Elisabeth Baugh, Chair

Elisabeth Baugh’s achievements over 19 years as CEO at Ovarian Cancer Canada include merging two charities to create one voice for ovarian cancer in 2007, raising the organization to a national presence with six regional offices, development of education and awareness programs and mission oversight.

Elisabeth chaired the first-ever World Ovarian Cancer Day on May 8, 2013. This event, which she continues to lead, now boasts more than 100 organizational participants in 28 countries, and has formally become the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, of which Elisabeth is also Chair. She is active on a number of Patient Advisory Boards globally.

Previously, Elisabeth co-founded and was Executive Director for 10 years at AboutFace, a national organisation dedicated to helping individuals with facial differences. Elisabeth has received the Order of Ontario and Queen’s Jubilee Medal and been recognized three times as one of Canada’s Top 100 Women for her achievements in the charitable sector.

“The World Ovarian Cancer Coalition’s vision is to ensure the best possible chance of survival, and the best possible quality of life for every woman with ovarian cancer – wherever they are. The task of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition Board of Directors is to unite the ovarian cancer community across the world to make this happen. I am proud to be part of this movement and inspired by all that we work with.”

Annwen Jones, Vice-Chair

Annwen Jones is Chief Executive of Target Ovarian Cancer, the leading ovarian cancer charity in the United Kingdom. She has extensive experience in the non-profit sector, having served as Chief Executive of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, as Council member of the Association of Medical Research Charities in the UK and as Chief Executive of Ovarian Cancer Action.

Annwen holds a number of senior positions, both national and international. She is Vice-Chair of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, incorporating World Ovarian Cancer Day, and she has served on the Steering Committee of the European Network of Gynaecological Cancer Advocacy Groups (2014–2016). She was appointed by NHS England to the National Cancer Drugs Fund Panel in 2014.

Annwen holds a Master of Business Administration from Henley Business School.

“I was honoured to be part of the team that co-founded World Ovarian Cancer Day in 2013 because of the urgent need to raise awareness of this much-neglected cancer on a global scale. The establishment of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition is a major step forward because I believe that by working together – speaking with a single voice 365 days of the year – we can achieve even more for woman affected by this disease.”

Calaneet Balas, Vice-Chair

Calaneet has served as Chief of Strategy at The ALS Association since June 2016. Prior to joining The ALS Association, Calaneet served as CEO of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. In this role, she achieved numerous accomplishments, including testifying before Congress, initiating the first ever bi-partisan Congressional Ovarian Cancer Caucus and overseeing “50 States of Teal”, a report card that called out individual states on their coverage of women’s health care implementation through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Calaneet was instrumental in helping to create the largest global organization dedicated to ovarian cancer research, advocacy and patients, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance.

Calaneet holds an MBA from Herriot-Watt University, a Master of Science in Human Movement Science Education from the University of Memphis, and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Truman State University.

“Despite being the deadliest of all gynecological cancers, ovarian cancer it is characterized around the world by a lack awareness of symptoms and late-stage diagnosis. I am convinced that by coming together through the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, we can do much more to raise the visibility and profile of ovarian cancer on a global scale and help make a difference for women locally.”

Robin Cohen, Board Member

Robin Cohen is the CEO and Co-Founder of the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She is a member of the Oncology Nursing Society, the Society of Gynecologic Nurse Oncologists, Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society and the Cambridge Who’s Who. She has been recognized as one of the 75 Greatest Living Philadelphians. She has served on the board of directors of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance for the last seven years and is now the Vice President of the Board of the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance. Robin recently joined the Board of World Ovarian Cancer Coalition.

“I am excited about being part of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition and the opportunity to join forces with supporters from around the world to draw attention to this disease. Globally, ovarian cancer is diagnosed annually in nearly a quarter of a million women and is responsible for 140,000 deaths each year. I am part of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition because I believe that the time has come for global action.”

Jane Hill, Board Member

Jane is CEO of Ovarian Cancer Australia, the National consumer organisation taking action for women affected by ovarian cancer. Jane is actively involved internationally in her role as member of the Board of Directors of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition. She is also a Director of Australian think-tank, the Cancer Drugs Alliance, an organisation which is recommending changes in drug approval processes to make cancer drugs available more quickly to patients who need them. She is also one of two independent directors of the Freemasons Foundation Victoria, a philanthropic body with $50 million under investment. Jane’s ambitious goal is to increase survival rates for ovarian cancer by 25% by the year 2025.

Jane has 15 years experience in non-profit leadership and a solid grounding in strategy and risk, people leadership and governance. She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and author of KPMG’s flagship publication, the Company Director’s Toolkit, a project she undertook at KPMG within the Board Advisory Services Division. Before embarking on her career in non-profit leadership, Jane studied Arts/Law, followed by an MBA, and post-graduate studies in marketing and corporate governance.

“It is both an honor and a privilege to join the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition Board of Directors. I believe that through this Coalition we have a significant opportunity to help drive global improvements for ovarian cancer on all fronts – awareness, diagnosis, treatment and quality of life. I very much look forward to working with my fellow World Ovarian Cancer Coalition Board members – and the ovarian cancer community from around the world – as we take forward this important mission on behalf of all those affected by this disease.”

Eva Schumacher-Wulf, Board Member

Eva Schumacher-Wulf is the publisher and chief-editor of the German ovarian cancer magazine “Mamma Mia!” as well as a breast cancer magazine. The quarterly magazines are for ovarian and breast cancer patients, as well as for doctors, nurses and anyone else involved with this disease. The magazines provide medical information, and psychological support, including articles about nutrition, sports and healthy life style. Eva also provides information from the Mamma Mia! website as well as from other social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Eva was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 at the age of 34, when her boys were one and four years old. Prior to founding and working for Mamma Mia! Eva worked for the Israeli government tourism office in Berlin as a spokesperson for 12 years. She has a master’s degree in tourism from the University of Trier, a degree in public relations from the Academy DAPR and a degree in social media from the Deutsche Presseakademie.

“I am very happy about the opportunity to join the Board of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition. Being connected to other organizations helps our efforts to create awareness and to support women living with ovarian cancer. In Europe, one of the key challenges is to ensure that all women with ovarian cancer are being treated in specialized centers. I believe through the WOCC we can help address these kinds of challenges. I also strongly believe that society still does not know enough about ovarian cancer. We need a Coalition like this to create greater public awareness of this disease around the world.