Markey Cancer Foundation Names New President and CEO
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 28, 2013) — The Markey Cancer Foundation Board of Trustees ihas announced that Stephanie P. Herron has been named resident and CEO of the Foundation. Herron brings 25 years of experience in university fundraising, medically focused investment banking, and executive management.
“With the recent National Cancer Institute designation of the UK Markey Cancer Center, this is an exciting time to be leading the effort to raise support for the research initiatives and innovative patient care that Markey offers,” said Herron.
The Markey Cancer Foundation supports the work of the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center by investing in the people and programs who are working to discover the cures and to devise new and better treatments to fight cancer. Over the past 34 years, the Markey Cancer Foundation has built the four facilities that now comprise the UK Markey Cancer Center and funded numerous endowed chairs, clinical and research programs. The Foundation donated the buildings to the UK and continues to work to provide the funding for programs, recruiting top researchers and physicians, and finding better ways to assist patients and their families during such a crisis time in their lives.
As the former CEO of Global Shelter Systems (GSS), Herron raised millions of dollars through federal research grants and private sources to fund a breakthrough military product from concept through rigorous Department of Defense testing and into full commercialization. Prior to GSS, she served as Director of University Development at California State University Channel Islands. Under her leadership, the University experienced unprecedented growth in fundraising activity, increasing revenue by 1500 percent in less than two years. Her achievements include co-authoring a million-dollar grant for science education from the Amgen Foundation, securing key major gifts in support of the $60 million dollar John S. Broome Library Capital Campaign and working on multi-year funding initiatives for Alzheimer’s and stem cell research.
Herron’s fundraising background also includes serving as managing director of an investment banking firm where she matched funding sources with researchers and clinicians at the University of Florida and McKnight Brain Institute developing breakthrough medical devices and therapeutics. Earlier in her career, she served as Director of Professional Development at Texas A&M University and from 1989 to 1992 she raised more than $40 million dollars while serving as executive director of a highly successful economic development program in Tennessee, earning the distinguished Tennessee Governor’s Award of Excellence for her work.
"We were all very impressed by Stephanie’s past career achievements and her enthusiasm and vision in taking the Foundation to a whole new level," said Sally Humphrey, chair of the Markey Cancer Foundation Board of Trustees.
Herron has served on numerous community boards throughout the years including the Board of Trustees of Grace Episcopal Day School, St. Vincent Hospital Capital Campaign Board, Tennessee Governor’s Economic Development Task Force, King College President’s Roundtable Advisory Board, and Springboard Capital, an early stage venture fund. She is a member of the National Association of Female Executives and Entrepreneurs, the Association of University Technology Managers, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and was active for over 10 years with the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.
Stephanie is a native of Bellevue, Ky., and earned a bachelor's degree from Northern Kentucky University and master's degree Summa Cum Laude from Texas A&M University. She is married to Burke Herron, a former US Navy Lt. Commander and Test Pilot, and they have two sons, Austin and William.