Foundation Leadership

Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation was inspired by Jill and Jon Albert's real life story. With an M.B.A. and years of executive experience in the corporate world, Jon found himself, his wife, Jill, and their two young children Jake and Jamie facing Jill's Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. Jill and Jon realized early on in Jill’s fight the disease was not just attacking her body, but it was affecting their entire family. Jill and Jon decided they needed to treat their family along with the cancer. Jon took his marketing and operations background and combined it with their drive to formulate something positive and tangible out of the unfair and cruel.

Heidi Cohen, has worked for non - profits organizations for the past 20 years. For the last twelve years, Heidi has served as the President of the Tourette Syndrome Association of Georgia and South Carolina. She currently serves on the board of the Epstein School, and the Atlanta Women's Golf Association.  Heidi has vast experience in all aspects of non profit administration, her particular expertise is in volunteer management and program/event planning.

Lindsey King joined The Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation in 2008 to lead strategic development and fundraising and has worked in the non-profit sector for seven years. Prior to working at The Foundation, Lindsey worked in politics and at Hands On Atlanta.

Dennis Adamovich is senior vice president of brand and digital activation/general manager of festivals for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). In this role, he is responsible the digital teams for the three networks, as well as brand initiatives like TBS and Just For Laughs’ annual comedy festival in Chicago, the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, the TCM Classic Cruise and TNT’s Dramatic Difference project. He is also responsible for brand-related commerce initiatives, such as TCM’s extensive online store. Adamovich is based in Atlanta and reports to Jeff Gregor, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of TNT, TBS and TCM and general manager of TCM.

Adamovich, who has most recently served as senior vice president/general manager of TBS comedy festivals, came to the company after serving as senior vice president of marketing for Turner Broadcasting’s Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang. In that role, he was responsible for strategically planning and implementing efforts to build viewer preference and loyalty to the animated networks. He also expanded the reach of Cartoon Network and Turner’s other animation networks by combining traditional messaging and partnerships with the cutting-edge use of new media and viral campaigns.

Before joining Cartoon Network in July 2000, Adamovich worked for The Coca-Cola Company as managing director of Marketing Works, a division accountable for brand stewardship in North America. Through his leadership role, Adamovich oversaw the development of more than 300 annual programs within North America.

Prior to that, Adamovich was director of worldwide leisure marketing for Coca-Cola, managing global account teams responsible for Disney, Warner and Legoland theme-park accounts, as well as the cinema channel worldwide. Additional positions at Coca-Cola included group manager for sports activation, where he maximized local and national sports properties, and national account executive, managing the company’s relationships with various companies, including Six Flags and AMC Theatres.

Adamovich previously served as an account executive at McCann Erickson in Atlanta, where he was involved in all phases of production of local and regional broadcast commercials for agency client Coca-Cola. He launched his professional career at Fahlgren Martin Benito Advertising in Tampa, Fla., as a senior account executive, responsible for strategic planning and development for the Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan and Florida Cadillac Dealers Marketing Associations.

Adamovich graduated from the University of South Florida with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

Michael Antinoro is the Executive Vice President of Programming for Dick Clark Productions. Prior to joining the team at Dick Clark Productions Antinoro was Six Flags’ Executive Vice President of Entertainment and Marketing and oversees all aspects of Six Flags marketing, advertising, promotions, entertainment, ticket strategy, group sales and communications. Since joining Six Flags in 2005, Antinoro has focused on enhancing the Six Flags entertainment experience while developing dynamic new marketing and communications programs to enhance the Six Flags brand, improve customer satisfaction and drive business to the 20 parks in the US, Mexico and Canada. Antinoro is responsible for introducing top entertainment brands such as MTV, Tony Hawk, The Wiggles and Thomas the Tank Engine into the parks and for overseeing the production of innovative and cutting edge communication campaigns. Since Antinoro has lead the marketing and entertainment forge, overall awareness and guest approval ratings have showed dramatic improvements from prior years and are at or above all-time highs. Antinoro is also responsible for overseeing the Coke and Warner Brothers relationships.

