Upplýsingar á ensku um menntun og bakgrunn Dr. Weiss og samstarfsfólks hennar á breastcancer.org.

Dr. Weiss attended the University of Pennsylvania for her undergraduate studies, medical school, residency, and laboratory research fellowship. She then became an assistant professor in Penn's Radiation Oncology Department, specializing in breast cancer. In 1992, she joined the staff at Paoli Memorial Hospital of the Thomas Jefferson University Health System, and the Fox Chase Cancer Center Network, located outside Philadelphia. In 2002, Dr. Weiss moved her practice to Lankenau Hospital, where she is Director of Breast Radiation Oncology.

Dr. Weiss received the 2003 Professor of Survivorship Award from the Susan G. Komen Foundation. She was also named one of the top ten cancer physicians in the Philadelphia region by Philadelphia Magazine and is the recipient of many other awards, including several from the American Cancer Society. Dr. Weiss serves on the professional advisory board of the Philadelphia Wellness Community, and she is a past board member of the National Breast Cancer Coalition.

Dr. Weiss lives in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, with her husband (a pediatrician and avid fisherman), three children, and two dogs.

Meredith Adams

Meredith Adams joined breastcancer.org in the summer of 2005 as the Office Manager and Executive Assistant. Meredith has extensive experience in project management from GlaxoSmithKline where she managed the schedules and speaking requests of 25 research physicians and key opinion leaders.

Prior to working at GSK, Meredith was a project manager for Maritz McGettigan, Inc., one of the largest meeting planning companies worldwide. She was responsible for the complete management of programs ranging from 10 to 10,000 participants.

Meredith received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Specialized Business from the College at Walnut Hill in Philadelphia in 1999.

Working at breastcancer.org is very fulfilling for Meredith. "It's really great to go home every night knowing I'm part of something that makes a true difference in the lives of people with breast cancer."

Melissa Bollmann-Jenkins

Melissa Bollmann-Jenkins' background, both culturally and educationally, has been rich and diverse. She trained in clinical psychology and medicine in the U.S. and Germany, writing and publishing research studies on cancer patients and their quality of life issues. As Community Coordinator for breastcancer.org, Melissa responds to and connects with the community of women and their loved ones who use the site. Through bulletin boards, conferences, and polls, she makes them feel at home with the vital information that breastcancer.org offers, and provides them with a lively and interactive way to reach each other as well. Melissa joined the breastcancer.org team because she believes this to be an exciting means of connecting women to one another and supplying the most up-to-date, consumer-friendly information available, whether next door or across the world.

Melissa's work history includes research director of a project for women with eating disorders; director of a clinical research project, funded by the National Institutes for Health, for medically underserved women at high risk for cervical cancer; and a happy and productive association with the organization Living Beyond Breast Cancer®. She has managed, coordinated, and marketed community health programs and large-scale conferences and workshops, as well as a breast cancer survivors' helpline and a young survivors' program. She has written and edited comprehensive educational newsletters and was essential to the creation and distribution of Getting Connected, a support and educational book for African-American women facing breast cancer.

Mary Kelso Bryson

Mary Kelso Bryson fell in love with medical illustration in her high school biology class. She attended Washington University in St. Louis and took biology courses ranging from embryology to botany, as well as design and illustration courses. Mary continued studying medical illustration at the University of Illinois at Chicago for a master's degree in fine arts, acquiring a thorough background in anatomy, anatomical rendering, and 3-D computer rendering and animation. While a graduate student, she worked as a research assistant for EyeWatch, a program that computer-aged the faces of missing children for the FBI.

With this background, Mary is an excellent match for the role of chief medical illustrator for breastcancer.org. "I feel good that I know my illustrations are helping women get through a tough time in their lives," notes Mary. "I think that explaining complicated information in order to empower women is a good purpose for an illustrator."

Mary received a Vesalius Trust Scholarship from the Association of Medical Illustrators for her master's thesis, "Hysterical Histology," an interactive computer game that she developed and programmed. She has been a freelance medical illustrator for ten years, and manages two above-average children, one good-looking husband, and a spectacular garden.

John Gerard DeMaio, M.D., M.B.A.

