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Advisory Board
Here is the line-up of our advisory board that we welcomed in June
2007 to join our mission of easing the burden of melanoma.
Liz Balakhani
Liz Balakhani
Liz Balakhani is an attorney with the national law firm of Dechert
LLP. Liz
lives and
works in Philadelphia and focuses her
legal practice on defending major pharmaceutical
companies. In November 2007, after a long and heroic fight, Liz's husband Mike
Filippone lost his battle with Melanoma at the young age of 34. To honor
his legacy, Liz created "Mike's Team" for the 2008 Villanova Safe from the
Sun event. Liz
will continue to
honor
Mike by staying active in the Melanoma community, helping
to raise awareness about this insidious disease
, and providing patient support so that other
young families do not have to face the daunting nightmare of a Metastatic Melanoma diagnosis
alone.
Eileen Berta
Eileen D. Berta, is a Corporate Account Manager with a healthcare company. Eileen has a BS Chemistry, MBA Marketing and Finance. Thirty two years experience in Medical Diagnostics - R&D, Marketing & Sales, Corporate Accounts. Current Board Member, Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. Eileen is a two-time Melanoma Survivor.
Julia Bucher RN, PhD
Julia is an Associate Professor in Community Health Nursing at York College of Pennsylvania. She delivers care to low income families in inner city York through a nurse-managed Wellness Center. She has been involved with the American Cancer Society and the Pennsylvania Cancer Control Consortium (PAC3) for many years as a planner and evaluator. Her passion is cancer prevention, early detection and quality of live of families coping with cancer in the family. Julia has dealt with melanoma on a personal level in her family.
Melissa Cable
Melissa heads the Bead Club in the Seattle area which fosters the creativity of its members to create beautiful jewelry. Melissa created MIF’s designer jewelry set in memory of her close friend, Lesley Robinett, lost to melanoma a few years ago. The design has won many awards. Melissa, despite a busy mom of a toddler, with one on the way, helps MIF with her creative fundraising ideas and support on a regular basis.
Ellen K. Mikolay
Ellen has been a Safe from the Sun captain for Team Cathleen each of the past three years. Team Cathleen was established in support of her dear friend Cathleen Roe Eagan, who succumbed to Melanoma in June 2005. Cathleen battled the disease nearly six years, and was an inspiration to those who witnessed her courage. While trying to find ways to help Cathleen, Ellen became acquainted with the MIF and has been passionate about the organization ever since. Ellen is a stay-at-home mother of four and currently resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Prior to beginning a family, Ellen worked in marketing and advertising in Chicago. She is a graduate of Saint Mary’s College - Notre Dame, Indiana.
Peter Rasmussen
Peter is the former Tacoma Deputy Mayor and City Councilman, and is deeply involved in civic activities. He is a member emeritus and past chairman of the Tacoma-Pierce County Economic Development Board, past chairman of the Tacoma Civic Arts Commission, and past chairman of the Tacoma Planning Commission. He has served on the Pierce County Historic Preservation Commission and is a past board member of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce. He was selected to participate in the American Leadership Forum and is a Senior Fellow. He was appointed to a six-year term on the state Architects Registration Board by Governor Mike Lowry and was re-appointed to another six-year term by Governor Gary Locke. Currently he serves as the elected Secretary on the Executive Board of the National Council of Architects Registration Board. Peter was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects. In recognition of Peter’s civic dedication, he was honored with the 2005 Charles T. Pearson Community Service Award by the Southwest Washington Chapter of the AIA. Peter lost his daughter Shelley to melanoma, who was 34 when she passed away September, 2002.
Sally Reis, PhD
Sally M. Reis is a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor a Teaching Fellow of Educational Psychology Department at the University of Connecticut where she also serves as a Principal Investigator for the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. She was a teacher and administrator in public schools for 15 years, 11 of which were spent working with academically talented students on the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. She has authored more than 150 articles, 12 books, 55 book chapters, and numerous monographs and technical reports. She has been a consultant to numerous schools and departments of education throughout the U. S. and abroad and her work has been translated into several languages and is widely used around the world. Her most recent work is a computer-based assessment of student strengths integrated with an Internet based search engine that matches enrichment activities and resources with individual student profiles [www.renzullilearning.com]. Her husband had a stage 1 melanoma that recurred as a stage 3 metastatic intransit. Following surgery, he is doing very well!