What musical touchstone does President Barack Obama, the most powerful ruler in the world, share with Aretha Franklin, crowned the greatest singer of the rock era by Rolling Stone Magazine? The answer is the music expertise of Tena Clark. The company she founded, DMI Music & Media Soultions, programs the President’s music for Air Force One, and Clark also recently produced the Queen of Soul’s most recent album. Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole, Jennifer Holliday, Gladys Knight, CeCe Winans, Dionne Warwick, Patti Austin, Stephanie Mills, Yolanda Adams and Rev. Shirley Caesar are among the iconic recording artists for whom Clark has written and/or produced for. In 2009, Natalie Cole was honored with two GRAMMY awards for Still Unforgettable, executive produced by Clark. A musical compass has guided Clark from rural Mississippi to Hollywood. Beginning at age five, she would visit New Orleans with her mother, a songwriter from the big band era, where she absorbed the city’s intoxicating rhythms. Her first professional gig at 15 was playing drums at the Crescent City’s famed Roosevelt Hotel. Since then, Clark has excelled in multiple genres across an astonishing breadth of mediums. Highlights include penning award-winning country hits, contributing to multi-platinum movie soundtracks including Hope Floats, The Five Heart Beats, Where the Heart Is, and My Best Friend’s Wedding, writing for television shows like Desperate Housewives, and creating the instantly recognizable national campaign theme, “Have You Had Your Break Today,” for McDonald’s. In homage to her musical and spiritual roots, Clark produced Church: Songs of Soul and Inspiration that included classic soul artists like Patti LaBelle and Chaka Khan plus contributions from Pulitzer Prize winner, Dr. Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison. A stratospheric anthem from this collection, “Way Up There,” written and produced by Clark and performed by Patti LaBelle, was nominated for a GRAMMY award. “Way Up There” was originally commissioned by NASA as their theme song. Clark, a preeminent songwriter, is one of the rare female producers in the music business, and is among the most influential women in American media.  Recently, Clark was named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Committee of 200, a prestigious group of the highest ranking women executives in successful private and public companies. Also, Clark recently launched “Twist, An American Musical” to rave reviews in Atlanta; Clark is the composer and lyricist.  “Twist” was directed and choreographed by Debbie Allen.  As CEO/Chief Creative Officer for the industry leader DMI Music & Media Solutions, the company she envisioned 13 years ago, she is involved with every imaginative aspect of the forward-thinking firm’s far-reaching endeavors. But she is never far from her recoding studio and her world-class campus. Writing eloquent songs and producing remarkable artists is at the heart of her musical soul. 

Bill is responsible for all financial operations of Blackboard. Prior to joining the company in May 2012, Bill was the Chief Financial Officer at Allscripts Healthcare Solutions where he oversaw revenue growth from $80 million to approximately $1.4 billion in 2011, with profits increasing at a compounded annual growth rate of approximately 25%.

Nadine Sophia Evans, an associate in the firm’s Real Estate Finance & Investment Group, concentrates her practice in the area of public finance.  Ms. Evans’ experience includes energy finance for public gas and public power, municipal bond financing, financing for health care facilities and the representation of clients in interest rate and commodity swaps and hedges.  Ms. Evans has also served as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, disclosure counsel and counsel to credit enhancement providers in bond financings.  Ms. Evans has experience in financings for colleges, universities and other non-profit entities, and she serves as general counsel to a development authority.

Steven S. Heinrichs has been our Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary since June 2005 when he joined Kimberly-Clark Corporation as Chief Counsel, Pulp and Paper and General Counsel for Neenah Paper, Inc. Prior to his employment with Kimberly-Clark, Mr. Heinrichs served as Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary for Mariner Health Care, Inc., a nursing home and long-term acute care hospital company.

Before joining Mariner Health Care in 2003, Mr. Heinrichs served as Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary for American Commercial Lines LLC, a leading inland barge transportation and shipbuilding company from 1998 through 2003. Mr. Heinrichs engaged in the private practice of law with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom LLP and Shuttleworth, Smith, McNabb and Williams PLLC from 1994 through 1998. Mr. Heinrichs has an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, a law degree from Tulane University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. 

