Tower Cancer Research Foundation Integrates Work and Assets of the Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research and Announces Visionary New CEO Christopher Clinton Conway

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- After an extensive national search led by Korn Ferry, Tower Cancer Research Foundation's (TCRF) Board of Directors announced that Christopher Clinton Conway has joined the Foundation as its new Chief Executive Officer. Conway brings a wealth of philanthropic and executive leadership experience and counsel, and a passion for changing the course of cancer.

TCRF advances groundbreaking cancer research  and funds essential support for people affected by cancer through local community partnerships and Magnolia House, its flagship online and in-person survivorship support program.  TCRF's Board of Directors voted in early January 2024 to integrate the work and assets of Dr. Susan Love (1948-2023), founder and Chief Visionary Officer of the Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research, into TCRF. 

Dr. Love was an internationally renowned and compassionate trailblazer in the work to end breast cancer.  TCRF is now at the forefront of this work, extending its reach by establishing the Dr. Susan Love Fund for Breast Cancer Research.   At the same time, TCRF continues to expand its mission to advance innovative cancer research and profoundly support people affected by the disease, in Southern California and beyond.

"The Board of Directors is thrilled that Christopher will join us to lead the Foundation's strategic agenda to expand resources for innovative cancer research and survivorship support. Christopher is the right leader at the right time to take TCRF to the next level. He embodies the right combination of experience — a passion for finding better treatments for those affected by cancer alongside a firm grasp of what is required to progress an organization to meaningful impact."

"In selecting Christopher, we have found a strong leader who is energetic, intelligent, and knowledgeable about oncology research and nonprofit fundraising, marketing, and management.  Christopher has invaluable insights to help the Foundation become the leading organization supporting cancer research and patient support in Southern California," said Dr. Solomon I. Hamburg, MD-PhD, President of the Board of Directors.

With over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Conway joins the Foundation having profoundly impacted health and sciences and the arts in Los Angeles, and beyond.  Conway has a proven track record of directing transformative change and achieving record-setting results in the nonprofit sector. His career accomplishments include securing over $350 million at LACMA to build and open the Renzo Piano-designed Broad Museum of Contemporary Art and spearheading a $75 million campaign to save vision at the Doheny Eye Institute. He previously served as President and CEO of the Joffrey Ballet.  Most recently, Conway led the Dr. Susan Love Foundation at a time when the acceleration of technology made it possible to realize much of the visionary work of the founder to end breast cancer. Conway directed a $20 million campaign to support studies demonstrating the use of AI and advanced imaging in the detection of breast cancer, now being realized with next-generation life-saving imaging for diagnosing breast cancer.  The debut of the first in class QT imaging center was achieved with FDA clearance secured under Conway's management of that rigorous process. He also manages partnerships with the National Institutes of Health, and extensive grant making.  Conway launched his career assisting former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter create an innovative global health agenda and win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, at The Carter Center of Emory University. Conway is a sought-after speaker and media contributor.

TCRF also appointed Michelle Woodhill as its Chief Development Officer.  Woodhill, A Southern California native, is an experienced fundraising executive in healthcare focusing on major gifts, corporate and foundation giving, and special events.  She has worked in the nonprofit and public interest sector for 15 years, bringing keen insights into the diverse corporate and private philanthropic landscape of California, and other regions.  Prior to joining TCRF, Woodhill served as the Chief Development Officer at the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation.  There, Woodhill established a comprehensive fundraising program, including securing the largest six-figure gifts historically, as well as national major gift and pharmaceutical relationships.

In the last decade alone, TCRF has raised over $30 million to support a multitude of scientific grants from one-year $100,000 Career Development Grants for junior research scientists, to five year $500,000 Senior Investigator Grants to $1 million Multi-disciplinary Discovery Funds. TCRF's initial $4 million investment in its 54 Career Development grantees has generated over $60 million in additional funding to these grantees from other institutions. TCRF's Discovery Fund encourages the pursuit of high-risk, high-reward research projects, providing scientists with funding upfront to support leading-edge and novel ideas that may not yet qualify for traditional grant funding due to a lack of preliminary data.

TCRF's Magnolia House provides hundreds of free fitness, therapeutic, and holistic classes and programs, both in-person and online, to cancer patients and survivors everywhere.  Annually, Magnolia House supports over 20,000 patient visits and more than 1,500 programs and offerings. Magnolia House's integrative health and wellness support and education programs empower people to develop a physical and emotional toolkit to meet the challenges of cancer— from diagnosis to survivorship.

In the last 5 years, TCRF has funded 47 grants for community partners' vital programs for underserved populations throughout Southern California, including projects at Women of Color Breast Cancer Survivors' Support Project, Vietnamese American Cancer Foundation, Project Angel Food, CHLA, Bet Tzedek, LAC-USC, UCLA Simms Mann, Camp Kesem, among others. These programs address everything from basic nutrition and young adult camps to pediatric palliative care and patient navigation, supporting underserved and underrepresented individuals, families, and communities.

ABOUT TOWER CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION (TCRF): TCRF was established in 1996 by a driven group of physicians, patients, and volunteers with a personal stake in cancer to fund high impact research and survivorship support programs. Today, TCRF continues to advance groundbreaking science and fund essential support for people affected by cancer through local community partnerships and Magnolia House, its survivorship support program. In the last decade alone, TCRF has raised over $30 million in support of these goals.  Inspired by the most promising science, TCRF funds leading local researchers, making the Foundation a launchpad for additional funding and discoveries here and on the global stage.  TCRF's programs are designed to maximize impact beyond the initial investment, benefitting researchers, patients and families today, with the potential to lead to even greater impact tomorrow. https://www.towercancer.org/

Contact: Rachel Schwartz/PR AdvantEDGE Inc.
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SOURCE Tower Cancer Research Foundation