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SANTA BARBARA, CA—June 1, 2026 — “I’ve been waiting 25 years for women’s health to get the attention it deserves. Now is the time,” says Dr. Jane Varner, newly appointed Medical Director for the growing Cottage Center for Women’s Health.
Dr. Varner is a Family Physician with 25 years of experience in both patient care and health care leadership. She joined Cottage in 2024 as the Medical Director for Cottage Primary Care and has overseen the expansion of the department to 20 providers across 4 clinical locations. She will continue to care for her patients in the Santa Barbara location in conjunction with her leadership work of partnering with community and colleagues to build a new Cottage Center for Women’s Health.
A strong advocate for women’s health and health equity, Dr. Varner brings a bold vision to her new leadership role and begins a new chapter for advancing women’s health in our region. Cottage Center for Women’s Health will offer a new model for the women’s healthcare experience. It will be a haven for coordinated care within a welcoming, supportive environment. It will put women at the center of their health care journey, with care backed by research and innovation.
The center and its programs will bring together primary and specialty care, diagnostics and supportive services to offer a single, trusted entry point for integrated care across the outpatient and hospital settings. Nurse navigators and care teams will collaborate on scheduling, communication and care transitions for each patient.
Cottage Center for Women’s Health will offer physical spaces that will evolve over the coming years.
These spaces are being designed by women, to welcome all women for clinical care, wellness activities, learning and community connection.
Specialties currently offered by Cottage Women’s Health include Obstetrics and Gynecology, Primary Care, Menopause Care, Breast Care, Urogynecology, Gynecologic Oncology, Rheumatology, Cardiology, Neuro-Oncology, General and Colorectal Surgery. In the coming months and years, more services will be added to meet comprehensive care needs of women in the community.
“I’m honored to help lead the development of a Center focused on redefining the women’s healthcare experience,” said Dr. Varner. “We have an opportunity now to create a more integrated and innovative model of care that better supports women throughout every stage of life. I was so fortunate to grow up in a tight community of strong, resilient women–my mother, grandmother, aunties, cousins, and dear friends. We have supported, inspired and learned from each other every step of the way. One thing that I can say with absolute confidence is that life’s challenges are much easier to navigate when we do it together.”
The public is invited to this upcoming virtual event hosted by Cottage Health:
Redefining Women’s Health
Thursday, July 30, 2026 | 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Register at: cottagehealth.org/womenshealth
Join Dr. Jane Varner, Medical Director for Cottage Center for Women’s Health, and a panel of women’s health experts for a special online event introducing a new approach to women’s care in our community.
Learn how the Center will bring together physicians dedicated to women’s health and personalized support across specialties for coordinated and convenient care.
Topics:
• The vision behind the new Cottage Center for Women’s Health and what it means for our community
• A connected approach to women’s care across every age and stage of life
• Brain health, menopause, OB-GYN, rheumatology, urogynecology
• Physician Panel Q&A
Panelists:
• Jane Varner, MD, Medical Director, Cottage Center for Women’s Health
• Stephanie Handler, MD, Urogynecologist, Cottage Health Urogynecology Clinic
• Helen Matthews, MD, Medical Director, Cottage Ob/Gyn Clinic
• Nicole Moayeri, MD, Medical Director, Cottage Santa Barbara Neuroscience Institute
• Anne Rodriguez, MD, Medical Director, Cottage Health Gynecology Oncology
• Courtney Stull, MD, Rheumatologist, Cottage Rheumatology Clinic
About Cottage Health | CottageHealth.org
Cottage Health is a not-for-profit health system providing advanced medical care on California’s Central Coast. In the past year, its hospitals in Goleta, Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley cared for 20,833 inpatient admissions, 93,281 emergency department visits and 1,971 newborn deliveries. With more than 700 physicians, including specialists typically found only at university medical centers, Cottage offers expert, comprehensive care. As a teaching institution, it trains physicians through residency programs in medical, surgical, pediatric and radiology specialties. Cottage Health is home to the Central Coast’s only Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center and an advanced comprehensive stroke center. Its specialty services include Cottage Children’s Medical Center, Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, the Santa Barbara Neuroscience Institute, Cottage Heart & Vascular Center and Cottage Center for Orthopedics. Beyond its hospitals, Cottage expands care through primary and specialty clinics, urgent care centers and 24/7 provider access via Cottage Virtual Care.
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