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Board of Directors
Ricki Fairley
CEO and Co-Founder of TOUCH
As a Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor/Thriver, Ricki’s personal purpose, passion, mission, ministry, and blessing is to bring focus, attention, research, science, and action to eradicating Black Breast Cancer, and supporting and coaching what she calls her “Blessties” through their breast cancer experience.
Ricki is an award-winning seasoned marketing veteran that has transformed her strategic acumen into breast cancer advocacy. Ricki co-founded and serves as CEO of TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance to address Black Breast Cancer as a unique and special disease state, with the overall goal of reducing the mortality rate for Black women. Ricki founded and serves as co-host for “The Doctor Is In,” a weekly live breast cancer advocacy web series on the BlackDoctor.org Facebook page that reaches over 3 million viewers. She is a founding member of #BlackDataMatters, in partnership with Ciitizen, The Center for Health Care Innovation and Morehouse School of Medicine to encourage and elevate the importance of Black Women participating in clinical trial research. In January 2022, she started the When We Tri(al) Movement to change the game on Black women participating in clinical trials to improve outcomes for Black women with breast cancer. The Movement has resulted in over 17,000 Black women in clinical trial portals in the past year. In January 2023, she founded the For The Love of My Gurls Campaign to drive awareness and action, now having reached over 375,000 young Black women. In 2023, she launched the first ever advocacy led nurse navigator outreach program for pharmaceutical company clinical trials to elevate the inclusion and participation of Black women. In 2024, Ricki expanded TOUCH BBCA globally to the UK and Africa by serving as the Co-Investigator, leading the Patient Advocacy Work Package for the Cancer Grand Challenge Team SAMBAI.
Ricki is a board member for Xeris Biopharma. She is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation, and a board member for the Center for Healthcare Innovation. Ricki serves on the President’s Cancer Panel: Innovative Navigation Models Workgroup, and the American Cancer Society National Breast Cancer Roundtable Steering Committee where she serves as co-leader for the Clinical Trials Work Group and the Roundtable Membership Committee. She serves on the National Minority Quality Forum Cancer Stage Shifting Initiative Scientific Advisory Board, Cancer X Workgroups, is a Consumer Reviewer for the Breast Cancer Research Program, and a member of the FDA Patient Engagement Collaborative. Ricki is in the Executive Group of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance. Ricki serves on the Daichii Sankyo Global Advocacy Leaders Think Tank Steering Committee, the Pfizer Breast Cancer Advocacy Steering Committee, and the Astrazeneca Global Breast Cancer Council. She is an Ambassador for the Novartis More Than Just Words Campaign and serves on the Novartis US Breast Patient Insight Panel. Ricki is on the leadership team of the BOW Collective and member of The Links, Inc. She speaks avidly as a Patient Advocate.
Ricki has a published manuscript: Increasing Clinical Trial Participation of Black Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer, Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, Published 14 June 2023.
Ricki has been featured on The Today Show with Hoda and Jenna, ABC News, in Essence, FiercePharma, Healthline, Oprah Daily, Shondaland, Platform Q Health and Salud and Ebony Magazine to name a few. She is one of 50 of the 800 applicants to receive the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women Impact Grant funding Black women-led and Black women-serving nonprofits.
Ricki has received honors including the Living Beyond Breast Cancer 2022 Donna Noce Colaco Going Beyond Honoree, Unite for HER Community Partner of the Year 2023, the 2023 Pink Awards Warrior Award, the 2023 Sister to Sister Alliance Appreciation Award, the Women at Real Risk 2018 Award of Courage, to name a few.
Ricki has two daughters, Amanda Brown Lierman and Hayley Brown, and 3 granddaughters, Belle, Leia, and Hart, who remind her of her purpose every day. Ricki is a graduate of Dartmouth College and holds an MBA from Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
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Valarie Worthy, MSN, RN
Co-Founder and Community Life Saver
A registered nurse with a master’s degree in Leadership: Community Health Systems has been a nurse for over 38 years. Patient Navigation, public, community and home infusion nursing summarizes her nursing career. Valarie, a 21-year breast cancer survivor understands the unique needs of cancer patients and their families. She works collaboratively with cancer centers around the nation to address the needs of African American women with breast cancer. Valarie understands the importance of good health and has a passion for getting the word out to the community about early detection and good health practices.
In 2003, she along with five breast cancer survivors organized the local chapter of Sisters Network, Inc., a survivorship organization for African American women with breast cancer. Additionally, Valarie and four other North Carolina breast cancer survivors’ stories on detection, treatment and survival are featured on a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC Foundation
educational kiosk. This kiosk along with a Button chair (buttons of breast cancer survivors) exhibit travels throughout North Carolina.
