The Rose, Houston, Texas; Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder; 1989 to present

• As Co-founder and CEO, Mrs. Gibbons has led The Rose from its inception in 1985, serving in a volunteer capacity during the first four years. Her responsibilities include overseeing day-to-day operations of two freestanding breast cancer detection facilities, and the Mobile Mammography Program, the largest fleet in Texas serving 43 counties in southeast Texas. Since inception, The Rose has served for over 1 million women and men and annually serves 40,000 women providing a total of 70,000 procedures including mammograms, diagnostic workups, biopsies, physician consults and navigation to treatment. Over 8,000 uninsured women are served annually through The Rose Empower Her® Sponsorship Program—a nationally recognized and replicated program.
• Mrs. Gibbons is responsible for The Rose’s $15 million annual budget, a staff of 130 employees, 225 volunteers and over 4,000 referring physicians utilize services.
• The Rose was the first organization in the State to initiate a formal Patient Navigation Program to Treatment for uninsured patients in 1999. In 2005, she established The Rose Young Women’s Clinic which is cited nationally and providing research needed to establish a new protocol in breast screening for women under 40 years old.  The Rose is a founding organization for the first Breast Health Summit in Houston, held in 2005 and the formation of the Breast Health Collaborative of Texas in 2010 which grew to 3,000 members from all areas of Texas.  In 2020, The Rose established the first Mammogram to Medical Home Program, led by a Nurse Practitioner, to assist uninsured women establish primary care services. In 2023, Gibbons established The Rose’s first podcast series: Let’s Talk About Your Breast, marking over 35,000 downloads. Most recently, she established a Research arm of The Rose to explore using nearly four decades of breast health service to diverse populations in establishing new protocols and improve health equities.

Bayshore Medical Center, Pasadena, Texas; Director of Public Relations/Volunteers; 1979-1989

• Established first Public Relations Department for a 500+ bed medical center, then the tenth largest for-profit hospital in Houston.  Reporting to the CEO, she was a member of the Administrative Staff.  Primarily responsibilities involved employee and physician relations (1,200 employees and 400 medical staff), creating strategic marketing plans for services and producing all communication and marketing vehicles. Directed adult and junior volunteer organization supervising 60-85 volunteers. Served as a faculty member of Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) management training program and led executive level management training in HCA hospitals throughout the nation.

Bayshore Medical Center, Pasadena, Texas; Assistant Director of Human Resources; 1973-1979

• Responsible for day-to-day operations of Human Resources (personnel) Department; handled employee recruitment, administered employee benefit programs for maximum of 1,200 employees.  Held total responsibility for this department for 14-month period prior to promotion to publication relations.

• University of Houston
  BA Communications, 1979

• Continuing Education
  Medical and Non-profit Management, Ongoing

• Author, Dorothy Gibbons
  The Women of The Rose the story of mammograms, miracles and a Texas non-profit that beat all the odds

   

• Published October 2015
  Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com.

Board Affiliations

Board

• Writespace Writing Center, Board Chair, 2018-2021
• American Leadership Forum, Board, 2015-2017
• Breast Health Collaborative of Texas; Founder, Vice Chair, 2008, Chair 2009-2010, Director 2011-14
• Gateway to Care; Chair, Board Member; 2005 to 2012, charter member
• Association of Business and Professional Women; Clear Lake, 1998 – 2016, Board Treasure-elect 2014
• Brigid’s Place; 2007 to 2009, President 2008-09. Board member
• North Pasadena Communities Outreach Organization; charter founder, Board Chair; 1999 to 2008
• Texas Executive Women; Board Member (2004); member 2000 to 2018
• Texas Medical Center, Women’s Health Network; charter member, Board of Directors; 2002 to 2006
• Soroptimist International of Pasadena; President 2000-2001; 1995-2015
• Harris County Community Access Program; Founding Collaborative Member; 2000 to 2010

Global Mentor

• The Union for International Cancer Control, SPARC Global Metastatic Breast Cancer Challenge, Nigeria Africa,  2018-19

