Deborah Axelrod, M.D., is chief of the Comprehensive Breast Center at Saint Vincent’s Medical Center in New York City and a board-certified surgeon who specializes in breast diseases and cancer. After receiving her medical degree from the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Dr. Axelrod did her post-graduate training at Beth Israel Medical center and completed a surgical oncology research fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. In practice since 1988 and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, she is widely published in her field and a prominent speaker on new developments in risk-reduction measures, detection and treatment of breast cancer. Dr. Axelrod co-authored the book Bosom Buddies: Lessons and Laughter about Breast Health and Cancer with Rosie O'Donnell and Tracy Chuterian-Semler. In addition, she founded www.breastdoc.com, an educational website, and initiated the Community Lecture Series program at St. Vincent’s. Dr. Axelrod is on the Board of Directors at SHARE in New York City and of the Susan G. Komen Foundation - Northern New Jersey Affiliate. She has been appointed to the Medical Resource Council at Gilda's Club in New York City and the Health Advisory Board at Hadassah.

Leslie Bernstein, Ph.D., is a professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, as well as scientific director of the Los Angeles County Cancer Surveillance Program, one of the SEER (Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results) registries of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). She has developed a broad cancer epidemiology research program with a primary focus on breast cancer. One of her major interests is the impact of physical activity on breast cancer risk. Dr. Bernstein has chaired or served on numerous scientific advisory committees and is a member of the NCI Board of Scientific Counselors. With extensive experience in conducting formal reviews of data in the literature, she was the sole presenter of the epidemiologic data on pregnancy and breast cancer at an NCI Workshop entitled "Early Reproductive Events and Breast Cancer" in February 2003 where the conflicting opinions of the impact of abortion on breast cancer risk were addressed. She currently chairs the scientific advisory committee for the two Nurses' Health Studies. Dr. Bernstein received her Ph.D. in biometry from USC.

Ira Bleiweiss, M.D., is a professor of pathology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and an attending pathologist at Mount Sinai Medical Center, where he also directs the Division of Breast Pathology. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and St. George's University School of Medicine, he performed his residency in pathology at Mount Sinai Medical Center followed by fellowships in surgical and anatomic pathology at Mount Sinai and at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Bleiweiss is an active participant in national clinical breast cancer trials and he leads the Breast Pathology Cadre of Cancer and Leukemia Group B. His current research interests include the correlation of radiologic and pathologic findings, especially in core biopsies, and the pathology of sentinel lymph node procedures. Dr. Bleiweiss has published numerous articles and book chapters, serves as a reviewer and editorial board member for several peer-reviewed journals, and is an active member of many pathology and multidisciplinary, breast-cancer focused societies.

W. Archie Bleyer, M.D., is Mosbacher Chair Emeritus and professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Director of the M.D. Anderson Community Clinical Oncology Program. After receiving his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, he did his post-graduate training at the University of Washington and Children's Hospital and Medical Center and was a senior fellow in Hematology/Oncology. For consecutive five-year terms, Dr. Bleyer served as chair of the CCG, the world's largest pediatric cancer research organization. For nine years, he was head of the division and chair of pediatrics at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Bleyer has been awarded research grants as a principal investigator totaling more than $75 million from the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society and the Leukemia Society of America. He pioneered the Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program of the CCG, Children's Oncology Group, and NCI. Dr. Bleyer's current clinical research mission is dedicated to young adults with cancer who have not fared as well as either their younger or older colleagues.

Ernie Bodai, M.D., is the director of Breast Surgical Services at Kaiser Permanente in Sacramento CA, clinical professor of surgery at UC-Davis and the medical director for thehealthchannel.com. He received his medical degree from UC-Davis and also completed his post-graduate training there, including a fellowship in surgery. In 1998, Dr. Bodai created CureBreastCancer, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing breast health awareness and education to all women and their families. He was also instrumental in creating the first ever postal stamp to benefit breast cancer research, which to date has raised over $35 million. He has authored over 300 medical articles and holds a number of medical-device patents. Dr. Bodai is a member of numerous prestigious surgical societies and the recipient of many prominent national awards. He is the author of several books about breast cancer including: I Flunked My Mammogram, What You Need to Know About Breast Cancer Now, and The Breast Cancer Book of Strength and Courage: Inspiring Stories to See You Through Your Journey.