Dan Smith, PhD
Dan consults with businesses and non-profit organizations as founder and principal of Leadership Solutions Four, based in Kimberton, PA. He is a specialist in talent development, analysis of work processes, and strategic organization design. He holds undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology [Counseling & Program Evaluation emphasis] from the University of Southern California. He is a licensed Industrial/Organization Psychologist with certifications in multiple methods of individual and work group assessment. Since 1990, in parallel with his consulting practice, Dan has also been active as a management professor teaching management and human resource development courses at the graduate level. His primary research interests are managerial leadership, change management, organization design, and business competitiveness. He has held full-time positions as Associate Professor of Management at Eastern University in Philadelphia, at the University of Idaho, and at Azusa Pacific University in Southern California. Dan Smith is a dynamic keynote speaker on topics related to talent and leadership development, and quality of work life.
Eileen D. Berta, is a Corporate Account Manager with a healthcare company. Eileen has a BS Chemistry, MBA Marketing and Finance. Thirty two years experience in Medical Diagnostics - R&D, Marketing & Sales, Corporate Accounts. Current Board Member, Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. Eileen is a two-time Melanoma Survivor.
Julia Bucher RN, PhD
Julia is an Associate Professor in Community Health Nursing at York College of Pennsylvania. She delivers care to low income families in inner city York through a nurse-managed Wellness Center. She has been involved with the American Cancer Society and the Pennsylvania Cancer Control Consortium (PAC3) for many years as a planner and evaluator. Her passion is cancer prevention, early detection and quality of live of families coping with cancer in the family. Julia has dealt with melanoma on a personal level in her family.
Melissa Cable
Melissa heads the Bead Club in the Seattle area which fosters the creativity of its members to create beautiful jewelry. Melissa created MIF’s designer jewelry set in memory of her close friend, Lesley Robinett, lost to melanoma a few years ago. The design has won many awards. Melissa, despite a busy mom of a toddler, with one on the way, helps MIF with her creative fundraising ideas and support on a regular basis.
Ellen K. Mikolay
Ellen has been a Safe from the Sun captain for Team Cathleen each of the past three years. Team Cathleen was established in support of her dear friend Cathleen Roe Eagan, who succumbed to Melanoma in June 2005. Cathleen battled the disease nearly six years, and was an inspiration to those who witnessed her courage. While trying to find ways to help Cathleen, Ellen became acquainted with the MIF and has been passionate about the organization ever since. Ellen is a stay-at-home mother of four and currently resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Prior to beginning a family, Ellen worked in marketing and advertising in Chicago. She is a graduate of Saint Mary’s College - Notre Dame, Indiana.
Peter Rasmussen
Peter is the former Tacoma Deputy Mayor and City Councilman, and is deeply involved in civic activities. He is a member emeritus and past chairman of the Tacoma-Pierce County Economic Development Board, past chairman of the Tacoma Civic Arts Commission, and past chairman of the Tacoma Planning Commission. He has served on the Pierce County Historic Preservation Commission and is a past board member of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce. He was selected to participate in the American Leadership Forum and is a Senior Fellow. He was appointed to a six-year term on the state Architects Registration Board by Governor Mike Lowry and was re-appointed to another six-year term by Governor Gary Locke. Currently he serves as the elected Secretary on the Executive Board of the National Council of Architects Registration Board. Peter was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects. In recognition of Peter’s civic dedication, he was honored with the 2005 Charles T. Pearson Community Service Award by the Southwest Washington Chapter of the AIA. Peter lost his daughter Shelley to melanoma, who was 34 when she passed away September, 2002.
Sally Reis, PhD
Sally M. Reis is a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor a Teaching Fellow of Educational Psychology Department at the University of Connecticut where she also serves as a Principal Investigator for the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. She was a teacher and administrator in public schools for 15 years, 11 of which were spent working with academically talented students on the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. She has authored more than 150 articles, 12 books, 55 book chapters, and numerous monographs and technical reports. She has been a consultant to numerous schools and departments of education throughout the U. S. and abroad and her work has been translated into several languages and is widely used around the world. Her most recent work is a computer-based assessment of student strengths integrated with an Internet based search engine that matches enrichment activities and resources with individual student profiles [www.renzullilearning.com]. Her husband had a stage 1 melanoma that recurred as a stage 3 metastatic intransit. Following surgery, he is doing very well!
Dan Smith, PhD
Dan consults with businesses and non-profit organizations as founder and principal of Leadership Solutions Four, based in Kimberton, PA. He is a specialist in talent development, analysis of work processes, and strategic organization design. He holds undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology [Counseling & Program Evaluation emphasis] from the University of Southern California. He is a licensed Industrial/Organization Psychologist with certifications in multiple methods of individual and work group assessment. Since 1990, in parallel with his consulting practice, Dan has also been active as a management professor teaching management and human resource development courses at the graduate level. His primary research interests are managerial leadership, change management, organization design, and business competitiveness. He has held full-time positions as Associate Professor of Management at Eastern University in Philadelphia, at the University of Idaho, and at Azusa Pacific University in Southern California. Dan Smith is a dynamic keynote speaker on topics related to talent and leadership development, and quality of work life.