Women To Watch 2025 honoree Shanise Pearce

Shanise Pearce is a fearless patient advocate, entrepreneur, and triple-negative breast cancer survivor who turned her personal journey into a movement of impact and healing. After being diagnosed with PMS2 and BRCA2 gene mutations and later Lynch syndrome, she began early preventative care that led to her cancer diagnosis in 2023. Determined not just to survive but to lead, Shanise founded The Advocate’s Table, a consulting practice rooted in the belief that early detection and community-driven care can save lives, especially for Black women, men, and underserved and underrepresented communities facing health disparities. Her work bridges education, patient navigation, corporate speaking, and creative healing through tools like coloring, dance, and storytelling.

Shanise serves on multiple leadership boards including Susan G. Komen Columbus and the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides campaign, where she is a Champion of Hope speaker and a brand ambassador for the Voices of Black Women research study. She has testified before the Ohio legislature, successfully advocating for the passage of HB28, which created the first TNBC Awareness Month in March. Through her podcast, This Table Holds Stories, and her upcoming cancer support directory and patient advocacy self-paced training and workbooks, she brings advocacy into homes and hearts across the country.

Shanise’s mission is to make early detection accessible through genetic testing, clinical trials, and research while reducing Black mortality rates from TNBC and other cancers, and holding space for healing through community. She lives in Ohio with her husband of 23 years, Russell, and their three children, and finds peace in coloring, storytelling, and welcoming others to pull up a seat at her table.

Social Media & Website:

Website: https://www.theadvocatestable.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanisepearce