Months after PR crisis, Susan G. Komen founder and president both step aside
The organization made no mention that the shakeup might have anything to do with the Planned Parenthood debacle in January.
Nancy Brinker, the founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the nation’s largest breast cancer foundation, is stepping down as chief executive. She will take a new position focused on fundraising and strategy once a new leader is hired.
Also out is Komen President Liz Thompson, who is leaving next month, as well as two board members.
The moves come months after Komen was embroiled in one of the worst PR crises of the year. In January, the organization announced that it would stop giving money to Planned Parenthood for cancer screenings. It was suspected that the decision was politically motivated. Karen Handel, then the group’s vice president, had run for governor of Georgia in 2010 on a strong pro-life platform.
Komen botched its handling of the crisis. Not only did Komen apologize and restore funding for Planned Parenthood, but also it began losing donors and board members and staff as a result of the incident.
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