Roswell Park Alliance Foundation welcomes new chairperson for Roswell Park Alliance Community Board

After over 30 years with a pair of steadfast leaders at the helm, the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation will have new leadership on its Alliance Community Board division. Alliance Community Board Co-founders Anne Gioia and Donna Gioia have stepped down from their co-chair roles on the Alliance Community Board. Their retirement from their board leadership position has created an invitation for longtime Roswell Park supporter Terry Bourgeois to pick up their inspiring progress.

After the death of Anne Gioia’s 5-year-old daughter Katherine to a rare pediatric cancer in 1989, the sisters-in-law together established the Roswell Park Alliance Community Board in 1990. After that, the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation was established to manage the funds raised and all donations intended to benefit Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Their passion, influence and dedicated efforts on behalf of cancer patients and their loved ones enabled the foundation to grow and flourish. Over the last 30 years, the pair has led a dedicated group of volunteers, who have worked alongside a talented staff at the Alliance Foundation to raise $500 million for critical cancer research, innovative clinical trials and compassionate patient care programs at Roswell Park.

In recognition of this service, Roswell Park President and CEO Dr. Candace Johnson, along with the Alliance Foundation’s Board of Directors, named the pediatric outpatient clinic at Roswell Park the Katherine, Anne and Donna Gioia Pediatric Hematology Oncology Outpatient Center in 2017.

“The Roswell Park community is deeply grateful for the courageous leadership and devoted generosity of Anne and Donna Gioia since their vision to start the Roswell Park Alliance Community Board over 30 years ago,” said Roswell Park President and CEO Candace S. Johnson, PhD, M&T Bank Presidential Chair in Leadership. “Their work has paved the way for invaluable advances in the fight against cancer. I am looking forward to the energetic leadership and matched drive for our cause that Terry and his many accomplishments will bring to our Foundation.”

Bourgeois became a member of the Roswell Park Alliance Community Board in 2005 and has provided an advisory role for multiple subcommittees. His involvement with Roswell Park began in 1999, shortly after moving to Buffalo from Colorado Springs, Colorado. After participating in the Ride for Roswell for the first time in 1999, he held various volunteer roles with the Alliance Community Board, including co-chair for the Ride for Roswell for several years. He has also been on the Alliance Foundation’s Development Committee Board for several years.

In 2014, Bourgeois founded the Empire State Ride, a seven-day 500 plus mile ride from NYC to Niagara Falls. After its seventh event in 2021, it has cumulatively raised over $4.5 million for Roswell Park.

“When I moved to Western New York almost 20 years ago, I knew I wanted to be involved in the community, but I could never have imagined just how deeply I would feel about Roswell Park,” said Bourgeois. “This cause is closer to me now than ever before, and I will do everything in my ability to empower our scientists and doctors to end cancer as we know it.”

Bourgeois has worked with Linde Inc. (formerly Praxair) for 26 years and will be celebrating his retirement in May 2022. He currently holds the role of Site Director at The Linde Technology Center in Tonawanda; one of Linde’s largest facilities globally. Before his career at Linde, Bourgeois served in the U.S. Naval Submarine Service on two fast attack submarines, specializing in Naval Nuclear Power Operations. Originally from North Dakota, Bourgeois was raised with his seven siblings on a dairy and beef farm. His children and grandchildren reside in Colorado.

To learn more about the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation and the research and patient care programs it supports at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, visit www.roswellpark.org/giving.

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