Barbara Brogan, R.N., M.S., is a nurse specialist in the genetics branch of the Center for Cancer Research at the NCI. She is currently working on several studies, including chemoprevention for colon cancer and genetic counseling for families at high risk for breast/ovarian cancer and/or colon cancer. Ms. Brogan has been a registered nurse for 19 years and received a master’s degree in nursing from Georgetown University. When she began her career as a research nurse in 1994, she worked with newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and offered them participation in clinical trials. Ms. Brogan was a nurse educator and project director of a study at Lombardi Cancer Center counseling women newly diagnosed with breast cancer about possible genetic mutations in BRCA1/2.

Judy Garber, M.D., M.P.H., is director of the Cancer Risk and Prevention Clinic at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, as well as an attending physician in the Breast Evaluation Center and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Board certified in medical oncology, she supervises the translational research program in cancer genetics and was an important contributor to the discovery of the inherited susceptibility gene, MSH2, for hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer. Currently focused on breast cancer, the clinic's protocols are directed toward the identification of women with exceptional risk of breast cancer and the issues of comprehension and communication of risk in these women. Dr. Garber's studies also target the characterization of pre-malignant lesions, which may progress to invasive breast cancer. After receiving her medical and public health degree from the Yale University School of Medicine, Dr. Garber served her internship and residencies in internal medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Veteran's Administration Medical Center, West Roxbury and Brockton, MA, and received her hematology training at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Aron Goldhirsch, M.D., is the director of the Department of Medicine at the European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy; professor of medical oncology at the University of Bern, Switzerland and head of the Division of Medical Oncology of the Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland. He is also the chairman of the Scientific Committee of the International Breast Cancer Study Group. Dr. Goldhirsch's main research interests are the development of new adjuvant treatments for breast cancer, quality-of-life-oriented approaches for tailoring new treatments for advanced disease, and methodological issues in the conduct of clinical trials. His most recent research involved adjuvant treatments in very young women with breast cancer. In addition, Dr. Goldhirsch is developing, with Richard D. Gelber, the Q-TWIST method for incorporating quality-of-life considerations into treatment comparisons. Dr. Goldhirsch received his medical training at the Medical School, State University, Milan, Italy.

Laurie R. Goldstein, M.D., is an obstetrician-gynecologist in a group private practice in New York City and a clinical instructor at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and the Weill/Cornell School of Medicine. She has been practicing medicine for almost 20 years in addition to performing volunteer work in Central America and in the Torture and Asylum Network of Physicians for Human Rights. After developing breast cancer at the age of 39, Dr. Goldstein became more deeply interested in the issues that confront younger women with breast cancer. She became especially interested in the very large number of women at reproductive age who are being diagnosed with this disease and still desire fertility or have young children to raise. Since 1991, she has been the senior partner in an all-female ob-gyn group, with privileges at Mt. Sinai Hospital and New York Presbyterian-Weill/Cornell Medical Center. After receiving her medical degree from Stony Brook School of Medicine and doing a one-year internship in internal medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Dr. Goldstein completed her obstetrics and gynecology training at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

Clifford A. Hudis, M.D., is chief Breast Cancer Medicine Service and associate attending physician at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City where he is also an associate professor of medicine at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He is co-leader of the Breast Disease Management Team at MSKCC, chair of the Breast Committee of the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB), and chair of the Internet Services Committee of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Dr. Hudis' research interests include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapeutics and supportive care, with a particular focus on the integration of newer agents into the treatment plan for patients with early-stage disease. After receiving his medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania (following the completion of a six-year combined B.A. and M.D. Program at Lehigh University), Dr. Hudis trained in internal medicine at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. He completed his hematology/oncology training at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. In addition to his practice and clinical research, Dr. Hudis is a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Clinical Cancer Research and Cancer Investigation.

