The Komen Scholars
Meet the men and women who are dedicated to Komen and to advancing its mission.
The Komen Scholars are an advisory group of 44 distinguished scholars and leaders in breast cancer research and advocacy. Each has made significant contributions to advancing the field or demonstrated significant promise of doing so in the future and all are committed to furthering Komen’s mission.
Led by the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) which serves as the executive committee, the Komen Scholars are an international group with a wide range of expertise, including clinical research, laboratory research, pathology, prevention, radiation oncology, surgery, and other research disciplines and specialties, allowing them to advise Komen in a variety of capacities. While their primary responsibility is to lead and participate as reviewers in Komen’s scientific peer review process, the Komen Scholars also serve as ambassadors and experts in our communities and across the Affiliate Network.
In addition, several of the Scholars are Advocates in Science who ensure that the unique perspectives of those affected by breast cancer are fully integrated into decisions at every step of Komen’s mission.

Regina Barzilay, Ph.D.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA

Abenaa Brewster, M.D., M.H.S.
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX

Joan Brugge, Ph.D.
Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA

Nora Disis, M.D.
The University of Washington Medical School
Seattle, WA

Matthew Ellis, M.B., B.Chir, Ph.D.
Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX

Sharon Giordano, M.D., M.P.H., FASCO
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX

Joe Gray, Ph.D.
Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, OR

Dawn Hershman, M.D., M.S.
Columbia University Medical Center
New York, NY

Reshma Jagsi, M.D., D.Phil.
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI

Cheryl Jernigan, C.P.A.
Komen Advocate in Science
Kansas City, MO

Marian Johnson-Thompson, Ph.D.
Komen Advocate in Science
Durham, NC

Yibin Kang, Ph.D.
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ

Keith Knutson, Ph.D.
Mayo Clinic
Jacksonville, FL

Ian Krop, M.D., Ph.D.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA

Adrian Lee, Ph.D.
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
Pittsburgh, PA

Mia Levy, M.D., Ph.D.
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, IL

Jennifer Ligibel, M.D.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA

David Mankoff, M.D., Ph.D.
The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Philadelphia, PA

Ingrid Mayer, M.D., M.Sci.
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
Nashville, TN

Donald McDonnell, Ph.D.
Duke Univeristy
Durham, NC

Anne Meyn, M. Ed.
Komen Advocate in Science
Houston, TX

Kathy Miller, M.D.
Indiana University Cancer Center
Indianapolis, IN

Gordon Mills, M.D., Ph.D.
Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, OR

Elizabeth Mittendorf, M.D., Ph.D.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA

Elizabeth Morris, M.D., FACR
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY

Steffi Oesterreich, Ph.D.
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA

Olufunmilayo Olopade, M.B.B.S., FACP
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL

Julie Palmer, Sc.D.,M.P.H.
Boston University
Boston, MA

Ben Ho Park, M.D., Ph.D.
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
Nashville, TN

Ann Partridge, M.D., M.P.H.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA

Edith Perez, M.D.
Mayo Clinic
Jacksonville, FL

Charles Perou, Ph.D.
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC

Lajos Pusztai, M.D., D.Phil.
Yale University
New Haven, CT

Amelie Ramirez, Dr.P.H., M.P.H.
UT Health San Antonio
San Antonio, TX

Bryan Schneider, M.D.
Indiana University Simon Cancer Center
Indianapolis, IN

Barbara Segarra-Vazquez, M.T., DHSc
Advocate in Science
San Juan, Puerto Rico

Sohrab Shah, Ph.D.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY

Sandra Spivey, M.B.A.
Komen Advocate in Science
Laguna Niguel, CA

Melinda Telli, M.D.
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, CA

Meryl Weinreb
Komen Advocate in Science
Landenberg, PA

Alana Welm, Ph.D.
Huntsman Cancer Institute
Salt Lake City, UT

Antonio Wolff, M.D.
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
Baltimore, MD

Komen’s Scientific Advisors at the 2017 Komen Scholars Annual Meeting in Dallas, TX
Komen Scholars Alumni

Rebecca Seago-Coyle, M.A.
Bend, OR
Komen Scholar 2018-2020

Benjamin Anderson, M.D., FACS.
University of Washington School of Medicine
Seattle, WA
Komen Scholar 2010-2020

Jeffrey Rosen, Ph.D.
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2020

David Livingston, M.D.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Komen Scholar 2010-2020

Susan Domchek, M.D.
The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Philadelphia, PA
Komen Scholar 2010-2020

Harikrishna Nakshatri, B.V.Sc., Ph.D.
Indiana University Simon Cancer Center
Indianapolis, IN
Komen Scholar 2010-2020

Geoffrey Wahl, Ph.D.
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
La Jolla, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2020

Julia White, M.D., FACR, FASTRO
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, OH
Komen Scholar 2010-2020

Kornelia Polyak, M.D., Ph.D.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Komen Scholar 2010-2012; 2016-2020 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)

Carlos Arteaga, M.D.
UT Southwestern Harold C. Simmons Cancer Center
Dallas, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2012 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)

Alan Ashworth, Ph.D., F.R.S.
UCSF Helen Diller Family
Comprehensive Cancer Center
San Francisco, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2019 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)

Sunil Badve, M.D., F.R.C.Path.
Indiana University Cancer Center
Indianapolis, IN
Komen Scholar 2010-2018

Jose Baselga, M.D., Ph.D.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Komen Scholar 2010-2013

Kimberly Blackwell, M.D.
Duke University School of Medicine
Durham, NC
Komen Scholar 2010-2018