Since breastcancer.org's conception Dr. John DeMaio has served in a consulting capacity as the organization's business development strategist, providing direction for programmatic and corporate funding development.

John is currently president of Cadence, LLC (King of Prussia, PA), a consultancy specializing in business development strategy for a variety of clients each of which touches the broad enterprise of healthcare in one way or another. Cadence clients include biotechnology, pharmaceutical, marketing, communication, educational and non-profit concerns. Prior to founding Cadence John was vice president and senior strategy consultant at Medical Broadcasting Company (MBC) in Philadelphia, and director of business development for Current Communications Company, a division of MBC which produces continuing medical education programs.

John is also a practicing physician, with two decades of clinical and research work as a pediatrician and neonatal intensive care medicine specialist. He earned his BA and MD degrees at the University of Pennsylvania, completed his residency and fellowship at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and holds an MBA from Penn's Wharton School. Dr. DeMaio was named one of Philadelphia Magazine's "Top Docs for Kids" in 1992, and is cited in The Best Doctors in America.

"My past and current work fully immerses me in the subject of health and the Internet," he says. "breastcancer.org is a precious and rare find for those with breast cancer and those whose lives it touches—deep, credible, supportive, and quite human. This was, from the start, the vision of Dr. Weiss. It is one from which she has never wavered."

Jamie DePolo

Jamie DePolo has been writing and editing science stories for non-scientists since 1990. She has written about everything from cell function in the brain to water quality and human health to manure management systems, much of it for the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station at Michigan State University.

"It's very gratifying to receive notes from people who tell me I've helped them understand a concept and improve their lives," she says. Jamie is very proud to be a part of the breastcancer.org team since several of her relatives and friends have experienced breast cancer.

She earned a B.A. in journalism and an M.A. in English literature, both from Michigan State University. She has also taken numerous black and white photography classes and worked part-time as a disc jockey for eight years. In addition to her science writing at MSU, she also has written for Drexel University, the New Jersey State Bar Association, and The Detroit Metro Times.

Caroline Durham

Caroline Durham joined breastcancer.org in the fall of 2003 as Administrative Assistant and has helped keep the office running smoothly ever since. After graduating from Haverford College in 2002 with a B.A. in Anthropology, Caroline spent a year researching and writing low-lit health information for a small Washington, DC-based nonprofit. During summers in college, she worked at the Onondaga County Health Department in Syracuse, NY, in a variety of programs including the Lead Poisoning Control Program, Healthy Start, and the Central NY Immunization Registry.

At breastcancer.org, Caroline assists in development and office management, handling everything from phone calls to mailings to helping everyone find what they need when they need it. "I enjoy getting feedback from, and talking to, all the people who have been helped by breastcancer.org," Caroline says, "and I like working with creative and enthusiastic people in all aspects of the organization."

Janice Fisher

Janice Fisher is an editor who worked on many sections of the breastcancer.org site. Her job was to help make the language clear, consistent, and user-friendly. "For an editor," she says, "there's no greater pleasure than working with very smart writers and physicians who are passionately interested in conveying complicated information as effectively and unthreateningly as possible."

In her editorial work Janice specializes in healthcare communication and the social sciences. Her clients have included InteliHealth, Health Ink Communications, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Independence Blue Cross, the American Psychological Association, and a broad range of scholarly publishers, trade publications, and individual authors. Janice also teaches communication classes at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She received her bachelor's degree from Penn and did graduate work at its Annenberg School for Communication.

Like several other members of the breastcancer.org team, Janice has a deeply personal interest in the subject matter: Her mother died of metastatic breast cancer at the age of 44, the day after Janice turned 18. "I've been confronting my own myths and misperceptions about this disease, and learning a tremendous amount as well. I know that other women who come to our site will benefit in the same way from the knowledge – and the comfort."

Foraker Design

Foraker Design is proud to be a part of the breastcancer.org team. Foraker has been handling web site development and ongoing maintenance for the site since 2000.

