An Evening with Robin Roberts, Interviewed by Doug Ulman

The New Albany Lecture Series kicks off its 13th season with Robin Roberts Co-Anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America, Best Selling Author + President, Rock’n Robin Productions.

ROBIN ROBERTS

Robin Roberts is co-anchor of ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Under her leadership, the broadcast has won numerous Emmy Awards for Outstanding Morning Program, and the 2017 People’s Choice Award for Favorite Daytime TV Hosting Team.

In 2014, Roberts launched Rock’n Robin Productions, an independent production company creating original broadcast and digital programming. Current series include the award-winning “Thriver Thursday” digital series, the “Robin Roberts Presents” banner of scripted and documentary projects for the Lifetime Television Network, and “Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts” for Disney+.

Roberts began contributing to “Good Morning America” in 1995 and was named co-anchor in May 2005. Prior to that, Roberts was a host of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and contributed to “NFL PrimeTime.”

Roberts was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2007, and five years later, she was diagnosed with MDS. Roberts underwent a bone marrow transplant, her sister Sally-Ann was a perfect match. Her story triggered an outpouring of support from across the nation. She joined forces with Be the Match to inform the public about the need for more donors, and since her diagnosis, the bone marrow registry has seen a tremendous increase.

Her battle has been recognized with awards and honors from organizations around the country, including The Susan G. Komen Foundation and The Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program. Roberts was also honored with a George Foster Peabody Award and Gracie Award. Additionally, Roberts was recognized with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPY’s in July 2013 for the strength and courage she has displayed throughout her life and career.

Roberts graduated cum laude from Southeastern Louisiana University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications. She was a standout performer on the women’s basketball team, ending her career as one of the school’s all-time leading scorers and rebounder. In 2012, Roberts was named an inductee to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Roberts is the author of From the Heart: 7 Rules to Live By and Everybody’s Got Something. Her third book Brighter By The Day: Waking Up to New Hopes and Dreams debuted in 2022.

Roberts is a native of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and currently resides in New York City.

DOUG ULMAN

Doug Ulman is a three-time cancer survivor and serves as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Pelotonia, which was established in 2008 with the objective to fund lifesaving cancer research. Doug is also a seasoned investor and entrepreneur, and he founded Orli in 2022 to shine a light on our biggest societal problems and the entrepreneurial talent arriving to solve them. Through his work with Orli, Doug identifies and connects the world’s most audacious social entrepreneurs with the resources they need to succeed.

Social entrepreneurship and cancer advocacy have defined Doug’s professional trajectory since he overcame chondrosarcoma during his sophomore year of college, followed by two subsequent diagnoses of malignant melanoma. As a young cancer survivor, Doug and his family founded the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults to ensure that all young adults impacted by cancer have a voice and the necessary resources to thrive. With funding from an Echoing Green Fellowship, Doug served as Executive Director of the organization for four years before joining the LIVESTRONG Foundation in 2001 as Director of Survivorship. He went on to lead LIVESTRONG as President and Chief Executive Officer, establishing the organization as the global leader in cancer survivorship.

Doug recently served as a Hauser Leader at Harvard Kennedy School Center for Public Leadership and speaks frequently at some of the nation’s most acclaimed festivals and conferences including the Social Good Summit, the Inc. 500 I 5000 Conference, the Aspen Ideas Festival, the Clinton Global Initiative University, TEDxAustin, SXSW Interactive and YPO Chapters across the country. Doug has also spoken to and consulted with numerous Fortune 100 companies and fast-growing startups. Doug’s personal story and his leadership accomplishments have been featured on major media outlets including The New York Times, Wall Street journal, USA Today, Forbes, Sports Illustrated, NBC News, ABC News and tv1SNBC among many others. Doug has been honored with many accolades including twice being named on the Non-Profit Times’ Power and Influence Top 50 Non-Profit Executives list, an honor bestowed on the top non-profit leaders in the United States.

Doug was also named CEO of the Year: Large Non-Profit by Columbus CEO Magazine in 2017 and the PR Professional of the Year by the Public Relations Society of America in 2013. Doug currently holds numerous board positions for organizations such as the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, Athletes for Hope, ROOT Insurance, and Signal Ohio. He is also an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and The Columbus Partnership. Doug served for four years on the National Cancer Institute Director’s Consumer Liaison Group and has served on the Board of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, as well as many other philanthropic, healthcare, and entrepreneurial ventures.

Doug lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife Amy Grace and their two children, Clara and Sam.