Steve is the worldwide marketing director for Media & Entertainment at Accenture.  He is responsible for planning and executing marketing programs that support the strategic objectives of clients worldwide in broadcasting, entertainment, publishing and portals. He helps Media & Entertainment companies adapt to the realities of the digital evolution and capitalize on new opportunities to improve business performance.
 
Steve also leads Accenture’s firmwide thought leadership around Convergence and supports bringing to market related products and services through the Communications and High Tech operating group, the largest of Accenture’s five industry groups.
 
Steve started his career with Accenture in 1998 with the Products group, leading marketing for Food and Consumer Packaged Goods. He then joined the Communications division to establish marketing for the wireless group and supported rapid growth in that sector.  

Clifford (“Cliff”) E. Marks, National CineMedia (NCM)’s president of sales and marketing, has been a leading advertising, marketing and sales professional for over 20 years.  Marks leads NCM’s marketing, sales and advertising division based in New York City. 

As executive vice president of sales and marketing, Derek Schiller is responsible for the management for all baseball-related revenues such as ticket sales, corporate partnerships, broadcasting, licensing and merchandising, community relations and the overall marketing strategy for the franchise.

Jane Stevenson recently joined Korn/Ferry after leading a global executive search firm, where as a global managing partner, she focused on leadership succession and global search work for chief executive officers, chief marketing officers, chief innovation officers and board of directors for the past ten years. Additionally, Ms. Stevenson founded and for four years, led the firm’s global marketing, sales and strategy officers practice, which became one of the firm’s largest practices and the industry’s premier marketing practice. She also founded the firm’s venture capital practice.

Melissa Vaske founded Karuna Charitable Foundation to become more personally involved in the way that she was giving.  A mother of 4 from New Canaan, CT, Melissa wanted to create opportunities for children to make a difference through hands on learning.  Melissa is dedicated to utilizing the most effective ways for young people to impact and change the world!

After the death of her Father, Melissa was inspired by the work of JAJF.  Melissa and her husband John proactively support the creation of cherished lasting memories for those children about to lose their Mom or Dad.  Melissa values the great importance these memories serve in the years to come. 

Theodore Blum serves as chair of the Atlanta Corporate and Securities Practice. He leads and advises a team with the strategic business, legal and market experience needed to manage and close complex transactions, as well as to provide counsel on day-to-day operations. Ted concentrates his practice in the areas of corporate and business law, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and corporate finance. He has significant experience representing buyers and sellers in the structuring and negotiation of complex, multi-million dollar mergers, acquisitions and divestitures of public and privately-held companies. These transactions include leveraged buyouts, tax-free reorganizations, stock redemptions, and acquisitions of financially troubled or insolvent companies.

Ted also works closely with growth companies raising equity or debt capital in private placements and other transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the federal and state securities laws. These transactions include the structuring and negotiation of rights, privileges, and preferences of common stock, preferred stock, convertible debt, warrants and other equity or debt arrangements (including preemptive rights, anti-dilution protections, liquidation and dividend preferences, registration rights, rights of first refusal, co-sale rights, puts, calls, voting rights and board representation, capital calls and other rights). Ted represents companies in structuring and negotiating joint-venture, partnership and other strategic arrangements, licensing and development agreements, distribution and supply agreements, shareholder agreements, option and warrant agreements, employment and consulting agreements, and non-competition, nondisclosure and proprietary rights agreements.
 

Adam has always had longstanding passions for entrepreneurship and travel. After graduating from Cornell University, his first business, Jezebel Magazine, was one of the fastest growing city publications in the country. After the sale of Jezebel, he directed his energies to understanding the luxury travel market. After identifying the upcoming market demand for destination clubs, Adam secured a position as Membership Director of a luxury destination club. His marketing and sales initiatives helped grow the club from under 50 members to over 150 in 12 months. Many prospects talked about their desire to share in the appreciation of the real estate, and in response, Adam decided to co-found Equity Estates to offer an equity stake to members along with their usage.

Wendy Clark joined The Coca-Cola Company in September 2008 as senior vice president – integrated marketing communications and capabilities. In this role, Clark oversees global efforts on design, advertising development, media, sponsorships, interactive marketing and the company’s Live Positively sustainability commitment.

