ZTA Foundation Highlights

On Friday, Convention attendees were dressed in their best pink business attire to celebrate our commitment to breast cancer education and awareness. It was especially fitting as we celebrated the 30th anniversary of our dedication to thinking pink at the Foundation luncheon.

The Foundation honored this milestone when ZTA Foundation Vice President of Philanthropy Sherry Server Tilley announced a special anniversary project. On behalf of every ZTA, to honor the 30th anniversary of our passionate support of breast cancer education and awareness, the Foundation presented a check to Dr. Margaret Flowers, Managing Director of Research Programs at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation for a total of $500,000 to fund an innovative and impactful two-year research project. The project brings together technology (in the form of Artificial Intelligence) and healthcare in a game-changing way to save millions of lives by not just looking for cancer itself, but for the “seeds” of cancer to predict future growth. This new predictive methodology promises to be more effective, provide increased accessibility and availability to all women, and diminish the disparity and disproportionality of outcomes by making predictive screening easier, more accurate and more affordable.

This amazing research is headed by an incredible two-woman team. Dr. Regina Barzilay is an MIT Distinguished Professor of Engineering and head of the MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab. A breast cancer survivor herself. Dr. Constance Lehman, Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical school and Chief of Breast Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital.

In addition to thinking pink, the Foundation honored scholarship recipients. ZTA Foundation Vice President of Scholarship Catherine G. Slaughter talked about the program's growth and history during her 30 years of service to the Foundation board. In 1992, ZTA gave out 98 scholarships, totaling just over $100,000. Today, the Foundation's scholarship budget is $1 million and provides 325 scholarships.

The generous Zetas who are part of the Foundation's lifetime giving societies were also honored during lunch. At the end of each fiscal year, donors receive gifts from the Foundation for reaching lifetime giving levels of $10,000, $25,000, $50,000, $75,000 and $100,000. As of July 5, 2022, 174 living Zetas have achieved one or more of these levels.

Finally, ZTA Foundation President Carolyn Hof Carpenter recognized retiring Foundation board members Sherry Server Tilley and Catherine G. Slaughter. Both of these dedicated women have helped shape the Foundation during their years of service. As an entire organization, we are so thankful for their guidance and impact.