Patient Group Representatives
Jeri Francoeur
Chair
Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation
Jeri Francoeur has been active with numerous breast cancer advocacy organizations for over 30 years, and currently serves as a Patient Advocate for the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation and as Advocacy and Public Policy Chair for the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation. She is also a past chair of the Medical Quality Assurance Board for the state of Florida Board of Nursing Home Administrators. A two-time breast cancer survivor who also lost a close friend to the disease, she is a passionate advocate for breast cancer research and funding, as well as patient education on treatment options.
Mike "Bing" Crosby
Vice Chair
Veterans Prostate Cancer Awareness Inc.
Mike “Bing” Crosby, Commander US Navy retired, was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer at the Phoenix VA in October of 2015. Given the relatively limited number of options for treatment through the Phoenix VA at the time, Mr. Crosby advocated for his own care outside the VA system and was subsequently treated by CyberKnife radiation therapy at the Swedish Hospital in Seattle WA. In December 2016 Mr. Crosby formed Veterans Prostate Cancer Awareness, a non-profit organization focused on raising awareness and educating our Nations Hero’s about the number ONE diagnosed non-skin cancer within the VA System. Veterans Prostate Cancer Awareness (VPCa) and ZERO – the End of Prostate Cancer (ZERO) are teaming up to address the startling prevalence of prostate cancer in the Veteran population. With over 489,000 patients currently in the VHA system undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, and almost 13,000 new cases each year, the disease is the number one reported solid tumor cancer in the VHA system. CDR Crosby holds a Master of Science in Systems Management from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and is a 1983 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Science. He is also a graduate of the Allied Air Forces Central Europe “Tactical Leadership Program”, as well as the US Navy Fighter Weapons School “TOPGUN”. Mr. Crosby has logged over 3000 hours in multiple tactical jet aircraft, including, the F-14, F/A-18, B-1B, Mirage 2000, Tornado GR1, Harrier, and the F-16N.
Celina Gorre
WomenHeart
Celina Gorre is the CEO of WomenHeart, the leading nonprofit focused on greater awareness and education on the number one killer of women, as well as the injustices that women face in their heart journeys. Prior to WomenHeart, Celina served as executive director of the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases where she led the GACD Secretariat based in London, funding research in over 70 countries around the world. Previously, she was the Managing Director of the Foundation for the United Nations Global Compact where she headed up the private sector funding team and lead the overall development and management of the New York-based nonprofit. She also worked in the field with United Nations Populations Fund and UNICEF in Angola as a senior advisor to the Angolan government on HIV/AIDS and child survival and to multinational companies on their social and local community investments. Celina also has extensive experience developing health and social programs for multinational companies. She has worked for the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (now GBCHealth), guiding companies such as Nike, Volkswagen, Colgate, American Express, and Chevron, on their strategy implementation for employees, consumers, and communities. She also led global training for Gap Inc.'s social responsibility department. She holds a Bachelor's degree in psychology, a Master's in Public Health in epidemiology, both from UCLA and a Master's in Public Administration from Harvard University.
Josh A. Mailman, MBA
NorCal CarciNET Community
Josh A. Mailman holds a BA in Economics from the University of California at Los Angeles and an MBA in Marketing and Finance from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA. He is a Silicon Valley executive with over 20 years of success in the technology field. Mr. Mailman co–created eFax.com where he served as Vice President of Operations in addition to applying for and receiving several patents for his work on eFax’s technology. During his career Mr. Mailman has held executive-level potions at Xerox, NBCi and Everyone.net. Mr. Mailman’s last start-up, ChatterEmail was sold to Palm in 2007. Since his diagnosis in 2006 Mr. Mailman has focused his time and energy in the Non-profit community. He currently serves on the executive board of the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (NETRF.org), as president of the Northern California Carcinoid/Neuroendocrine Support Group (www.NorCalCarciNET.org), as Chief Operating Officer of WARMTH, and as a member of the NCI Steering Committee on GI Cancer as well as co-chair of the Patient Advocate Steering Committee (PASC). In 2021 Mr. Mailman was appointed to the ASCO Research Committee as well as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Advisory Committee on the Medical Use of Isotopes.
Jan Manarite
YourProstateCancer.help
Jan Manarite is the President & CEO of Your Prostate Cancer.help. Previously she held executive positions at Cancer ABCs and Prostate Cancer International. She has been an advocate and educator in prostate cancer for 20 years, thirteen of which she spent advocating for her husband, Dominic. Their story started with Dominic's diagnosis of prostate cancer at the age of 58, with a PSA of 7,096 and widespread bone metastases. Jan quickly became his advocate, researcher, and a major decision-maker for his care, engaging in Shared Decision Making before she even knew what it was. To this day, she shares her lessons with others who are navigating a complicated disease in a confusing medical system. Jan's work includes producing four patient-first conferences since 2017, creating countless articles and videos that fill unmet needs for patients and caregivers, and speaking regularly at support groups and Prostate Cancer Community events. She is one of two patient advocates for the Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Consortium and has advocated on behalf of patients at the FDA, CMS, and numerous medical organizations.