Stirling Olson leads the team from Foraker Design. Stirling holds a B.S.E. in electrical engineering and computer science from Duke University. His technical experience includes three years of software development at Mitsubishi Electric in Nagoya, Japan, and four years as Chief Information Officer at Interport Maintenance Co., Inc. In 1999, Stirling founded Foraker Design "to help bring order to the chaos of information" that followed the Internet explosion. "This is why working with breastcancer.org has been so fulfilling," Stirling says. "The Internet is removing many geographic and cultural barriers, and the folks at breastcancer.org are working hard to further this process. I anticipate creating exciting information resources to help build a community of truly outstanding people."

Derek Olson graduated cum laude from the University of Oregon with a B.S. in Psychology. After spending several years in Alaska managing a wilderness lodge, Derek joined his brother Stirling at Foraker Design as lead development coordinator. "Stirling had been quietly bugging me for several years about coming to work for him," says Derek. "Working on a project like breastcancer.org makes me realize why I took the job: When people communicate, good things happen. breastcancer.org has taken a really delicate subject and opened up an important dialogue between caring medical experts and the patient community. That is what the Web is all about."

Anna Bensen is the graphic designer for Foraker Design. Anna earned her B.S. at Auburn University in Industrial Design. She also studied abroad at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, Ireland. "The Internet presents an unmatched opportunity to provide information and resources on any and every subject matter," Anna says. "I am proud to be a part of breastcancer.org because they recognize this opportunity and use it to present a wealth of information to patients in the comfort and privacy of their own homes."

James Hanna

James Hanna, a graduate of Georgetown University, has spent many years in the accounting business, specializing in tax, real estate, healthcare, and not-for profit organizations. He has helped build the infrastructure of the breastcancer.org site, freeing others to create and develop its substance while he takes care of the basics. He takes great pride in seeing breastcancer.org go from an idea to a flourishing website.

Jim is a past member and chairman of the Federal Tax Committee of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and past member of the Estate Planning Committee and the Management Accounting Practice Committee of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, among other diverse professional organizations. He is also an active member of several community groups, including trustee at the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; immediate Past President of the Kiwanis Club of the Main Line; President, Dad Vail Regatta Organizing Committee; and Director, Independence Hall Association.

Michele McLaughlin

Michele joined breastcancer.org as Managing Editor in the summer of 2005. She guides the editorial team with an interesting combination of strategic thinking, internet usability insights, healthcare knowledge, web-writing, and content management skills.

After graduating from Loyola College in 1997 with a B.A. in Communications/Journalism, Michele worked as a copywriter for various pharmaceutical advertising agencies in the North Jersey area. In 2002, she returned home to the Philadelphia area and most recently, worked at Medical Broadcasting Company (MBC) in Philadelphia, where she supervised the development of editorial content for healthcare websites about breast cancer, cholesterol management, and men's sexual health.

Michele is thrilled to be part of the breastcancer.org team. "I am proud to be a part of such an amazing organization," she says. "It's so rewarding to know that the work I do actually helps women around the world to make wise decisions, understand a diagnosis, and cope with fear. To be a witness to the courage and spirit of women with breast cancer is a privilege and truly inspiring. I feel really lucky to have been given this opportunity."

Kathy Moore

Kathy Moore joined breastcancer.org in 2005 as Director of Retail Programs. In this capacity, she is responsible for developing and coordinating collaborative efforts involving product and retail corporations. She has many years of experience in the retail industry, including multiple positions buying for Lord & Taylor, planning and merchandising positions for Ralph Lauren and serving as Corporate Account Executive for the launch of Tommy Hilfiger Womenswear. Kathy, a graduate of Penn State University, lives in Wayne with her husband and daughter.

"I am honored and proud to be a part of this amazing team of individuals who care so deeply about a cause that touches us all. It's a privilege to contribute to breastcancer.org's endeavors to provide invaluable, life-saving information to women around the world."

Mara Natkins, MPH

In her work as a consultant to non-profit, public health, hospital-based and academic organizations, Mara focuses on grant writing, editing, planning, and program development support. Her clients in the Philadelphia area have included the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Elizabeth Blackwell Health Center for Women, Health Federation of Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson University's Center for Integrative Medicine, and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. She earned her Bachelor of Arts, with Honors, in English Literature from the State University of New York at Binghamton, and her Masters of Public Health from Yale University School of Medicine.

