The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Announces Key Promotions At National Headquarters
DALLAS, Dec. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Hala Moddelmog, president and CEO of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the world's largest and most progressive grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists working to end breast cancer forever, has announced key promotions at the Komen Foundation's Dallas headquarters.
Diane Balma, J.D. has been promoted to vice president of public policy. Susan Carter has been promoted to senior advisor, office of the president. Emily Callahan has been named director of communications, and Chris Orzechowski has been promoted to director of brand marketing. In addition, Chandini Portteus has been named director of grants, Katie Rohlman has been promoted to director of compensation and benefits, and Janet Harrison has been promoted to director of strategic planning.
"These are the right people with the right skills to help move the Komen Foundation into its 25th anniversary year and beyond. Their collective experience, talent and vision are instrumental in driving Komen's mission to end breast cancer forever and to invest more than $1 billion over the next decade in breast cancer-related research and community outreach programs," said Moddelmog.
Diane Balma, J.D., joined the Komen Foundation in 1998 as senior counsel and director of public policy. Prior to coming to Komen, Balma was in private practice in San Francisco when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 30. An 11-year breast cancer survivor, Balma is credited with building the organization's national and state level public policy programs, including the Foundation's signature grassroots advocacy program, Komen Champions for the Cure(TM). Balma launched Komen's eChampions program, an online advocacy forum which has now enrolled more than 100,000 everyday citizens who are committed to improving the lives of those touched by breast cancer through public policy advocacy. She is nationally recognized for her expertise in breast health and breast cancer care legislation and regulatory issues. A graduate of the University of the Pacific, Balma received her law degree from Pacific in 1991 with high honors.
Susan Carter served Komen for more than five years through her Dallas- based firm, Carter & Associates, Inc., a company specializing in public relations, marketing and special events before joining the organization full- time. She was originally charged with executing Komen's 10th anniversary and to build the communications team. Carter has been instrumental in the growth of Komen from a small collection of "chapters" to the global leader in the fight against breast cancer. In her new position as senior advisor, office of the president, Carter will serve as a top-level public relations advisor and liaison to Komen's founder, Nancy G. Brinker, and to executive leadership, helping to facilitate special projects and cultivate relationships that further Komen's mission. Carter received a bachelor's of science degree in journalism from Texas Christian University and is a member of Women in
Communications, Public Relations Society of America and the International Association of Business Communicators.
Emily Callahan joined Komen in 2004, after serving as a supervisor at the Dallas office of Edelman, the world's largest independent public relations firm. She was responsible for strategic counsel, planning, and implementation for accounts totaling nearly $1 million in annual billings from global corporations like Kerr-McGee and Kinko's. As director of communications at Komen, Callahan directs all aspects of developing and managing Komen's public relations initiatives as well as cultivating relationships with media, corporate partners and grant recipients. She is the chief architect of the Foundation's upcoming observance of its 25th anniversary, beginning January 2007, and accompanying national roll-out of its new brand components. Callahan earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Baylor University and graduated summa cum laude with a master's degree in journalism from the University of North Texas.
Chris Orzechowski came to Komen in 2000, after serving in various marketing and communications capacities for the national headquarters of the American Heart Association in Dallas. As the director of brand marketing, she is responsible for defining, developing and planning the organization's brand strategy and oversees a department responsible for increasing brand awareness of the Komen Foundation and its efforts to end breast cancer forever. In addition to spearheading all advertising and brand marketing, Orzechowski also oversees the management of Headquarters, Affiliate and corporate partner print, broadcast and online marketing communications. She is currently leading Komen's efforts to transition to a new brand identity in conjunction with the Foundations' 25th anniversary. Orzechowski earned her bachelor's of fine arts degree from the University of North Texas and her master's of liberal arts degree from Southern Methodist University.
Chandini Portteus joined Komen in 2005 bringing experience from the University of Texas School of Public Health and UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, where she coordinated research and clinical trials in areas of mental health, epidemiology and health disparities. As program manager of the grants department at Komen, she created and implemented the Foundation's new focused areas of study program, designed to address key questions in specific research areas with high potential to impact the patient. As the director of grants, she is responsible for the execution of Komen's Awards and Research Grants Program, focused areas of study, awards and fellowships. Portteus holds a bachelor's of arts degree from Austin College. She will receive her master's of public health degree from the University of Texas School of Public Health this year.
Katie Rohlman joined the Komen Foundation in 2001 as an external consultant after serving as vice president of human resources (HR) for Peranet where she was responsible for all aspects of HR management for the company. In 2004, Rohlman became a full-time senior HR advisor at Komen and implemented a new compensation program for the Foundation. Her new role as director, compensation and benefits will involve the design and management of employee compensation and benefits programs. Rohlman is a certified compensation professional (CCP), a certified benefits professional (CBP) and a member of the American Compensation Association. Rohlman holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa in Spanish, English and broadcast telecommunications.
Janet Harrison joined Komen in August 2004 after serving as chief executive officer of the Greater Dallas Counsel on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Since arriving at Komen as senior strategic advisor, she created the department of planning and evaluation and guided the development of an analytical organizational performance strategy. In her new position as the director of strategic planning, Harrison will continue to guide her department in facilitating organizational planning and evaluation. Harrison is a 3 1/2 - year breast cancer survivor and holds a bachelor's degree from Smith College in Massachusetts.
About the Komen Foundation
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was established in 1982 by Nancy Brinker to honor the memory of her sister, Susan G. Komen, who died from breast cancer at the age of 36. Today, the Foundation is an international organization with a network of more than 75,000 volunteers working through local Affiliates and events like the Komen Race for the Cure(R) to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease. A global leader in the fight against breast cancer, the Foundation fulfills its mission through support of innovative breast cancer research grants, meritorious awards and educational, scientific and community outreach programs around the world. Through fiscal year 2006, the Komen Foundation, together with its Affiliate Network, corporate partners and generous donors, will have invested a projected $780 million in breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment programs.
For questions about breast health or breast cancer, visit the Komen Foundation's Web site at http://www.komen.org or call the Komen Foundation's National Toll-Free Breast Care Helpline at 1.800.I'M AWARE(R) (1.800.462.9273).
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer FoundationCONTACT: Jill Coody Smits, +1-972-855-1682, or jsmits@komen.org , orSharon Roberts, +1-972-701-2146, or sroberts@komen.org , both of Susan G.Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Web site: http://www.komen.org/