Katie Couric & Christy Turlington Burns Spotlight Women’s Health At East Hampton Emergency Department Luncheon

On Thursday, July 9, award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and Co-Founder of Katie Couric Media, Katie Couric, moderated an engaging conversation with internationally renowned model and Founder and President of Every Mother Counts, Christy Turlington Burns, at the 6th Annual East Hampton Emergency Department Luncheon, held at the picturesque Maidstone Club. Guests gathered in support of the Stony Brook East Hampton Emergency Department.

Chaired by East Hampton residents Jill Davis, Kate Davis, Kristin Douglass, Hollis Forbes, Liz Lange, and Mary Margaret Trousdale, the luncheon featured a candid discussion exploring women’s health, wellness, philanthropy, motherhood, and the importance of ensuring access to high-quality healthcare.

Throughout the conversation, Couric and Turlington Burns reflected on the personal experiences that shaped their advocacy and discussed the importance of access to quality healthcare, empowering women to take an active role in their health, and expanding research and education focused on women’s health.

Turlington Burns also previewed her latest documentary, “Perilous Passage: Birth in America,” now streaming on HBO, which examines maternal health in the United States. “I became a global maternal health advocate the day that I became a mom,” she noted.

Couric also spoke about “HORMONAL!,” the latest project from her production company, Barolo Films, produced in partnership with Trilogy Films. “I feel like documentaries can be incredibly helpful to connect the dots and really show holistically an issue, what the root causes are and what some of the solutions are,” she said. Emphasizing her goal of extending the project’s impact beyond the screen, Couric added, “We want to start a movement and not just do a movie.”

Guests included Susan Forst, Bette-Ann Gwathmey, Suzanne Johnson, Beverly Kazickas, Allegra Kelly, Dale Leff, Martha Murray, Debbie Mackall, Southampton Hospital Foundation Board Chair Jackie Mitchell, Southampton Hospital Association Board Member Louise Phanstiel, Hilary Geary Ross, Southampton Hospital Foundation Board Member Jean Shafiroff, Ginny Schwerin, Patty Silverstein, Nancy Stone, Celeste Wecker, and Southampton Hospital Foundation Board Member Sarah Wetenhall. 

Following the program, guests enjoyed lunch overlooking the Atlantic Ocean while spending time with friends and supporters of the Foundation.

Since its inception, the East Hampton Emergency Department Luncheon has raised more than $1.5 million in support of advancing emergency care on the East End. Proceeds support the Stony Brook East Hampton Emergency Department, helping ensure residents and visitors have access to compassionate, expert emergency care close to home. Since opening in May 2025, the EHED has served more than 13,500 patients, underscoring the critical need for emergency care close to home.

For more information about the Southampton Hospital Foundation, visit southamptonhospitalfoundation.org.