New York, NY – April 11, 2023 – Today, the world’s largest private funder of breast cancer research, Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), announced Donna McKay will lead the organization as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. McKay brings more than 30 years of extensive international and domestic experience in nonprofit leadership to BCRF, most recently overseeing a decade of historic growth as the executive director of the Nobel Prize-winning organization Physicians for Human Rights (PHR).
“We are thrilled to name Donna McKay as the new President and CEO of BCRF,” said Kinga Lampert, co-chair of the BCRF Board of Directors. “Her proven track record in successfully expanding resources to drive impact for renowned nonprofit organizations gives us tremendous confidence as she leads BCRF into its next chapter when the promise of cancer research has never been greater.”
At PHR McKay led a global team to significantly diversify funding and expand its network of supporters, doubling its budget and securing a landmark $9 million challenge grant. Her work to forge PHR’s medical and scientific partnerships led to a vastly increased legion of academic and industry researchers to advance its mission.
She was previously the director of institutional advancement and special projects at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) where she played a critical role in transforming the organization as it responded to the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. McKay steps into the role that had been held by former President and CEO Myra Biblowit who retired from the organization after 22 years.
“On behalf of the entire board, I extend my deepest appreciation to Myra for her transformative leadership that has taken BCRF to extraordinary heights,” said William P. Lauder, executive chairman of The Estée Lauder Companies and co-chair of the BCRF Board of Directors. “Myra’s partnership with my mother, BCRF’s Founder Evelyn H. Lauder, and her continued devotion to Evelyn’s legacy have assured BCRF’s growth and prominence as the dominant force in the cure for breast cancer. We salute Myra’s tireless dedication to our shared mission and wish her all our best in retirement.”
BCRF is currently supporting 255 scientists at leading academic and medical institutions in 14 countries who are working across the entire spectrum of breast cancer. “I’ve committed my career to working on behalf of mission-driven organizations and it’s an honor to join BCRF at this critical moment when research is advancing at unprecedented rates. I’m humbled and eager to do my part in helping accelerate progress on behalf of all those impacted by breast cancer,’ said McKay.
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About the Breast Cancer Research Foundation
Breast cancer is a complex disease with no simple solution. Research is the key to stopping it in its tracks. Founded in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation is the largest private funder of breast cancer research in the world. We invest in the best minds in science—from those investigating prevention to metastasis—and foster cross-disciplinary collaboration. Our approach accelerates the entire field and moves us closer to the answers we urgently need. We can’t stop now. Join us in fueling the world’s most promising research. With you, we will bring the end of breast cancer into focus. Learn more and get involved at BCRF.org.
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