Clark is a board member of the Association of National Advertisers and currently lives in Atlanta with her husband and three children. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English/creative writing from Florida State University.

Richard (Rick) Dean is a Managing Director and Principal of Waverly Partners, a retained executive search firm, and heads our Atlanta office. Prior to Waverly Partners, he was a Vice President & Practice Leader with StratfordGroup, a "top 20" executive search firm. He began his executive search career with DHR International in Atlanta and was subsequently appointed Managing Director of DHR's Charlotte, North Carolina office.

Rick has successfully completed mid-, senior- and CEO/COO-level search assignments across all corporate functions (marketing, sales, finance, operations, human resources, distribution, information technology) in most industries, including manufacturing, consulting, information technology, pharmaceuticals, packaged goods, consumer durables, hospitality, utilities, financial services and trade associations. His clients include Iomega Corporation, Whirlpool Corporation, Michelin-North America, Tire Centers, LLC, The Stanley Works, Maytag Corporation, Applica Consumer Products, Nabisco, McKesson Corporation, Carrier Corporation, Illinois Tool Works, Bosch-Siemens, and Pfizer Corporation. Rick brings a general management perspective to his executive search consulting. His two decades of P&L line assignments in both profitable and turnaround companies enable him to be discriminating when evaluating leadership, general management and technical business skills among candidates.

He has served in a variety of sales, sales management, marketing, public relations, operations, and distribution assignments during his corporate career with such multinationals as Whirlpool Corporation, Swedish AB Electrolux, United Dominion Corporation, and Australian SouthCorp. Rick served at the officer level with both AB Electrolux and SouthCorpUSA.

Rick earned a BS degree from Syracuse University and an MBA degree, cum laude, from Michigan State University. 

Jim Grant is the co-leader of Alston & Bird’s 135-member Litigation and Trial Practice Group (LTPG). He is the former leader of the appellate litigation team which is housed within the LTPG. Mr. Grant focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation and has extensive experience with appellate matters.

John Huie is co-head of the Nashville office at entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency, which is based in Los Angeles and also has offices in New York, London and Beijing. Huie represents many of America’s most successful musical acts, including Faith Hill, Amy Grant, Sugarland, Zac Brown Band and Shania Twain. 

Brad MacAfee brings a wealth of public relations experience-on both the agency and corporate sides-to Porter Novelli, where he manages the Atlanta office. Brad spearheads the organization's Technology Council, driving client engagements and business development. He has spent his entire career working with companies selling products and services to the small and medium-sized business (SMB) audience. He has developed strategic marketing and public relations programs for companies such as Sage Software, Level 3 Communications, Aflac, Capital One, BellSouth (now part of AT&T), Navision Software (now part of Microsoft) and Quark. Prior to joining Porter Novelli, Brad held director of public relations and business development positions at Peachtree Software (a division of Sage Software). At Peachtree, Brad established the company's first successful business development program—forging dozens of strategic partnerships valued at millions of dollars. He managed all aspects of the affiliate program, from lead generation to ongoing partnership management, and managed large corporate partners including Microsoft and IBM.

Brad earned a B.S. in telecommunications from Indiana University.

The Atlanta Falcons will continue to rely heavily on the valued experience and expertise of Rich McKay as he enters his sixth season with the Falcons as the team President, handling all business operations of the club including Community Relations, Human Resources, Retail, Marketing, Finance, Ticket Sales, and Football Communications.

Rich remains heavily involved with Falcons General Manager Thomas Dimitroff in running the club’s salary cap and contract negotiation areas.  Additionally, Rich will continue to work with Falcons Owner & CEO Arthur M. Blank on the pursuit of a new stadium as the club nears the expiration of its lease term at the Georgia Dome.

Prior to embarking on his new role as team President, McKay served in a dual role as Falcons President & General Manager from 2004-07. One of the many proud moments during his successful tenure in Atlanta includes helping the Falcons lay claim to an NFC South Division title in 2004, only the club’s third Division crown in franchise history, and a NFC Championship Game appearance (2004) for only the second time in team history. He recorded his 100th career regular season victory as an NFL General Manager in 2005 when the Falcons defeated the Detroit Lions 27–7 on Thanksgiving Day before a nationally televised audience at Ford Field. The 2004 Falcons rolled to a 4–0 start en route to an 11-5 record and earned the conference’s second seed in the playoffs, a first-round bye, and a nationally televised home game against the St. Louis Rams and their high-octane offense.

