Dallas A Conversation With a Living Legend® to honor Dr. Condoleezza Rice

MD Anderson News Release November 09, 2015

Journalist Norah O’Donnell will interview Rice at dinner benefiting cancer research

MD Anderson News Release 11/09/2015

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is the honoree of A Conversation With a Living Legend®, benefiting The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Tuesday Dec. 1 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. CBS journalist Norah O’Donnell will interview Dr. Rice during the 26th annual Dallas-Fort Worth event, which will support MD Anderson’s Moon Shots Program, an accelerated, comprehensive effort to significantly reduce cancer deaths and transform cancer care.

Ashley Scott Rankin is chair of this year’s event, which already has raised more than $977,000, with Anita Arnold and Su-Su Meyer serving as co-chairs. In addition to the onstage Rice-O’Donnell conversation, the program will include remarks by Ronald DePinho, M.D., president of MD Anderson.

Presenting Sponsors, at $100,000, are Andrews Distributing and AT&T. Red Carpet Underwriters are Sewell Automotive (valet), Northern Trust Company (reception), Ernst & Young (VIP photos) and The Rosewood Corporation (event favors).

MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors member Lyda Hill, of Dallas, who conceived the idea for A Conversation with a Living Legend® in 1990, is a Premier Sponsor at the $75,000 level.

Other major supporters include:

Gold Sponsor ($25,000):
Rouse Foundation and Friends (Pamela and John Borders, Rita and Henry Hortenstine, Janet and Terry Kafka, Sharon and Roy Popham)
Corrigan Family Holdings
Al G. Hill Jr. Family
Louise H. Moffett
Jan and Bob Pickens
Mr. and Mrs. T. Boone Pickens
Plains Capital Bank
Gayle and Paul Stoffel
The Alinda Hill Wikert Foundation
WWWW Foundation

Silver Sponsor ($15,000):
Exxon Mobil
Cami and John C. Goff
Barbara Thomas and Mark L. Lemmon
Leonard Golf Links
Elizabeth and Don O'Neal
Annette Simmons
SuEllen and John Wilson

Bronze Sponsor ($10,000):
Juli and Bob Harrison/Jean and Erik Hansen/Heather and Scott Alexander
Edwin L. Cox
Energy Transfer Partners
Fluor Corporation
Lindy Hanna
Gene and Jerry Jones
James F. Justiss Jr.
Shirley and William S. McIntyre
Jere W. Thompson
Kathy and Rodney Woods

Since the event originated in 1990, Dallas- and Fort Worth-area business and community leaders have devoted countless hours to producing A Conversation With a Living Legend®, raising more than $15.2 million for MD Anderson. Volunteers across the country have adopted the successful interview format to raise more than $33.5 million in such cities as Washington, D.C., Houston, Las Vegas, San Antonio and Atlanta.

“I’m honored to chair this annual event, which rallies the generous, leading citizens of North Texas to help save lives by raising funds and awareness to help accomplish MD Anderson’s mission of Making Cancer History®,” said Rankin.

Dr. Rice served as the 66th U.S. Secretary of State from 2005 to 2009. She was the second woman and first African-American woman to hold the post. Dr. Rice also was the first woman to hold the position of assistant to the president for national security affairs, under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. She is a professor of political economy in the Graduate School of Business and of political science at Stanford University.

Emmy award-winning journalist Norah O’Donnell is co-host of “CBS This Morning,” substitute anchor for “Face the Nation” and a contributor to “60 Minutes.” Prior to joining ‘‘CBS This Morning’’ in 2012, she served as CBS News Chief White House Correspondent.  O’Donnell worked for more than a decade at NBC News, where she covered the Pentagon, Congress, and the White House. In 2014, she was named ‘‘Broadcaster of the Year’’ by the New York State Broadcasters Association.

For information on A Conversation With a Living Legend®, call 866-262-9029 and press 4 to leave a message or email events@mdanderson.org.