She has also led patient helplines at multiple organizations and is well-known for her powerful patient-first perspective, language and approach. Jan has been nominated for several awards and was the recipient of PBS MAKERS Award in 2015 in Southwest Florida.
Hal Berger
ZERO, The End of Prostate Cancer
Hal Berger is the Government Relations and Advocacy Coordinator at ZERO Prostate Cancer. In this role, Hal makes a daily impact on prostate cancer through advocacy efforts on the state and federal levels alongside recruiting and managing advocates to tell their stories to elected officials. Prior to working at ZERO, Hal worked on Capitol Hill and for numerous government relations firms, gaining expertise on issues ranging from Veteran health to infrastructure. Hal graduated summa cum laude from Kennesaw State University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs.
Anita McGlothlin
Go2 Foundation for Lung Cancer
Anita McGlothlin is the Director of Economics and Regulatory Affairs at the Go2 Foundation for Lung Cancer (Go2), a Washington, D.C.-based national nonprofit organization whose mission is to save lives and advance research by empowering those living with and at risk for lung cancer. Anita works closely with the Patient and Outreach Services, Health Policy, and Science and Research programs to advance the Go2's mission through the development and implementation of priority science and regulatory policies. Having led low dose CT lung cancer screening national coverage efforts for radiology in her prior role, and with over twenty years of economics and health policy expertise, Anita has a special interest in reducing patient access barriers and increasing the lung cancer screening rates. In addition to her career in screening and policy, Anita was appointed to the National Lung Cancer Roundtable as the Vice Chair of the Policy Action Task Group, which is a partnership of public, private and voluntary organizations that play a key role in reducing the incidence of and mortality from lung cancer. Over 156,000 Americans will die annually from lung cancer and like so many other families impacted, Anita’s advocacy work holds a personal story.
Dorothy McGrath
Colorectal Cancer Alliance
Dorothy McGrath is a Stage IV colon cancer survivor. When she was initially diagnosed in 2004, on her birthday, she wasn’t offered much hope for survival. Being a researcher at heart, having worked at PBS affiliates for over 26 years, she educated herself on the disease and signed up for a Stage II clinical trial. While researching her disease she joined the Colorectal Cancer Alliance and has been a mentor, advocate and speaker about this disease in order to raise awareness. Her passion for producing health related programs for her local PBS station escalated. Now that she is an insider on the disease, she has a true understanding of the challenges that patients face. She hopes that her productions are more informative to meet the patients, and their caregiver’s needs.
Brittany Avin McKelvey, PhD
ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association
Brittany Avin McKelvey is a papillary thyroid cancer survivor, initially diagnosed at age 13. She is actively involved as a patient research advocate with multiple organizations, including the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a member of the NCI Council of Research Advocates (NCRA). Brittany is a volunteer with ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association. She leads the Teen Support Group for ThyCa, as well as serves as a volunteer for ThyCa's person-to-person network. She studied thyroid cancer during her PhD studies at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in molecular biology and genetics. Brittany is currently the Director of Regulatory Affairs at Friends of Cancer Research, an advocacy organization based in Washington, DC that drives collaboration among partners from every healthcare sector to power advances in science, policy, and regulation that speed life-saving treatments to patients.
Mason Mitchell-Daniels, MPH/MSW
Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
Mason Mitchell-Daniels is the Chief Operating Office and Volunteer Coordinator at the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance (LBCA), a patient advocacy organization focused on raising awareness of and promoting research on invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), the second most common histological subtype of breast cancer. Mason works closely with individuals living with lobular breast cancer and family member volunteers, and clinicians and researchers who share their time and expertise to support LBCA’s mission. In her role at LBCA, Mason coordinates the Advocate Chat series to support a growing network of ILC patient advocates; facilitates the Research and Advocacy committee, which develops patient resources and outreach strategies to promote education about ILC; and she helped LBCA launch as an independent nonprofit charitable organization in 2022. Prior to joining LBCA, Mason held various positions in the fields of health policy and public health, and throughout her career has focused on bringing stakeholder voices to the table. Mason holds a B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, and received dual Master’s degrees in Social Work and Public Health from Columbia University in New York. Mason lives in Massachusetts with her partner and two children.
Cassadie Moravek
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
Cassadie Moravek is the Associate Director of Scientific and Medical Affairs at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN). PanCAN is dedicated to fighting the world’s toughest cancer, attacking pancreatic cancer on all fronts: research, clinical initiatives, patient services and advocacy. Our effort is amplified by a nationwide network of grassroots support. We are determined to accelerate progress and improve patient outcomes. In her role, Cassadie oversees the organization’s patient research initiatives, including the Know Your Tumor® precision medicine service, the Patient Registry, and Clinical Trial Finder. She works closely with the organization’s Patient Services call center to ensure these services are offered to the appropriate patients and are easy to use and effective. In addition, she works with the Scientific and Medical Affairs team to collect, analyze, and publish data contributing to best practices in the field. Cassadie also represents PanCAN in several advisory roles, including serving as a Patient Advocate on the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Pancreas Task Force, for the review panel for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Guidelines and for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Gastrointestinal Cancer Guideline Advisory Group and Pancreatic Cancer Guidelines.
