Development Staff

Barb McGowan, B.A.

Barb McGowan is the Director of Development at The Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duchesne College in Omaha, NE in French and History with a minor in Philosophy. Some of Barb's most recent achievements include:

Significantly increased general operating contributions and expanded the donor base by more than 12% in less than 3 years.
Created The Cooper Institute Preventative Medicine and Wellness Lecture Series in 2004 as a fundraising tool and to bring the Institute to the Dallas community.
Helped create the Development Advisory Board, which will recruit "ambassadors-at-large" for the Institute and assist in fundraising events and special projects.
Recipient of the Kenneth H. Cooper Award in 2005; An award given to an Institute employee in recognition of accomplishments that have furthered the visibility and/or welfare of the Institute over the preceding year.

Among Barb's many responsiblities is the organization of the annual Board of Trustees meeting and dinner, management of donor relations, oversight of the Institute's annual report, Board liaison for committee meetings throughout the year, and publication of the quarterly newsletter. She is also a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. In her free time, Mrs. McGowan enjoys golf, sports, and spending any extra time with her family.

Anissa Carbajal-Diaz, M.P.H.

Anissa Carbajal-Diaz is a Development Associate in the Development Division at The Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas. Her current duties include site calls to area foundations, grant writing, assisting with ongoing donor communications, and collaborating on various annual development activities. Ms. Carbajal-Diaz brings four years of past fundraising experience with a national voluntary health agency to the Institute, where she contributed to event planning, planned giving, and program development.

Ms. Carbajal-Diaz holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hispanic and Classical Studies with a concentration in Latin American Studies from Rice University and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth. Previously, Ms. Carbajal-Diaz worked as a Health Educator in the Research Dissemination & Advocacy workgroup of the Education Division, where she extended The Cooper Institute’s message into Spanish-speaking populations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and provided health education at the community level through a variety of area organizations. Her hobbies include dancing, running, singing, and traveling. Prior to joining The Cooper Institute team she coordinated a community health project which examined language barriers to access to healthcare.

Contact Us

To help build a healthier America and assist The Cooper Institute in expanding its pioneering research and educational reach, please contact Barb McGowan, Director of Development, at (972) 341-3280 or by e-mail at bmcgowan@cooperinst.org.