Press Releases

ATLANTA,  January 8, 2024  – The American Cancer Society (ACS) named four new members to its board of directors, who will assist the organization in its work to end cancer as we know it, for everyone.

The new board members, who began their term on Jan. 1, will serve under the continued leadership of Board Chair Brian Marlow.

“It is an honor to welcome these four new distinguished members to the board of directors, each of whom brings a wealth of knowledge, talent and skilled leadership that will help us fulfill the mission of the American Cancer Society,” Marlow said. “We are grateful for their commitment and look forward to working together to improve the lives of cancer patients and their families.”

Joining the board are:

• Sean T. Farnham - Mr. Farnham joined ESPN in 2010 as a college basketball analyst. He works as a game and studio analyst and regularly contributes to SportsCenter and other ESPN shows. Before joining ESPN, Mr. Farnham worked for CBS Sports Network, then known as CSTV, and covered the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), college football, and college basketball for Fox Sports West. During his 10-year run at Fox Sports Net, he won two Los Angeles-based Emmy Awards. In 2011, Mr. Farnham developed a non-profit charity, Hoops from Home, which provided basketball camps and academic scholarships to service members’ children. In 2021, Mr. Farnham partnered with Spokane’s Davenport Hotel during the 2021 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) finals to promote “Farnham Flatbread,” with all proceeds going to Coaches vs Cancer over the last three years. Mr. Farnham graduated from UCLA in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in history.
• Desirée G. Rogers - Ms. Rogers has been the CEO of Black Opal Beauty, LLC since 2019. She is the former chair of Choose Chicago (2013-2019), chief executive officer of Johnson Publishing Company (2010-2017), and former special assistant and social secretary to President Obama (2009-2010), as well as other leadership positions in various industries. She serves on the Stagwell and Inspired Entertainment (INSE) public boards, in addition to World Business Chicago, and Northwestern Hospital boards. Ms. Rogers graduated from the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans, and she earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Wellesley College and her MBA from Harvard Business School.
• Norman E. (Ned) Sharpless, MD - Dr. Sharpless is the professor of cancer policy and innovation at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine (2023), and currently serves as managing director of Jupiter Bioventures (2022). Dr. Sharpless is the former director of the National Cancer Institute (2017-2022) and acting commissioner of food and drugs for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2019). Before that appointment, Dr. Sharpless was the director of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (2014-2017), and a Wellcome distinguished professor of Medicine and Genetics at UNC-Chapel Hill (2012-2017). Dr. Sharpless was a Morehead-Cain scholar at UNC-Chapel Hill, earning his undergraduate degree in mathematics (with distinction) and his medical degree (with honors and distinction) from the UNC School of Medicine. He completed his residency training at Massachusetts General Hospital and his clinical and research fellowship in hematology and oncology at Dana-Farber/Partners Cancer Care in Boston. He is a member of the Association of American Physicians, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the American Association for Cancer Research Academy, and the National Academy of Medicine.
• Jaime Wesolowski - Mr. Wesolowski is the president and chief executive officer of Methodist Healthcare Ministries (2018), and president and chief executive officer of Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio (2007-2018). Mr. Wesolowski earned his master’s degree in healthcare administration from Xavier University and his bachelor of science from Indiana University in Healthcare Administration. He is the founding chair and a current board member of the American Cancer Society’s Central South Texas area board of directors and was appointed chair to the South Region Advisory Cabinet. Mr. Wesolowski is the winner of the American Cancer Society’s St. George Award (2021).

The American Cancer Society board of directors consists of directors who serve as officers and no less than three directors at-large. Directors at-large are elected for a two-year term unless a lesser term is required to fill a vacancy. 

Board members Jennifer R. Crozier; Carmen E. Guerra, MD, MSCE, FACP; Margaret McCaffery; and Oyebode Taiwo, MD, MPH ended their terms on Dec. 31, 2023.

“Volunteer board members are the governance backbone of ACS, guiding and supporting the organization’s lifesaving mission,” said Michael Marquardt, immediate past board chair. “We are so grateful to the board members whose terms have ended — for their leadership, advice, and tireless efforts — and we look forward to their continued volunteer engagement."

The following board members were elected to serve as officers for 2024:

• Brian A. Marlow, CFA
• Terri McClements
• Mark A. Goldberg, MD
• Connie Lindsey
• Kathleen Gallagher, MSN
• Michael T. Marquardt

In addition, at-large directors include:

• José C. Buenaga, MBA
• Asif Dhar, MD, MBA
• Katie Eccles
• Karen Etzkorn
• Wayne A. I. Frederick, MD, MBA, FACS
• Michelle M. Le Beau, PhD
• Edison T. Liu, MD
• Michael Pellini, MD
• Kenneth R. Stoll
• Robert Winn, MD

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About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. For more than 100 years, we have been improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support.  We are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.org or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.