Terri Coutee, CEO and Director
Founder/Director (August 2016 – present)
Terri brings over eight years of nonprofit leadership to DiepCFoundation as the Founder and Director. She is a two-time breast cancer survivor and opened the Foundation in July of 2016.
Through years of formal teaching and education, sharing evidence based medicine, and connecting with some of the most successful board certified plastic surgeons across the world via social media platforms including LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, and through the Podcasting Platform, DiepCJourney Podcast, Terri brings her professional expertise providing educational resources to empower women and men with information to make an informed decision about options for breast reconstruction after a mastectomy.
She was awarded the Patients of Courage: Triumph Over Adversity Award at the annual scientific meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons in Chicago in 2018.
Terri is a Project LEAD® Institute graduate attending national medical conferences as a trained patient advocate in breast cancer and breast reconstruction research. As an invited guest speaker at the BC3 Breast Cancer Coordinated Care Conference, The American Society of Plastic Surgeons Conference, the IBreastBook, Breast Cancer webinar series, and local breast cancer support groups, she speaks about the importance of shared decision making and empowering patients to be their own best advocates.
She is a consumer patient advocate serving on the DoD-CDMRP (Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program) for the breast cancer vaccine under the leadership of Dr. Vincent Tuohy of the Cleveland Clinic, “Primary Immunoprevention of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer”.
The Foundation strongly supports the United Nations, SDG3, Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being. Terri works with thought leaders across the globe promoting the value of shared decision-making and personalized care developing methods utilized globally to improve patient outcomes in healthcare. Terri is a co-chair on the Shared Decisions and Precisions Medicine Group.
Kirstin Litz, Principal AI Software Architect
Board Chair (December 2021 – present)
Kirstin Litz is a Principal AI Software Architect at Anthem. She has more than 25 years of diverse experience in software development, financial, and manufacturing systems.
Kirstin is a strong advocate, educator, and herself a breast cancer survivor. She is actively involved in many programs supporting breast cancer patients. As a member of the Board of Directors for the HERS Breast Cancer Foundation she focuses her efforts on survivor support programs and fundraising that serve breast cancer patients regardless of financial status. Kirstin has logged countless hours as an Ambassador for Bright Pink educating and empowering young women to be proactive advocates for their breast and ovarian health. In addition, she is a member of the UCSF Breast Cancer Advocacy Core. Kirstin utilizes the patient advocacy training received as Project LEAD Institute graduate to share evidence based science to the breast cancer and breast reconstruction community.
Kitty Ballard, Real Estate Agent and Community Volunteer
Board Member at Large (December 2021 – present)
Kitty is a long time Kirkland Washington Resident who has been a Real Estate Agent for Windermere for over 20 years She has been involved as a volunteer in many wonderful organizations and has come to DiepC Foundation through her long time friendship with Terri.
Blair Ballard, Real Estate Assistant
Director of Marketing (December 2021 – present)
Blair Ballard is a Licensed Real Estate Assistant with Windermere Real Estate. She graduated from Gonzaga University in 2015 with a Bachelors Degree in Economics with minors in Math and Business Studies. She is a former student of Terri Coutee and because of this connection has become involved with the DiepC Foundation. Blair Looks forward to learning more from her involvement and contributing her unique perspective to the organization.