Terri Coutee

Terri Coutee, is a patient advocate with eight years of nonprofit management experience. She is the Founder of DiepCFoundation nonprofit organization she opened in 2016 two years after her own successful breast reconstruction, to provide support, education, and resources for those affected by breast cancer facing mastectomy.
Terri is a Project LEAD graduate, a premier science training for advocates in breast cancer research and public policy from the National Breast Cancer Coalition. She is co-lead on the World Health Innovation Summit shared decision-making expert group. Terri is a consumer patient advocate serving on the DoD-CDMRP for the breast cancer vaccine under the leadership of the team at the Cleveland Clinic. She takes part as a patient advocate on the PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute) Engage for Equity PLUS project partnering with leading academic institutions to transform how research is conducted with the goal of strengthening patient and community leadership in research. Terri is a patient advocate representative of the Oncoplastic Breast Consortium (OPBC).
She has been an invited guest faculty speaker at the London Breast Meeting, BC3 Breast Cancer Coordinated Care Conference, The American Society of Plastic Surgeons Conference, the iBreast Book online seminar series, and local breast cancer support groups about the importance of shared decision making and empowering patients to be their own best advocates.
Terri was awarded the Patients of Courage: Triumph Over Adversity Award at the scientific meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons in 2018.
Her focus is fostering patient engagement in breast cancer treatment, surgery, and care. July 19, 2025, DiepCFoundation is having the DiepCFoundation Breast Symposium at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue to honor the community served in her local area.
Terri hosts the DiepCJourney podcast on Spotify. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family enjoying their activities.