McKay, who also taught a course in sports/entertainment law at Stetson University’s College of Law, earned his Bachelor’s degree in 1981 from Princeton University. He graduated from Stetson’s College of Law in 1984 and clerked for two years for Tampa U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges.

Born March 16, 1959 in Eugene, Oregon, McKay grew up in Los Angeles and Tampa, graduating from Tampa’s Jesuit High School. An avid long distance runner, he has participated in and finished two New York City marathons and one recent Atlanta marathon. McKay and his wife, Terrin, have two sons, Hunter and John. 

Bob Meier is the President of the Atlanta, Northern Trust Bank, FSB. Formerly, Bob was a Vice President at Northern Trust Bank of Florida. He was responsible for Trust New Business in the Bonita Springs office.

Prior to joining Northern Trust in 1997, Bob was associated with NationsBank from 1991 to 1997, most recently as a Vice President.

He received a B.S. degree in Economics from Wake Forest University.

Bob is a Board Member of the United Way of Lee County and is a former President of the Lee County YMCA. He served in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserves from 1981 to 1997. 

Philip's business acumen is honed from over 20 years of experience in business development, marketing, management and operations. After graduating Cornell University, he worked as a corporate trainer and management consultant for ten years. Philip's accomplishments include starting a fast growing, new to market retail concept which he built up and sold after four years. The industry respected his novel approach and elected him president of their international association. Afterwards, Philip was hired as Director of Operations for a financial service firm where his work in channel sales garnered him praise, knowledge and experience in marketing specialty finance products. Philip had been a close friend and business confidant to Adam for 10 years and immediately saw value in creating an investment portfolio that allows owners to invest in vacation homes they can use and enjoy. He co-founded Equity Estates and enjoys building a real estate portfolio that is a smart investment and also provides memorable experiences. 

Hala Moddelmog currently serves as President of Arby’s Restaurant Group. Prior to joining Arby's, Moddelmog spent the last 15 years of her career in president and CEO roles. She is known as a multi­dimensional leader with areas of strength in strategic planning, marketing, brand and product development, and assembling and managing high performance teams. Her ability to form strategic alliances and public-private partnerships in industry and nonprofit is a powerful complement to her business acumen. Moddelmog was the first woman to lead an international restaurant company when in 1995 she was named President of Church's Chicken, the world's third largest chicken brand with 1500+ restaurants in 15 countries and nearly $1B in system sales. In 2006, she was chosen as President and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world's largest grassroots network working to eradicate breast cancer through education, awareness, public policy, and science throughout the globe. Since its inception, Komen has contributed over $1.5B in the fight against breast cancer and has outreach in 50 countries.

As president of Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB), William Pate is in charge of maintaining tourism as one of the city's top economic drivers. The industry brought more than 37 million visitors to metro Atlanta in 2007, generating more than $11.4 billion in visitor spending ($28 million a day) and sustaining more than 230,000 jobs.

Prior to joining ACVB, Pate served as chief marketing officer for BellSouth, one of the world's largest communications companies. Pate spearheaded the development and marketing of the BellSouth brand both nationally & internationally.                                                              

Pate also held positions at MCI, where he supervised domestic and international advertising and public relations and at Knapp Inc., an Atlanta-based marketing services firm specializing in solutions for large corporations. He also spent six years at the Southeast Dairy Association, producing advertising and marketing programs.

He began his career in non-profit, working in public relations positions with Goodwill Industries and the American Red Cross. Pate has received many awards and honors for his work from both Advertising Age and the American Marketing Association. In 2009, Pate was named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle's 100 Most Influential Atlantans.

Pate is the former chairman of the Atlanta Sports Council, Chick-fil-A Bowl and ACVB. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Alliance Theatre Company, The Association of National Advertisers and The Ad Council. He is also a member of the American Advertising Federation, the Georgia State University Board of Trustees and the Public Relations Society of America.

