Advisory Board Welcomes New Members

The Advisory Board of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center recently added 12 new members to its roster. From outstanding corporate citizens to a Heisman Trophy winner, these new participants bring fresh energy and enthusiasm to an already active group of community leaders.            

Betsy Dreher is a native of Birmingham and received her B.S. from UAB and a degree in landscape design from Jefferson State Community College. She is an active member of the Junior League and serves on the board of directors for both Children Can Soar and the Exceptional Foundation. She and her husband, George, have three children and two grandchildren.            

Originally from Weldon, Arkansas, Ann Florie has been a resident of Birmingham for 28 years. She received a B.A. in political science from Newcomb College of Tulane University and currently serves as executive director of Leadership Birmingham, a program that annually brings in civic and business leaders to discuss challenges and opportunities in the Birmingham area. Mrs. Florie is active in numerous civic and community groups, including the United Way, the Freshwater Land Trust and Leadership Alabama.            

William Harvill is the chief executive officer of Intermark Group Inc., a Birmingham marketing and public relations firm. He holds a B.S. in journalism from the University of Alabama and a B.A. in accounting from UAB. He has been extremely active with his alma mater, serving on the Board of Visitors and the President’s Cabinet. The Birmingham native and his wife, Sharon, have two children.

James Hughey Jr. was born in Tuscaloosa and is a graduate of both the University of Alabama School of Law and the New York University School of Law. He serves as president of corporate planning and administration for Brasfield & Gorrie LLC and is active in several organizations, including the Rotary Club of Birmingham, the Boy Scouts of America, Leadership Alabama and the Daniel Foundation of Alabama.            

Sherri Jackson, a graduate of Morehead State University, is a journalist and news anchor on Birmingham’s CBS-42. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, she is an active member of the Birmingham community, previously serving on the boards of the Children’s Aid Society, the Children’s Literacy Guild and the Birmingham Association of Black Journalists, among others. In 2008, she was awarded the Salute to Excellence Award by the National Association of Black Journalists for her work on CBS-42’s “AIDS from Alabama to Africa” series.            

Beverly Laird, Ph.D., received her B.A. in sociology from the College of William and Mary and her Ph.D. in public health from UAB. Following a breast cancer diagnosis in 1989, Dr. Laird has become extremely active in the cancer community. She served on the board of the American Cancer Society for six years and was as a patient advocate for the Cancer Center’s breast cancer SPORE (Specialized Program of Research Excellence) grant. Dr. Laird has also been involved with several national cancer organizations, including the National Cancer Institute, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the American Association for Cancer Research and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, of which she is the incoming president for the north-central Alabama affiliate.            

A resident of Huntsville, Linda Maynor received her B.A. from the University of Maryland. She currently works as a legislative consultant and lobbyist for Maynard, Cooper & Gale P.C. As such, she represents clients in legislative and governmental matters on Capitol Hill and in the Alabama State House. Ms. Maynor is an active community member and has previously volunteered with organizations such as the Huntsville Museum of Art, the Alabama Film Commission and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.            

J. Wray Pearce is a Birmingham native, a graduate of the University of Alabama, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, a cancer survivor and a founding partner in the accounting firm of Pearce, Bevill, Leesburg, Moore P.C. Mr. Pearce has been involved in numerous civic organizations such as Leadership Birmingham, Operation New Birmingham, the Birmingham Museum of Art and the Civil Rights Institute.            

Catherine Randall, Ph.D., is the chair of the board of Pettus Randall Holdings LLC and the former chair of the board of Randall Publishing Company. She holds two Ph.D.s from the University of Alabama and was named one of the top 31 women graduates of the century. Dr. Randall is a member of the Alabama Academy of Honor and in 2005 was honored with Tuscaloosa’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Women of Distinction.            

J. Terrell Spencer, M.D., is a retired physician currently serving as the medical director for Southern Company (west region). A native of Pascagoula, Mississippi, he received his B.S. in biology from Birmingham-Southern College and his M.D. from the School of Medicine at UAB. Dr. Spencer also serves on the board of directors for Community Grief Support Services and is a member of the Downtown Birmingham Rotary Club.            

Pat and Jean Sullivan are well-known throughout the state of Alabama. Coach Pat Sullivan is the head football coach at Samford University after having served as offensive coordinator at UAB for seven seasons. The winner of the 1971 Heisman Trophy, Coach Sullivan was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2004 and was treated at the Cancer Center. Since then, both he and Mrs. Sullivan have become active in raising funds and awareness of the disease. In addition, Mrs. Sullivan is involved with several community organizations. She has served on the board of directors for Easter Seals of Birmingham and is currently a member of the Samford University Auxiliary.