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| Ysabel Duron |
Her appointment comes as Sherry Lansing, who was the first woman to head a major Hollywood studio, has left the board. Lansing is president of the foundation bearing her name, which is involved deeply in cancer research, and is a member of the University of California board of regents.
On its blog, the stem cell agency said,
"Ms. Duron was a journalist and TV news anchor for more than 43 years winning numerous awards, including two EMMYS. She has been inducted into the Hall of Fame of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and given the Living Legacy Award by the Chicana/Latina Foundation.
"As a journalist she covered her own battle against Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, using her reporting to help raise awareness about the disease and the health disparities involved in treating it in communities of color."The agency quoted Duron as saying,
"Usually I am looking for the best return for the public health! This appointment gives me a new learning opportunity to understand a very complex issue, and, make it bite size so the public, patients and advocates will understand how these scientific revelations will impact lives in the short term and the long run. As a steward of taxpayer dollars, I also want to make sure there is equity for communities across California, and that the research serves all of us."
Lansing served on the agency's 29-member board since its inception in 2004. In her letter of resignation, she said,
"This is just the beginning for stem cell research, and yet we are at a critical inflection point in the life of this organization - with funds coming to an end and promising research that must wait for the next CIRM(the stem cell agency). It is for this reason that I am stepping down now, so that I can dedicate more time to getting the next initiative on the ballot."
State Controller Betty Yee appointed Duron. The agency's board currently has two vacancies.
