Generous gift from Jerre and Mary Joy Stead boosts neurosurgery at USC

Jerre and Mary Joy Stead are dedicated to helping improve health and wellbeing globally, giving more than $400 million to nonprofit organizations as well as investing in innovative startups through Stead Impact Ventures and Foundation.

Philanthropic giving has been stitched into their lives since the earliest days of their marriage. As newlyweds, they lived on only $2,900 a year, yet still donated $250 of that. Since then, Jerre Stead has led 11 public companies as CEO, including Clarivate, IHS Markit and Ingram Micro — and the couple’s philanthropy has grown as well.

“When we were young, we didn’t know what we couldn’t do,” Jerre Stead said, “and we still don’t know what we can’t do—so we do it.”

“Generosity lifts us outside of ourselves, bringing us joy,” Mary Joy Stead added.

The Keck School of Medicine of USC has benefited from that can-do spirit. The Steads have invested $12.5 million in the Department of Neurological Surgery to support transformative clinical and research innovation and entrepreneurship. Their gift establishes the Stead Family Neurological Surgery Innovation Fund, the Jerre and Mary Joy Stead Family Chair in Neurological Surgery, and the Jerre and Mary Joy Stead Family Neurosurgical Innovation Lab.

“We share a vision with USC to create a neurological surgery center of excellence, led by the leaders in the field, to swiftly accelerate research and advance care,” the Steads said in a statement. “We believe USC will lead neurosurgical innovation and improve patient outcomes for decades to come.”

Support President Folt’s Health Sciences 3.0 “moonshot”

The gift supports USC President Carol Folt’s Health Sciences 3.0 “moonshot,” an ambitious expansion of health sciences work across the university. The initiative recognizes the university’s unique position as a place where Trojans can make scientific discoveries, cure diseases and design new models of care. It is focused on catalyzing team-based research, education and care for the communities surrounding USC’s campuses and health system as well as patients worldwide.

The Steads’ neurosurgery gift enabled USC to recruit one of the nation’s most highly regarded neurosurgeons, Aaron Cohen-Gadol. He joined the Keck School of Medicine in July as vice chair of innovation and professor of neurological surgery.

The education and innovation platform he founded, the Neurosurgical Atlas, features novel techniques and is used by more than 90% of practicing neurosurgeons.

“Neurosciences, including neurosurgery, comprise a major component of our plan to expand research and clinical impact in the coming years, and Dr. Cohen-Gadol is a perfect fit to help realize our vision for igniting discovery,” said Carolyn C. Meltzer, dean of Keck School of Medicine. “His deep expertise and focus as a physician-scientist-educator drives breakthroughs toward addressing real-world surgical and health challenges. His emphasis on furthering the practice of neurosurgery, translating discovery to patients, and educating students and other physicians is ideally aligned with our overarching goals as a medical school where innovative thinking combines with research and skill to optimize human health.”

Neurosurgery at USC: Cohen-Gadol’s Trojan roots

Cohen-Gadol earned his medical degree at USC in 1997, and since then has become a relentless innovator committed to technical excellence in neurosurgery and performing more than 7,400 complex brain surgeries. In 2022, he was awarded the Vilhelm Magnus Medal, the highest honor in neurosurgery granted by Scandinavian countries. Only a dozen people have received the award.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Cohen-Gadol returning to USC and bringing his clinical and research expertise to our patients and community,” said Steven Giannotta, chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery. “Dr. Cohen-Gadol’s entrepreneurial and innovative spirit will provide immediate impact to the patients and families he will serve, and his research efforts through the Neurosurgical Atlas will surely draw additional talent and resources to the Keck School of Medicine research enterprise.”

“For the past 20 years,” Cohen-Gadol said, “I have had the honor of advancing the art of neurosurgery beyond what I imagined could be possible, influencing the training of thousands of neurosurgeons worldwide and the lives of countless patients across the globe. I am excited to continue this mission in partnership with my colleagues at USC.”

Arizona residents Jerre and Mary Joy Stead are inspired by USC’s vision for creating a neurological surgery department that will be a global center for innovation, entrepreneurship and education: “We believe that, with partners like USC, we can foster new levels of innovation and help bend the curve of some of the biggest health and wellness challenges we face today.”