Mary L. Bowers, MSW

Ms. Bowers is a Public Health Advisor at the OPHS Office on Women’s Health in Washington, DC. In her current position since 2002, she develops innovative programs focused on women and HIV/AIDS, monitors program performance of grantees as well as provides technical assistance on gender specific approaches, and outreaches to communities and women on public health issues pertinent to women and their families. Ms. Bowers joined the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in December 1990 as a Regional Minority Health Consultant, representing the Office of Minority Health, for Region VI whose jurisdiction included Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Employment with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has provided an array of experiences and challenges. From 1990 until 1999, she worked to increase participation of minorities in public health initiatives to improve the health status and health care outcomes of ethnic/ racial minorities in the five states. Additionally, she served dually as the Regional Women’s Health Consultant until 1998, representing the Office on Women’s Health and promoting a comprehensive approach to the health of women throughout their lifespan. In 2000 to 2002, Ms. Bowers performed tasks relative to integrating HIV/AIDS prevention as a core function in family planning services for the Office of Population Affairs.

Ms. Bowers is trained as a social worker having received her Masters in Social Work from the University Of Houston Graduate School Of Social Work (now the Graduate College of Social Work) in 1990. She is a native Texan, who spent much of her adult life in Houston. Just prior to having joined DHHS, Ms. Bowers was the Project Director of the Houston Chapter-NAACP’s AIDS Education Outreach Program and for several years was the District Aide of a Texas State Representative.