GIVE
result
The HOuston methodist Gala
Honorees
Honorees
Honoree Video #1: The Duncan Fund and The John M. O'Quinn Foundation
Honoree Video #2: Sue Smith and Craig Brown; Libbie Nelson, Lou Houser and Wendy Moreland
The Duncan Fund
for helping transform clinical innovation
Growing up in the Duncan household, Charles “Carlos” W. Duncan III and his sister, Mary Anne Duncan Dingus, were immersed in a culture rooted in leadership and integrity. Their parents, Anne Smith Duncan and the Honorable Charles W. Duncan Jr., lived purposeful lives guided by a strong moral compass, instilling values that have inspired a multigenerational legacy.
Longtime Houston Methodist champions, the family recently made a transformational gift through the Duncan Fund, which is led by Anne, Carlos and Mary Anne — amplifying its impact on the Department of Medicine. In recognition of this visionary commitment, the system’s largest department now proudly bears the name of Charles W. Duncan Jr., who passed away in 2022 at the age of 96. Their investment will help redefine clinical care — emphasizing personalized, continuous and preventive approaches — while accelerating innovation through emerging technologies.
Charles Duncan Jr. led with resolute fairness, sound judgment and a remarkable talent for fostering lasting relationships. A captain of industry, respected investor and distinguished statesman, he was handpicked by former President Jimmy Carter to serve terms as Deputy Secretary of Defense and later Secretary of Energy. His leadership extended to Houston Methodist, where he served decades as a Life Member on the Houston Methodist Board of Directors as well as a member of the Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation Board — leaving an indelible mark on the institution.
Throughout the years, Charles and Anne — a community leader in her own right — made pivotal gifts toward the Department of Medicine, starting in 2005 with the establishment of the Charles and Anne Duncan Presidential Distinguished Chair in the Department of Medicine, currently held by department chair Dr. Eleftherios Mylonakis. Thanks to their generosity, the Duncan Scholars Program was launched in 2012 and later permanently endowed through their continued support — enabling internal medicine fellows to excel in the fields of nephrology and endocrinology.
Inspired by the transformative power of medical innovation, Carlos — an active member of the Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation Board of Directors and former Houston Methodist Academic Institute Board member — along with his mother and sister, carry forward The Duncan Fund’s future-focused spirit, helping to shape the landscape of medicine for generations to come.
The John M. O’Quinn Foundation
for helping transform research innovation
John M. O’Quinn was a life-changer. A successful plaintiff’s trial lawyer, he was deeply committed to giving voice to those who had none through relentless advocacy and determination. His remarkable success fueled The John M. O’Quinn Foundation during his lifetime and extended his legacy upon his passing in 2009.
Today, the Foundation — led by Board of Trustees President Robert C. Wilson III, along with Dr. David A. Ott, Michael J. Lowenberg, W. Jeffrey Paine and R. Carson Wilson IV — furthers John’s mission: helping secure brighter futures for the people of his beloved Houston.
Central to this mission is making a meaningful impact on neurological research that could help turn the tide of concussion care and neurodegenerative disorders. Many conversations between John and Rob about players’ head injuries on the way to University of Houston and Houston Texans’ games spurred the Foundation’s gift that established an endowed chair in concussion research and care at Houston Methodist, enabling Kenneth Podell, PhD, and his team to conduct groundbreaking research. They were the first in this field to identify changes in the gut microbiome following a sports-associated concussion — a discovery that could transform how head injuries are treated.
The Foundation’s continued investment in neurology led to the recruitment of Dr. Jun Li, a nationally recognized neurologist and expert in peripheral nerve diseases, as chair of the Houston Methodist Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology and The John M. O’Quinn Foundation Presidential Distinguished Chair in Neurology. In 2023, the Foundation made a landmark gift to further elevate neurodegenerative disorders research and education. The lab has since acquired specialized equipment that will enable physician-scientists to observe how molecules behave and study how brain diseases start.
In keeping with John’s legacy, the Foundation’s steadfast commitment to brain research innovation holds the potential to change the lives of millions. It fuels the team of experts at Houston Methodist’s Neurological Institute to pioneer new frontiers in neurological science — potentially yielding breakthroughs in early detection, novel treatments that slow disease progression, and even gene editing approaches that could prevent the onset of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Sue Smith and Craig Brown
for helping transform educational innovation
Ardent champions of education and innovation, Craig C. Brown - a devoted and engaged Texas . A&M Aggie -and his wife, Sue Smith, are helping to chart a bold new course for the future of medicine.