In addition to the abovementioned, Valarie is active in her hometown, local community and church raising awareness about cancer. A recipient of numerous awards, Valarie received the American Cancer Society’s Lane Adams Quality of Life Award, which recognizes the unsung heroes of cancer care and are referred to as the “warm hand of service.” The award brings to light the critical role that outstanding caregivers play in the healing process.
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Tonneta Drummond
With over 20 years of experience in the area of accounting and auditing, Tonneta has been working in state government with non-profit organizations, state and local agencies, and both educational and healthcare institutions. She received Bachelors of Accounting from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida. She is a native of Mount Vernon, New York and currently resides in Durham, North Carolina.
Victoria Stewart
“I am so happy to be a part of an organization that reaches out to women in such a personal way. I can’t wait to see Touch take a prominent role as a support organization for black breast cancer awareness and patient support”.
Victoria is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Michigan Law School. She is a seasoned corporate attorney with significant experience in Litigation, Commercial Transactions, and Data Privacy. Throughout her 40-year legal career, she has held various positions of increasing responsibility in corporations and state governing authorities.
Currently, Victoria is serving as Senior Advisory Counsel for Ford Motor Company’s global Data Privacy Legal Team. In her free time, Victoria provides free legal advice to family and friends and volunteers with organizations that provide support to the underserved community—such as Family First, an organization that provides food and counseling services to inner-city families.
Currently, Victoria is serving as Senior Advisory Counsel for Ford Motor Company’s global Data Privacy Legal Team. In her free time, Victoria provides free legal advice to family and friends and volunteers with organizations that provide support to the underserved community—such as Family First, an organization that provides food and counseling services to inner-city families.
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Dianne Earley
Dianne Earley is an International Coaching Federation-certified executive coach, and principal of D.EARLEY COACHING & CONSULTING, LLC. Her client list includes corporate and non-profit executives, aspiring leaders and business owners.
With over 25 years of sales and operations leadership experience, she is skilled at helping leaders deliver bottom line results, capture market share and maximize the growth potential of their team members. Throughout her own career, she succeeded in highly competitive environments and has been a champion of diversity and inclusion.
In 2004 she joined the advertising sales division of Cox Communications, a Cox Enterprises company based in Atlanta, Georgia. She served first as Corporate Vice President of National Sales, and later as Vice President of Advertising Sales for the Virginia region. In 2012 she shifted gears from advertising to automotive when she was appointed Mid-Atlantic Market Vice President for Manheim, a division of Cox Automotive, and led 5 of the company’s wholesale automobile auction operations with over 1,000 team members. She was promoted to Corporate Vice President of Sales Operations for Manheim where her areas of responsibility included sales strategy, sales effectiveness, compensation administration and leadership development. Prior to joining Cox, Dianne excelled in advertising sales and sales leadership positions with various media companies including ABC Radio, Jefferson-Pilot Broadcasting, Gannett Broadcasting and Comcast Corporation.
During her corporate tenure, Savoy Magazine named her one of the “Top Influential Women in Corporate America” and she was named a “Woman Worth Watching” by The Profiles in Diversity Journal. She also won numerous awards including The Touchstones In Leadership “Catalyst” Award from Women in Cable and Telecommunications.
Dianne is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Communication, an alumna of the NAMIC Executive Leadership Development Program at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and of the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute. She also serves as Board Chair for TOUCH-The Black Breast Cancer Alliance. Originally from Washington, D.C., she splits her time between South Florida and Northern Virginia, always with her “road dog” toy poodle Bella in tow.
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Amy E. Wilkinson
Ms. Wilkinson retired from the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (“HABC”) in July 2021 as the Executive Vice President for Fair Housing. She joined HABC in May 2001 and was responsible for compliance with fair housing laws, implementation of consent decrees entered to resolve fair housing lawsuits and for the development and implementation of policies pertaining to fair housing.
