Women's Health Symposium
Houston Methodist’s Women’s Health Symposium will be held on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, from 8 am to 1 pm at Houston Methodist Hospital. The symposium will begin with a keynote address by inspirational speaker Janet Gurwitch, a beauty entrepreneur and powerhouse investor.
Following her remarks, attendees will participate in selected breakout sessions with Houston Methodist’s leading physicians. The sessions will cover topics including heart health, orthopedics, menopause, nutrition/fitness, urogynecology, Alzheimer’s disease, the gut microbiome, and mental health. The event will conclude with a luncheon.
For additional information, please email womenshealth@houstonmethodist.org.
Keynote Speaker
Janet Gurwitch
Board of Directors, Front Row
Board of Directors, Astros
Founder & Former CEO, Laura Mercier Cosmetics
Janet Gurwitch is a highly successful corporate executive with over 25 years of experience in the beauty industry. She is currently on the Board of Directors of the Houston Astros baseball team and e-commerce accelerate Front Row.
Gurwitch is the founder and former CEO of Laura Mercier Cosmetics & Skincare, a global brand of high-end niche cosmetics. Gurwitch managed and oversaw Laura Mercier’s day-to-day business operations, strategy development and retail negotiations.
Gurwitch joined forces with famed makeup artist Laura Mercier in 1996 after realizing the imminent paradigm shift in the beauty industry that was propelling niche lines to the forefront of the cosmetics business. The combination of Gurwitch’s business savvy and foresight coupled with Mercier’s talent provided a solid foundation for a strong, growing business based on technique and a high-quality product. She sold Laura Mercier in 2008.
Prior to founding Laura Mercier, Janet Gurwitch was the Executive Vice President of Neiman Marcus, where she established the merchandising strategy from 1992-1995.
Gurwitch was an operating partner with Advent International, a Boston-based private equity firm, where she focused on the beauty & wellness consumer sector, until December 2024. She also served on the boards of consumer brands Urban Decay Cosmetics, Tatcha, Drybar, First Aid Beauty and Dollar Shave Club and as well as public companies Olaplex (OLPX) and La-Z-Boy (LZB).
Gurwitch’s personal community involvement includes the President’s Leadership Council for Houston Methodist Hospital; trustee for Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; chairing the Hermann Park Conservancy dinner event in 2018; and chairing the Community In Schools’ (CIS) annual event in 2015. She has also served as Underwriter for the Drawing Institute for the Menil Collection, and she’s an avid supporter of the Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera.
Gurwitch was inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame in November 2023.