Kathryn M. Kash, Ph.D., is an associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Thomas Jefferson University/Jefferson Medical College and Member of the Kimmel Cancer Center. She has been a practicing psychologist for over 15 years and has spent her time helping young women with breast cancer cope with the disease and its impact on their lives. Dr. Kash's clinical practice is in the treatment of the emotional distress associated with cancer, primarily women with breast cancer, and she helps women make informed decisions about genetic testing for cancer susceptibility, treatment for breast cancer, and strategies for the prevention of breast and ovarian cancer. Her current research interests are looking at how women make decisions about their health care, complementary approaches to breast cancer treatment and determining patient preferences for enrolling in clinical trials. Dr. Kash is the principal investigator of a Department of Defense study to look at the levels of anxiety and depression in women with a family history of ovarian cancer. She completed her graduate work in psychology at the Graduate School and University Center, City University of New York and completed a two-year fellowship in psycho-oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Roz Kleban, M.S.W., is the administrator supervisor for psychosocial programs at the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where she oversees all social-work activities. With almost 25 years of experience working with oncology patients and their families, she leads weekly support groups for women dealing with early- as well as advanced-stage breast cancer and is a member of the professional advisory board of breastcancer.org. Ms. Kleban received a B.S. from the University of Vermont and an M.S.W. from the School of Social Work at Adelphi University.

Thomas Kolb, MD, is in private practice in New York City specializing in the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer in young, predominantly premenopausal women. He has double-board certification, having received his training in pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and in diagnostic radiology at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. Dr. Kolb's manuscripts and research interests have focused on the critical evaluation of current breast cancer screening modalities, genetic predispositions to breast cancer, and the use of novel techniques and technologies for the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. In 2002, he published the landmark results of his study of 27,825 consecutive patient evaluations for breast cancer. He reported that breast density and not patient age was the most important predictor of mammographic sensitivity, that mammographic sensitivity in women with the densest breasts was only 48%, that ultrasound alone could increase detection of invasive cancers by 80%, and that ultrasound was more sensitive for finding cancer than clinical breast examination at all ages and breast densities. This paper was recognized by the AMA's Science Writers Group as one of the most important scientific papers of 2002. Dr. Kolb holds positions on the board of directors of the Breast and Prostate Cancer Research Foundation in New York, is an original founding participant of the New York Breast Cancer Study, and as chairman of the medical advisory committee of Sharsheret, a support organization for young, Jewish women living with breast cancer.

Minetta Liu, M.D., is an assistant professor of medicine and oncology in the Breast Cancer Program at Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. She received her A.B. from the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton University and her M.D. from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA before completing her training in internal medicine and hematology/oncology at Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Liu is involved in clinical and translational research with a particular focus on developing new methods by which to detect breast cancer and on understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible for determining chemotherapy sensitivity vs. resistance. Her work is currently supported by the National Cancer Institute, the Department of Defense and industry-sponsored grants. Most importantly, Dr. Liu is firmly dedicated to the care and education of women with breast cancer and uses an individualized, multidisciplinary approach to patient management.

Susan Love, M.D., is president of the Susan Love MD Breast Cancer Research Foundation in Santa Barbara, CA, a non-profit organization dedicated to the eradication of breast cancer. She is also a clinical professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. After receiving her medical degree from SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York, Dr. Love did her surgical training at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. Dr. Love is on the boards of the National Breast Cancer Coalition and Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization, and was appointed by President Clinton to the National Cancer Advisory Board. She is the author of Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book and Dr. Susan Love's Menopause and Hormone Book. Dr. Love lectures nationally and internationally on breast cancer, menopause and women's health; provides health services consultation to both the public and private sector and helps women through her website, www.SusanLoveMD.org. She is currently engaged in research on the physiology of the normal breast.

