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At this year’s Healthy Child Awards, we honored four outstanding individuals as Champions for Children. Our inspiring honorees are emblematic of individuals who speak up and take action to protect children’s health, and have effected real change, both in big and small ways.

We were thrilled to be able to shine a spotlight on a woman who usually shies away from the limelight, Cyd Wilson. Cyd is more comfortable staying behind the scenes rather than in front of the camera, so to speak. But she’s no wallflower: Cyd is the driving force behind the philanthropic initiatives at two of America’s favorite magazines, InStyle and People. She is responsible for leveraging the resources of both brands to support charities that are supported by the Hollywood community.

Take a look at this video and get to know Cyd Wilson, Director of Creative Development for InStyle and People Magazine.

Here are a few highlights and accomplishments from Cyd’s long career:

• Cyd has raised over $50 million throughout her career for various charities.

• Cyd spent five years establishing the Pediatric AIDS Foundation (PAF), working with founder Elizabeth Glaser. Cyd led PAF’s fundraising and development, including the launch of "A Time For Heroes," PAF's annual celebrity picnic, now in its 20th year. During her time there, the event raised $1.6 – 1.8 million each year. In 2003, PAF honored Cyd with a "Hero Award" for her ongoing contributions to the organization.

• In 1996 she began to oversee all of InStyle Magazine’s philanthropy, uniting these charities with advertisers to form cause-related partnerships and campaigns. InStyle has since helped raise funds and awareness for nonprofits including Step Up Women's Network, Healthy Child Healthy World, The Children's Action Network, Clothes Off Our Back, YouthAIDS, the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, Project A.L.S., and countless other organizations.

• In 2006 Cyd traveled to New Orleans with the Children’s Defense Fund to personally see the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The experience led her to champion more coverage of the disaster and rehabilitation through both publications. Afterward, she convinced People Group Editor Martha Nelson to take all Time Inc. Managing Editors to New Orleans on the year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina to reinforce that the disaster was far from over for so many people, emphasizing the need to continue coverage of the struggles of those affected.

Cyd has proved that business can lift up philanthropy to new heights. Her innovative approach to integrating philanthropy into editorial, and effective use of cause-marketing, has brought awareness to millions of readers and publicity to dozens of charities. In a world where businesses market themselves on sound bytes of corporate responsibility and promises to “give back”, Cyd Wilson’s drive has made her company’s intentions into reality, and raised the bar for the rest of playing field.

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