Before joining HABC, she served as Deputy General Counsel for Equal Opportunity and Administrative Law and then General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing & Equal Opportunity at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) (1999 - 2001) and Chief Deputy City Solicitor and then First Deputy City Solicitor with the City of Philadelphia’s Law Department (1996 – 1999). She was an associate and then partner with the law firm, Duane, Morris & Heckscher (1985-1996). She clerked for the Honorable James T. Giles, US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (1983 - 1985), after graduating from law school in 1983. Ms. Wilkinson obtained her A.B. from Dartmouth College and J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Ms. Wilkinson currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Washington School for Girls. She has served on the Board of Visitors of the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College and on the boards of non-profit organizations, including Philadelphia VIP (Volunteers for the Indigent), the Women’s Law Project and the Family Planning Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
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Theresa Harrison
Theresa Harrison has established herself as an entrepreneur, speaker, mentor, and a best seller author. Theresa is the Founder and Sr. Managing Partner of GEORGE STREET Services, Inc. (GEORGE STREET) which is a leading technology company that provides Transformation and Digital Services, DevSecOps, cloud and mobile development, managed services and cyber security services.
Prior to GEORGE STREET, from 1996 – 2008, Theresa was co-owner and president of Athenyx, LLC, #7 on the Greater Washington Technology Fast50 list and acquired in 2008.
Theresa’s debut book, “Yes, You Are Able,” is an amazon bestseller. In Yes, You ARE Able, Theresa Harrison brings us on a journey to reach our highest peaks and summits, achieving all our biggest goals and dreams. An accomplished wife, mother, business owner, cancer survivor, speaker and much, much, more, Theresa opens her heart and life to share the tips and tricks of reaching heights of which we’ve only ever dreamed. She guides us through the twists and turns the path might take, offers the perspective that led to her success, and pushes us to our limits, further than we knew we could go. No matter where you are or where you've gone, there's no limit on where you can go. Yes, you ARE able!
Theresa holds a Bachelor and Masters of Business Administration.
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Dr. (Mrs.) Beatrice Wiafe Addai
Dr. Wiafe Addai is member of several professional bodies including the Ghana Medical Association, Surgical Society of Russia, Soviet Trained Graduates Association, and International Federation of University Women (IFUW). She is also a member of the Board of Governors of Mpraeso Senior High School and the Kwahu Government Hospital, Atibie.
Dr. Wiafe Addai’s passion and aspiration for the prevention, awareness and treatment of breast cancer has earned her an honorable recognition in Ghana and internationally as one of the champions advocating for the eradication of the disease. By dent of her hard work, commitment and meticulous working experience in various environments and her continuous search for better ways of delivering care for Breast Cancer patients, Dr. Wiafe-Addai has also become an active international speaker. She has addressed many international conferences and symposiums sharing her rich knowledge about the disease while collaborating with a number of reputable organizations.
Dr. Wiafe-Addai has received some prestigious national and international awards including the International award for Leadership in France, April 2011, the Belgium-based European Society for Quality Research (ESQR) Award, the European Award for Best Practices 2011 by the European Union (EU), and the African Global Person for the year 2011.Dr. (Mrs.) Wiafe Addai, is a wife, mother and teacher. Her manner is refined, gentle and very courteous when dealing with people. Her generosity is phenomenal just like St. Francis of Assisi or Madam Theresa of Calcutta. She is extremely modest and unassuming to the point of sometimes seeming almost hesitant in making an assertion. She does not take no for an answer, if she wants something she goes and gets it. She makes no compromises and never tries to hide mistakes concerning what matters most to her. Nor is she afraid to admit having been in the wrong. She is not a passionate or articulate Speaker, her manner is calm and serene and she appeals particularly to the intelligence.
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Medical Advisory Board
Dr. Monique Gary, DO, MSc, FACS
“As a physician, advocate and expert on health and healthcare disparities, I am passionate about developing integrative, holistic and innovative approaches to cancer treatment, prevention and general wellness both in our region and throughout the world.”
In tandem with her clinical leadership roles, Dr. Gary holds Clinical Associate faculty positions in surgery at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Penn Medicine, and University of North Texas Health Sciences/Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth, TX. She sits on the boards of several organizations including the American Society of Breast Surgeons, Cancer Support Community of Greater Philadelphia, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Cancer WHO?, and BEBASHI Transition to Hope.
Dr. Gary earned both her M.Sc. in Molecular Biology and DO from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She went on to complete a residency in general surgery at UMass/Berkshire Medical Center and a fellowship in Breast Surgical Oncology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
In tandem with her clinical leadership roles, Dr. Gary holds Clinical Associate faculty positions in surgery at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Penn Medicine, and University of North Texas Health Sciences/Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth, TX. She sits on the boards of several organizations including the American Society of Breast Surgeons, Cancer Support Community of Greater Philadelphia, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Cancer WHO?, and BEBASHI Transition to Hope.
