Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Announces New Board Leaders

Alexine Clement Jackson to Serve as Chair, Dorothy Paterson as Affiliate Representative




DALLAS – May 22, 2009 ­­­– Alexine Clement Jackson of Washington, D.C., a longtime cancer advocate and 23-year breast cancer survivor, has been named to chair the board of directors of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the world’s largest breast cancer organization. Also joining Komen for the Cure’s board of directors is Dorothy Slator Paterson of Houston, a strong advocate for breast cancer issues since her own breast cancer diagnosis eleven years ago.

Jackson succeeds former U.S. Rep. Kenneth E. Bentsen Jr., as board chair, and Paterson succeeds Cheryl Jernigan as affiliate representative to the board.  Bentsen’s and Jernigan’s terms have expired.

“Alexine is well-known and widely respected for her untiring service and advocacy on cancer issues, particularly in disparities in cancer treatment and the need for education, screening and quality care for all,” said Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, founding chair of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. “These are critical issues for Komen for the Cure going forward. We are so fortunate to have Alexine’s energy, intelligence and passion in this critical role as board chair.”

Paterson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998 and was still undergoing treatment when she and her family participated in their first Susan G. Komen Houston Race for the Cure®.  She left her full-time job in 2000 to devote her time to breast cancer advocacy with both the Komen Houston Affiliate and Komen international programs. As affiliate representative to the board, Paterson will represent the interests of more than 120 Komen Affiliates in communities worldwide.

“Dorothy has seen first-hand the power of our Affiliates and the profound impact that Komen has on our communities,” Brinker said. “She has been an invaluable asset to the Houston team, and we are delighted to bring her expertise as a representative for Komen Affiliates all around the world.”

Brinker thanked Bentsen and Jernigan for their distinguished service. “Ken provided tremendous leadership through a time of global growth for our organization,” Brinker said. “Cheryl’s insights were invaluable as we developed technologies and systems for better interactions between Komen headquarters and our Affiliates. We cannot thank them enough for all that they have done to advance our mission to end breast cancer on a global scale.”

Jackson and Paterson join Ambassador Brinker, Norman Brinker, Linda Custard, Aimee DiCicco, Brenda Lauderback, Connie O'Neill and Robert Taylor on the board.

Alexine Clement Jackson Background
A 23-year breast cancer survivor, Jackson has been a long-time advocate and public spokesperson for cancer prevention, early detection and quality health care for all. She is a current board member and past chair of the Intercultural Cancer Council, an organization which addresses the unequal burden of cancer in racial, ethnic and other medically underserved populations. She is also a board member emerita of Prevent Cancer foundation (formerly Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation).

Jackson is the immediate past president of Black Women’s Agenda. She recently retired from the board of The National Museum of Women in the Arts after 12 years of service and is a recent past chair of the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region. Jackson served a five-year term as national board president of the YWCA of the USA, with which she was a member of the United States delegation to YWCA World Council meetings in Seoul, Korea, and Cairo, Egypt, and joined a 10-member World YWCA delegation for a fact-finding mission in the Middle East.

Among the several special honors bestowed on Jackson are an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters from Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga. (1998); 2006 Spirit of Civic Giving Award by The Community Foundation of the National Capital Region; 2005 Dorothy I. Height Leadership Service Award at the Martin Luther King International Breakfast; 2004 Community Service award (with husband) by the Interfaith Conference of Metro Washington; 2001 Community Service award by The Black Women's Agenda.

Jackson is a magna cum laude graduate of Spelman College and has a Master of Arts in Speech Pathology and Audiology from the University of Iowa. She is married to Aaron G. Jackson, M.D., a practicing urologist who recently retired as chief of the division of urology at Howard University Hospital, Washington, D.C. They have five adult children (one son now deceased) and 11 grandchildren.

Dorothy Slator Paterson Background
Paterson retired from her 21-year career as a geologist in the oil business to become a full-time breast health awareness advocate. She is a long-time volunteer for the Komen Houston Affiliate, having served in many roles including Race chair, pledge program chair, pink honor roll chair and top fundraising member as well as serving on the Affiliate’s board of directors.

Paterson has played an active role in expanding the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® Series globally by serving as international Race ambassador. In fall 2008, she witnessed history with 2,500 participants at the first Bosnia Race for the Cure®. She has been involved in planning new Komen Race events in the Republic of Georgia, Greece and Egypt. She also volunteers as a trainer for Komen headquarters teaching Race Training for Komen Affiliates.

A passionate global ambassador, in 2007, Paterson was on the planning committee and was poster session chair for Komen’s historic Global Advocate Summit held in Budapest, Hungary. She volunteers for several other organizations including M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council and the Pink Ribbons Project.

Paterson has received several awards for her role as a breast cancer awareness advocate and community volunteer. Highlights include the President’s Volunteer Service Award presented to her by President Bush in April 2005, Yoplait Champion Award in March 2006, and the Komen Houston Affiliate’s Lifetime Achievement Award in May 2008. She is married to Malcolm and is the mother of college students Audrey and Andrew.