-
Barbara K. Rimer, DrPHChairDean and Alumni Distinguished Professor
UNC Gillings School of Global Public HealthDr. Rimer was appointed to the President's Cancer Panel by President Barack Obama in 2011. Dr. Rimer's work in the cancer field has guided national research, practice, and policy for more than 20 years. Her research has contributed to the evidence base in a number of cancer-related areas, including informed decision making, long-term maintenance of behavior changes, adherence to cancer prevention and early detection practices, and dissemination and implementation of evidence-based interventions.Until 2015, Dr. Rimer served as Vice-Chair of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She was the first woman and behavioral scientist to chair the NCI's National Cancer Advisory Board. She has received numerous awards, including the 2004 Healthtrac Foundation Award for Health Education and the 2013 American Cancer Society's Medal of Honor.Dr. Rimer received a BA and an MPH from the University of Michigan and a DrPH from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. -
Hill Harper, JDMemberAuthor, Actor, and PhilanthropistMr. Harper was appointed to the President's Cancer Panel by President Barack Obama in 2012. He is an award-winning actor, best-selling author, and philanthropist. He starred on the CBS TV drama CSI: NY, and more recently starred on USA Network’s Covert Affairs. He has returned to CBS, where he is starring as Agent Boyle in the new drama Limitless. Mr. Harper is the author of four New York Times best sellers and has earned seven NAACP Image awards for his writing and acting. He founded the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation, dedicated to empowering underserved youth through mentorship, scholarship, and grant programs.In 2010, Mr. Harper was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, a journey that he chronicled in his 2011 New York Times bestseller The Wealth Cure: Putting Money in Its Place. He has since been declared cancer free.Mr. Harper received a BA from Brown University, an MPA from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a JD from Harvard Law School. He has received honorary doctorate degrees from Winston-Salem State University, Cheyney University, Westfield State College, Tougaloo College, Dillard University, Howard University, and LeMoyne-Owen College. -
Owen N. Witte, MDMemberUniversity ProfessorDirector, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research
University of California, Los AngelesDr. Witte was appointed to the President's Cancer Panel by President Barack Obama in 2011. He has made significant contributions to the understanding of cancer at the molecular level. His discoveries in the lab led to the development of targeted therapies for immune disorders, certain types of lymphomas, and leukemia. His current work to define stem cells for certain cancers of the prostate and other organ sites aims to discover new treatments for these diseases.A member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Institute of Medicine, Dr. WItte has received numerous awards, including the Milken Foundation Award, the Rosenthal Award of the American Association for Cancer Research, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's de Villiers International Achievement Award.Dr. Witte received a BS from Cornell University and an MD from the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Past Members