Edward A. Luce, M.D., is the Kiehn-DesPrez Chair and professor of plastic surgery at Case Western Reserve University. After receiving his M.D. from the University of Kentucky, Dr. Luce completed his general-surgery training at Washington University, Barnes Hospital and during a two-year residency in plastic surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Board certified in surgery-critical care and Plastic Surgery, his clinical interests have been in the area of cleft lip and cleft palate, complex-maxillofacial trauma, head and neck cancer reconstruction, burn reconstruction and breast reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. Dr. Luce's past services include director and chairman of the American Board of Plastic Surgery and past president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. His past academic appointments have included assistant professorship at Johns Hopkins and associate and full professorship at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Luce has been listed in all four editions of the Best Doctors in America as well as Castle Connolly’s America's Top Doctors. He was named Clinician of the Year in 1990 by the American Association of Plastic Surgeons and received the American Society of Plastic Surgeon's Distinguished Achievement Award in 2000.

Kathy Miller, M.D., is assistant professor of medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine. She received her B.S. in biology at the University of Miami and her M.D. from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine before completing her training in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital. In 2002, Dr. Miller was named an Outstanding Young Clinician at Indiana University School of Medicine. She will direct the clinical trials program of a five-year international study that will research how emerging technologies such as genomics, proteomics and pharmacogenetics might allow for individualized treatment of women with advanced breast cancer. Dr. Miller is involved in several professional organizations including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the European Society for Medical Oncology and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG).She is currently on the professional advisory board of breastcancer.org.

Anne Moore, M.D., is professor of clinical medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and attending physician at the New York Presbyterian Hospital where she is the director of breast oncology. A graduate of Smith College and Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, she specializes in the treatment of breast cancer and lectures and writes about many aspects of the disease. Dr. Moore's past and present research includes studies of blood vessel and platelet biology, as well as clinical trials involving chemotherapy and hormonal therapy in breast cancer. She is the principal investigator of the national Women's Intervention Nutrition Study at Weill Medical College. Dr. Moore is currently a director of the New York Academy of Medicine and the New York Community Trust. From 1990 to 2000, she was a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine, where she served as a member of the board of directors and chaired the subspecialty board of hematology. Dr. Moore has received the Healthcare Chaplaincy's Wholeness of Life award, the SHARE award and the Special Recognition award from JALBCA (Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert). Artists for the Cure organized a concert at Carnegie Hall in her honor in October 2000. Dr. Moore is listed as one of the best doctors in New York by New York Magazine and as one of the best doctors in America by both Good Housekeeping and American Health.

Larry Norton, MD, is attending physician and member, Memorial Hospital; deputy physician-in-chief for breast cancer programs, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; professor of medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University; and medical director, MSK-64th Street, which includes the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center and the Iris Cantor Diagnostic Center. After receiving his M.D. from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, he trained in internal medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Norton then served as a clinical associate and investigator at the NCI prior to joining the faculty of the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, where he served from 1977 to 1988. He has chaired or served on numerous committees of governmental and professional organizations, including the NCI's Cancer Clinical Investigations Review Committee, its Cooperative Breast Cancer Tissue Resource (Registry) and the Consensus Development Conference on Treatment of Early Stage Breast Cancer (1990). Dr. Norton is on the editorial board of several medical publications and is an active clinical and laboratory investigator. He is the co-author of the Norton-Simon Model, which has broadly influenced cancer treatment and research for over twenty-five years. Since its inception in 1993, Dr. Norton has served as chairman of the Medical Advisory Board of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. He is past president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and is currently chair of the ASCO Foundation. He is a presidential appointee to the National Cancer Advisory Board of the NCI and a recipient of the American Society of Clinical Oncology's 2004 David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award.

