Turnover at Susan G. Komen for the Cure continues five months after the flap over Planned Parenthood funding, with the national office’s top fundraiser leaving the organization this week.
Vice President of Development Julie Teer will leave on Friday after four years at Komen to become senior vice president of resource development for Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), according to Komen spokeswoman Andrea Rader. She becomes at least the fifth executive to leave Komen’s Dallas, Texas headquarters since February’s debacle regarding funding to Planned Parenthood, in addition to at least half a dozen departures at affiliates around the nation.
The national office has filled those positions during the past few months, including hiring Frito-Lay executive Dorothy Jones in April as vice president of marketing; British Robinson from the State Department in February to become vice president, global networks; and an internal hire for director of affiliate strategy and planning, according to Rader. She said the reversal of Planned Parenthood funding played no part in Teer’s departure, describing it as “a natural progression in her career.”
Teer earned total compensation of $198,737 in the most recent fiscal year, according to the charity’s most recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 990 for the year ending March 2011. Her biography on Komen’s website describes Teer as “a highly respected political strategist and nonprofit development leader.” She joined Komen as director of global development in spring 2009.
Prior to Komen, Teer was deputy national finance director for Mitt Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign, raising more than $80 million, and served as political director and press secretary for the former Massachusetts governor. She was executive director of the Bush-Cheney 2004 presidential campaign for New Hampshire and was a senior advisor with the Republican National Committee.
The announcement to staff of Teer’s departure came last week at the same time the organization announced Ellen Willmott as the new general counsel. Willmott is from Westport, Conn.-based Save the Children, where she was vice president and general counsel. She replaced Mark Solls, who served as interim general counsel and returned to private practice, according to Komen.
