COM Outlook Winter 2020

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | 49 expanding with the births of Lila and Jackson, who are ages nine and seven, respectively. “After having my children, I looked for a career that would allow me to continue to advance, while affording me the flexibility to be present in their lives,” explained Drowos, who accepted a faculty position at FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine in 2011, before the inaugural class began. “Academics can be difficult, because your work is never really done; however, I have the flexibility and autonomy to decide when and how I accomplish tasks,” she said. Like most academic administrators, Drowos wears many professional hats, serving as associate dean for faculty affairs, associate chair of the Department of Integrated Medical Science, associate professor of family medicine, and clerkship director for the college’s community and preventive medicine clerk- ship. “I am very proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish in such a relatively short time. It has been both a lot of work and a lot of fun,” she said. “I am proud of our college, our curriculum, and our students. We are a small college, with 64 students per class and a small faculty, so it often feels as if we are a family,” she added. “Every day is different. I am always learning new skills, and I often have the opportunity to be innovative in how I approach problem-solving with students and faculty members.” Living Her Best Life Drowos also enjoys indulging her passion for Broadway, thanks to her friendship with 1990 KPCOM alumni Jeffrey S. Grove, D.O., FACOFP, and Michael Jackowitz, D.O., CPT, who are partners in a Broadway company called Witzend Productions. “I am a huge Broadway lover, and my friendships with Michael and Jeffrey have brought me opportunities to produce and invest in Broadway shows,” she explained. “My love of theater started when I was a kid and my grandmother took me to shows. I appreciate the art, storytelling, and connection to the performance that happens with live theater,” she added. “I never knew there were opportunities for people like me to be a part of the theater community. However, by making friends and asking to be involved, it is possible to be part of a show that makes it to the Tony Awards—and even wins one.” Although she has worked hard to attain profes- sional success, Drowos says her accomplishments pale in comparison to how proud she is of her family. “My husband is a passionate, successful professional in his own right, all while being incredibly charitable and a leader in our community,” she said. “We support one another, celebrate each other’s achievements, and succeed together. I am also proud of the way we are raising our children to be good people. They are smart, confident, happy, and kind and will do great things with their lives.” Drowos is clearly living her best life, which is something she gratefully acknowledges. “I never dreamed I would have the opportunities I have to travel the world because of my career, to help build a medical school that shapes future doctors, to give back through community service, to meet so many extraordinary people, and to be a part of the Broadway community,” she admitted. “I’m also grateful to my NSU professors and colleagues who helped me become who I am today. I’m truly blessed.” o