Ellen V. Sigal

Ellen V. Sigal, Ph.D., is the founder and Chairperson of Friends of Cancer Research, a Washington, D.C. based not-for-profit organization dedicated to accelerating the nation's progress toward prevention and treatment of cancer by mobilizing public support for cancer research funding and providing education on key public policy issues. Dr. Sigal also holds leadership positions with a broad range of cancer advocacy and public policy organizations, including: Duke University's Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Johns Hopkins Cancer Center Advisory Council, the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the American Cancer Society. Dr. Sigal serves on the Board of Scientific Advisors for the National Cancer Institute and most recently, Dr. Sigal was named to the National Institute of Health Director's Council of Public Representatives.

In her over twenty years of commitment to advancing the war on cancer, Dr. Sigal has served in a number of critical public positions. Dr. Sigal was a Presidential Appointee to the National Cancer Advisory Board from 1992-1998 where she chaired the Budget and Planning Committee that oversees the federal cancer budget. Additionally, Dr. Sigal also serves on the National Dialogue on Cancer's research advisory panel and previously held leadership positions with the Foundation for the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

In 1998, Dr. Sigal was named Vice Chairman of the Board of The March - a national grassroots advocacy group that brought thousands of volunteers to Washington to liaise with Congress and to set a new advocacy agenda for cancer research and treatment. Dr. Sigal also has been instrumental in harnessing the energies of Hollywood on behalf of cancer research - serving as President of The Creative Community Task Force for Cancer Research.

Prior to her work in cancer research advocacy, Dr. Sigal enjoyed a highly successful and influential business career in commercial real estate. Her firm, Sigal Development, financed and developed major projects throughout the Washington and mid-Atlantic region - a portfolio in excess of one billion dollars. For her efforts on behalf of cancer research advocacy, Dr. Sigal received the 1998 American Association for Cancer Research National Leadership Award, the 1999 Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center National Leadership Award, and the 2002 American Society of Clinical Oncology Special Recognition Award.

Dr. Sigal received her Ph.D. from Rutgers University in Russian History.