As the Director of Program Development for breastcancer.org, Mara is responsible for working with the breastcancer.org team to identify the organization's highest priorities for new and continued funding, as well as prospective foundation partners to support these programs. She conducts research on prospective funding sources; reviews program ideas with both breastcancer.org and foundation staff; and develops funding proposals to broaden the scope and depth of breastcancer.org programs.

"My work with breastcancer.org is enormously satisfying," Mara says, "because I believe so deeply in our mission, and have the opportunity to work alongside a team of bright, passionate, creative and good-hearted people. It's a rare privilege to join this talented group of people and make a positive difference in the lives of women affected by breast cancer. Two dear friends of mine were diagnosed with breast cancer just as I began working with breastcancer.org. As they move through treatment and towards full recovery, I'm so glad that they—and millions of other women—have this source of information, support, and hope. I do my work in honor of loved ones who have been affected by breast cancer, and I am continually inspired by their strength."

Claire Nixon

Claire Nixon joined breastcancer.org as Senior Editor in 2006. At breastcancer.org, Claire evaluates potential content, supervises writers, and coordinates the monthly "Ask-the-Expert" online conferences. She provides editorial management from the unique perspective of the breastcancer.org audience—Claire was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 30.

Now several years out of treatment, Claire says, "When I was diagnosed, I had the kind of extreme experience so many people do—a sense of lost control that leads to relentless information searches. At that time, there was no resource like breastcancer.org. That's why it's such a privilege to work here now. I can use my experience to help provide a virtual gathering place where patients can learn about their options, get the latest treatment news, and connect with others."

Claire's education includes studying English at Syracuse University, fine arts at Moore College of Art, and film writing at University of Pennsylvania. For two years, Claire worked as a reporter for a community newspaper in Delaware, where she covered government legislation on women's health issues and wrote extensive feature stories. Claire went on to have a long career at Medical Broadcasting Company in Philadelphia where she worked as a writer, editor, and editorial project manager for web sites about breast cancer, chemotherapy, and women's health.

Jennifer Paradis

Jennifer Paradis is Director of Development for breastcancer.org and facilitates the fund-raising events that take place all over the United States each year. In addition, she is in charge of online and direct-mail giving.

After getting her bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, and a Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Duke University, Jennifer went on to develop a sales and marketing background. She worked at Glaxo Smith-Kline and Aetna, but finally found herself at the American Red Cross. In the Philadelphia emergency services department, she was part of a Homeland Security project, training the public for any possible disaster, natural or otherwise.

Prior to her Red Cross experience, she headed up her own organization, a hunger-relief agency called Moveable Feast in Raleigh, North Carolina. Moveable Feast collected supplies for local hunger programs from the many people in the area who were being transferred or moving to another state.

Jennifer has a personal stake in breastcancer.org. She lost her mother to breast cancer and feels that her work for the organization is a way to honor her mother's memory. "I worked for really big companies and loved the excitement and hubbub. But the spirit here is so entrepreneurial, the people are so warm, and things are booming. It's terrific to be part of such a dedicated team."

Cindy Pelton

Cindy Pelton joined breastcancer.org as Senior Development Officer in 2004. She has over 20 years of experience in designing and implementing development programs. Past clients have included Early 2 Learn, the Wharton Business School, New York University, UCLA, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University.

A graduate of Bucknell University, Cindy lives in Wayne, PA with her husband Dave, 3 kids and a dog.

"My mother is a 3 time breast cancer survivor. When she was going through her treatment, nothing like breastcancer.org existed. I remember her fear and her frustration trying to get reliable information. It is a privilege to help breastcancer.org reach women and their loved ones around the world 24/7."

Hope Wohl

Hope Wohl became breastcancer.org's first Chief Executive Officer in April 2003. She began working with breastcancer.org in August 2000 as VP of Business Affairs, and played an integral role in creating breastcancer.org as a nonprofit organization.

Hope has over 20 years of experience in business development, strategic planning, market research, market plan development, and financial planning. In recent years she has focused on new and expanding business ventures for a wide range of industries and types of organizations, many in the health care and pharmaceutical industries. Hope has assisted a wide range of for-profit and nonprofit organizations, ranging from high-tech start-ups to major pharmaceutical companies to regional and national nonprofits. She earned her M.B.A. in Management and Marketing from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1992, and her B.A. in English and Its European Backgrounds from Princeton University in 1978.

