Lisa Hershli

Co-Founder

One of the 3 co-founders of the Komen North Jersey Affiliate, Lisa was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989.  She lost her mother to breast cancer in 1978.  Lisa says that “knowing what it is like to go through the fear, treatment and recovery of breast cancer, as well as knowing what it is like to lose a Mom to breast cancer, I knew we needed to do something to help find a cure.”
 
Lisa and Deb met almost twenty years before the founding of Komen as fellow commuters to New York City from Essex County.   Lisa moved to the west coast for several years, and back to New Jersey in 1995.  In 1996 Deb, Kathy and Lisa started talking about starting “some type of organization” in New Jersey for breast cancer – and decided to become part of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
 
During the application process, the three co-founders worked to get the word out about their new organization.  Lisa remembers fondly that they wrote handwritten notes to all of the store managers at The Mall at Short Hills and went store to store to solicit support!  Having never been involved in fundraising or putting on an event, Lisa says “Boy did I have a lot to learn.  Deb and Kathy, as well as many of their friends from the community took me under their wings and taught me the ropes, and of course the special touches that go along with making an event special and successful!”
 
In Spring 1997 the founders and their committee held the first Mother-Daughter Tea, in memory of Mildred Herscli, Lisa’s mother.  That fall the first Pink Tie Ball was held, and the Komen North Jersey affiliate was approved and open for business. 
 
Shortly thereafter, Lisa moved to Denver, Colorado for a new career opportunity. 
 
Since moving to Denver, Lisa has remained active with Komen.  Lisa brought the Pink Tie event to the Denver Affiliate, which is now in its twelfth year.  She frequently travels back to New Jersey to visit and attend Komen North Jersey events such as the Pink Tie Ball and the North Jersey Race for the Cure.  In addition to her work with Komen, Lisa founded Sports Made Possible, a non profit, to raise the money to build a 100% handicapped accessible baseball field in Denver.