Paula Schneider
About Paula Schneider
As president & CEO of Susan G. Komen, Paula Schneider is responsible for the day-to-day operations and strategic direction of the world’s largest breast cancer organization. Komen has made more than $3.5 billion in investments in breast cancer research, advocacy and patient support since its founding in 1982, helping reduce the breast cancer mortality rate by 43%. As a breast cancer survivor, and having lost her mother to metastatic breast cancer, Paula's work is personal as she brings a unique combination of business expertise and real-world perspective to Komen’s mission as CEO. She is widely regarded as a business expert in organizational management and finance. Prior to Komen, Paula served as CEO of American Apparel, which was the largest vertically integrated clothing manufacturer in the U.S., with over 8,500 employees and 600 retail stores internationally. She previously served as president of the Warnaco Swimwear Group, the largest swimwear company in the world, with brands such as Speedo and Calvin Klein. As these were each public entities, her responsibilities comprised all facets of corporate governance and business oversight to include maximizing operational efficiencies, developing relevant marketing strategies and producing inspirational product offerings. Subsequently, Schneider became a senior advisor at the private equity firm, The Gores Group, where she created platform strategies for best-in-class operations and potential acquisitions. Schneider became the first female CEO in The Gores Group’s portfolio of companies. Paula is a sought-after public speaker on impactful leadership and women’s health. She has been a featured speaker at such thought leadership events as Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, Yahoo! Finance, Women in Retail, Milken Institute and Dreamforce. What's more, she was named one of Los Angeles Business Journal’s 500 Most Influential People. Paula is currently a member and keynote speaker of C200, the preeminent global organization for the advancement of women business leaders. She also serves on the Bloomberg New Economy Forum’s International Cancer Coalition and is a member of Fast Company’s Impact Council.