PRA Group Employee Champions LLS Man & Woman of the Year Campaign

NORFOLK, VA – Karen Mayfield-Jones, litigation counsel for PRA Group, Inc., has been nominated for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)’s Man & Woman of the Year, a national ten-week philanthropic competition to find a cure for blood cancer.

PRA Group, a publicly traded global leader in acquiring and collecting nonperforming loans, will support Mayfield-Jones in her campaign to raise money for LLS research, patient services, advocacy, public and professional education and community services.

Mayfield-Jones first became involved with LLS over 15 years ago when she ran a marathon to fundraise for the organization. What first appeared as an opportunity to complete a bucket-list item for a good cause quickly turned into a deep, long-term commitment.

 “Finishing my first marathon with LLS in 2006 is one of my favorite memories,” she recalls. “I had never run more than a few miles prior to joining LLS, and I had very little fundraising experience. It was amazing to cross the finish line with my team, knowing that we had made a difference.”

Mayfield-Jones has since completed multiple marathons, half marathons and century bike rides to raise money for LLS in addition to serving the organization as a running coach and fundraising mentor.

“Since 2006, I have met countless people through LLS who have battled blood cancer or lost friends and family. Leukemia is the most common cancer in children and teens, and it has been heartbreaking to see so many pass from the disease,” said Mayfield-Jones. “Our motto at LLS is ‘fight until there are no more sad stories.’ The survival rate for blood cancer has quadrupled over the last 50 years, in large part due to LLS’s efforts. I believe they could someday lead the way in finding a cure—not just for blood cancer, but for all forms of cancer.”

The LLS Man & Woman of the Year competition will be active until June 11, 2022, culminating in a gala and silent auction of donated items and prizes.

She noted that her campaign team includes several colleagues: “Our company’s core values mean taking an active role in the community and helping those around us. I’ve certainly seen that at play as co-workers joined my team and contributed through PRA Group’s Matching Gift Program, doubling the impact.”

Mayfield-Jones herself goes above and beyond to embody those values. Outside of working with LLS, she has been active in Big Brothers Big Sisters for nearly 13 years. She also volunteers with The Family Room, Kids in the Kitchen in association with the Boys & Girls Clubs and DREAAM House (Driven to Reach Excellence and Academic Achievement for Males), as well as annual Alzheimer’s Association and Multiple Sclerosis Society walks. Her history of philanthropic engagement has included fundraising for Special Olympics and co-coordinating the Zeke Lerner Celebrity Bowl-A-Thon for Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. 

To learn more about supporting Mayfield-Jones in her charitable campaign for LLS Man & Woman of the Year, visit: https://pages.lls.org/mwoy/chi/chicago22/kmayfieldj