BREAST CANCER RESEARCH COUNCIL
Council members are chosen to represent the people who are affected by breast cancer and the institutions that can contribute to the solution. Their passion to prevent, treat and cure breast cancer is driven by practical priorities: to identify the most urgent and unanswered question about breast cancer, and to find the greatest opportunities for making an impact on the burdens caused by the disease.
The council is responsible for tracking the trends and opportunities for progress that arise in the breast cancer community, making funding recommendations, and planning future directions of the CBCRP.
If you are interested in becoming a member of our advisory council — or would like to nominate someone for the council, see our Council Nominations page
2026-2027 BREAST CANCER RESEARCH COUNCIL MEMBERSHIp
Sherice TorreS, MBA
Advocate, Stanford Graduate School of Business
Sherice Torres is a results-driven general manager and Chief Marketing Officer with over 25 years of progressive experience in integrated marketing and P&L ownership.
Sherice currently serves as Director of MBA Career Advising and Education at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Previously, she was the Chief Marketing Officer at ChargePoint (NYSE: CHPT), a leading provider of networked hardware and software solutions for charging electric vehicles (EVs). Torres served as Chief Marketing Officer at Circle Internet (NYSE: CRCL), a global internet finance firm that provides payments and financial infrastructure to businesses of all sizes, as well as Novi, the fintech division of Facebook (NASDAQ: META). She held several senior marketing roles at Google and spent nearly 15 years at Viacom (now Paramount) in various leadership roles across consumer products, strategic planning, digital video, and paid apps. Sherice began her career in the change management practice at Deloitte Consulting.
Sherice graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and earned her MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Sherice currently serves on the board of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and is a former independent director of Advance Auto Parts (NYSE: AAP).
Term: 9/1/2025-8/31/2028
Susana Ramirez, PhD
Scientist/Clinician, UC Merced
Dr. A. Susana Ramírez is an Associate Professor of Public Health Communication at the University of California, Merced. Her research addresses the intersections of communication, inequality, and cancer prevention, advancing understanding of the information environment as a structural determinant of health.
Her work has been supported by the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and major foundations, including studies on mobile health interventions for breast cancer prevention among Latinas. She has published widely in leading journals across public health, communication, and policy, and her scholarship is recognized for reframing cultural explanations of cancer disparities to emphasize systemic barriers and communication inequities.
Dr. Ramírez is co-editor of the Handbook of Language in Public Health and Healthcare (Wiley, 2024) and is currently writing a book about food marketing. She is also a dedicated teacher and mentor, committed to training the next generation of diverse public health professionals and scholars. She earned a doctorate from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Public Health from Harvard University, and a BA from Santa Clara University.
Term: 10/25/2025 - 8/31/2028
Bryan Goldner, DO
Scientist/Clinician, Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park Medical Center
Bryan Goldner is currently a surgeon and partner with Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG) and the Director of the Breast Center at Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park Hospital, an NAPBC accredited breast center. As chair for the Regional Breast Cancer Surgery Group and co-chair for the Multidisciplinary Breast Cancer Group for SCPMG, Dr Goldner has been able to ensure the highest level of care for, not only his own medical center, but also the Southern California Kaiser Permanente region of 4.5 million members. He leads the effort to maintain his own hospital’s NAPBC accreditation, the gold standard for breast centers, as well as assisting other regional medical centers in maintaining theirs. His research has been published in various medical journals including The Annals of Surgical Oncology and the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Along with his roles within SCPMG, Dr Goldner is a Clinical Instructor for the Harbor/UCLA Department of Surgery and is a well-respected member of numerous national surgical organizations including the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Society of Breast Surgeons, and a fellow of the American College of Surgeon. He is a graduate of Kansas City University School of Medicine and Biosciences. He completed his general surgical residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and a 1-year clinical surgical oncology fellowship at City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte.
Term: 9/1/2021-8/31/2026
ARGELIA FLORES, BA
Non-Profit, California Health Collaborative
Argelia obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Biology from U.C. Santa Cruz. She returned to the Central Valley of California in 2001 has worked with various not-for-profit organizations including the Great Valley Center, First 5 of Tulare County, and United Way of Tulare County. Since 2013, Argelia has been a Health Educator with the California Health Collaborative’s Every Woman Counts Program, under the California Department of Health Care Services. Her commitment is to inform and provide resources on Breast and Cervical Cancer screenings, with the intent to encourage age-appropriate qualifying individuals to obtain these screenings.
Argelia looks forward to advocating for research projects that will include the unique and specific needs of the diverse communities who are medically underserved.