Dr. Gary earned both her M.Sc. in Molecular Biology and DO from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She went on to complete a residency in general surgery at UMass/Berkshire Medical Center and a fellowship in Breast Surgical Oncology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
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Dr. Lina Romero, MD
“As a biracial provider-survivor, I am dismayed by the fact that Black women in the US are 42% more likely to die of breast cancer than their white counterparts. I look forward to collaborating with Ricki Fairley and Touch BBCA in our mission to advance health equity through inclusivity and diversity in research. Together we strive to eliminate barriers in our healthcare system to ensure equal access to quality breast cancer care for diverse populations.”
Dr. Lina Romero, MD is a multicultural breast cancer surgeon and a breast cancer survivor. Having been both clinician and patient, Dr. Romero is uniquely positioned to identify barriers, advocate for health equity, and educate patients and doctors alike. She currently serves as a Medical Advisor to the Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.
In her previous position as the Director of the Breast Center at Kaiser Los Angeles, Dr. Romero opened the first dedicated Breast Center in the Southern California Kaiser Permanente medical system. She also established a multidisciplinary clinic for patients with an increased risk of breast cancer as well as implementing a novel biopsy notification system that significantly decreased the wait time from biopsy to notification of results with 100% patient satisfaction. Her work has been widely published in peer-reviewed journals such as American Surgeon, Archives of Surgery, Current Treatment Options in Oncology, and the Journal of Surgical Research.
Dr. Lina Romero, MD is a multicultural breast cancer surgeon and a breast cancer survivor. Having been both clinician and patient, Dr. Romero is uniquely positioned to identify barriers, advocate for health equity, and educate patients and doctors alike. She currently serves as a Medical Advisor to the Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.
In her previous position as the Director of the Breast Center at Kaiser Los Angeles, Dr. Romero opened the first dedicated Breast Center in the Southern California Kaiser Permanente medical system. She also established a multidisciplinary clinic for patients with an increased risk of breast cancer as well as implementing a novel biopsy notification system that significantly decreased the wait time from biopsy to notification of results with 100% patient satisfaction. Her work has been widely published in peer-reviewed journals such as American Surgeon, Archives of Surgery, Current Treatment Options in Oncology, and the Journal of Surgical Research.
Dr. Romero earned her MD from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, where she received the Calvin Fentress Research Fellowship Award. She went on to complete a residency at the Harbor - UCLA Medical Center and a Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship at University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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Dr. Regina Hampton MD, FACS
"We have to provide access to state of the art mammography and trusted health information in order to change the poor outcomes in breast cancer for African American women."
Dr. Regina Hampton is a board-certified general surgeon who has focused her career around breast health and breast cancer.
Alongside her clinical leadership, Dr. Hampton co-founded Cherry Blossom intimates—a breast health facility and intimates boutique that specializes in insurance-friendly, post-mastectomy prosthetics and bras—where she now serves as the Executive Vice President and a Certified Mastectomy Fitter. Dr. Hampton chairs the Breast Cancer Tumor Board and serves on advisory boards for the Black Women’s Health Imperative, the State of Maryland Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, and Living Beyond Breast Cancer.
After earning her MD from the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Dr. Hampton completed a general surgery residency at Howard University Hospital as well as an oncology research fellowship at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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Dr. Melissa Davis, PhD
‘The Power of Inclusion’ is transformative! Inclusion of ethnic minorities in cancer research will transform cancer care and is absolutely required to truly understand this disease.
Dr. Melissa Davis is the Inaugural Director of the Institute of Translational Genomic Medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine. Among their molecular genetics and genomics research projects, Dr. Davis researches the genetic specificities of Black Breast Cancer in order to inform and facilitate a precision medicine approach to treatment.
Outside of her myriad roles at Morehouse, Dr. Davis also serves as a Senior Editor for the American Association for Cancer Research.
Dr. Davis earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from the University of Georgia and went on to complete multiple postdoctoral fellowships in Functional Genomics and Systems Biology in the departments of Human Genetics at Yale School of Medicine and the University of Chicago. During that time, she also trained at the U-Chicago Center for Interdisciplinary Health Disparities.
Dr. Melissa Boneta Davis and her global team have secured a groundbreaking $25 million Cancer Grand Challenges Award! As the FIRST African-American woman-led group to win this award, #TeamSAMBAI is breaking barriers and paving the way for #healthequity in #cancerresearch. By focusing on Societal, Ancestry, Molecular, and Biological Analyses of Inequalities (SAMBAI), Dr. Davis and her team are leading the charge in understanding the complex interactions that contribute to cancer outcomes among populations of African descent.
