Kathy Giusti, a multiple myeloma patient, is the Founder and Executive Chairman of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) and the Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium. Since founding the MMRF in 1998, Giusti has led the Foundation, in coordination with its partners, in establishing innovative, collaborative research models in the areas of tissue banking, genomics and clinical trials. These models are dramatically accelerating the pace at which lifesaving treatments are brought to patients and are building an end-to-end solution in precision medicine. Today Giusti is widely recognized as a champion of open-access data sharing and a strong advocate for patient engagement, not only in their cancer care, but as part of the research and drug development process.
Giusti’s leadership has earned her several prestigious awards and recognitions. Most recently, she was ranked #19 on Fortune Magazine’s Worlds’ 50 Greatest Leaders. In 2013, she was named an Open Science Champion of Change by the White House and received the Leadership in Personalized Medicine Award by the Personalized Medicine Coalition. In 2011, she was named to the TIME 100 List of the world’s most influential people. She has also received the American Association for Cancer Research Centennial Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the Harvard Business School Alumni Achievement Award, and the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association's Woman of the Year Award. Giusti received her M.B.A. in general management from Harvard Business School. She holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Vermont.
