March of Dimes Elects New Chair

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Jun 20, 2011, 12:40 ET

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., June 20, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- LaVerne Council, a longtime March of Dimes volunteer leader and Board member, was elected chair of the organization's national Board of Trustees.

"Whether it was collecting dimes as a young girl, serving on our Board for the past six years or co-chairing of the 2011 March for Babies, LaVerne Council has spent her life sharing her time, talents and resources with the March of Dimes," said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. "She is a successful business leader, a dedicated volunteer and mentor, and a devoted mother to her son, Troy, who was born preterm. For all these reasons and more, we are honored to have her lead our Board of Trustees."

As corporate vice president and chief information officer for Johnson & Johnson, Ms. Council is responsible for the management of information technology and related systems for 250 operating companies worldwide.

She first was elected to the March of Dimes National Board in 2005. She has served as the organization's vice chair, as chair of the Public Affairs Committee and as a member of the Nominating and Executive Compensation Committees. She currently is the 2011 national co-chair of March for Babies®, the March of Dimes' largest fundraiser.

"As a mission mom myself, I am thrilled to be able to help lead an organization committed to ensuring that every mother knows the joy of a healthy birth," said Ms. Council. "While we have made great strides in recent years, a half million babies are born too soon every year. All of us at the March of Dimes will continue to work tirelessly until premature births and birth defects are a thing of the past."

Ms. Council holds a BS degree with high honors from Western Illinois University, an MBA from Illinois State University, and a DBA, Honoris Causa, from Drexel University. A highly regarded business leader, she received the 2011 Alumni Business Achievement Award from Ernst & Young, was named one of the Top 75 Black Women in Business by Black Enterprise in 2010, and included in Business Trends Quarterly's 2010 Best CIOs in America list.

Ms. Council is the first African-American and only the second woman to head the March of Dimes national Board of Trustees in its 73-year history.

Also, two new members were elected to the national Board of Trustees at the board meeting Friday. David Travers from Farmers Insurance and David H. Lissy, of Bright Horizons join a distinguished group of more than 30 trustees who serve as volunteers, representing the public in governing the organization and advancing its mission. March of Dimes trustees serve five-year terms.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies^®, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.

SOURCE March of Dimes