Judy Salerno, New Susan G. Komen CEO, Will Take Salary Smaller Than Nancy Brinker's

Dr. Judith Salerno, Susan G. Komen for the Cure's new CEO and President, said she anticipates a promising future for the charity.

She told The Dallas Morning News that the breast-cancer nonprofit has finally “turned the corner" in its efforts to restore support from the public.

For starters, Salerno, 61, will be earning less than former-CEO Nancy Brinker, a spokeswoman told The Dallas Morning News. Brinker, who is now the foundation's chair of global strategy, will also be receiving a much smaller annual salary in her new position. The details of both Salerno's and Brinker's salaries have yet to be released.

Salerno, who is replacing Brinker and also stepping down as the executive director and COO of the Washington-based Institute of Medicine, said she feels optimistic despite the charity's recent struggles.

“I can feel it, just in what I’ve seen here today, being with the people here," she told The Dallas Morning News. "They’re interested in moving the organization ahead, not looking back."

Both Salerno's statement and these recent salary adjustments are following a year of controversial setbacks for the nonprofit -- the most recent of which involves public criticism over Nancy Brinker's beefy $684,000 a year executive salary. The foundation has also recently cancelled seven of next year's fundraising walks in seven cities, where donations have been small, angering breast cancer advocates.

Much of the public retaliation began early last year when the organization decided to cut breast exam funding for Planned Parenthood. Although it quickly renewed its grant, public backlash has persisted.

Salerno, who told The Dallas Morning News that she is excited to work with Brinker, also mentioned that she could not comment on the Planned Parenthood funding cuts as she does not know the details of the board's decision.

The new CEO is not expected to move to Dallas for a few months.