NCABR NAMES NEW PRESIDENT

The North Carolina Association for Biomedical Research is pleased to announce that Suzanne Wilkison has been named its next president.

Ms. Wilkison, who served as NCABR’s deputy to the president for programs and communications for the past three years, joined NCABR in 1998 as its communications manager and was promoted to director of programs and communications in 2001. She replaces Karen Hoffman, NCABR’s founding president, who has stepped down from her position after 18 years with the organization.

For the past 10 years, Ms. Wilkison has been responsible for developing and coordinating NCABR’s various outreach programs and communications strategies and has supervised the association’s media relations and marketing campaigns. She has played a leading role in program development and was instrumental in the implementation of fundraising activities. Under her direction, NCABR’s highly acclaimed Rx for Science Literacy K-12 teacher professional development workshop series expanded rapidly to reach nearly 3,000 educators in 92 of North Carolina’s 100 counties. She also launched NCABR’s educational media forum series in 2000, which has reached print, radio, television and Internet reporters and editors as well as journalism students from across the state and nation with background information and scientific sources for a variety of high-profile bioscience research issues.

“Over the years Suzanne has time and again demonstrated her exceptional skill in helping guide NCABR in its mission of increasing public understanding of the purpose, process and benefits of bioscience,” said Dr. Linda Dykstra, NCABR chairwoman and dean of the Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “She is a tremendous asset to NCABR as we continue to pursue that mission.”

A native of Winston-Salem, Ms. Wilkison graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with degrees in journalism and political science.