Leading With Head & Heart - Dara Levan's Enduring Service To Memorial Foundation

Levan’s impact has been inspiring. She was instrumental in launching the Pink Angels, a volunteer fundraising and advisory group that supports Breast Cancer patients through treatment and recovery. The committee funds wigs, acupuncture, therapy and survivorship programs that help women feel whole again. She also championed a new meditation room inside the Memorial Hospital Chapel, where patients and families can go for quiet reflection. Most recently, she has been working with the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation and Business for the Arts Broward (BFA) to bring a mural to the hospital through BFA’s Art Walls Mural Program.

Levan describes the Memorial System as a rare blend of head and heart in healthcare. “Memorial is a place where accountability and innovation are balanced with compassion and kindness. Patients aren’t just numbers. They’re people who are seen, heard and cared for. Everyone deserves to matter,” she says.

Levan’s perspective is shaped by her own experiences. Like many in the community, she has faced health scares personally and with loved ones. Those moments, she says, showed her the importance of both clinical excellence and empathy.

As a board member, Levan sees her role as balancing tradition with change. “My goal is to embrace growth with transparency and joy, while holding onto our core values of integrity and compassion,” she explains. “Listening, learning and understanding what’s happening inside the hospital helps us encourage real progress for patients.”

Broward County’s diversity makes that mission even more important. Memorial serves as both a neighborhood hospital and a regional medical center with specialties ranging from Cancer Care to Cardiology. Levan is proud to support initiatives that strengthen Memorial’s leadership in these areas while keeping the focus on treating every patient with dignity.

Levan’s commitment extends beyond philanthropy. A speech-language pathologist by training, she is also a writer, storyteller and award-winning author. She hosts the “Every Soul Has a Story” podcast and is the author of the novel, “It Could Be Worse.” She is also a contributor to the essay collection, “On Being Jewish Now,” a USA Today bestseller. Her next book, “Shaken to the Core,” will be released in June 2026.

Whether through her writing or her board service, Levan is steadfast in her purpose to honor the dignity of every person and help contribute to a stronger, more caring community. “I’m so very proud to serve on a board that gives with compassion, intention and integrity,” she says.

To support the Memorial Foundation or learn more about the impact of philanthropy, visit: www.mhs.net/give-back/memorial-foundation.