Term: 9/1/2024-8/31/2027
Haley pollack
Advocate, Bright Spot Network
Haley Pollack is the co-founder and Executive Director of Bright Spot Network, a national nonprofit supporting families navigating a parent’s cancer. A cancer survivor, Haley was diagnosed at age 37, when she had a six-month-old baby and a toddler at home. After experiencing the lack of resources for young parents firsthand, Haley co-founded Bright Spot Network to ensure that families facing a parent’s cancer have access to the support and guidance she wished she’d had during her own diagnosis. Under Haley's leadership, Bright Spot Network has grown into a national community serving thousands of families each year through direct support, educational resources, and advocacy.
Term: 11/6/2025 - 8/31/2028
Angelique Richardson, MD, PhD
Scientist, Starling Oncology
Angelique Richardson, MD, PhD, is a dedicated breast medical oncologist and clinical investigator at UC San Diego Health, specializing in the treatment and clinical management of breast cancer. With a commitment to improving patient outcomes and advancing equity in cancer care, Dr. Richardson’s research interests focus on clinical trial design, health disparities, and community-engaged strategies to address socioeconomic barriers to cancer treatment.
Dr. Richardson earned her medical degree from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in Loma Linda, California, where she also completed a PhD in microbiology and molecular genetics with an emphasis in cancer biology and breast cancer. She completed her internal medicine residency at Adventist Health White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles, followed by a hematology/oncology fellowship at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania. She further enhanced her clinical expertise through participation in a clinical breast oncology program at the University of Miami in Florida.
She serves as principal investigator for several clinical trials aimed at broadening access to novel breast cancer therapies. Her work emphasizes the inclusion of diverse and historically underrepresented populations, leveraging evidence-based strategies to overcome systemic barriers to clinical trial participation. Dr. Richardson is actively involved in national professional organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American College of Physicians, National Medical Association, and American Medical Association. She is honored to serve on the California Breast Cancer Research Program Council, bringing her passion, compassion, and expertise to advance breast cancer research and care equity.
Term: 9/1/2025 - 8/31/2028
Wendy Verret, PhD
Private Industry, Gilead Sciences
Wendy Verret is currently an Executive Director, Clinical Development at Gilead Sciences. She serves as the Global Development Leader for HR+ Breast Cancer overseeing late phase clinical trials for assets within the Gilead portfolio.
Prior to joining Gilead in 2021, Wendy spent over 20 years in the Bay Area biotech industry, holding positions of increasing responsibility at Chiron (now Novartis), Medivation (now Pfizer), and Genentech. She has designed clinical trials, developed global clinical strategies, and led regulatory filings across multiple oncology indications including lung, liver, and breast cancer. In addition to her scientific leadership, Wendy is deeply committed to mentoring and developing high-performing teams, fostering growth and excellence across functions.
Wendy received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and went on to earn her MPH at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University and then her PhD in epidemiology from the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley.
Term: 9/1/2025 - 8/31/2028
Yvonne Tou
Advocate, Bay Area Young Survivors - Mets in the City
Yvonne has been an active and dedicated member of the Bay Area Young Survivors - Mets in the City (BAYS-MITC) community since joining the board in December 2021. She currently serves on the BAYS-MITC Emeritus Board, having previously served as President and Support Co-Chair. She brings a deep commitment to supporting young survivors and fostering an inclusive, empowering space for all members, and is a co-editor of Coming To Terms: Writing by Bay Area Young Survivors.
In her professional life, Yvonne works in healthcare administration as a Government Auditor and Appeals Analyst at Stanford Health Care, where she applies her expertise in compliance and hospital billing integrity.
As an Advocate for BAYS-MITC, Yvonne is passionate about ensuring every young survivor has access to support, understanding, and resources. She is particularly committed to active advocacy within the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community, aiming to break down barriers and normalize open, shame-free conversations around the cancer journey.
Term: 9/1/2026-8/31/2029
Janeen watanabe
Non-Profit, San Diego Black Nurses Association
Janeen Watanabe, RN, CBCN, has 10 years of oncology nursing experience caring for patients across the cancer continuum. She began her career as an inpatient hematology-oncology nurse in Northern Alabama before transitioning in 2019 to outpatient breast care in Southern California, where she currently serves as a surgical nurse case manager at a comprehensive breast health center. She also has experience in high-risk breast cancer screening and survivorship care.
Her path into oncology is deeply personal. A family history of both breast cancer and hematologic malignancies provided early insight into the experiences of patients and families navigating cancer and ultimately helped shape her commitment to oncology nursing.
Janeen is particularly passionate about patient education and community engagement, with an emphasis on empowering individuals with the knowledge and resources needed to make informed decisions throughout their care. She has held leadership positions in community organizations and is a Certified Breast Care Nurse (CBCN).
