Executive Team

Sister to Sister's executives have years of experience building campaigns that influence behavioral changes, particularly in women.

Irene Pollin, MSW and PhD (Hon)

Founder and Chairman

Mrs. Pollin has been a pioneer in many areas of women's health. She was motivated to start Sister to Sister in 2000 to get the word out to women – especially to working women, who have no time to take care of themselves – that cardiac screenings are a key factor in heart disease prevention. A psychotherapist with a Master of Social Work degree from Catholic University and an Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Howard University, Mrs. Pollin is the author of two books, Medical Crisis Counseling and Taking Charge: Overcoming the Challenges of Long-Term Illness, and has written many articles on coping with chronic illness. She has received numerous healthcare awards and is a member of the Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Round Table, The Columbia Presbyterian Health Sciences Advisory Council, Howard University's Women's Health Institute Advisory Committee, and American Women for International Understanding.

Ann-Marie McGowan, Chief Executive Officer

Ms. McGowan is an expert at managing rapidly growing businesses and restructuring companies in the face of changing market conditions, particularly media and technology companies. Ms. McGowan was the COO of Standard Media International, publisher of The Industry Standard, the fastest-growing magazine in history. She has held leadership roles in a multitude of corporate pace-setters, including Capital Cities/ABC, Discovery Communications, Inc., the Sealed Air Corporation, and McKinsey & Company, as well as several public and not-for-profit education organizations. She became an advocate for the prevention of heart disease when her mother was surprised by a heart attack at age 49.

Redmond Walsh, Chief Program Officer

Mr. Walsh has been a campaign consultant for 20 years and has worked on an array of local and national political races. He has directly produced or been the lead on countless policy conferences, international summits, campaign events, and presidential trips.