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Dr. Ogori Kalu, MD, MS
“The amount of advanced breast cancer, and disproportionately high mortality rates I have seen prompted me to dedicate my career to investigate and decrease breast health disparities within communities of color. I believe that the key to narrowing the black-white breast cancer mortality gap is by community outreach with breast health education and increasing the number of screening mammograms in the community. Through clinical and community-based partnerships, breast health inequities can be decreased.”
Dr. Ogori Kalu is a breast cancer surgeon and breast health specialist who works with local minority communities in the Greater NY/NJ area. She has served as the Medical Director of both the Breast Center at Hackensack University Medical Center-Mountainside in Montclair and the Breast Surgery Program at Rutgers NJ Medical School-University Hospital in Newark.
Dr. Kalu serves as a member of the TigerLily Foundation Medical Advisory Board and as an Executive Board Member at the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation. She also acts as Chair of the Breast Cancer Division of the State of New Jersey Governor's Task Force on Cancer Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment.
After earning both her MS in Biochemistry and her MD from New York Medical College, Dr. Kalu completed her residency in General Surgery at The State University of New York Health Sciences—Downstate Medical Center. She went on to complete a Breast Surgical Oncology fellowship at Stanford University. She has published in numerous medical and surgical journals as well as presented at national and international medical conferences on the topic of breast cancer and healthcare disparities.
Dr. Kalu serves as a member of the TigerLily Foundation Medical Advisory Board and as an Executive Board Member at the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation. She also acts as Chair of the Breast Cancer Division of the State of New Jersey Governor's Task Force on Cancer Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment.
After earning both her MS in Biochemistry and her MD from New York Medical College, Dr. Kalu completed her residency in General Surgery at The State University of New York Health Sciences—Downstate Medical Center. She went on to complete a Breast Surgical Oncology fellowship at Stanford University. She has published in numerous medical and surgical journals as well as presented at national and international medical conferences on the topic of breast cancer and healthcare disparities.
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Candace Love, RN, MSN, FNP-BC
“Health care should be a basic human need just like water, food, and air!”
Candace Love, CRNP, FNP-BC is a retired Nurse Practitioner with a well established career in nursing. She has worked across settings, namely: Ambulatory Care Setting- NP- Kaiser Permanente; Research - NP- National Institute of Health- National Heart Lung Blood Institute; Hospitals- RN- Operating Room- PACU - Holy Cross- Washington Hospital Center. As a Family Nurse Practitioner, she has worked in collaboration with physicians, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and researchers to admit, assess, evaluate, and treat patients in the following departments: Internal Medicine, Chronic Disease, Orthopedics, Family Practice, Patient Education and Evaluation, and Translational Medicine.
As a Research Nurse Practitioner, she admitted patients to participate in clinical trials among her other duties. The MILES Trial—for which Candace was on the Research Team as Dr. Joel Moss' Nurse Practitioner—was published in NEJM in 2011. In this research setting, Candace was responsible for patient histories and physicals, as well as presenting labs results, X-ray findings, and other data collected in rounds attended by the admitting physician, researchers, post-baccalaureates, and medical students. Candace Love earned her Associates, Bachelors, and Masters (Family Nurse Practitioner) degrees in Nursing at Marymount College of Virginia (now Marymount University). She is currently a volunteer with the Maryland Medical Reserve Core.
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Dr. Sara Horton, MD
Dr. Sara Horton is a board-certified Medical Oncologist who currently serves as the Executive Director of Access and Diversity for Quantum Leap Healthcare, a non-profit organization that focuses on the support of breast cancer clinical trials. She also holds an Affiliate Associate Professorship at Howard University Cancer Center and serves as a medical oncologist for the Howard University Cancer Center Transdisciplinary Breast Cancer Clinic.
Dr. Horton has dedicated her career to improving disparities in cancer outcomes and increasing diversity in clinical trials. She has over 20 years of oncology experience in academia, clinical practice, regulatory medicine at the FDA and advocacy. She has held several leadership roles at Howard University Hospital, previously serving as their Chief of Hematology and Oncology, Director of Cancer Clinical Trials, and Associate Program Director of the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship program. She has published multiple papers on disparities in cancer outcomes in African American patients. At the FDA, she served as a Medical Officer reviewing clinical trials for breast cancer therapies and co-founded an Oncology Diversity Working Group.
Dr. Horton completed her Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at Georgetown University Lombardi Cancer Center. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland with her husband, daughter and 2 wonderful rescue pups, Pixie and Mia.”