Janeen is honored to serve on the California Breast Cancer Research Program Council and looks forward to helping bridge research, patient care, and community.
Term: 9/1/2026-8/31/2029
Brooke Vuong, MD, MHA, FACS
Medical Specialist, Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center
Dr. Brooke Vuong is a dual board-certified General Surgeon and Surgical Oncologist at the Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center, where she serves as the Lead Breast and Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) Surgeon. She obtained her medical degree from the University of California, Davis and completed surgery residency at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. She then pursued a complex general surgical oncology fellowship at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. Her research interest is in outcomes and large database research. She has collaborated with the American Society of Breast Surgeons to publish guidelines on the implementation of home recovery after mastectomy. Her interest is in early onset breast cancer and has published on one of the largest U.S. cohorts of women under the age of 40 with breast cancer. She holds an appointment at the Center for Disease Control Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer in Young Women (ACBCYW). She serves as the Chair of the Commission on Cancer Committee at her local medical center. She also specializes in the treatment of complex liver and pancreatic cancers, with a special interest in robotic surgery. Dr. Vuong is one of the voting members of the Kaiser Permanente Oncology Clinical Trials (KPOCT) Steering Committee and actively enrolls patients in large cooperative group trials. She is also a breast cancer survivor and is passionate about advancements in breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.
Term: 9/1/2026-8/31/2029
Maureen McGee, RN, PHN, BSN
Advocate, Central Coast Survive Oars
Maureen founding member of the non-profit Central Coast SurviveOars, a DragonBoat team on the Central Coast of California
Maureen, “Mo”, has had a fulfilling nursing career caring and advocating for her patients in maternal child health, public school setting, and currently forensic nursing.
She was first diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40 following her first mammogram. Seven years later, she had a reoccurrence. The support, camaraderie, and the physical outdoor activity of the DragonBoat assisted in her healing and in her desire to create awareness and affect change in the breast cancer community.
Mo is a National Breast Cancer Coalition Project LEAD graduate and a former reviewer for the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program.
Term: 9/1/2026-8/31/2029
LAdia Cheng, PharmD
Industry, Ladia Cheng Consulting, LLC
Ladia Cheng, PharmD is an accomplished Medical Affairs leader with 15 years of Medical Affairs leadership experience and more than 10 years of clinical operations experience managing Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials for pharmaceutical companies, including early clinical trials in breast cancer. Her career spans clinical development, Medical Affairs strategy, field medical leadership, scientific engagement, evidence generation, and cross-functional collaboration across a broad range of therapeutic areas, including oncology and breast cancer.
As a Medical Affairs leader, Ladia has built and led high-performing Medical Science Liaison organizations and partnered with clinical development, commercial, market access, and other cross-functional teams to translate scientific evidence into strategies that advance healthcare and improve patient outcomes. Her experience includes developing medical strategies, cultivating relationships with key opinion leaders and external experts, generating actionable insights, and developing and coaching medical teams. Ladia has also been actively engaged in the evolution of AI-enabled Medical Affairs, including applications of artificial intelligence to MSL training, coaching, performance, and organizational effectiveness.
Ladia has a longstanding involvement with patient advocacy and academic teaching. She has served on the boards of organizations including the Breast Cancer Resource Center, Santa Barbara (BCRC), mentored students at Doctors without Walls- Santa Barbara Street Medicine (DWW-SBSM), and taught pharmacology courses at UCSB. These experiences have deepened her appreciation for connecting scientific advancement with the needs and perspectives of patients and the need to develop future healthcare professionals.
Ladia’s academic and clinical training includes two years of chemistry studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and a Clinical Pharmacy Residency at the University of Michigan. She was also a clinical faculty at University of Illinois, Chicago and a founding board member at Rosalind Franklin University, IL.
Term: 9/1/2026-8/31/2029
Sharon Hori, Phd
Scientist, Stanford University School of Medicine
Dr. Sharon Hori is a Senior Research Scientist at the Canary Center for Cancer Early Detection in the Department of Radiology at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Her research focuses on developing personalized cancer screening guidelines for individuals with uncertain health/disease status to accelerate the detection of aggressive cancers while minimizing overdiagnosis and overtreatment of benign and indolent lesions.
Dr. Hori’s interdisciplinary laboratory leverages computational modeling, machine learning, cancer animal models, and multi-modal molecular imaging to optimize the non-invasive detection and visualization of lethal cancers. Her mathematical models of cancer biomarker shedding were featured on the cover of Science Translational Medicine and her early cancer detection work has been funded by the U.S. Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program Breakthrough Award.