Kutluk Oktay, M.D., FACOG, is associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and associate-attending physician in obstetrics and gynecology at Presbyterian New York Hospital. Following his graduation from Hacettepe University School of Medicine in Istanbul, Turkey, Dr. Oktay completed his subspecialty training in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and at the University of Leeds in England. He is a diplomate of the Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology with a sub-specialization in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Dr. Oktay's main expertise is on fertility preservation. He is one of the pioneers in ovarian cryopreservation and transplantation research and was the first to perform an ovarian transplant procedure. Dr. Oktay has also developed special ovarian stimulation protocols for breast cancer patients designed to preserve fertility as well as treat infertility following cancer treatments. In addition, he is known for his contributions to basic research on ovarian follicle development. Among his many achievements, Dr. Oktay has published over 40 articles in peer-reviewed journals and textbooks, continues to lecture regularly in many international meetings and has received numerous grants. He has also received many awards, including being recognized among the best doctors in New York by New York Magazine, and as one of the top doctors in America by Castle and Connolly in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Olufunmilayo (Funmi) Olopade, M.D., is professor of medicine and director of the Center for Clinical Cancer Genetics at the University of Chicago Medical Center where she directs a multi-disciplinary clinical and laboratory research program in cancer genetics. Dr. Olopade combines extensive family studies with genetic testing to develop strategies for prevention and/or early detection in patients at high risk for cancer. Dr. Olopade is an international leader in the field of clinical cancer genetics and has published extensively in the area of genetics of cancer predisposition. Her current laboratory research is focused on tumor suppressor genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 that predispose women to breast and ovarian cancers. As a hematologist/oncologist, Dr. Olopade specializes in the treatment of aggressive breast cancer that disproportionately affects young women. After receiving her medical degree with distinction from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria, she served as a medical officer at the Nigerian Navy Hospital. Dr. Olopade completed her residency in internal medicine at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, was named chief medical resident and completed her hematology/oncology fellowship training at the University of Chicago. Appointed to the faculty in 1991, she is currently a Doris Duke Distinguished Clinical Scientist. Dr. Olopade is a member of many professional societies and serves on the steering committee of the NCI Cooperative Family Registry for Breast Cancer Studies and the advisory committee of the Cancer Genetics Network. She is also a member of the NCI Board of Scientific Counselors.

Ann Partridge, M.D., M.P.H., is a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School specializing in Breast Oncology. She received her M.D. from Cornell University Medical College and subsequently completed a residency in internal medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Partridge then went on to complete fellowships in medical oncology and hematology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She subsequently received a master’s in public health at the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Partridge's research focuses on psychosocial, behavioral and communication issues in breast cancer care and treatment. She has several ongoing projects including evaluating adherence with hormonal therapies in women with early stage breast cancer, fertility issues in very young women undergoing breast cancer treatment and communication with patients following participation in a clinical trial. In 2003, Dr. Partridge received an American Society of Clinical Oncology Career Development Award for her work on cancer communication issues. Also in 2003, she was the primary investigator on a web-based survey of fertility issues in young women with breast cancer, working in collaboration with the Young Survival Coalition. Dr. Partridge plans to continue this work by following a group of young women with breast cancer for short and long-term medical and psychosocial outcomes.

Edith Perez, M.D., is a professor of medicine at Mayo Medical School in Rochester, MN. She is director of the Breast Cancer Program and the Cancer Clinical Study Unit at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL and a member of the Mayo Clinic Women's Cancer Steering Committee. Dr. Perez is also chair of the Breast Committee, North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG). She received her medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine in San Juan and completed her residency in internal medicine at the Loma Linda University Medical Center in California. Dr. Perez then served as a general internist in the Division of National Health Services Corps Region IX, Los Angeles, and completed a fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at Martinez VA Medical Center at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. She has developed and is involved n a wide range of clinical trials exploring the use of new therapeutic agents for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer. Dr. Perez has also recently developed studies to evaluate the role of genetic markers in the development and aggressiveness of breast cancer. A recipient of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation Research Grant Award (1998-2004), she also received the 2002 Horizon Achievement Award in Cancer Research presented by Bristol-Myers Squibb Oncology and Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Dr. Perez has been a member of the Mayo Clinic's Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the NCI-Central IRB, and has been actively involved in NCI and NIH-related activities over the last seven years. She has authored more than 100 research articles in journals and books.

