Press Release

CDC Announces Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer in Young Women

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today it had invited 15 individuals to serve on the Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer in Young Women, a federal advisory committee established by the Affordable Care Act, subject to prescribed appointment procedures. The new law charges CDC with the responsibility of developing initiatives to increase knowledge of breast health and breast cancer among women, particularly among those under the age of 40 and those at heightened risk for developing the disease.

"The Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer in Young Women will consist of external experts and stakeholders who will assist CDC in developing evidence-based approaches to advance understanding and awareness of breast cancer among young women," said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. "From prevention research, to education for health professionals, to designing and promoting awareness activities for the public, we look forward to working with the Committee to educate providers, patients and young women about breast cancer prevention and treatments."

The individuals invited to serve on the Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer in Young Women represent researchers, clinicians, advocates, and breast cancer survivors from across the country. They include:

Chair: Ann H. Partridge, MD, MPH
Dr. Partridge is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and serves as the Clinical Director of the Breast Oncology Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She founded and directs the Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center to address the unique needs of women in their early 40s and younger.

Otis Webb Brawley, MD
Dr. Brawley is the Chief Medical Officer for the American Cancer Society and a practicing oncologist. He served as the professor of Hematology and Oncology and Epidemiology at Emory University, as medical director of the Georgia Cancer Center for Excellence at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, and as deputy director for cancer control at Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University.

Melissa Watson, BA
Ms. Watson is a 38 year-old breast cancer survivor from Des Moines, Iowa. Former Chief of Staff to Senate Leader Mike Gronstal, Ms. Watson previously served as President and owner of the Barrett Corporation, and currently serves as board member of the Montessori Children's House.

Generosa Grana, MD
Dr. Grana is Director of the Cooper Cancer Institute, head of the division of hematology/medical oncology at Cooper University Hospital, and an associate professor of medicine at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She focuses her clinical practice, community education efforts and research on breast cancer, cancer and genetics and cancer prevention. Dr. Grana serves as vice chair of the Breast Health Task Force of the American Cancer Society New Jersey Division and on advisory groups for the New Jersey State Commission on Cancer Research.

Brandin Hayes-Lattin, MD
Dr. Hayes-Lattin is the Medical Director of the Knight Cancer Institute Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Program at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). Dr. Hayes-Lattin is a leader in developing the new discipline of adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology. He is the first medical co-chair of the Lance Armstrong Foundation's LIVESTRONG Young Adult Alliance and a member of the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Progress Review Group. Dr. Hayes-Lattin also serves on the AYA Committee of the NCI's Children's Oncology Group.

Maimah Karmo
Ms. Karmo is the Founder and President of Tigerlily Foundation and a three year survivor of breast cancer. She received the Congressional Black Caucus Leadership in Advocacy Award for her work with young women and breast cancer. She created Tigerlily Foundation after being diagnosed with breast cancer at age 32. Tigerlily Foundation, based in Reston, Virginia, provides women with services to help them while they are in treatment.

Karen Kelly-Thomas, PhD, RN, CAE, FAAN
Dr. Kelly-Thomas of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, is an experienced nurse executive and CEO of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP), a professional society of nearly 7,500 professionals dedicated to promoting optimal health for children through leadership, practice, advocacy, education and research.

Lisa A. Newman, MD, MPH, FACS
Dr. Newman is a surgical oncologist and the Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of the Breast Care Center for the University of Michigan. Prior to assuming her current position at the University of Michigan, Dr. Newman served as Assistant Professor of Surgery at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, with a full-time commitment to research and clinical practice in the Surgical Breast Section. She also served as the Associate Director for the Walt Comprehensive Breast Center at Wayne State University for two years.

Mavis Nitta, MPH, CHES
Ms. Nitta is the Chronic Disease Program Coordinator at the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum in San Francisco. She has worked on cancer awareness and education initiatives with a variety of stakeholders including community-based organizations, public health departments, unions and cancer survivors. Most recently, she worked in Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities on cancer awareness collaborations and education campaigns. Ms. Nitta's organization provides culturally appropriate cancer awareness and educational services to Asians and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. and its associated territories.

Jewel Mullen, MD, MPH, MPA
Dr. Mullen is the Director of the Bureau of Community Health Access and Promotion at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. She oversees the divisions of Wellness, Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, Violence & Injury Prevention, Primary Care and Health Access, and the Office of Statistics & Evaluation. She creates policies and promotes programs to improve medical and public health services across the Commonwealth.

Rochelle Shoretz, JD
Ms. Shoretz is the Founder and Executive Director of Sharsheret, a national organization of cancer survivors dedicated to addressing the unique concerns of young Jewish women facing breast cancer. Ms. Shoretz, a two-time breast cancer survivor, founded Sharsheret in 2001 to connect young Jewish women fighting breast cancer following her own diagnosis at age 28. She makes her home in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Joy Simha
Ms. Simha represents Young Survival Coalition (YSC) on the Board of Directors of the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) and is a Project LEAD® graduate. She sits on the International Advisory Board of The Cochrane Collaboration's Child Health Field and also serves on the Consumer Coalition of the Cochrane Collaboration. Ms. Simha was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1994 at the age of 26. Based in New York, her advocacy work began the day she was diagnosed and realized how little was known about breast cancer in young women, treatment options, fertility after breast cancer and long-term survival rates. Ms. Simha's organization provides support and services to young women diagnosed with breast cancer and their families.

Jeanne L. Steiner, DO
Dr. Steiner is an Associate Professor at Yale University School of Medicine. She serves as the Medical Director of the Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC), where she oversees programs in quality improvement, clinical risk management, and medical staff affairs. She is involved in initiatives to improve the health of individuals with serious mental illness who are served by the center and throughout the public system in Connecticut.

Wendy Susswein
Ms. Susswein serves on the Board of Directors of the Strathmore Hall Foundation in Montgomery County, Maryland. She was formerly a program officer and director of philanthropic outreach for the Arlington Health Foundation. She served 11 years at the Council on Foundations in several capacities, including director of affinity group and regional association services, where she oversaw the coordination of joint programming for over 30 special interest groups.

Donald Warne, MD
Dr. Warne is the Medical Director of the Aberdeen Area Tribal Chairmen's Health Board, as well as the former President of the Board of the Native American Community Health Center, Inc., and President and CEO of the American Indian Health Management & Policy, Inc. (AIHMP). Dr. Warne has served on numerous boards and committees and has received several awards for his contributions to minority health policy and medicine.

For information about breast cancer prevention, visit www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES