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ATLANTA, Dec. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Cancer Society (ACS) has named five new members to its board of directors, with all terms beginning on January 1, 2022.

The ACS Board of Directors consists of 23 members, which includes five officers and 18 directors. Directors are elected for a two-year term, and officers hold their position for a one-year term.

"The backgrounds, experience and expertise of our five new board members will further elevate the board's strong commitment to the American Cancer Society's mission to help free the world of cancer," said Michael Marquardt, 2022 Chair of the Board. "As we reinforce our focus on health equity, these new board appointments also reflect ACS's commitment that racial diversity and gender equity are critical to our board's effectiveness to help improve the quality of life for all cancer patients and their families."

Joining the board are:

• Asif Dhar, MD, MBA – Dr. Dhar is vice chair and US Life Sciences and Health Care (LSHC) Industry leader for Deloitte LLP. He leads the overall strategic direction for the life sciences and healthcare practices, including audit, consulting, tax and advisory services. He is a respected health leader who works with governments, life sciences and healthcare clients on issues related to health equity, pandemic response and recovery, and the Future of Health. Additionally, his expertise on cancer, real world evidence, digital health and innovation are sought by clients around the world.  Among the client relationships he leads, Dr. Dhar is responsible for Deloitte's work for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  He is a cancer survivor, has a deep personal passion for tackling oncology problems, and has supported innovative cancer programs for more than 15 years.

• Wayne A. I. Frederick, MD, MBA, FACS – Dr. Frederick was appointed the 17th president of Howard University in 2014. He previously served as provost and chief academic officer. Most recently, the Howard University Board of Trustees selected Dr. Frederick to serve as the distinguished Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery, succeeding his mentor the late Dr. LaSalle D. Leffall, Jr., the first African American president of the American Cancer Society, as the second person appointed to the prestigious position. Dr. Frederick has advanced Howard University's commitment to student opportunity, academic innovation, public service, and fiscal stability. He has overseen a series of reform efforts, including the expansion of academic offerings, establishing innovative programs to support student success and the modernization of university facilities. Dr. Frederick is the author of numerous peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, abstracts and editorials and is a widely recognized expert on disparities in healthcare and medical education. His medical research focuses on narrowing racial, ethnic and gender disparities in cancer-care outcomes, especially pertaining to gastrointestinal cancers.

• Kathy Gallagher, MSN – Ms. Gallagher is the executive vice president and chief operating officer of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA. She oversees operations, administration and budgetary performance for a research-intensive university with 10 colleges, four schools, six campuses and a growing global footprint. Ms. Gallagher is responsible for the management of the University's Strategic Planning process that sets organizational priorities; and coordinates corporate services for the University constituents. Additionally, Ms. Gallagher has administrative responsibility for Global Jefferson, including the Office of International Affairs. She serves on a number of university and enterprise committees, including compliance, budget oversight and capital management. Before joining Thomas Jefferson University, Ms. Gallagher was a management consultant to academic medical centers and universities, most recently as a managing director at Huron Consulting Group. Ms. Gallagher began her career as an Emergency Department nurse at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

• Othman Laraki, MS, MBA – Mr. Laraki is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Color, a health technology company that works with governments, public health institutions, employers, and national health initiatives around the world to provide the tools for preventive health and infectious disease management, including testing, vaccinations, and other services. He spent several years at Google, where he worked on performance infrastructure and client-side software, including the Google Chrome browser. After leaving Google, he co-founded MixerLabs, which was acquired by Twitter in 2009. At Twitter, Mr. Laraki was the Vice President of Product, helping create the company's first revenue products and grow the user base from 50 to 200 million users. He holds degrees in computer science and management from Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mr. Laraki is a long-time investor and advisor to leading companies such as Pinterest, AngelList, Slack, and Instacart, and serves as a board member for ESI Group and Frontier Medicines.

• Connie Lindsey – Ms. Lindsey is the former executive vice president and head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Northern Trust, Chicago; she retired in November 2021.  She was responsible for the design and implementation of the global Corporate Social Responsibility, Community Development and Investments, and Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy for Northern Trust and the development of goals, policies, and programs appropriate to the brand and business unit strategies. In addition, Ms. Lindsey provided oversight and leadership to the firm's response to environmental matters as well as social issues within the marketplace, workplace, and community.

Board members Joseph A. Agresta, Jr., Gareth T. Joyce, Jeffrey L. Kean, and Gary S. Shedlin will end their service on December 31, 2021. 

"We offer our deepest appreciation to the outgoing board members for their dedication and commitment to the lifesaving work of the American Cancer Society," said John Alfonso, 2021 Board chair.

The following board members were elected to serve as officers in 2022:

• Michael T. Marquardt, chair
• Brian A. Marlow, CFA, vice chair 
• Mark A. Goldberg, MD, scientific officer 
• Katie A. Eccles, Esq., secretary/treasurer 
• John Alfonso, CPA, CGMA, immediate past chair 

2022 re-elected Board members are: 

• Bruce N. Barron 
• Jennifer R. Crozier 
• Carmen E. Guerra, MD, MSCE, FACP 
• Margaret McCaffery 
• Oyebode Taiwo, MD, MPH

In addition, directors include:
Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, FASCO
Laura Hertz
Amit Kumar, PhD 
Michelle M. LeBeau, PhD
Edison T. Liu, MD
Terri McClements
Joseph M. Naylor 
Robert Winn, MD

SOURCE American Cancer Society