Kate Rouch has stepped down from her role as Chief Marketing Officer at OpenAI, citing the need to focus on her recovery after being diagnosed with cancer.
In a LinkedIn post, Rouch said, “You can’t outwork your body. A year and a half ago, I was diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer just as I stepped into the CMO role at OpenAI.”
She said she continued in the role while undergoing treatment. “I love this job. I love this team. Which is exactly why I didn’t step away and did both – lead at OpenAI while going through intense cancer treatment. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” she wrote.
Rouch added that the decision to step down came after reassessing her limits. “At a certain point, you have to be honest about your limits. I’ve reached mine.”
She said she would now prioritise her health and recovery. “I’m stepping down from my role to focus on recovery. It was a hard decision to make,” she wrote, adding, “But through my illness I learned that courage isn’t always pushing harder.”
Rouch also said she would support the leadership transition and expressed hope of returning in a different role in the future, depending on her health.
She thanked colleagues and supporters, noting that messages, including those from cancer survivors, “made a real difference” during her treatment.
Before joining OpenAI, Rouch served as CMO at Coinbase. Prior to that, she was VP, Global Head of Brand and Product Marketing at Meta.