From the outset, Craig and Sue were among the earliest and most steadfast advocates of EnMed, a groundbreaking partnership between Houston Methodist Hospital and Texas A&M University. They played a pivotal role in advancing this innovative program, which enables students to earn both a Doctor of Medicine and a Master of Engineering degree in just four years. Launched in 2019, EnMed gave rise to the Texas A&M School of Engineering Medicine, the first program of its kind in the nation. Today, it is redefining medical education by training "physicianeers" - physicians who blend clinical expertise with engineering innovation and entrepreneurial thinking to address urgent health challenges and deliver transformative solutions in patient care.
Craig, a civil engineer and Founder, Chairman, Owner, and CEO of Bray International-the world's largest manufacturer of rotary valves and actuators - and Sue, an attorney who redirected her career to champion education and nonprofit causes, have invested not only their philanthropy but also their time and leadership to create opportunities for high-achieving, wellrounded National Merit students at Texas A&M and in the EnMed program through Brown Foundation scholarships. Sue's service on the Houston Methodist Academic Institute Board of Directors further reflects their hands-on commitment to advancing excellence in medical education and research.
Their philanthropy has established the Craig C. Brown and Suzanne H. Smith Centennial Chair in Medical Education at Houston Methodist, ensuring visionary leadership for generations to come. They also support the EnMed Capstone Innovator Awards Program, which funds studentled research in collaboration with Houston Methodist scientists and clinicians, as well as the Houston Methodist Summer Undergraduate Research Internship, a nationally competitive program where their E2EnMed Brown Scholars receive automatic admission and gain invaluable experience before entering medical school.
Building on this legacy, Craig and Sue endowed the Sue Smith and Craig Brown Center for Engineering Medicine, which encompasses both the EnMed Scholarship Program Fund and the Distinguished Chair in Engineering Medicine -lasting resources designed to strengthen and sustain EnMed for decades to come.
From the inaugural EnMed Class of 2023 to the newly admitted Class of 2029, the program has grown from 34 to 50 students -tangible evidence of its impact and of Craig and Sue's unwavering dedication. Through their vision, personal commitment, and philanthropic leadership, they are shaping the medicine of tomorrow, one student at a time.
Libbie Nelson, Lou Houser and Wendy Moreland
for helping transform spiritual care innovation
Their initial connection stemmed from their husbands’ leadership roles on Houston Methodist boards, but it was a shared conviction in the healing power of faith that fostered the bond between them.
Since 2016, Libbie Nelson, Lou Houser and Wendy Moreland have co-chaired Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation’s Faith & Medicine biennial luncheon; a collaboration that began when Libbie, co-chair of the inaugural 2014 event, handpicked her like-minded friends to help lead the popular event.
Bringing together individuals from across Greater Houston, the luncheon sparks thoughtful conversations about the profound intersection of spirituality and medicine. It reflects the heart of Spiritual Care and Values Integration, grounded in Houston Methodist’s I CARE values of integrity, compassion, accountability, respect and excellence. It also affirms the hospital system’s commitment to the whole person — nurturing the mind, body and spirit of patients, families and employees.
While the event’s proceeds support spiritual care initiatives and education, Libbie, Lou and Wendy devote their time and energy because of what guests carry with them: a renewed belief in the many ways that spirituality serves as a cornerstone of Houston Methodist’s holistic approach to medicine.
This belief is embodied in the quiet compassion of a chaplain holding the hand of a patient whose loved ones can’t be there in his final moments, a presence bolstered in 2020 by an endowment for palliative care established by Libbie and Greg Nelson. It’s seen in the faith partner embedded in the Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center, walking alongside someone through the vulnerable journey of outpatient cancer treatment. It’s heard in the grounding words of a chaplain, offered virtually to a nurse or physician during a trying day. These moments of grace happen every day at Houston Methodist.
The relationship between faith and medicine has a long history. But what inspires Libbie, Lou and Wendy is that its future at Houston Methodist is being shaped by thoughtful integration and bold innovation. From technologies that facilitate support anytime, to the expansion of the Clinical Pastoral Education Program, to scientific research exploring how spiritual care interventions benefit organ transplant patients — these are just a few of the investments transforming the future of spiritual care.