Sonya Negley, IOM
METAvivor
Sonya attended Auburn University Montgomery and University of Texas, Arlington, where she obtained her undergraduate degree in Communications with a minor in Political Science. She has completed a six year executive course in Organization Management from the University of Georgia and received certification in Organization Management (IOM). She has served clients since 1997 in the non-profit space and has been instrumental in administering over $197 million in grants for innovative cancer research. Sonya serves as the Executive Director of METAvivor Research and Support, Inc. an organization dedicated to funding research to transition metastatic breast cancer from a terminal disease to one that is manageable with a good quality of life and providing support, education and advocacy for those living with metastatic breast cancer.
Mike Philbin
FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered
Mike holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Western New England College, and a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He has worked in the Chemical Industry for 33 years and is an Inventor or Co-Inventor on 27 US patents. Mike is a seven year Prostate Cancer Survivor with a BRCA2 mutation. Mike serves in a variety of patient support and patient advisory roles including as a Peer Navigator and Research Advocate with FORCE, a Patient Mentor in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s (MSKCC) Patient & Caregiver Support Program, a Council Member on MSKCC’s Patient and Family Advisory Council for Quality (PFACQ), and as a Panel Advisor on the Patient Centered Outcomes Research institute’s (PCORI) Clinical Effectiveness and Decision Science (CEDS) Panel.
Aimee Powell
Pheo Para Alliance
Aimee Powell is the founder of the Pheo Para Project, past Interim Executive Director of the Pheo Para Troopers, and past Executive Director of the Pheo Para Alliance. She currently serves as Community Engagement Specialist for the Pheo Para Alliance and as a NET Connect Mentor for the Los Angeles Carcinoid Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (LACNETS). She has worked in an administrative capacity with nonprofits since 2005, and as a professional communicator for over twenty-five years. Aimee's extensive work in patient advocacy has its roots in the time she spent as a caregiver for family members diagnosed with pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma, two rare neuroendocrine tumors. After her brother's death from malignant paraganglioma, she dedicated herself to supporting patients and caregivers living with pheo/para, and to raising awareness about the disease. She lives in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Claudia Revilla
Michael J. Fox Foundation
Claudia was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson's disease 10 years ago. Her Parkinson’s journey led her to the realization that the disease is a progressive neurological disorder without a cure, defined biomarker, or effective treatment options. Claudia decided to get involved with the Michael J Fox Foundation to further educate herself and work to increase research and find new therapies to treat the disease. As a dedicated volunteer at MJF, Claudia is an active participant in clinical trials and a committed public policy advocate. She lives in Peoria, IL with her husband and their two sons.
Stephen J. Schwartz
Lymphoma Research Foundation
Stephen Schwartz serves as the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) representative, a survivor of Diffusive large B-cell lymphoma. Stephen’s involvement with LRF was at the onset of his 1998 non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis through the Cure for Lymphoma Foundation (CLF), which later merged with the Lymphoma Research Foundation of America to become the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Stephen serves on LRF’s Regional Leadership Council and was a member of the Public Policy Committee. He is the inaugural recipient (July 2017) of the Marnie Gordon Founder’s Award. Stephen spent six years working in energy efficiency at Lime Energy, having served in senior positions including Program and Finance Director. Stephen has more than 20 years of international experience as a media sales and marketing, business-to-business professional in digital, print, conference, and trade shows. More than half has been in the science (STM) and chemical industries, first at Chemical Week (IHS Markit) then Nature Publishing Group (NPG), a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature. At NPG, Stephen directed all U.S. advertising sales (print, digital and podcast) for Nature, the world’s leading scientific journal, as well as 17 other monthly titles including Nature Biotechnology, Nature Genetics, as well as aiding in the launch of Nature Methods. Stephen lives with his family in New York and is a graduate of the Boston University Questrom School of Business.
Christopher Weber, PhD
Alzheimer's Association
Dr. Weber, director of Global Science Initiatives, oversees efforts to advance the scientific agenda of the Alzheimer’s Association. With over 20 years of clinical research experience, Dr. Weber is responsible for communicating the global research landscape of Alzheimer’s and dementia, including the breadth and reach of the Association’s research programs, and the critical need for increased research funding from the public and private sectors.
Dr. Weber directs Association initiatives that convene leaders from across the field to develop, expand and increase the success rate of Alzheimer’s diagnostic tools and drugs to treat and prevent the disease. He manages the Alzheimer’s Association Research Roundtable, a platform that enables international scientific, industry and government leaders to overcome shared obstacles in Alzheimer’s science and drug development. He also oversees the Global Biomarker Standardization Consortium (GBSC), an initiative that unites key researchers and clinicians with industry, regulatory and government leaders to achieve consensus on the best ways to standardize and validate biomarker tests for use in clinical practices worldwide. Dr. Weber received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Bital Savir-Baruch, MD 
Chadwick Wright, MD, PhD