In addition to her current positions, Dr. Horton has a marked history of leadership at Howard University Hospital, previously serving as their Director of Clinical Trials and Chief of Hematology and Oncology.
Dr. Horton earned her MD from Wright State University School of Medicine and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at The Good Samaritan Hospital. She then pursued a hematology and oncology fellowship followed by a post fellowship in breast cancer research, both at Georgetown University/Lombardi Cancer Center.
In addition to her current positions, Dr. Horton has a marked history of leadership at Howard University Hospital, previously serving as their Director of Clinical Trials and Chief of Hematology and Oncology. Moreover, as a Medical Officer for the FDA in their Office of Hematology and Oncology Products, Dr. Horton focused on the evaluation of new breast cancer medications.
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Dr. Aisha Chilcoat, ND, FABNO, IFMCP
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Dr. Kimberly Curseen, MD
Dr. Kimberly Curseen is the director of Supportive and Palliative Care Outpatient Services for Emory Healthcare and serves as the director and the primary provider for the Supportive Oncology Clinic at Winship Cancer Institute. Dr. Curseen also serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. Board certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, she is part of the clinical care team providing physical, emotional, and spiritual care for patients with cancer at any point in their disease process, and assisting patients with complex decision making.
Prior to joining Emory, Dr. Curseen served as the program developer and director of Geriatric Palliative Care Clinical Services Program at University of Arkansas. Dr. Curseen completed her medical school training at Virginia Commonwealth University and her Internal Medicine Residency at Yale University.
She completed fellowship training in Geriatrics and Palliative Care at University Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Dr. Curseen was named a Palliative Medicine Inspirational Leader under 40 by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine in 2014-2015. She was listed as one of Atlanta's "Top Doctors" by Atlanta Magazine in 2020.
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Dr. Oluwadamilola "Lola" Fayanju, MD, MA, MPHS
Dr. Lola Fayanju is an academic breast surgical oncologist who conducts health services research focused on addressing disparities in breast cancer outcome and treatment as well as improving the quality and efficiency of breast cancer care delivery using the principles of value-based health care.
Currently, Dr. Fayanju serves as the Surgical Director at Rena Rowan Breast Center and the Chief of Breast Surgery at Penn Medicine. She holds academic positions as a Helen O. Dickens Presidential Associate Professor and an Associate Professor of Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Fayanju also acts as a fellow at both the Penn Center for Cancer Care Innovation (PC3I) and at The Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (LDI).
Dr. Fayanju earned a Master of Arts in Comparative Literature from Harvard alongside her medical degree and a master of population health sciences (MPHS) from Washington University in St. Louis (where she also completed her residency in general surgery). She completed fellowship training in Breast Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Over the course of her career, Dr. Fayanju has published widely with a focus on diversity and inclusion.
Dr. Fayanju earned a Master of Arts in Comparative Literature from Harvard alongside her medical degree and a master of population health sciences (MPHS) from Washington University in St. Louis (where she also completed her residency in general surgery). She completed fellowship training in Breast Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Over the course of her career, Dr. Fayanju has published widely with a focus on diversity and inclusion.
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Dr. Barbara Brown, Ph.D.
We believe that psychotherapy is one of the most precious gifts you can give yourself. It is the process of self-discovery, self-enlightenment, and self-empowerment. We focus on the whole person and the bio-psycho-social-spiritual aspects of the self." Dr. Brown is the owner and founder of Capitol Hill Consortium for Counseling & Consultation LLC, also known as CCCC, formerly known as Family Assistance in Coping with Trauma and Stress, F.A.C.T.S. PLLC. Dr. Brown is an honors graduate of Wellesley College and received her doctorate degree in psychology from Boston University.
Dr. Wilson has worked tirelessly to leverage her own journey to better serve patients and share her firsthand perspective with surgical residents. Dr. Wilson serves as a Susan G. Komen African American Health Equity Initiative Ambassador, the spokeswoman for the ‘Know Your Girls’ campaign, and has been profiled in Essence magazine and The New York Times.
Dr. Wilson earned her MD from Georgetown University School of Medicine. She went on to complete a research fellowship at the University of Cincinnati, as well as an internship and residency at Howard University Hospital. She was honored as the Chief Administrative Surgical Oncology Fellow at the John Wayne Cancer Institute.
Dr. Wilson earned her MD from Georgetown University School of Medicine. She went on to complete a research fellowship at the University of Cincinnati, as well as an internship and residency at Howard University Hospital. She was honored as the Chief Administrative Surgical Oncology Fellow at the John Wayne Cancer Institute.