As breastcancer.org CEO, Hope's key responsibilities include strategic planning, management, staff recruitment, development of collaborations, coordination of development and public relations efforts, handling of legal and financial issues, and program development.

Hope finds her work with breastcancer.org particularly rewarding because of the nature of the work and the people associated with breastcancer.org. "The breastcancer.org team has more energy, creativity, and commitment than most other organizations I've worked for," Hope says. "And the mission is so compelling that it makes working for breastcancer.org a very exciting and fulfilling experience."

Höfundar eldra efnis:

Debra Gordon

Debra Gordon is a writer and editor who has spent her career focused on healthcare, primarily women's health. As contributing writer and former managing editor of breastcancer.org, she considers herself blessed to be able to work in an area that can touch so many women in so many ways. "We get almost daily feedback about the importance of breastcancer.org whenever a woman sends us an email, or during our monthly conferences," she says. "It makes what we do feel so relevant, in a way no other job ever has."

Debra has worked as the medical reporter for The Virginian Pilot and Orange County Register newspapers, and currently freelances for a variety of publications, including for Reader's Digest, Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, Parents magazine, and Better Homes and Gardens. She also works with a wide variety of corporate and nonprofit clients, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Women's Health Resource Center, and various pharmaceutical companies. She has also authored, co-authored or edited more than eight consumer health books.

Debbie Lerman

Debbie Lerman joined the breastcancer.org team as managing editor in November 2001, after working for 14 years as a freelance writer and editor in both the United States and Israel. Debbie sees her main challenge as making the web site as accessible and comprehensive as possible. "Working with the incredibly dedicated, warm, and interesting people on the breastcancer.org team is amazing," says Debbie, "and knowing how important our mission is to so many women makes every day worthwhile."

Debbie lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two children. She has a B.A. in English from Harvard (cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and has written and edited for numerous institutions and web sites, including (in the U.S.) the Mayo Clinic, TheBreastCareSite.com, RxCentric, BeyondBooks.com, HighWired.com, MetroKids (a parenting magazine), Cox Newspapers, and (in Israel) Hadassah Hospital and Medical School, The Hebrew University, The National Institute for Testing and Evaluation, and the Israel Museum. Debbie specializes in medical, educational, and public relations writing.

Judith Sachs

Judith Sachs, daughter and granddaughter of physicians, was probably destined to write and speak about preventive health care. She has been publishing general trade books and lecturing for the past 25 years. She also brings her experience in the realm of pharmaceutical e-marketing to breastcancer.org, having served as a writer and behavioral strategist for the past 3 years with SimStar, Inc.

Judith is the co-author (with Dr. Sandra Leiblum) of Getting the Sex You Want, co-author (with Dr. Richard Paulson) of Rewinding Your Biological Clock and the author of Nature's Prozac and Break the Stress Cycle. She served as keynote speaker for the American Cancer Society's Freehold, NJ chapter and has facilitated workshops on sexuality and intimacy after breast cancer treatment.

Judith teaches behavior-based seminars in stress management, sexuality, and midlife and menopause at colleges and universities, for women's groups, and in the corporate setting. A long-time practitioner of the Chinese martial art, taijiquan (tai chi chuan) and qi gong breathing therapy, she teaches senior citizen classes.

She is particularly excited about her work for breastcancer.org because it allows her to reach thousands of women and their families online. "There is such richness to the kind of support that women can get and give to one another in this interactive space. I look forward to working closely with all those who create and visit the site for information and motivation about breast cancer treatment and living life to the fullest," she says.

Wendy Univer

Wendy Univer is a writer and producer who has focused her career on healthcare, education, and other issues of importance to women. She has worked with a wide range of museums and education and advocacy organizations to get their message out. Wendy served as the founding managing editor for breastcancer.org during its first year on the Web, and was also a contributing writer. She now takes occasional special assignments for breastcancer.org. The bulk of her time is spent writing and producing independent social interest documentaries. "Breast cancer has touched so many lives near and dear to me," says Wendy, "I'm proud and happy to be associated with the efforts of breastcancer.org, to give women tools for life."