Karen Evans Elected Chair of Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. National Board of Directors

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Karen Evans of Baltimore, Maryland was elected Chair of the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. (LFA) Board of Directors during the Foundation’s recent Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Ms. Evans will lead the LFA Board’s strategic initiatives to bring national attention and increased public and private resources to fight lupus, an unpredictable and potentially fatal autoimmune disease.

“It is a privilege for me to serve as Chair of the Board as we bring together all stakeholders to address lupus on the federal, state and local levels”

Ms. Evans has been a member of the LFA Board since 2003 and previously chaired the Board’s Education Committee. In addition to her work with the LFA, Ms. Evans serves as Executive Director of the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation. She previously was Executive Director of the Northwest Baltimore Corporation, and a founder and Chair of the Board of the Park Heights (Maryland) Community Health Association.

“It is a privilege for me to serve as Chair of the Board as we bring together all stakeholders to address lupus on the federal, state and local levels,” said Ms. Evans following her election as LFA Board Chair. “It is imperative that more funds be provided for lupus research. The LFA has been and will continue to be a leader in raising awareness, educating the public about the impact of this devastating disease, and raising funds for lupus research to develop better treatments and eventually find a cure for lupus.”

Ms. Evans succeeds Marjorie Susman of Chicago, Illinois, who will remain on the LFA Board as Immediate Past Chair.

Also elected as officers of the LFA Board were Cindy Coney of Tampa, Florida, as Vice Chair; Tomiko Fraser of Los Angeles, California, as Secretary; and Peter Schwab, of Chicago, Illinois, as Treasurer. Ms. Coney is the President of Monarch Training and Consulting. Ms. Fraser is a professional actress and a model and spokesperson for Maybelline New York and for the LFA. Mr. Schwab is the Managing Director of Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc.

Two new directors were elected to the LFA Board of Directors. They are Loretta Cross, of Houston, Texas, and Brian Kaplan, of Washington, DC. Ms. Cross is a National Managing Partner with Grant Thornton LLP where she leads the Corporate Advisory and Restructuring Services practice in the US. Mr. Kaplan is Associate Director of Marketing and Sales, Technology Practice for the Corporate Executive Board (CEB), in Washington.

Re-elected to the Board were Lynn Blandford of Houston, Texas, and Pamela Greenberg of Washington, DC. Ms. Blandford is Senior Consultant for the Financial Reporting and Transaction Support Group of Sirius Solutions. Ms. Greenberg is Executive Director of the American Managed Behavioral Healthcare Association.

About the Lupus Foundation of America

The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) is the nation’s foremost nonprofit voluntary health organization dedicated to finding the causes of and cure for lupus, and providing support, services, and hope to all people affected by lupus. The LFA and its network of nearly 300 chapters, branches, and support groups conduct programs of research, education, and advocacy.

About Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which is the result of an unbalanced immune system that can become destructive to any major organ or tissue in the body. Lupus is unpredictable and potentially fatal, yet no satisfactory treatment or cure exists. Its health consequences may include heart attacks, strokes, seizures, or sudden organ failure. The LFA estimates that more than 1.5 million Americans have some form of lupus.