to those who join us.

As I prepare to conclude my tenure as Chair of the Board of Directors, I have great confidence in our leadership team, and every bit as much confidence in all of you doing great things for the benefit of great people. I am so excited to see where you take us over the next 30 years, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you have taught me and allowed me to be a part of.

All the best to every one of you,

Neil C. Vining, MD, MBA

Board of Directors Chair