Komen Elects John D. Raffaelli; Re-Elects Brenda Lauderback to Board of Directors
DALLAS – June 15, 2010 – Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, announced today the election of John D. Raffaelli, founding partner of Capitol Counsel, LLC, to a one-year term on its global board of directors, and the re-election of Brenda Lauderback, former group president of wholesale and retail at Nine West Group, to serve a second, two-year term.
The additions to the Komen for the Cure board came as the organization said goodbye to founding board member Robert Taylor, president of Taylor Lohmeyer Law Firm, LLP, who is retiring.
“Bob Taylor has been a loyal friend to Susan G. Komen for the Cure since we were founded almost three decades ago,” said Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, Komen’s founder and CEO. “His wisdom, leadership and constant encouragement helped us achieve so many milestones. The breast cancer movement and Susan G. Komen for the Cure owe him so much, and although he is retiring from active board service, we know he will remain a loyal supporter of our movement.”
“It has been my distinct honor to be a part of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure family for nearly three decades; watching it grow from a shoe box and a promise to the leader of a global movement that is bringing hope to millions,” said Taylor. “I step back now knowing the organization is in good hands and is as committed to fulfilling its promise as the day I joined.”
Raffaelli brings to the Komen board more than 25 years of experience in federal policy and policymaking, with an emphasis on taxation, finance, health care, international trade and general business matters. He has been nationally recognized by outlets such as the Washington Post as one of the most effective lobbyists in Washington and is respected by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers for his knowledge of the legislative process and his ability to develop public policy solutions to client issues.
Before founding Capitol Counsel, Raffaelli was a founder and former chairman of The Washington Group, a government relations firm in Washington, D.C., where he represented a wide variety of business, tax and trade clients on Capitol Hill and before executive branch agencies. Raffaelli also spent four years on Capitol Hill as counsel for tax and international trade to Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX).
A breast cancer survivor and an accomplished leader, Lauderback is skilled at instituting highly disciplined planning and product-development processes that enable faster implementation. During her career, she demonstrated marked success in upgrading the quality and cost-effectiveness of domestic and overseas sourcing programs and was instrumental in re-engineering headquarters and field organizations in the wake of mergers, acquisitions and other major corporate initiatives.
Lauderback currently serves as a corporate director for the boards of Big Lots Corporation, Select Comfort, Denny’s Corporation and Wolverine World Wide. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Career Women of Achievement Award from the YMCA of Cincinnati and Bragg Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Black Retail Action Group. Lauderback is active with the community service organization The Links, Inc.
”We are so fortunate to have a mixture of talents and experiences on the Komen Board, as evidenced by Brenda’s business acumen and John’s vast experience in advocacy,” said Alexine Clement Jackson, chairperson of Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s board of directors. “Each brings to the Board a passion for the cause that is critical for our continued push to discover and deliver the cures.”
Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s Board of Directors functions to advise and assist in the organization’s efforts to support breast cancer research and community health initiatives, including education, screening and treatment programs.
