Sheri Biller, a community leader, philanthropist and longtime City of Hope board member, has become chair-elect of City of Hope’s board of directors. She will be the first female board chair since City of Hope’s founding in 1913.

Biller presently serves as board vice chair and chair of its nominating and governance committee. She will succeed chair Terry Peets, whose term ends in July 2010.

Sheri Biller

Biller and her husband, Les, are longtime supporters of City of Hope. The couple worked in partnership with City of Hope to establish the Sheri & Les Biller Patient and Family Resource Center, which opened in 2008. The center offers a wide array of support services, including health information, patient navigation, healing arts programs and support and educational groups, and is emerging as a national model of compassionate patient care.

“I am honored to serve as the next chairperson for an institution that has made a difference in the lives of so many,” Biller said. “It is a privilege to serve in this capacity and to work with my fellow board members in advancing City of Hope’s efforts to help patients everywhere who face cancer and other life-threatening diseases.”

Peets praised her tireless support of City of Hope. “For nearly a decade, she has committed her time and energy to the City of Hope mission,” Peets said. “We look forward to Sheri’s continued leadership in advancing the lifesaving work of City of Hope.”

Biller has served as an advisor on board development and is a board member of numerous nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles, including the Kayne Eras Center, The Rape Foundation, Children’s Burn Foundation and Center Theater Group (CTG). In 1999, she founded CTG’s Corporate Circle, which has raised more than $7 million for a student theatre arts education program that has reached more than 315,000 public school students.

She has been active as a community volunteer and philanthropist in Minneapolis and New York, as well, and co-founded Capital Mortgage company in San Francisco. Before moving to San Francisco in 1986, Biller spent 10 years in Europe living in Milan, Italy, and London.

Peets, a City of Hope board member since 2000, assumed his current role as chair in July of 2007. His 30-year career includes executive leadership for some of the nation’s top grocery chains, including Vons Grocery Company, Ralphs Grocery Company, Bruno’s Supermarkets Inc. and PIA Merchandising Inc. Peets serves as chairman and director of World Kitchens Inc. and as director for Interstate Bakeries Inc., Ruiz Foods Inc. and Winn-Dixie Stores Inc.