About Drs. Ioulia & Don Howard

Partners in Longevity, Science, and Life

Dr. Ioulia Howard is a longevity-focused physician with a deep background in geriatric medicine, cardiac diagnostics, and integrative health. Her global training and cross-disciplinary expertise shape her approach to aging — not simply as a clinical process, but as a profoundly human journey, blending medical insight with compassionate, holistic care.

Dr. Don Howard is a physician-scientist and healthcare strategist whose work has helped define personalized diagnostics and modern pathology. With decades of leadership across medicine, research, and biotechnology, he brings a systems-level, visionary perspective to the evolving frontier of longevity.

United by a shared purpose, they co-authored The Art, Science, and Strategy of Longevity — a book that reframes aging not as decline, but as evolution. Drawing on research, lived experience, and their shared lens as lifelong collaborators, they invite readers into a new narrative of aging — one rooted in science, guided by intention, and open to transformation.

At a Glance: Drs. Ioulia & Don Howard

Credentials and Expertise:

  • Physicians specializing in longevity, healthspan, and purposeful aging

  • Dr. Ioulia Howard, MD: Geriatrician with expertise in integrative health, cardiac diagnostics, and transcultural perspectives on aging

  • Dr. Don Howard, MD, PhD: Experienced leader in biotechnology ventures, diagnostic laboratory development, and strategic cancer care initiatives.

Our Mission:

  • Reframing aging as a journey of evolution, resilience, and personal meaning

  • Bridging science, strategy, and spirit to enrich the experience of growing older

Highlights:

  • Creators of The Art, Science, and Strategy of Longevity

  • Lifelong collaborators blending clinical expertise with human-centered philosophy

  • Leaders committed to reshaping the narrative of longevity for a new era

Professional Background

Our paths through medicine have been distinct — and intentionally so.

Ioulia Howard, MD, is a physician whose career spans cardiac diagnostics, medical technology innovation, and geriatric medicine. Early in her career, she practiced in the field of cardiac imaging and was part of a team that helped establish a company focused on advancing technologies for ophthalmologic surgery. She later stepped away from medicine to raise a family—an experience that deepened her interest in health, aging, and the human experience of wellness. More recently, she returned to her native country to pursue advanced certification in geriatric medicine, with a focus on promoting longevity and improving quality of life for older adults. During this time, she also authored How to Live Long and Well: The Most Important Factors Affecting Health and Life Expectancy.

Dr. Howard now focuses on longevity consulting and personalized care for older adults. Her international perspective, clinical experience, and thoughtful approach allow her to help others navigate aging with purpose and clarity.

Don Howard, MD, PhD, is a physician-scientist, medical leader, and visionary in diagnostic medicine whose career spans more than three decades across anatomic and molecular pathology, and biotechnology. He has played a central role in bridging clinical medicine, scientific research, and healthcare leadership—most notably as founder and CEO of CellNetix Pathology and Laboratories, one of the largest private pathology firms in the United States. At CellNetix, Dr. Howard led the development of programs in molecular oncology and precision medicine that helped modernize the delivery of cancer diagnostics and pathology services. He has also held key academic and clinical appointments, including Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Washington and Chief of Pathology at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle.

He earned his PhD in experimental pathology from the University of British Columbia and completed undergraduate studies in philosophy at Boston University, combining scientific training with a deep interest in the broader human context of medicine. Today, he works alongside his wife and professional partner, Dr. Ioulia Howard, integrating individualized care, longevity science, and medical innovation. Together, they write and consult on approaches to aging and healthspan, offering complementary expertise and a shared commitment to advancing care that is thoughtful, practical, and person-centered.

In Conversation: A Glimpse into Our Thinking

What inspired you to write this book?
Aging isn’t just biology — it’s identity, purpose, and renewal. We wanted to reframe it not as decline, but as possibility.

What guides your approach to longevity science?

We believe longevity science shouldn’t feel overwhelming or abstract—it should inspire confidence, curiosity, and hope. Our goal is to simplify the fascinating complexity of cutting-edge research, helping to transform intricate discoveries into clear, meaningful insights. By doing so, we strive to empower thoughtful, personalized decisions that enrich life, extending both healthspan and lifespan in practical, achievable ways.

What’s one insight you wish more people understood?
That longevity is more than lifespan — it’s how we inhabit time. It’s design, not just duration.

How do you apply your ideas in daily life?
We reflect, reset, and revise. Longevity isn’t a protocol — it’s a practice.

Our Journey

We met through our love of adventure, but our deeper collaboration began with a shared question:
What does it truly mean to live well as we age?

While Don’s work continued through decades of clinical, research, and entrepreneurial leadership, Ioulia stepped away from medical practice to raise our family — an experience that brought its own kind of depth, resilience, and clarity. Returning to the field with a renewed focus on geriatrics, she brings grounded insight to the science of aging.

Writing this book — and launching this work together — felt like the natural convergence of our paths. It brings together what we’ve seen, studied, and lived.

Our Shared Philosophy

Aging is not a problem to solve, but a story to shape.
Science gives us tools — but meaning gives us direction.
Vitality includes data, but also purpose, relationships, and clarity.
Longevity isn’t about outlasting time. It’s about enriching it.

Further Details and Credentials

For those interested in our professional journey, here are a few ways to learn more.

Stay Connected

If our work resonates with you, we invite you to continue exploring the possibilities of purposeful living with us.

This is just the beginning — a shared journey toward vitality, clarity, and meaning.

Thank you for being part of Vibrant Ages.