Nancy Brinker

  • Widely Regarded as a Leader in the Global Breast Cancer Movement
  • Founder, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure
  • U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary, 2001-2003
  • U.S. Chief of Protocol, 2007-2009

Nancy G. Brinker is regarded as the leader of the global breast cancer movement. Her journey began with a simple promise to her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything possible to end the shame, pain, fear and hopelessness caused by this disease. In one generation, the organization that bears Susan’s name has changed the world.

As Ambassador Nancy has given speeches around the world – from the United Nations European Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland to business leaders in Moscow, Russia and at annual meetings of our nation’s largest companies. In front of countless audiences big and small, she has shared her fascinating experiences and stories as our nation’s top diplomat in Hungary in the weeks and months immediately following 9/11 and as the United States Chief of Protocol under President Bush where she had the intimate opportunity to walk the halls of the West Wing and White House Residence while managing protocol and social matters for visiting heads of state and government.

 


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Past Hosts Include:
  • Philips Healthcare, North America
Rave Reviews About Nancy Brinker as a Speaker
“Ambassador Brinker’s story—turning a personal tragedy into a powerful force for positive change—is well known. Her ability to so effectively weave her experiences into a keynote address filled with stories and lessons directly relevant to our business and organization was an unexpected, but greatly appreciated surprise. She truly hit the mark, raising the bar on what we can expect from future keynoters.”

Talks & Conversations with Nancy Brinker
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"The Art of Seeing the Invisible"

Drawing on her 30-year experience transforming a small living-room operation into a billion-dollar global network against breast cancer, Ambassador Nancy Brinker shares the leadership lessons that every executive and employee needs to know to build their company, energize their teams, strengthen the ...

Drawing on her 30-year experience transforming a small living-room operation into a billion-dollar global network against breast cancer, Ambassador Nancy Brinker shares the leadership lessons that every executive and employee needs to know to build their company, energize their teams, strengthen their brand and institutionalize a Culture of Innovation that allows organizations to stay ahead of the competition and achieve world-class results. Just as her passion to find a cure for breast cancer created the world's largest network of survivors and activists fighting the disease, Ambassador Brinker motivates corporate audiences in every industry and sector to excel in "The Art of Seeing the Invisible"—pursuing bold goals that may seem invisible and making them inevitable.

"The Power of One"

One of the nation's foremost social entrepreneurs and a global activist who has inspired millions around the world, Ambassador Nancy Brinker empowers audiences of all ages and backgrounds to embrace The Power of One—the ability of every individual to make a difference in their communities, com ...

One of the nation's foremost "social entrepreneurs" and a global activist who has inspired millions around the world, Ambassador Nancy Brinker empowers audiences of all ages and backgrounds to embrace "The Power of One"—the ability of every individual to make a difference in their communities, companies, countries and the world. Drawing on her remarkable life experience as a breast cancer survivor, catalyst of an international health movement, U.S. Ambassador and U.S. Chief of Protocol, Nancy Brinker shares how her unique lessons for personal and professional fulfillment can help every individual lead a life of both success and significance.

"The Patient Empowerment Revolution"

A former member of the President's Cancer Panel, the United Nations World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control and one of America's foremost patient advocates for a quarter century, Ambassador Nancy Brinker addresses the key challenges facing the delivery of affordable, accessi ...

A former member of the President's Cancer Panel, the United Nations World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control and one of America's foremost patient advocates for a quarter century, Ambassador Nancy Brinker addresses the key challenges facing the delivery of affordable, accessible healthcare in the United States and around the world today. Drawing on her pioneering experience of transforming the way the world talks about and treats breast cancer—and warning how the baby boom will become an unprecedented "cancer boom"—Ambassador Brinker argues that today's "Patient Empowerment Revolution" will only succeed if patient-centered care becomes the central organizing philosophy of a 21st Century healthcare system.

"Brave Enough!"

Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama, one of Biography Magazine's 25 Most Powerful Women in America, Ladies Home Journal's 100 Most Important Women of the 20thCentury, and TIME Magazine's 2008 100 Most Influential People, Ambassador Nancy Brinker energizes women execut ...

Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama, one of Biography Magazine's "25 Most Powerful Women in America," Ladies Home Journal's "100 Most Important Women of the 20thCentury," and TIME Magazine's 2008 "100 Most Influential People," Ambassador Nancy Brinker energizes women executives, entrepreneurs and business owners to overcome the unique challenges facing female business leaders and seize the unprecedented opportunities of today's business world. Drawing on her own experience of founding, building and guiding the world's largest network of breast cancer survivors and activists, Ambassador Brinker inspires women to be "Brave Enough" to pursue their professional ambitions, persevere in the face of barriers and become mentors and models to the next generation of women leaders.

Winning the War!

As one of the world's foremost cancer advocates, a three-decade cancer survivor and catalyst of the global grassroots breast cancer movement, Ambassador Nancy Brinker inspires cancer patients and their families to win their personal war with this devastating disease while urging the international co ...

As one of the world's foremost cancer advocates, a three-decade cancer survivor and catalyst of the global grassroots breast cancer movement, Ambassador Nancy Brinker inspires cancer patients and their families to win their personal war with this devastating disease while urging the international community to recognize and confront the coming "cancer tsunami." Warning that the global cancer burden will more than double in the coming decades—with perhaps 27 million cancer cases every year—Ambassador Brinker calls for a unprecedented and urgent international campaign to save the lives of millions around the world.

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Biography

Nancy G. Brinker is regarded as the leader of the global breast cancer movement. Her journey began with a promise to her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything possible to end the shame, pain, fear and hopelessness caused by this disease. In one generation, the organization that bears Susan’s name has changed the world.

In 1982, shortly after Susan’s death from breast cancer at the age of 36, Brinker founded Susan G. Komen® in Susan’s name. Brinker faced an immediate uphill battle: newspapers balked at printing the words “breast cancer”, no one talked openly about the disease, there were no 800-numbers, no internet and few, if any, support groups. Few treatment options existed for breast cancer patients and limited resources were committed to the disease. In a matter of years, Brinker broke the silence around breast cancer, and Susan G. Komen is now the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Today, the organization has invested nearly $2.9 billion in breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment.

Her creativity in raising awareness led to programs that at the time were revolutionary: In 1983, she founded the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® series, which is now the world’s largest and most successful education and fundraising event for breast cancer. She also pioneered cause-related marketing, allowing millions to participate in the fight against breast cancer through businesses that share Komen’s commitment to end the disease forever. Komen’s unwavering advocacy for breast cancer survivors led to new legislation and greater government research funding. Major advances in breast cancer research have been touched by hundreds of millions of dollars in Komen funding.

Brinker’s determination to create a world without breast cancer is matched by her passion for enlisting every segment of society- from leaders to citizens- to participate in the battle. In 2009, President Barack Obama honored Nancy with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for this work. The same year, she was named Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control for the United Nations’ World Health Organization, where she continues her mission to put cancer control at the top of the world health agenda.

In 2010, Brinker released her New York Times best-selling memoir Promise Me, an inspirational story of her transformation from bereaved sister to the undisputed leader of the ongoing international movement to end breast cancer. She was named one of TIME magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” in 2008. From 2001-2003, she served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary and served as U.S. Chief of Protocol from 2007-2009 where she was responsible for overseeing all protocol matters for visiting heads of state and presidential travel abroad. In 2008, President George W. Bush appointed her to The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees. Brinker currently serves on numerous corporate and non-profit boards and is an Executive in Residence at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.

Brinker is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has received numerous accolades for her global work, including the prestigious Mary Woodard Lasker Award for Public Service, the Champions of Excellence Award presented by the Centers for Disease Control, the Porter Prize presented by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, the Forbes Trailblazer Award, Ladies Home Journal’s “100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century”, and the Anti-Defamation League Americanism Award. She was named one of the 100 Most Trusted People in America by Reader’s Digest in 2013. In 2015 she was inducted to the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and in 2016 she received the Order of Lincoln Award, - Illinois’ highest honor for professional achievement and public service. Her work also includes advocating for equality in the LGBT community, and she is honored to be a member of the Harvey Milk Foundation’s leadership and advisory board. Brinker currently serves as Global Advisor to HOLOGIC Inc. and is a contributor for Fox News and Newsmax.

In 2018, Brinker spearheaded creation of The Promise Fund, a revolutionary fundraising initiative aimed at connecting cancer care providers with vulnerable populations in South Florida - people in financial need and those who have moved to Florida from Puerto Rico and other areas following devastating hurricanes. Brinker spoke about The Promise Fund to an international audience at Ideas Weekend in Abu Dhabi and chaired Concordia’s 2018 Health Summit of the Americas in Bogota, Colombia in July.