Dr. Hori received Bachelor’s degrees in Cybernetics and Applied Mathematics as well as Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Biomedical Engineering from UCLA. She completed postdoctoral training through the NIH/NCI-funded Stanford Molecular Imaging Scholars Program, integrating computational, biological, and imaging methodologies to mathematically model the growth of early-stage cancers.
Term: 9/1/2026-8/31/2029
Lydia Sohn, phd
Scientist, University of California, Berkeley
Lydia L. Sohn received her A.B. (Chemistry and Physics, 1988) from Harvard-Radcliffe Colleges and her M.S. (1990) and Ph.D. (1992) in Physics from Harvard University. She was an NSF/NATO postdoctoral fellow at Delft University of Technology (1992-1993) and a postdoctoral fellow at AT&T Bell Laboratories (1993-1995) prior to joining the Physics faculty at Princeton University in 1995. Since 2003, Sohn has been a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at UC Berkeley, where she now holds the Almy C. Maynard & Agnes Offield Maynard Chair in Mechanical Engineering and is a Core Member of the UCSF-UC Berkeley Joint-Graduate Group in Bioengineering and an Associated Member of the UC Berkeley-UCSF. Sohn’s research is focused on developing microfluidic platforms to investigate susceptibility and resilience of disease and has been awarded several patents on her innovative platform designs. Using one of her platforms, she has recently identified mechanical aging in breast epithelial cells that correlates to increased breast cancer risk. Sohn has received numerous awards, including the NSF CAREER and the Army Research Office Young Investigator Award, and is a member of the Women in Cell Biology Committee of the American Society of Cell Biology. Sohn is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.
Term: 9/1/2026-8/31/2029
Punita Khanna
Advocate, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Punita Khanna is a speaker, author, and breast cancer patient advocate whose work is dedicated to advancing cancer awareness, personalized care, and greater inclusion in cancer research and advocacy. Drawing from her lived experience as a breast cancer survivor and more than 25 years of healthcare leadership, she brings both a patient and healthcare-system perspective to her advocacy.
Punita advocates for early detection, personalized medicine, access to care, and meaningful representation of diverse communities in cancer research and care.
As an Oncotype DX Patient Ambassador, Punita shares her experience with biomarker testing and how it informed her decision to forgo chemotherapy. She is an Ambassador Constituent Team (ACT) Lead with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and a member of its AAPI Caucus, advocating with state and federal policymakers for policies that strengthen cancer prevention and detection, expand access to care, and improve patient outcomes. She is also involved with the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC).
As a Community Scientist with Cedars-Sinai Cancer, Punita reviews research studies and investigator-initiated clinical trial protocols, helping ensure that patient perspectives are incorporated into cancer research. She has also worked to amplify the experiences of South Asian women affected by breast cancer.
Her advocacy has been featured by Katie Couric Media, Exact Sciences, Parade Magazine, SAAPRI, Identity Unveiled, and other national platforms.
Punita holds degrees in Biology and Human Biology from the University of Chicago, an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management, and certificates in fundraising and oncology patient navigation.
Term: 9/1/2026-8/31/2029
Svetlana Popova, MD, MPH
Ex-Officio, CDHCS - Every Woman Counts Program
Svetlana Popova has worked at the Cancer Detection Section (CDS), California Department of Public Health since February 2009. She serves as a Public Health Medical Officer at the Benefits Division, Department of Health Care Services. As a medical advisor she assists in developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluation clinical interventions and provider education and trainings for “Every Woman Counts, (EWC)” program, which provides free breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic, patient navigation services, health education and outreach.
Dr. Popova was the Principal Investigator (PI) for California Colorectal Cancer Control Program (CRCCP) and California National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), federal part of “Every Woman Counts” Program. She is a member of California Dialogue on Cancer (CDOC) Executive Committee and Advisory Committee for California’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan. She also serves as a medical consultant for The Prostate Cancer Treatment Program (PCTP), aka IMProving Access, Counseling & Treatment for Californians with Prostate Cancer (IMPACT).
Dr. Popova received her medical degree at the Urals State Medical Academy in Russia in 1996. She was a part of the international team working for the Medical Education Partnership Project with Yale School of Medicine, Rochester School of Medicine and SUNY, sponsored by USAID/IREX. She was also involved with many other international projects sponsored/funded by CDC and John Hopkins University in the area of Reproductive, Maternal and Infant Health. Dr. Popova held the position of Director of Patient Services at the American Medical Center in Kiev, Ukraine.
Dr. Popova completed UC Davis Family and Community Medicine Residency Program in 2006 and 2-year fellowship programs: Women's Health and Primary Care Outcome Research at UC Davis Health System and received MPH degree from UC Davis in 2008. The areas of her interest are Preventative Medicine, International and Women's Health.