The Carole and Stuart Potter Professorship in BRCA Clinical Care
Shari and Len Potter established this professorship in 2022 in honor of Len’s parents, Carole and Stuart Potter and the excellent care they received at Penn Medicine.
Shari Potter is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Fordham University School of Law. She practiced Environmental Law in New York City at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and Kramer, Levin, Naftalis & Frankel. Len Potter is the President and Chief Investment Officer at Wildcat Capital Management, a private investment advisory firm. Shari and Len live in Scarsdale, NY and have three children, Dustin, Cami, and Josh. Cami and Josh are both Penn graduates.
Shari is a member of the Basser Center Advisory Board, as well as the Abramson Cancer Center Director’s Leadership Council. Len is a member of the Abramson Cancer Center’s Innovation Advisory Board.
Shari and Len are longtime champions of the Basser Center and Penn. In 2013, the Potters established and endowed the annual Basser Global Prize, which honors a visionary scientist in the field who has advanced BRCA1/2-related research. Shari and Len also established the Pearl Basser Professorship for BRCA-Related Research in memory of Shari's mother Pearl. They are also generous supporters of undergraduate scholarships at the University, having established the Pearl and Philip Basser Endowed Scholarship.
Current Chairholder
John C. Kucharczuk, MD
Dr. John C. Kucharczuk is a distinguished thoracic surgeon and world-renowned leader in lung and esophageal cancer surgery. He is widely recognized as a master clinician and educator, bringing unparalleled experience and technical skill to care for patients with complex thoracic and mediastinal malignancies.
He currently serves as the Director of the Integrated Thoracic Oncology Disease Team at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center. Throughout his long career at Penn, Dr. Kucharczuk has held several leadership roles, including Chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery and Educational Coordinator for Thoracic Surgery. His research focuses on advancements in thoracic surgery, encompassing clinical trials, surgical techniques, molecular imaging, and quality-of-care metrics. He has authored or co-authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications.
Dr. Kucharczuk is best known, however, as a master surgeon with an unwavering commitment to patient care. He is renowned nationally for performing a high volume of complex thoracic surgical procedures, addressing lung, esophageal, and mediastinal tumors. His surgical insight is sought by colleagues at Penn and across the country, and he serves on a variety of clinical committees aimed at delivering cutting-edge cancer care. He has educated countless Penn surgical residents and fellows that now model this same commitment to care across the world.