July 25, 2017

Michael "Mike" Powers, M.D. '85 R '91, was appointed July 18 as the inaugural holder of the Credit Unions for Kids Professorship in Pediatrics. School of Medicine Dean Sharon Anderson, M.D., and OHSU Provost Elena Andresen, Ph.D., presided over an investiture attended by Dr. Powers and his family, members of the Credit Unions for Kids Advisory Group, faculty members and leaders from the OHSU and Doernbecher Foundations.

Dr. Powers' affiliation with OHSU is longstanding, beginning as a medical student – he earned his M.D. here in 1985 – and continuing as a trainee in the OHSU pediatrics residency program and pediatric pulmonary fellowship program. Dr. Powers has been a distinguished member of the OHSU faculty since 1991. He has dedicated his clinical career to improving the lives of infants, children, and adolescents with a range of lung and breathing disorders. His special interests include cystic fibrosis, non-CF bronchiectasis, and rare child interstitial lung disease.

He maintained a National Institutes of Health-funded lab for 23 years, was awarded a Physician Scientist Award (K11) under the mentorship of James Rosenbaum, M.D., professor of ophthalmology, OHSU School of Medicine, and was a member of the OHSU Research Committee and participated in several NIH Study Section Review Committees.

Dr. Powers transitioned to leadership roles at OHSU in 2009 when he was named head of the Division of Pediatric Pulmonology. Subsequently, Dr. Powers assumed the directorship of the Doernbecher CF research program and therapeutics development center. Dr. Powers is passionate about quality improvement efforts in CF care, heading two CF Foundation-funded initiatives at Doernbecher, with a focus on improving clinical outcomes, experience of care, and collaborating with patients and parents on care. This year, he is also serving as president of the OHSU School of Medicine Alumni Council.

Credit Unions for Kids is a nonprofit collaboration of credit unions, chapters, leagues/associations and business partners from across the country, engaged in fundraising activities to benefit 170 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, including Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Credit Unions for Kids have funded five endowed positions for OHSU School of Medicine faculty members who practice at Doernbecher. Since 1986, this commitment has resulted over $15 million in funding to propel the excellence in care and research at the hospital.

Pictured: (top) OHSU Provost Andresen, Dr. Powers, Dean Anderson and Dana Braner, M.D., Credit Unions for Kids Chair of Pediatrics, during the July 18 investiture ceremony.

(above, left): Jim Ervin, OHSU Doernbecher Foundation executive director and Kelly Schrader, CEO of iQ Credit Union and chair of Credit Unions for Kids Advisory Group, present Dr. Powers with his professorship medal.

(above, right): Dr. Powers and members of his family celebrate during the July 18 investiture ceremony.