Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, Ph.D.

Dr. Knudsen has been the CEO of the American Cancer Society and its advocacy affiliate, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, since 2021. She previously served as Executive Vice President of Oncology Services and Enterprise Director for Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson Health; President for the Association of American Cancer Institutes, representing the 102 leading cancer centers in North America; and on the board of directors of the American Association for Cancer Research. Dr. Knudsen serves on the board of advisors for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and on 12 external advisory boards for NCI-designated cancer centers. She is an active member of several committees with the American Society for Clinical Oncology, in addition to serving on other academic and for-profit advisory boards. Dr. Knudsen holds a bachelor's degree in biology from George Washington University, a PhD in biological sciences from the University of California San Diego, and an MBA from Temple University Fox School of Business.