Dr. Lori Wilson, MD
We were honored and blessed for Dr. Lori Wilson to serve on our medical advisory board from 2021–2022. Her legacy—from medical excellence to fierce patient advocacy—touched every single person in the breast cancer space.
Dr. Lori Wilson was the Division Chief of Surgical Oncology, the Program Director of the General Surgery Residency, and a Professor of Surgery at Howard University. Her work focused on discovering novel biomarkers and elucidating the causes for disparities in clinical outcomes. In 2013, Dr. Wilson was diagnosed with two different types of breast cancer. Her treatment experience was documented in “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies.”
Dr. Wilson has worked tirelessly to leverage her own journey to better serve patients and share her firsthand perspective with surgical residents. Dr. Wilson serves as a Susan G. Komen African American Health Equity Initiative Ambassador, the spokeswoman for the ‘Know Your Girls’ campaign, and has been profiled in Essence magazine and The New York Times.
Dr. Wilson earned her MD from Georgetown University School of Medicine. She went on to complete a research fellowship at the University of Cincinnati, as well as an internship and residency at Howard University Hospital. She was honored as the Chief Administrative Surgical Oncology Fellow at the John Wayne Cancer Institute.
Dr. Wilson earned her MD from Georgetown University School of Medicine. She went on to complete a research fellowship at the University of Cincinnati, as well as an internship and residency at Howard University Hospital. She was honored as the Chief Administrative Surgical Oncology Fellow at the John Wayne Cancer Institute.
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Dr. Wendy Garvin Mayo, APRN, ANP- BC
STRESS SOLUTION STRATEGIST | EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE CONSULTANT
Dr. Wendy Garvin Mayo, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, is a passionate doctorate prepared Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner who obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Saint Joseph College, followed by her Master of Science in Nursing at the University of Connecticut and her Doctorate of Nursing Practice in Leadership degree at Quinnipiac University.
Dr. Mayo has over 20+ years of experience in healthcare in various sectors such as clinical, leadership, research, academia, and pharmaceuticals. Dr. Mayo used her professional and personal experiences to launch into entrepreneurship as a Stress Solution Strategist, and Emotional Intelligence Consultant. She is also an International Speaker, and Certified John Maxwell Leadership Coach & Trainer and author of ‘SHAPE Your Life: 5-Step Blueprint for Sustainable Stress Management.’ Dr. Mayo is the Founding CEO of The Stress Blueprint, the #1 stress management coaching and consulting firm for healthcare professionals and leaders, and host of the Stress Blueprint Podcast.
Dr. Mayo is looking for every opportunity to empower current and aspiring professionals to reduce stress and increase emotional intelligence to cultivate well-being and wellness practices while serving the world with purpose.
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Candice Thompson, MD
Dr. Thompson is originally from Orlando, Florida, where she graduated as valedictorian from William R. Boone High School. She graduated from Howard University with degrees in Chemistry and Mathematics, summa cum laude. She attended Howard University College of Medicine, followed by General surgery residency at Medstar Georgetown University/Washington Hospital Center. She has always been passionate about breast health and breast care, and participated in several research projects, including looking at the rates of reconstruction after breast surgery in Black women, and analyzing the Oncologic Safety of Two-stage Nipple Sparing Mastectomies. She has completed her breast surgery fellowship at Stanford University and will be a breast surgical oncologist at Stanford Emeryville and ValleyCare, starting in October. She is interested in addressing healthcare disparities in breast cancer.
Karen Godette, MD
Karen Godette, MD, has served as medical director of the radiation oncology department at Emory University Hospital Midtown since 2001. Dr. Godette is board certified in radiation oncology and a clinical member of Winship Cancer Institute and Emory Proton Therapy Center. Her practice sees patients with breast malignancies, prostate cancer and soft tissue sarcoma.
Dr. Godette played a central role in creating a radiation oncology residency program at Emory. She served for 10 years as director of the residency program. She has also served as the medical director and advisor for the Grady Radiation Therapy Technology School since 1998. She is a member of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, Connective Tissue Oncology Society, American Medical Women's Association, American Board of Radiology and National Medical Association, where she served as chair of the radiology section from 2005-2007. Dr. Godette was listed as one of Atlanta Magazine's "Top Doctors" in 2016 through 2022.
Dr. Godette received her MS and MD degrees from Howard University in Washington, DC, where she also completed a year-long transitional internship. She completed residency in radiation oncology at Columbia University New York- Presbyterian Hospital, where she served as chief resident.
