Improving Our Understanding of TNBC to Advance Health Equity

Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive form of cancer with high rates of recurrence. Despite incredible strides made to lower breast cancer mortality in the U.S., the risk of death for women diagnosed with TNBC is far greater than for those diagnosed other types of breast cancer. Significant progress has been made in the fight against TNBC, but there is much more work to be done to improve outcomes for all women diagnosed with TNBC. This interactive discussion with leaders in the breast cancer community aims to raise awareness on inequities surrounding early diagnosis and survival of Black, Hispanic/Latina, and young women affected by TNBC and the importance of continued research and development to bring more treatment options to TNBC patients.

Panelists

Ricki Fairley, TNBC survivor
CEO of TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance
#Whenwetrial Movement, Founder and Co-Host

Ricki is an award-winning, marketing veteran that has transformed her strategic acumen into breast cancer advocacy. Ricki co-founded and serves as CEO of TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance to address Black Breast Cancer as a unique and special disease state. Ricki founded and serves as co-host for “The Doctor Is In,” a weekly live breast cancer advocacy web series on the BlackDoctor.org Facebook page that reaches over 3 million viewers. She is a founding member of #BlackDataMatters.

Elizabeth Valencia, MD JD, FCLM
Consultant Breast Imaging & Intervention, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic Rochester
American Medical Association-Minority Affairs Section, Chair of Engagement

Dr. Valencia is a medical expert in Breast Cancer Imaging and Intervention at Mayo Clinic Rochester. She is a passionate breast cancer and community advocate, and former Enterprise Associate Dean of Diversity Equity and Inclusion for Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine Arizona, Florida, Minnesota campuses. Dr. Valencia serves on the Board of Governors for the American College of Legal Medicine and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, serves as the American Medical Association’s Minority Affairs Section-Chair of Engagement, Women for Wellness Equity and Leadership Scholar, and National Hispanic Medical Association Leadership Scholar, and Student National Medical Association (SNMA) Hall of Fame faculty and community advocate.

Vivian Jolley Bea, M.D., FACS
Section Chief of Breast Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery
New York - Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital

Vivian Jolley Bea, MD, has been appointed Section Chief of Breast Surgical Oncology in the Department of Surgery for New York- Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Dr. Bea received her masters degree in biology from Drexel University and her medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine. She completed her training in general surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina and a fellowship in breast surgical oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Melissa Davis, PhD
Director of the Institute of Translational Genomic Medicine
Morehouse School of Medicine

Dr. Davis serves as Scientific Director of the International Center for the Study of Breast Cancer Subtypes (ICSBCS), (Interim) Director of Health Equity for the Englander Institute of Precision Medicine and Associate Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology in the Department of Surgery and at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, NY. She is also a Cancer Ethnicity Scholar, co leading the PolyEthnic-1000 project at New York Genome Center.

Catherine Lai, PharmD
Executive Director, Clinical Development
Gilead Sciences

Catherine Lai, PharmD is the Executive Director of Clinical Research in Oncology responsible for overseeing TNBC research at Gilead Sciences. Her current work primarily focuses on the development of medicines in the treatment of Breast Cancer with the goal of bringing meaningful improvements for all those impacted by the disease.