A native of Atlanta, Pate grew up in Decatur and attended Georgia State University, where he received his undergraduate degree in journalism and his graduate degree in communications. He and his family are members of St. Thomas More Catholic Church. 

Scott Smith has a BSBA in Economics from the University of Florida and a MSM from the Georgia Institute of Technology.  Currently residing in McKinney, Texas, Scott is originally from Atlanta, Georgia and attended Westminster High Schools.  Scott has a talented 17 year old daughter, Jennifer, who is currently attending Pace Academy as a Junior, and recently completed her Jewish studies at Temple Sinai in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Scott has functioned as a serial entrepreneur as well as a proven Executive Leader and IT Professional.  He has deliberately invested 24 years of his professional life primarily focused on large scale private equity investment, professional services, and political grassroots activities.  Scott has successfully led multiple IT Consulting firms, developed and managed the deployment of complex system infrastructures across a global landscape, and assembled high performing teams with repeatable successes in delivering strategic results.

His strongest industry skills lie in financial services, energy, telecommunications, public sector, and technology services.  He has served as Founder/CEO of several IT Consulting firms, executed large scale global ERP integrations, and designed strategic IT global operations leading to measurable corporate economic and financial results.  Scott also has substantial experience turning around under-performing groups and delivering high quality technology solutions on-time and on-budget. 

Scott has successfully led multiple IT Consulting firms, developed and managed the  deployment of complex system infrastructures across the globe.  In addition, Scott has built top performing teams servicing users globally. 

In his twenty- six years with the world’s largest transportation company, Joe has held a number of senior management positions with United Parcel Service in the areas of Product Development, Process Re-Engineering, Information Technology, Acquisition Integration, Supply Chain Management Consulting and Operations.  Joe holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Florida in Management Information Systems. In 1999, Joe and his wife Sharon moved from Orlando, Florida through a corporate relocation.  In 2003 they started a family, and their pride and joy keeps them both busy with volunteering at school functions, Cub Scouts, coaching baseball, playing basketball, waterskiing and most recently, golfing as a family.

Joe met Jon Albert a few years ago when they were having their cars serviced at a local dealership in Atlanta.  After short personal introductions in the back of a courtesy vehicle, a friendship was formed and a strong desire to help support the Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation was incubated.  Jon’s desire, passion and motivation to build the foundation resonated deeply with Joe who lost his mother to cancer when he was seventeen and attending his first semester in college.  From the first phone call received from his mom in the college dorm, until her last days on Earth, Joe wishes he somehow would have thought of or had the financial means to create his family’s own “WOW” experience so that he could relive those special memories and share with his family.

Now he is part of the Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer team as an Advisor and plans to raise awareness and financial support for this very efficient nonprofit foundation. 

Marc completes his clinical fellowship in the Department of Digestive Diseases at Emory University in June 2012; he will then become an associate with Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates and their Physician Business Development Director for their Center for Advanced GI Therapeutics and Southeastern Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders. Prior, he became board certified in Internal Medicine after finishing his residency training as a member of the Osler Medical Service at Johns Hopkins University. In July 2012, he also graduates with his Master of Business Administration from the Terry College at the University of Georgia. Marc received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia after obtaining his Bachelor of Science in microbiology studies at the University of Georgia. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society and Phi Beta Kappa Academic Honor Society. Marc was a member of the 2010-2011 LEAD Atlanta for Young Professionals class, and he currently is a member of the inaugural (2011-2012) Emerging Leaders Project of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta.

Marc is married to his high school sweetheart, Alana, and they raise their two sons, Devin and Reese, in their hometown of Atlanta.  

Yvette Tremonti is the Executive Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Inc. In this capacity, she oversees Planning, Strategic Alliances, Public Relations & Marketing, Board Relations, the Board of Advisors, Moffitt Diversity and Human Resources. She has worked for Moffitt Cancer Center since 1996. Prior to her current role, she served as Vice President of Human Resources.

Mrs. Tremonti has approximately 18 years of health care finance experience. She spent nine years with Ernst & Young in the audit practice focused on for-profit and not-for-profit health care entities. In addition, she served as campus coordinator, recruiter and program instructor for Ernst & Young.