Bert Petersen, Jr., M.D., is a physician in the Department of Surgery at Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospitals as well as director of the Family Risk Program at Beth Israel's Medical Center. There he is responsible for the intensive clinical surveillance and genetic counseling service for healthy women who are at risk for breast disease and ovarian cancer due to their family history. He also holds an academic position as an assistant professor of surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Petersen received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and completed postgraduate training in General Surgery at George Washington University Medical Center. He then was a research fellow in surgery for two years at the VA Medical Center in Washington, DC. Before joining Beth Israel, Dr. Petersen spent two years as a clinical fellow in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. As a native of the island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, he is actively involved in the improvement of health care there. He plays a leading role with the Virgin Islands' government to develop a cancer center on the island of St. Thomas to provide state of the art treatment for residents of the Virgin Islands and the rest of the Eastern Caribbean. Dr. Petersen is also deeply committed to eliminating the disparities in African American cancer rates. He has been the recipient of several distinguished awards for his work in the community educating minority women about the importance of early detection and prevention of breast cancer, such as the NCI/National Black Leadership Initiative on Cancer "Unsung Hero" award. Dr. Petersen sits on the board of trustees of both Cancer Care and Project SHE.

Karrie Zampini Robinson, C.S.W., A.C.S.W., is a clinical social worker and director of clinical services at Fighting Chance, an education and support program for cancer patients, survivors and their families on the East End of Long Island. Prior to this, she was the director of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Post-Treatment Resource Program. She provided counseling to cancer patients who had completed treatment and their families, as well as administrative leadership and supervision for the program. Ms. Zampini is currently a consultant to Ellen's Well, the Ellen Hermanson Foundation and the North Fork Breast Health Coalition, and serves on the board of Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancers (SPOHNC). She received her M.S.W. from the Boston College School of Social Work.

Irma H. Russo, M.D., FCAP, FASCP, is chief of the molecular endocrinology section of the Breast Cancer Research Laboratory of the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia as well as adjunct professor of pathology and cell biology at Jefferson Medical College. Her major research interests involve the prevention of breast cancer, including the role of pregnancy and reproductive hormones. Dr. Russo's research on the hormonal control of breast-cancer cell growth has constituted the basis of clinical trials in Europe and the U.S. Her research is reflected in almost 200 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. Dr. Russo received her medical degree from the School of Medicine, University National of Cuyo, in Argentina. Upon coming to the United States, she trained in anatomic and clinical pathology at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit.

Jose Russo, M.D., FCAP, is director of the Breast Cancer Research Laboratory, director of the U.S. Army Institutional Breast Cancer Training Program and senior member at the Medical Science Division of the Fox Chase Cancer Center. He is also adjunct professor of pathology and cell biology at Thomas Jefferson College of Medicine, and adjunct professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Russo has a long-standing record of commitment to research on breast cancer, its causes, the molecular mechanisms of cancer initiation, cell transformation by environmental chemicals and hormones and cancer prevention. Since joining the Fox Chase Cancer Center in 1991, he has developed a comprehensive breast cancer program that encompasses key aspects of the causation of this disease, including his studies of the genomic basis of reproductive history on breast cancer, a research project funded by the NIH until 2007. Dr. Russo received his medical degree from the University National of Cuyo, in Argentina. He is a member of numerous national and international scientific organizations and is currently the co-chairperson of the Complementary Collaborative Coalition on Estrogen Carcinogenesis of the NCI. Dr. Russo's accomplishments are reflected in over 280 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, five books and membership in several editorial boards of scientific journals.

Lillie Shockney, R.N., is administrative director of the Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Center in Baltimore, MD. Her career has been focused on clinical-nursing care with a special focus on cancer patients. Mrs. Shockney was the director of performance improvement and utilization management from 1987-1997. After being diagnosed with breast cancer at age 38 in 1992, she began to contribute additional time to the Johns Hopkins Hospital as a volunteer for the breast center. In this role, Mrs. Shockney conducted patient satisfaction surveys, developed quality of care measurement methods and worked with the clinical team to develop ways to improve patient care and services for women diagnosed with breast cancer. In 1997, she formally joined the breast center staff as the education and outreach director, responsible for the quality of care programs, patient education programs, the survivor volunteer team, community outreach (at a local, regional and national level), webmaster duties and patient advocacy. Mrs. Shockney is a registered nurse with a B.S. degree in health care administration from Saint Joseph's College and a master’s in administrative science from Johns Hopkins University. She is an advisory board and board of trustee member of the National Consortium of Breast Centers, a member of the National Consumer Advisory Council and was appointed to the board of the National Women's Health Research Center. Mrs. Shockney is also on the medical advisory boards of several breast cancer organizations and a recipient of numerous community service awards. She is a published author on the subject of breast cancer with two books and many articles to her name. Mrs. Shockney is also the co-founder and vice president of the national nonprofit organization, Mothers Supporting Daughters with Breast Cancer.

