Meet Our Honorees

Anne Smith Towbes
Philanthropic Honoree
Anne Smith Towbes is a teacher, ambassador, and community leader in Santa Barbara. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, she attended University of Michigan where she earned a BA and an MA. hours. After the death of Bob Smith she married Santa Barbara philanthropist Michael Towbes and continued her philanthropic work.

Miriam F. Parsa, MD
Medical Honoree
Dr. Miriam F. Parsa is currently a Staff Physician in the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology at UCLA. After earning a B.S. in psychobiology from UCLA, Dr. Parsa attended Yale School of Epidemiology and Public Health for her MPH, then medical school in New York at the Albany Medical College. She then returned to UCLA for her pediatric residency and rheumatology fellowship. Dr. Parsa is board-certified in pediatric rheumatology and general pediatrics.
Dr. Parsa is actively involved in clinical education and in teaching the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound in clinical rheumatology.