Accomplished Healthcare, Nonprofit and Public Affairs Executive to Advance Countdown's Mission to Accelerate Mitochondrial Science and Medicine

ATLANTA, Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Countdown, the global nonprofit accelerating mitochondrial science and medicine to transform the future of human health, today announced the appointment of Julie Teer as Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1, 2026.

A nationally recognized healthcare, nonprofit, and public affairs executive, Teer will lead Countdown's strategy, fundraising, partnerships, operations, and enterprise growth as the organization expands its leadership in mitochondrial science and medicine and its impact across human health.

Founded by entrepreneur, advocate, and health innovator Mitzi Solomon, Countdown was created to accelerate scientific discovery, advance public awareness, and bring cellular energy to the center of human health. Countdown has funded groundbreaking mitochondrial research, assembled a world-class Scientific and Medical Advisory Board and Board of Directors, and built a growing community committed to advancing mitochondrial science and medicine.

Teer's appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Countdown. Amid growing interest in longevity, disease prevention, healthy aging, and human performance, cellular health and mitochondrial function are emerging as foundational conversations in medicine and wellness. Through research funding, education, public awareness, and strategic partnerships, Countdown is leading this movement and accelerating scientific discoveries that will transform the future of human health.

With more than two decades of leadership experience across healthcare, philanthropy, public affairs, and nonprofit organizations, Teer is nationally recognized for her ability to build and transform mission-driven organizations, align stakeholders around bold vision, and scale impact through strategic growth, board development, fundraising, advocacy, and partnerships.

Driven by a passion for improving health outcomes and mobilizing philanthropy and community around meaningful change, Teer most recently served as Senior Vice President of Wellstar Health System and President of the Wellstar Foundation, where she built the Foundation from inception and grew philanthropic revenue to more than $20 million annually while helping guide major enterprise-wide initiatives and system transformation.

Prior to Wellstar, Teer served as Chief Development & Public Affairs Officer at Boys & Girls Club of America, where she played a pivotal role during one of the most transformative periods in the organization's history. Under her leadership, public and private sector revenue more than doubled, advocacy efforts elevated the importance of youth development in policy conversations at the federal, state, and local levels, board engagement and recruitment strategies were significantly strengthened, and the organization successfully completed a historic $584 million campaign.

Earlier in her career, Teer served as Vice President of Development at Susan G. Komen for the Cure, working alongside founder Nancy G. Brinker to expand the organization's global footprint and diversify revenue growth strategies. Prior to her nonprofit and healthcare leadership roles, she served in senior communications, fundraising, and political strategy positions for nationally prominent elected officials, including presidential campaigns for George W. Bush and Mitt Romney. She began her career on Capitol Hill as one of the youngest Press Secretaries in the United States Senate following graduation from the University of Michigan.

Beyond her executive leadership roles, Teer is deeply engaged in civic and philanthropic leadership. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta Leadership Committee for How Women Lead, as Adjunct Faculty at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and on the University of Michigan Greater Atlanta Alumni Board. She is also a member of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2026 and previously served as a Presidential Appointee to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.

"Julie is a transformational leader with a rare combination of strategic vision, operational excellence, fundraising expertise, and deep healthcare experience," said Mitzi Solomon, Founder and President of Countdown. "Over the past several years, Countdown has evolved from a personal mission into a growing movement dedicated to changing how we understand health. As we continue expanding our research investments, strategic partnerships, public awareness efforts, and educational initiatives, we knew it was essential to bring in a leader capable of scaling both our impact and our vision. Julie's experience, leadership, and passion for mission-driven growth make her the ideal person to help lead Countdown into its next chapter."

As CEO, Teer will work alongside Solomon, the Board of Directors, Scientific and Medical Advisory Board, donors, and strategic partners to accelerate Countdown's mission while expanding public engagement and awareness of mitochondrial health and the fields of mitochondrial science and medicine.

“Countdown brings together science, innovation, philanthropy, and human possibility," said Julie Teer. “The organization has already built extraordinary momentum around a field that is poised to transform the future of human health. At the center of that field are mitochondria, which power nearly every cell in the body, and shape how we understand health, disease, and aging. I am honored to join Countdown at this pivotal moment and work alongside Mitzi, our Board of Directors, Scientific and Medical Advisory Board, partners, supporters, and community to accelerate discovery, expand public awareness, and help bring cellular energy to the center of human health.”

Countdown is dedicated to accelerating mitochondrial science and medicine and advancing discoveries that will transform human health. By funding groundbreaking research and bringing greater attention and resources to this historically overlooked and underfunded field, Countdown is leading the movement to bring mitochondrial science from the margins of medicine to the center of how we understand, prevent, and treat disease.

About Countdown

Countdown is advancing a world where mitochondria and cellular energy are recognized as foundational to human health, transforming how we understand, prevent, and treat disease while improving resilience, performance, and health across the lifespan.

To accelerate mitochondrial science and medicine, Countdown funds bold, high-risk, high-reward research, expands education and public understanding, and forges the cross-sector partnerships needed to move the field forward — building a new model with the power to reshape human health. Countdown was founded to change both the pace of mitochondrial discovery and the way scientific progress is supported.

For more information, visit www.joincountdown.org

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/08ccdb4e-7ad6-4dfb-8191-f6c4bec01d70