Mrs. Tremonti holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of South Florida and a Masters of Business Administration from Auburn University. She is a member of the American and Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Healthcare Financial Management Association and the Society for Human Resource Management.

Dr. Burris has over 20 years of Phase I clinical trial experience. He received his undergraduate degree from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point in 1981 and medical degree from the University of South Alabama in 1985. He then performed his residency and fellowship in hematology/oncology at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. He is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology.

Judy E. Garber, M.D., MPH, is Director of the Cancer Risk and Prevention Program at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She is attending physician at Dana-Farber’s Breast Oncology Center, an associate physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an associate professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Garber’s research is focused on genetic susceptibility to breast, ovarian and other cancers, and the development of novel medical strategies to prevent cancer. 

Born and raised in New York, Dr. Harpham graduated with distinction from Cornell University and the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and she did her post-graduate training in internal medicine in Texas. From 1983 through 1990, Dr. Harpham cared for patients in her solo practice of internal medicine at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.

In 1990, Dr. Harpham was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma and has been in and out of treatment ever since. Forced to redefine her career, she saw opportunities to use her unique perspective as a physician-patient to help cancer patients and their families. Dr. Harpham turned to writing as a way to continue to educate, comfort and inspire others. Adapting the principles of her office and drawing upon her own experiences as a patient, she has written award-winning books for newly diagnosed patients and their families, survivors dealing with recovery and long-term survivorship, and parents with cancer and their children.

Since her books are informational—and not autobiographical—each book begins with a brief prologue in which she shares her personal story as it relates to the topic of the book. Her first book, Diagnosis: Cancer. Your Guide Through the First Few Months, was written during the months of her initial chemotherapy, bringing to it a valuable combination: the mind-set of a newly diagnosed patient and the experience of an internist. The third edition (June 2003) has a new subtitle: Your Guide to the First Months of Healthy Survivorship. Her second book, After Cancer, was begun during her first remission, but much of it was written while she was undergoing various courses of treatment for her first few recurrences of cancer. Her book for parents, When a Parent has Cancer, unlike her first two books, includes personal vignettes throughout the text. Dr. Harpham explains, "Dr. Harpham wrote my first two books. Mommy Harpham wrote this one. I share my personal story not to teach people about me but to help them think about, talk about and better understand what is happening to them. I hope that others can learn from my successes and mistakes, and more easily find what can work well for them."

Since December 2005, Dr. Harpham has been writing a regular column- View From the Other Side of the Stethoscope- for the professional magazine, Oncology Times. She addresses common challenges to the care of the cancer patient from her vantage as physician-survivor. Dr. Harpham received the silver award from American Society of Healthcare Publications in the category “Regular Column: Contributed.”

In addition to her writing, Dr. Harpham has become a nationally recognized speaker for professional and lay—general public, survivor groups—audiences. She teaches people how to obtain sound knowledge, find and nourish hope, and act effectively when dealing with illness. Among the many aspects of survivorship she discusses are optimizing the clinician-patient relationship, dealing with cancer-related fatigue, helping the children (preschoolers, school-aged kids, teens) of cancer patients, understanding clinical trials, finding hopefulness in difficult times, and embracing life after cancer.

Dr. Harpham devotes her energy to helping survivors directly through her writing and speaking, and indirectly through her activities as a patient advocate. Limited stamina prevents her from returning to clinical medicine at this time. Dr. Harpham lives in Texas with her husband and three children, two of whom are in college. Her hobbies include playing the violin and collecting commemorative thimbles from the cities in which she does work in survivorship.

Dr. Keedy is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. After receiving her B.S. in Microbiology at Indiana University, she went to medical school at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Keedy completed her Internal Medicine Residency and Hematology/Oncology training at VanderbiltUniversity Medical Center. She is a graduate of the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation Program at Vanderbilt.

Dr. Keedy is a member of the Phase I Clinical Trial team at Vanderbilt, and serves as the Principal Investigator on several sarcoma, GIST, and lung cancer clinical trials. She is an active member in the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and serves on the Career Development and Health Services Committees.

