Meet Mary
Mary Ajango is a recognized leader in young adult breast cancer advocacy with 14 years of proven impact at Young Survival Coalition (YSC). She led the organization's first global needs assessment—surveying nearly 4,000 young adults across 67 countries—establishing YSC as the definitive data source on this population's unique challenges.
As Director of Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships, Mary built coalitions across the cancer ecosystem, training 150+ advocates through the RISE program and securing reauthorization of the EARLY Act, legislation prioritizing young adults with breast cancer. She created YSC's Face2Face program, building a grassroots network of 130+ local meetup groups nationwide, and has influenced NCCN guideline updates and insurance coverage policies.
Mary serves on the AstraZeneca Global Breast Cancer Care Council, the Indiana Cancer Consortium Survivorship Committee, and the Advocacy & Outreach Committee for the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. She has presented at the ACS Breast Cancer Round Table and Komen Equity in Science conference.
As Executive Director, Mary brings both deep institutional knowledge and external credibility—positioning YSC to expand its national influence while staying grounded in community needs.
Background
Mary's path to executive leadership was built on research, community organizing, and strategic program development. Before joining YSC in 2011, she led educational programs and chapter operations for a national women's leadership organization, developing expertise in volunteer engagement and building movements at scale. Over 14 years at YSC, she has advanced through roles spanning advocacy, partnerships, and organizational strategy.
Mary holds a Master of Public Affairs (Nonprofit Management) and a BA in Journalism and Political Science from Indiana University—credentials that enable her to design evidence-based programs and communicate their impact to funders, policymakers, and the public.
Did You Know?
If I were a super-hero, my powers would be…
to create a world where love is everywhere.
In a movie about my life, I would be played by…
Melissa McCarthy. She is hilarious, and I’m quite certain if we met we would be instant besties.