George W. Sledge, Jr., M.D., is professor, departments of medicine and pathology, and the Ballve-Lantero professor of oncology at Indiana University School of Medicine; and the co-director of the Breast Cancer Program at Indiana University Hospital. He received his medical degree from Tulane University and completed a residency in internal medicine at St. Louis University. Dr. Sledge then completed a fellowship in medical oncology at the University of Texas in San Antonio. He is currently the chair of the ECOG Breast Cancer Committee and the ECOG study chair for several major studies. Dr. Sledge is also editor-in-chief of "Clinical Breast Cancer" and sits on the editorial boards of The Breast Journal and Clinical Cancer Research. He is the author of more than 125 peer-reviewed articles and has been the recipient of many grants, fellowships and awards.

Richard G. Stevens, Ph.D., is a cancer epidemiologist and associate professor, Department of Community Medicine at the UConn Health Center. He received a B.S. in genetics at the University of California at Berkeley and his Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the University of Washington. Dr. Stevens has focused his research on the causes of cancer. One of his major interests has been the possible role of iron overload in breast cancer. Largely on the basis of this work, the Swedish food industry decided to cease iron fortification of flour in the early 1990s. Dr. Stevens is also highly interested in why breast cancer risk rises dramatically as societies industrialize. He proposed in 1987 a radical new theory that use of electric lighting, resulting in lighted nights, might produce "circadian disruption" causing changes in the hormones relevant to breast cancer risk. Accumulating evidence has generally supported the idea and it has received wide scientific and public attention. Dr. Stevens' research in this area is ongoing and he is also looking at the role of environment and diet on risk from exposures occurring early in life, including in utero (e.g., maternal drinking) and other variables that may strongly affect risk of breast cancer at a young age.

Alexander Swistel, MD, is Chief of Breast Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical Center and Director of the Weill Cornell Breast Center. Dr. Swistel is a prominent breast surgeon who pioneered many of the newest advances in breast cancer treatment. He was among the first physicians in New York to perform a sentinel lymph node biopsy, in which tracer compounds pinpoint the precise lymph node, eliminating the need to surgically remove 20-30 lymph nodes. This procedure is now part of the standard treatment for breast cancer patients.

Dr. Swistel is also one of the pioneers of oncoplastic surgery, in which a lumpectomy is combined with reduction cosmetic surgery for large-breasted women. He is establishing a specialized center of oncoplastic surgery, which utilizes state-of-the-art techniques for tumor removal along with reconstructive options provided by a specialized team of surgeons.

He also developed a procedure called skin-sparing mastectomy, where a small incision is made around the nipple instead of across the entire breast. When combined with immediate reconstruction, this procedure provides significantly improved cosmetic results, with no decrease in survival.

Dr. Swistel's nationally recognized expertise and outstanding reputation in the field is reflected in his being named one of the Top Cancer Doctors in the country by Castle Connolly in 2007; Top Doctors in the Tri-state area by New York Magazine, 2007; and selected for inclusion in Best Doctors in America in 2007.

Eric Winer, M.D., is director of the Breast Oncology Center and chief of Ambulatory Services at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He is also an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the co-chair of the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) Breast Committee. Dr. Winer received his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital where he served as chief resident. He then went on to a fellowship in hematology/oncology at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Winer's clinical and research interests include the development of new agents and new chemotherapeutic regimens for women with breast cancer, and he has conducted a wide range of clinical trials in women with early-stage and advanced breast cancer. He has a particular interest in the treatment of HER2/neu positive breast cancer, and is also interested in the psychosocial aspects of breast cancer as well as health services research. Dr. Winer sits on the editorial boards of both Breast Cancer Research and Clinical Breast Cancer.