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Coral Omene, MD., PhD
Dr. Coral Omene is a medical oncologist, specializing in breast cancer at Rutgers Cancer Institute. She has a passion for women’s health and is dedicated to the care and management of a diverse pool of breast cancer patients. She began her career upon completion of a combined MD/PhD degree at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. This was followed by an Internal Medicine residency at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University Medical Center. After residency, she pursued a Fellowship at NYU School of Medicine, in the field of Hematology/Oncology, with a special interest in the area of breast cancer. In addition to taking care of breast cancer patients, she conducts extensive translational and clinical research in breast cancer with a particular focus on the impact on cancer disparities especially in Black women. Dr. Omene serves as the Program Director, Breast Cancer Disparities Research at Rutgers Cancer Institute. In her role, she is currently investigating the interplay with biology, obesity and treatment outcomes in both hormone receptor positive and triple negative breast cancer and its impact on breast cancer disparities and she has developed clinical trials in this regard. She is a fierce advocate for the inclusion of Black women in breast cancer clinical trials and leads a mission of outreach and engagement in her health system and community at large. Dr. Omene is a Principal Investigator for numerous clinical trials and serves on multiple national committees including as the Co-Chair of the BIG TEN Cancer Research Consortium Breast Cancer Clinical Trial Working Group and co-Chair of the BIG TEN CRC Health Equity Committee.
Dr. Olutayo Sogunro
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Dr. Olutayo Sogunro is a breast surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center. Dr. Sogunro works closely with experts from medical oncology, radiation oncology, imaging and pathology to deliver comprehensive multidisciplinary breast cancer care to patients in a convenient community setting.
Dr. Sogunro's clinical focus is breast surgical oncology and the comprehensive multidisciplinary care of the patient with breast cancer. Her interest in health literacy and education about breast cancer screening in average and high-risk populations in addition to successful survivorship plans. Dr. Sogunro’s interest also includes oncoplastic surgery.
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Dr. Lawrencia Bawuah Dsane
Erasmus MC Cancer Institute
University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Lawrencia Bawuah Dsane is a gynecologist and gynecological oncologist working at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam. She is also involved in awareness and prevention efforts related to breast cancer in Ghana, including a partnership with the Kempinski Hotel.
Dr. Terrilyn Reynolds
Dr. Terrilyn Reynolds received her Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) from Howard University College of Dentistry. She began practicing dentistry in 1996. Eight years later, she started serving our patients here at McRae Family Dental. Dr. Reynolds was a high achiever from an early age. She was awarded a college scholarship as Miss Jabberwock through Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and two full scholarships for track and field. Dr. Reynolds decided to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a dentist. Her patients love that she is gentle and calm, which puts them at ease. Her favorite part of her job is when a patient leaves pleased with their visit. Dr. Reynolds still stays active in her free time. You might find her running marathons, skiing, fishing, or traveling.
Barbara A. Hutchinson
Dr. Barbara Hutchinson, the managing partner of Chesapeake Cardiac Care, is characterized by her warmth, welcoming spirit, and compassionate bedside manner. She is very passionate about caring for people with cardiovascular diseases, which is the leading cause of death in both men and women.
Using her extensive experience and vast knowledge of the cardiology field, she has presented many papers and lectures nationally and internationally. She is a member of several medical associations, including the American College of Cardiology, Association of Black Cardiologists, American Society of Echocardiography, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
As a well-respected pillar in the cardiovascular medicine community, Dr. Hutchinson has won numerous awards* and recognitions*.
She believes that good health is the cornerstone of progress because without it our future plans may not materialize. She is recognized as a detail-oriented clinician who takes the time to educate her patients on their medical condition, why they need certain tests, and what the follow-up care entails. Her reputation for extraordinary care attracts patients from all over the US, as well as from other countries and continents. She enjoys her job and it is manifested in the way she makes every patient feel special, respected, and comfortable. She listens to her patients’ concerns, answers their questions, and allows them to be a part of their care by helping them to make right choices on a daily basis. Her warm and welcoming nature combined with cutting edge medical care and services has given her an extremely high level of patient satisfaction.
Dr. Hutchinson enjoys dedicating her spare time to helping the community. She volunteers at a clinic for individuals without insurance. She also mentors high school students considering a career in medicine and she allows residents considering cardiology as a specialty to spend time in her practice. In addition, Dr. Hutchinson is a very involved member of her church.
Away from the office, Dr. Hutchinson is an excellent cook, specializing in preparing healthy and tasty meals that do not compromise cardiovascular risk factors. She is also a musician and, being from Trinidad, she plays the steelpan as part of a band.
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