Gerard Blobe, M.D., Ph.D.
Duke University School of Medicine
Durham, NC
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Melissa Bondy, Ph.D.
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Scientific Advisory Board 2007-2010
Komen Scholar 2010-2017

Angela Brodie, Ph.D.
University of Maryland at School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD
Komen Scholar 2010-2012

Lisa Carey, M.D.
UNC Lineberger Cancer Center
Chapel Hill, NC
Komen Scholar 2010-2018 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)

Jason Carroll, Ph.D.
Cancer Research U.K. Cambridge
Research Institute
Cambridge, U.K.
Komen Scholar 2016-2019

Giuseppe Curigliano, M.D., Ph.D.
Istituto Europeo di Oncologia
Milan, Italia
Komen Scholar 2011-2012

E. Claire Dees, M.D., Sc.M.
UNC Lineberger Cancer Center
Chapel Hill, NC
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Angelo Di Leo, M.D., Ph.D.
Hospital of Prato, Instituto Toscano Tumori
Prato, Italy
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Wayne Dornan, Ph.D.
Komen Advocate in Science
Smyrna, TN
Komen Scholar 2018-2019

Karen Durham
Komen Advocate in Science
Lindale, TX
Komen Scholar 2013-2018

Mary Elliot
Komen Advocate in Science
Bastrop, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2013

Carol Fabian, M.D.
University of Kansas Medical Center
Westwood, KS
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Sandra Finestone, PsyD.
Komen Advocate in Science
Costa Mesa, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2018 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)

William Foulkes, M.B.BS., Ph.D.
McGill University
Montreal, Canada
Komen Scholar 2010-2018

Sylvia Formenti, M.D.
New York University School of Medicine and Langone Medical Center
New York, NY
Komen Scholar 2010-2013

Patricia Ganz, M.D.
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2019

Judy Garber, M.D., M.P.H.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Komen Scholar 2010-2017

Karen Gelmon, M.D., F.R.C.P.C.
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada
Komen Scholar 2010-2012
Scientific Advisory Board 2012-2018

Aron Goldhirsch, M.D.
International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG)
Bern, Switzerland
Komen Scholar 2010-2011

Julie Gralow, M.D.
University of Washington School of Medicine
Seattle, WA
Komen Scholar 2010-2017

Theresa Guise, M.D.
Indiana University School of Medicine
Indianapolis, IN
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Susan Hankinson, R.N., M.P.H, Sc.D.
The University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Amherst, MA
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Daniel Hayes, M.D.
The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, MI
Komen Scholar 2010-2019

Mien-Chie Hung, Ph.D.
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Nola Hylton, Ph.D.
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Nancy Hynes, Ph.D.
Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research
Basel, Switzerland
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Judy Johnson, M.B.A.
Komen Advocate in Science
St. Louis, MO
Komen Scholar 2013-2017

Peggy Johnson
Komen Advocate in Science
Wichita, KS
Komen Scholar 2012-2019

V. Craig Jordan, OBE, Ph.D., D.Sc., F.Med.Sci.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Mary-Claire King, Ph.D.
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Komen Scholar 2010-2019

Tari King, M.D.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Komen Scholar 2016-2019

Bella Kaufman, M.D.
Chaim Sheba Medical Center
Ramat Gan, Israel
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Beverly Laird
Komen Advocate in Science
Birmingham, AL
Komen Scholar 2012-2013

H. Kim Lyerly, M.D.
Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center
Durham, NC
Scientific Advisory Board 2007-2010
Komen Scholar 2010-2013

Eleftherios Mamounas, M.D., M.P.H.
Aultman Cancer Center and Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Canton, OH
Komen Scholar 2010-2013

Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D.
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Seattle, WA
Komen Scholar 2010-2013

Funda Meric-Bernstam, M.D.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Anna Napoles, Ph.D., M.P.H.
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Komen Scholar 2016-2017

Lisa Newman, M.D., M.P.H. FACS, FASCO
Weill Cornell Medicine-New York Presbyterian Hospital Network
New York, NY
Komen Scholar 2016-2017 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)

Bert O’Malley, M.D.
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Ramon Parsons, M.D., Ph.D.
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
New York, NY
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Rena Pasick, Dr. P.H.
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2017

Jennifer Pietenpol, Ph.D.
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
Nashville, TN
Komen Scholar 2010-2017 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)

Lori Pierce, M.D., FASTRO
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, MI
Komen Scholar 2010-2018

Deborah Rhodes, M.D.
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
Komen Scholar 2016-2019

Andrew Siedman, M.D.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Komen Scholar 2010-2013

Christos Sotiriou, M.D., Ph.D.
Jules Bordet Institute
Brussels, Belgium
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Patricia Spears
Komen Advocate in Science
Raleigh, NC
Komen Scholar 2010-2019

Neil Spector, M.D.
Duke University School of Medicine
Durham, NC
Komen Scholar 2010-2017

Vered Stearns, M.D.
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
Baltimore, MD
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Saraswati Sukumar, Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD
Scientific Advisory Board 2007-2010
Komen Scholar 2010-2013

W. Fraser Symmans, M.D.
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2016

Christina Tannous, Ph.D.
Komen Advocate in Science
Fountain Valley, CA
Scientific Advisory Board 2008-2012
Komen Scholar 2012-2013

Thea Tlsty, Ph.D.
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2013

Danny Welch, Ph.D.
University of Kansas Cancer Center
Kansas City, KS
Komen Scholar 2010-2019

Kimberly Wright
Komen Advocate in Science
Reisterstown, MD
Komen Scholar 2012-2019

Douglas Yee, M.D.
Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
Komen Scholar 2010-2018