Dr. Means-Powell is a medical oncologist who recently joined the faculty of the Division of Hematology/Oncology. During her fellowship training at Vanderbilt, Dr. Means-Powell's research included studying chemotherapy drug resistance in acute non-lymphocytic leukemia. She has received two honors for academic excellence and is a graduate of the Master of Clinical Investigation Program. 

Dr. Ocean is a medical oncologist and attending physician in gastrointestinal oncology, Solid Tumor Division, at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center; Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University; and medical oncologist at The Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health.

Board certified in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology, Dr. Oceanï¿‚ï¾’s primary interest is in the biology and treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies, such as colorectal, pancreatic, stomach, biliary, and liver cancers. She also specializes in head and neck cancers and neuroendocrine tumors. Dr. Ocean's clinical research focuses on the use of radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies, oncolytic viral therapies, and novel targeted agents. In her clinical practice, Dr. Ocean believes in the provision not only of state-of-the art treatment for her patients and their families, but also in a comprehensive, compassionate, multidisciplinary approach to their care and support.

Dr. Ocean graduated cum laude from Tufts University. She also graduated with honors from the Tufts University School of Medicine and completed residency in internal medicine at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Dr. Ocean was chief fellow during her fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Dr. Ocean is the author of numerous peer-reviewed articles and abstracts and is an active member of several professional societies, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, and American Association for Cancer Research.

Dr. Ruth O’Regan is Professor of Hematology & Medical Oncology and Director of the Translational Breast Cancer Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. She is a Georgia Cancer Coalition (GCC) Distinguished Cancer Scholar and holds the Glenn Family Chair in breast cancer research.

Prior to her work at Winship, she served as assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, where she worked with leading authority Dr. V. Craig Jordan, studying the mechanisms of selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) resistance, work she has continued at Winship. She has also been involved in clinical research at the World Cancer Institute, and was the principal investigator of Georgia CORE’s (Center for Oncology Research and Education) first trials. She is widely published in peer reviewed scientific journals, and speaks nationally on breast cancer, including the use of hormonal and targeted therapies.  

Mark B. Pochapin, MD, is Director of the Division of Gastroenterology at NYU Medical Center and the Shultz-Leeds Professor of Gastroenterology. In his patient practice, Dr. Pochapin specializes in advanced gastrointestinal endoscopy, and focuses on the prevention, early detection, and treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. His research interests center on innovative endoscopy technologies; prevention of colorectal polyps and cancer; early identification and treatment of pancreatic cysts; and diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer.

Dr. Pochapin serves on the Board of Trustees of the American College of Gastroenterology, is a member of several medical and gastroenterology professional organizations, and is the author of What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Colorectal Cancer.

Dr. Pochapin has received numerous awards, including the Elliot Hochstein Teaching Award for "the qualities of compassion, skill, and distinction as a physician and teacher" and the Humanism in Medicine Award in recognition of "compassion, sensitivity, respect, and cultural competence in the delivery of care to patients and their families."

Dr. Pochapin graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science and Engineering degree in 1984, and received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in 1988. He was the Founding Director of the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at New York- Presbyterian/ Weill Cornell Medical Center from 2004-2012 and has been an advocate of humanism in medicine and patient-centered care.

Cindy Tinker's professional background has been wide and varied. It gives her great satisfaction to be a useful link and team player in helping people get what they need and finding resources that work for them. Ms. Tinker has her master's degree in Social Work from the University of Tennessee, her bachelor's degree in Social Work from Middle Tennessee State University, and a two-year Associate's degree in Interpreting for the Hearing Impaired from Chattanooga State Technical Community College. She spent one year on a Rotary International Scholarship at James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland, Australia studying social work as a Foundation Scholar.

Rachel is a Senior Account Executive at Google/YouTube, where she consults with Big-Box Retail clients on their digital strategy. Prior to her six years at Google, Rachel held various media planning roles at large advertising agencies. She earned her BBA from The George Washington University in Washington DC where she majored in Marketing. An Atlanta native, Rachel moved back to her hometown in October of 2009 after a 10-year stint in New York City.