Stephanie Kauffman

Stephanie Kauffman is President and Chief Operating Officer of the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), the world’s largest private nonprofit funder of melanoma research. She oversees enterprise strategy, partnerships, operations, communications, and development driving MRA’s mission to accelerate prevention, early detection, and life-saving treatments for the deadliest form of skin cancer.

A recognized leader at the intersection of storytelling, science, and capital mobilization, Stephanie has spent her career building platforms that translate innovation into impact. At MRA, she works closely with researchers, investors, corporate partners, and patient advocates to fund bold, high-risk research and to expand melanoma science globally.

Before joining MRA, Stephanie held senior leadership roles at leading health and medical research organizations. She most recently served as Head of Strategic Partnerships at Americares, where she helped mobilize hundreds of millions of dollars in support of disaster response, pandemic relief and medicine security worldwide.

Previously, Stephanie was Chief Communications and Partnerships Officer at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), the largest private funder of breast cancer research. There, she led global communications and partnership strategies across media, digital, corporate, and affiliate platforms, helping generate more than $100 million in corporate support to advance breast cancer research.

Earlier in her career, Stephanie spent over a decade in the entertainment industry as Senior Vice President of Global Alliances at Universal Pictures. She helped build multi-billion-dollar franchises and brand partnerships across Universal's film, home entertainment and theme parks, including the global expansion of the Fast & Furious franchise and the transformation of Despicable Me’s Minions into a billion-dollar consumer products phenomenon.

Stephanie has proudly served on the boards of the International Women’s Media Foundation, National Council for Skin Cancer Prevention, Public Access to Safe Sunscreen Coalition, and is actively involved in women’s leadership initiatives. She holds a B.S. in Marketing Management from Florida Southern College.