MaryAnn Means-Dufrene '04

Fort Worth, Texas (September 24, 2014) – Susan G. Komen® Greater Fort Worth announced today that MaryAnn Means-Dufrene '04 will serve as the Affiliate’s executive director, beginning October 20.  


In this position Means-Dufrene will be responsible for leading the Greater Fort Worth Affiliate of the national nonprofit organization. Komen Greater Fort Worth grants funds each year to organizations in the Affiliate’s service area of Tarrant, Parker, Johnson and Hood counties to support breast cancer education, detection, treatment and research. 


She will represent the Affiliate to the public, policy makers and community organizations; lead organizational development and strategic planning; provide guidance to volunteers and committees; optimize financial performance; build donor relationships; oversee personnel; and impact public policy. Means-Dufrene will also work closely with the Board of Directors to build systems and procedures to accomplish Komen’s mission and reach the strategic and annual goals set forth by the board.


“We are thrilled to welcome MaryAnn to the Komen Greater Fort Worth family,” said Joan Katz and Suzanne Sanders, co-chairs of the search committee for Susan G. Komen® Greater Fort Worth Affiliate. “Her local community connections and varied professional background, coupled with her leadership skills, will be invaluable to the organization as she works to fulfill the Komen promise of ‘ending breast cancer forever by empowering people, energizing science to find the cures and ensuring quality care for all people.’”

Means-Dufrene joins Komen after most recently serving as deputy chief of staff for the Fort Worth Mayor and Council Office. She previously worked as office manager for The Eppstein Group and as Family Matters program coordinator for Lena Pope Home, Inc. Means-Dufrene is heavily involved in the community, serving as a board member for Arts Council of Fort Worth, Presbyterian Night Shelter, Girls, Inc. of Tarrant County, Fort Worth SPARC, as a steering committee member for Lena Pope Young Professional Advocates and was a Fort Worth Business Press 40 Under 40 Honoree in 2014. A Master of Public Administration and Master of Science in Human Resource Management graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, Means-Dufrene received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Texas A&M University. 


About Susan G. Komen® and the Greater Fort Worth Affiliate
Susan G. Komen is the world’s largest breast cancer organization, funding more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit while providing real-time help to those facing the disease. Since its founding in 1982, Komen has funded more than $800 million in research and provided $1.7 billion to screening, education, treatment and psychosocial support programs serving millions of people in more than 30 countries worldwide. Komen was founded by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed Suzy’s life.


The Greater Fort Worth Affiliate of Susan G. Komen is one of 120 national affiliates of the parent organization. Chartered in July of 1992 by Rozanne Rosenthal, in honor of her close friend and three-time breast-cancer-survivor Joan Katz, the Greater Fort Worth Affiliate uses 75 percent of all money raised to fund screening, education and treatment support programs for women and men in Tarrant, Parker, Johnson and Hood counties. The first Komen Greater Fort Worth Race for the Cure was held in 1993 and had 1,800 participants. Today, the organization boasts more than 7,000 participants each year. To date, Komen Greater Fort Worth has raised more than $22 million for breast cancer education, treatment, prevention and research. For more information on Komen Greater Fort Worth, please visit www.komengreaterfortworth.org.