When Luke sat down with Paula Schneider, Honorary Vice Chair at Susan G. Komen, the conversation went far beyond leading a major charity. Paula’s story is one of transformation, through personal battles with cancer and steering the world’s largest breast cancer organisation through major change. Her insights highlight a modern style of leadership built on purpose, care, and clarity. Here are her lessons for leaders who want to strengthen culture and create lasting impact.
Where Purpose Meets Personal Experience
Paula’s path to leadership wasn’t typical. Before joining Susan G. Komen, she was a CEO in the fashion industry. What drew her in was the mission, rooted in her own life. She had lost her mother to metastatic breast cancer and survived triple-negative breast cancer herself. For her, personal experience is the foundation of professional purpose.
Her move from retail to philanthropy was sparked unexpectedly. While accepting an industry award, she ditched her prepared remarks and instead shared how she felt most empowered during her illness—when she was least physically strong.
“When you’re used to being large and in charge and suddenly can’t even make it to the bathroom, people step up. They took care of my kids, they cooked meals. As a leader, it’s really hard to accept that. But once you do, it’s beautiful.”
Paula Schneider Honorary Vice Chair, Susan G Komen
Accepting help, she argues, is not weakness but strength. It builds authentic connections and creates a culture of trust – something no external award can replace.
Kindness Anchored in Accountability
Paula pushes back on the idea that kindness means softness.
“Kindness doesn’t mean permissive. We’re very regimented about strategy. People are happiest when they know what’s expected of them and they have a playbook. Our plan fits on one page—if you’re not doing something that ladders up to that, you’re not aligned with what we have to accomplish.”
Paula Schneider Honorary Vice Chair, Susan G Komen
At Komen, everyone knows what’s expected, how success is measured, and the path ahead. This balance of empathy and accountability creates a culture that is both human and high-performing. A simple but powerful tool is the organisation’s one-page strategic plan, a daily reference point that keeps priorities clear.
Steering Through Crisis: When Clarity Matters Most
In 2020, Paula faced a huge challenge. Komen was spread across 63 separate affiliates, each with its own board and culture. The pandemic made consolidation unavoidable.
She quickly moved the organisation to remote work, streamlined governance, and made tough staffing decisions. Weekly updates kept staff informed and connected, even during painful transitions. “I kept saying, ‘This is a world gone mad; we do not have all the answers, but together, we will find them,’” she says.
The outcome was a leaner, more agile organisation—one team with clearer direction and stronger trust.
Humanising Data: Technology as a Tool, Not a Dictator
Though not a technologist, Paula embraced dashboards tracking fundraising, mission delivery, and policy progress. These tools guided smarter decisions and made priorities visible.
Still, she stresses that technology supports people, not the other way around. “I know what I do not know,” she laughs, describing how honesty with her scientific advisory board built respect and collaboration. Her role, she says, is to ask the right questions, gather perspectives, and unite people around shared goals.
Building Connection in a Remote World
Going fully remote risked disconnect and invisibility. Paula tackled this with intentional rituals:
- Skip-level chats: informal conversations where she shared financial transparency and answered questions directly.
- New-hire “copilots”: buddies from different departments to help newcomers settle in.
- Quarterly coffee sessions: introducing new staff to the executive team.
- Celebrations: ringing bells after fundraising wins or playing bingo together online.
These routines, she insists, are not “nice-to-haves” but essential for keeping culture alive.
Inclusion Beyond Good Intentions
For Paula, inclusion is active and transparent.
“We are transparent about pay, expectations, and progression. We benchmark salaries and share the ranges openly, so people know where they stand.”
Paula Schneider Honorary Vice Chair, Susan G Komen
She also prioritises rest. Twice a year, the entire organisation takes a full week off together, once at Christmas and once in summer, so no one returns to an overflowing inbox. Unlimited paid time off reinforces this culture of trust.
The goal: preserve mental health so people can keep bringing empathy and focus to life-and-death work.
Leadership Legacy: Humour and Honesty
Asked how she wants to be remembered, Paula is clear: “I lead with humour, urgency, and honesty. I hope the team will say that we created candour, camaraderie, and a relentless focus on what matters.”
Her leadership invites open debate and encourages challenge. She hopes her legacy will be enduring structures, rituals, forums, and cultural practices that keep Komen resilient and future-focused. Central to this is prioritising metastatic breast cancer research, where the need is greatest.
Advice for Building and Sustaining Culture
Paula offers direct lessons for leaders:
- Be radically transparent. Share both progress and challenges openly.
- Make inclusion active. Pay attention to everyday decisions, not just policies.
- Champion, not just mentor. Open doors for others and advocate for them.
- Celebrate small wins. Regular recognition keeps teams motivated.
- Keep investing in culture. Culture is not static—it must be nurtured.
As Paula sees it, the best organisations balance head and heart. Data matters, but so does emotional connection. Empathy and ambition can and should work together.
Final Thoughts
Paula Schneider’s journey with Susan G. Komen shows what leadership in the 2020s looks like: personal, transparent, and unafraid of hard choices.
Her story points to three truths:
- Authenticity sparks trust and ownership.
- Kindness paired with discipline drives results.
- Culture is built daily, through rituals and ongoing dialogue.
For leaders aiming to rebuild or energise their culture, Paula’s approach is a guide: put people first, lead with openness, and pair logic with care. These principles are not abstract, they are the lived practices of a leader driving real change in a mission-driven organisation.
