Our Mission
Educating the community on breast cancer through a collaborative celebration of art, fashion, food and music.
History
Beats for Boobs founder, Juliana Cochnar, began volunteering for Susan G. Komen for the Cure in the early 1990’s. In 2002, she learned that her mother, Barbara, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Beats for Boobs was created as a fundraising effort with friend, Radhika Ragsdale, who shared the same passion for the cause. That effort, along with their team that was created to participate in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, raised a total donation of $4400.
Just two years later, Beats for Boobs threw a full-fledged fundraiser in tandem with the Komen Race, collectively raising more than $9000. Since then, the yearly event has grown organically in the San Francisco community, and the Race team fundraising and B4B donations have generated over $75,000 for the cause. This year’s event will be Beats for Boob’s largest fundraiser, aiming to raise $30,000 for national and grassroots breast cancer organizations. Beats for Boobs is focused on raising awareness of environmental causes of breast cancer, and educating women on prevention.
Our Team
Executives
Juliana Cochnar, Founder
Katherine Vicker, Chief Marketing Officer
Summer Frundel, Chief Operations Officer
Radhika Ragsdale, Executive Vice President
Shabnum Norling, VP of Communications
My Nguyen, Techie VP
Maricor Brown, Director of Finance
Brian de la Cruz, Creative Director
Nicole Patterson Hayes, Culinary Director
Jenny Shu, Music Director
Gayle Link Pope, Director of Education
Christopher O'Rourke, Director of Security
Ashley Hamilton, Director of Ambiance
Officers
Molly Parsley, PR Manager
Jennifer Carroll, Performances Producer
Sarah King, Lead Stylist
Phil DeVera, Senior Web Developer
Piper Hook, Ambiance and Decor
Kerry Lange, Donations Manager
Daniel Madej, Manager of Security
Paula Cavagnaro, Volunteer Manager
Programs
Beats for Boobs Annual Fundraiser is a large scale annual fundraiser incorporating the four core elements of the mission statement: art, fashion, food and music. The event takes place in a stylish urban locale offering a themed
fashion show, culinary delights, educational and interactive games, live art performances, and innovative music. Proceeds raised are distributed to various breast cancer organizations, both at the local and national level.
Team Beats for Boobs formerly know as B4B: Barbie and the Boob Brigade, is a team of B4B executives, directors and volunteers that annually participant in local fundraising races, walks, and hikes. The team participates in events such as the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, the Walk for Hope, and the Dipsea Hike/Run to benefit Zero Breast Cancer.
Beats for Boobs Outreach offers direct support and encouragement to those who have been affected by breast cancer. This comes in the form of sending flowers, cards, educational materials, and breast health resource guides directly to their homes.
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2009 Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Emergency Fund
Breast Cancer Emergency Fund responds quickly and compassionately to provide emergency financial assistance to low-income women and men of San Francisco and San Mateo County who are in active treatment for breast cancer, in order to cover basic human needs, lessen financial burdens, and improve quality of life.
http://www.breastcanceremergencyfund.org/
Shanti: LifeLines Breast Cancer Services
Shanti provides practical assistance and emotion support to women and men with breast cancer in San Francisco. LifeLines offers a wide range of individualized support services that include case management, care advocacy, translation services, grocery funds, transportation to and from medical appointments, education and wellness activities, survivorship programming, and assistance with applying for emergency funding and meal assistance.
http://www.shanti.org/lifelines/index.html
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is the global leader of the breast cancer movement, having invested more than $1 billion since inception in 1982. As the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, they work together to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, they have become the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.
http://ww5.komen.org/
The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is the Avon Foundation’s largest annual fundraising initiative, and also one of the largest fundraising programs in the country. From 2003 through 2008, the Avon Walks have raised more than $265 million - funds that are directly saving lives. The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer also raises extraordinary awareness as participants spend an entire weekend walking 39 miles through cities and towns around the country.
http://walk.avonfoundation.org/
Project Open Hand
Project Open Hand provides food and nourishment to improve the quality of life for the men, women and children it serves. Project Open Hand programs include: meal, grocery and nutrition counseling for people with symptomatic HIV and AIDS; congregate lunch and nutrition education for people over 60 years of age; meal service for homebound and critically ill people under the age of 60.
http://www.openhand.org/
2008 Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Emergency Fund
Breast Cancer Emergency Fund responds quickly and compassionately to provide emergency financial assistance to low-income women and men of San Francisco and San Mateo County who are in active treatment for breast cancer, in order to cover basic human needs, lessen financial burdens, and improve quality of life.
http://www.breastcanceremergencyfund.org/
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is the global leader of the breast cancer movement, having invested more than $1 billion since inception in 1982. As the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, they work together to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, they have become the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.
http://ww5.komen.org/
The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is the Avon Foundation’s largest annual fundraising initiative, and also one of the largest fundraising programs in the country. From 2003 through 2008, the Avon Walks have raised more than $265 million - funds that are directly saving lives. The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer also raises extraordinary awareness as participants spend an entire weekend walking 39 miles through cities and towns around the country.
http://walk.avonfoundation.org/
Project Open Hand
Project Open Hand provides food and nourishment to improve the quality of life for the men, women and children it serves. Project Open Hand programs include: meal, grocery and nutrition counseling for people with symptomatic HIV and AIDS; congregate lunch and nutrition education for people over 60 years of age; meal service for homebound and critically ill people under the age of 60.
http://www.openhand.org/
Zero Breast Cancer
Zero Breast Cancer is a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding the causes of breast cancer through community participation in the research process. We focus on identifying environmental factors and the role they play in the development of breast cancer at all stages of life and across generations.
http://www.breastcancerwatch.org/
