Dr. Howell grew up in the Midwest and Arizona. The oldest of 10 children, he has his BS in Psychology from ASU. Earned his MD from the University of Arizona, and did residency at Maricopa County and St Joseph's Hospitals in Phoenix. He started practice in Minnesota in 1991and continues there today. He received his Certification as a Physician Executive in 2016, Masters in Healthcare Quality and Safety in 2019, and is an Assistant Professor at Mayo Clinic. Married to his school sweetheart, he is the father of 5. Currently he served as the Chair for the Mayo Clinic Community Division of OB/GYN and was assistant Medical Director of Mayo Clinic Patient Experience.