Karuna Jaggar, Executive Director
- Hometown: Berkeley, CA
- Best decision ever: Joining Breast Cancer Action
- Most unusual job: Wrangler
Karuna brings a personal commitment to creating health equity and a professional expertise in applied research and policy advocacy to her understanding of the breast cancer epidemic. Recognizing that social injustices and environmental factors put each of us at risk of developing breast cancer, regardless of family medical history, Karuna insists that personal lifestyle choices will not protect us from breast cancer.
As BCAction’s executive director, Karuna’s vision for health equity awards every woman affected by breast cancer the power and knowledge to make informed decisions that enable them to take control of their healthcare. This includes a woman’s right to access affordable treatment options, to create individualized treatment plans that reflect personal values and priorities, and to avoid involuntary exposure to environmental toxins. Karuna is an unapologetic patient advocate for close family members who have undergone treatment for breast cancer. She is the parent of 2 daughters and aunt to 2 nieces, all under the age of 6.
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Joyce Bichler, Deputy Director
- Originates from: Bronx, NY
- Enjoys: Good food/fun travel; facing and overcoming fears; living life together with my amazing husband
- Favorite Adventure: Swimming with penguins in the Galapagos Islands
Joyce works closely with the Executive Director in support of the program, administrative, finance, and human resource functions of Breast Cancer Action. A cancer survivor and lifelong activist, Joyce brings to BCAction strong leadership skills and an extensive background in cancer support and not-for-profit management. She is the author of Joyce Bichler: DES Daughter, which details her cancer experience and how she stood up to the pharmaceutical industry. Joyce received her MSW from the University of Michigan.
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Caitlin Carmody, Membership Coordinator
- Most visited website: Wikipedia
- Usual state: Caffeinated
- Left her heart in: Iowa
Caitlin works closely with the program, development, and communications teams to keep BCAction members up to speed on breast cancer news and action. Caitlin is constantly inspired by and learning from BCAction’s awesome members, so she encourages you to get in touch. Caitlin believes strongly in the power of grassroots activism to achieve social change, and loves BCAction for its unapologetic advocacy on behalf of women at risk for and living with breast cancer. She just completed the Anne Braden Anti-Racist Training Program for White Social Justice Activists through the Catalyst Project.
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Zoe Christopher
Office Manager and Resource Liaison
- Lives for: Photography, Outsider Art & Youth Work
- Favorite photographers: Francesca Woodman & Elliott Erwitt
- In her next life: A Dancer with the London-based company DV8
Zoë wears many hats: As BCAction’s Resource Liaison and member of the extended program team, she connects those seeking information and assistance with the answers and resources they’re looking for regarding detection, treatment, and prevention of breast cancer, as well as BCAction’s environmental and health equity work. She manages our Volunteer Program, and coordinates all aspects of the work environment, doing her best to keep her coworkers laughing. Zoë holds a Masters Degree in transpersonal psychology, and after 15 years working in the trenches of crisis intervention and support, today, when she’s not serving as a photography mentor for underserved youth, she’s either roaming the streets with a camera or raising cain as a member of community dance groups. She will do anything for an artist.
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Sarah Harding, Development Director
- Hometown: Whidbey Island, WA
- Favorite pastime: Asking clarifying questions
- Big adventure: Spent a year traveling to 11 countries on a shoestring budget
Sarah oversees Breast Cancer Action’s development department, managing and implementing a multi-faceted fundraising campaign. She came to BCAction because of their unique corporate contributions policy and fearless commitment to social justice. Sarah has worked at BCAction for over five years and is deeply committed to supporting the organization’s groundbreaking education and advocacy work. Sarah holds a B.A. in Women’s Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara and has a dog named Mingus.
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Kim Irish, Program Manager
- Favorite ice cream: Ben & Jerry’s Karamel Sutra
- Secretly wishes she were: A ballerina
- New hobby: Photography
Kim oversees BCAction’s Think Before You Pink and Milking Cancer campaigns, along with local, state, and federal advocacy efforts to put patients first, create healthy environments, and eliminate social inequities related to breast cancer. Kim received her B.A. from the University of California, Davis, and her J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law. She is also a graduate of the Women’s Policy Institute, and the Reach the Decision Makers Training Program. When she is not working for social justice, she enjoys travel, hiking, and snuggling with her kitties, Dolly and Emmylou.
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Sahru Keiser, Program Associate of Education and Mobilization
- Childhood hometown: Venice Beach, CA
- Circus skills: Walking on stilts & juggling
- Enjoys: Playing at the beach with my family, baking and reading a good book with a cup of hot tea
Sahru is part of the program team and works on educating the public on issues of health inequities related to breast cancer and mobilizing BCAction’s national partners on inequities issues. Sahru’s mission as a public health practitioner is to work towards ending the devastating effects of discrimination and oppression on health. As a woman of color, she feels compelled to work to end disparities in health and address the injustices in healthcare delivery that disproportionately affect communities of color. Sahru received her B.A. in Biology from University of California, Santa Cruz and a Masters of Public Health from San Francisco State University. She has two wonderful and amazing children.
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Angela Wall, Communications Manager
- Hometown: San Francisco, CA
- Alter ego: Illegitimate offspring of Emmeline Pankhurst and Eddie Izzard
- Can’t get enough of: My daughter, the smell of tea roses, Tartine morning buns, the color red
Angela’s is BCAction’s head of strategic communications and media relations. Once a university lecturer, online advertising strategic planner and writer for an underground newspaper, Angela was born in Nuneaton, England (home of George Elliot) and earned a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Cultural Studies. She has always held an active and passionate interest in women’s health and equality.
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