Advisory Boards/Councils

• Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas; Prevention Advisory Board, 2022 to present
• University of Houston Health Research Institute, Community Advisory Board, 2017 to present
• Komen Advisory Council, 2013 – 2020
• Avon Breast Cancer Crusade Health Policy Grantee Advisory Group, 2017
• St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities Center for Collaborative Leadership Advisory Council, 2012 -2013
• St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Community Advisory Board, 2007 to 2009
• Pink Ribbons Project; Board Member; 2001 to 2006 Advisory Board Member, 2008-2010

Memberships

• Texas Cancer Partnership, founding member, to present
• American Cancer Society CAN, 2018 to present
• Executive Women’s Network of the Greater Houston Partnership, 2012 to present
• Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce, 2013 to present
• American Leadership Forum, Class XXVIIII, 2011-12; present member
• Cancer Alliance of Texas (formerly Texas Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition) 2008 to present
• Greater Houston Partnership; CEO Roundtable member; 2007 to 2012
• Gateway to Care, Houston 2003 to 2013
• National Breast Cancer Coalition, 2000 to 2009
• Leadership Houston, Class XXIII; 2004
• National Consortium of Breast Centers, 1993 to 2018
• Federation of Houston Professional Women; 1996-2015

2024

• Non-Profit Leader of the Year, Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce
• Non-Profit of the Year, Pasadena Chamber of Commerce

2022

• SurviveHER Champion

2020

• Most Admired CEO, Houston Business Journal

2018

• America’s Dream Girl Award, Women Veterans Association

2017

• Outstanding Nonprofit Business Leader, Houston Business Journal
• Women of Vision with Nancy Brinker, Breast Care of Washington DC

2016

• Super Lady Award for 2017 Calendar, SUPERGirlsShine

2015

• Breast Cancer Community Leader of the Year, Breast Cancer Wellness Magazine

2013

• Public Service Award, American Leadership Forum
• Pink Angel Honoree, Sisters Network

2012

• Community Service Award, Lesbian Health Initiative
• Yoplait Breast Cancer Champion, American Cancer Society
• Kathryn S. Stream Award for Excellence in Women’s Health, GHWCC Women’s Health Network

2011

• Trekker Award (first), Breast Health Collaborative of Texas,

2010

• Houston’s first “Fearless Woman” Award, E-women Network

2009

• Impact Award for Overall Outstanding Performance, 2009, presented to The Rose and UTMB Galveston for their collaborative work following Hurricane Ike, Susan G. Komen for the Cure
• Best Practices Award in Collaboration, National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund

2008

• Community Health Leadership Award, St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities (SLECH fifth annual award and first female recipient)
• Selected by the US Embassy as a representative to country of Macedonia, presenting patient navigation to BORKA cancer organization.

• All American Award, Cancer Fighters of Houston, Inc.

2007

• National Education Award, Susan G. Komen for the Cure for the 2007 Breast Health Summit

2005

• Woman of Distinction, The Bridge Over Troubled Water, to honor an outstanding woman in the community who makes a difference in the lives of women and children

2002

• Women on the Move Award, Texas Executive Women, one of the top ten women on the move who make a difference in their community
• Woman of Excellence, Houston Federation of Professional Women for recognition of the remarkable work performed in the community
• Exceptional Woman-2002 Gold Key Award, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, for outstanding work in the community
• Women’s Business Support Network Recognition Award for leading an organization that positively impacts the community
• National Minority and Cancer Awareness Week Award, University Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center for an Outstanding Community-Based Screening Program and services in the Greater Houston area community (The Rose and Dorothy Weston Gibbons)

2001

• The Ultimate Drive Award, BMW of North American and The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for outstanding achievement in expanding breast cancer awareness
• Harold P. Freeman Award, American Cancer Society, for outstanding achievement in cancer control activities to reach the underserved populations in Texas
• National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, database selection, The Rose Empower Her® Sponsorship Program was selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a “national model program” to be replicated (The Rose and Dorothy Weston Gibbons)

2000

• Soroptimist of the Year 2000, Soroptimist International of Pasadena
• Health Torch Award, Houston Better Business Bureau for outstanding leadership and delivery of healthcare services (The Rose and Dorothy Weston Gibbons)

1998

• Pink Ribbon Award, Pink Ribbon Project for outstanding achievement in the battle against breast cancer