CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER:

Joe Paolino - To be confirmed
Joe joined Prepare to Live in early 2006, replacing Sara Mass who remains active with the organization. Joe is also currently CFO/COO for DDB Europe and a thyroid cancer survivor, diagnosed in 1998, aged 41.

MEDICAL BOARD:

Nelson Chao, MD, MBA
Dr. Chao is Professor of Medicine and Immunology as well as, Chief of the Division of Cellular Therapy/BMT at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, MD from Yale University and his post-graduate training at Stanford University where he joined the faculty. He was the Associate Director of Stem Cell Transplantation at Stanford University prior to moving to Duke University in 1996. He obtained his MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University in 2000.

Dr. Chao is the author of over 100 peer-reviewed papers, 25 book chapters and one book. He is also a co-founder of Stemco Biomedical, a start up biotechnology company in Research Triangle Park.

Eric Feldman, MD
Dr. Feldman is a Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell, where he serves as the Director of the Leukemia Service and as Associate Director of the Center for Leukemia and Myeloproliferative Disorders.

A skilled clinician, who played a leading role in the Weill Cornell trial of Gleevec, in which nearly 300 patients participated, he is the author or co-author of close to 100 research studies focusing on acute leukemia and other cancers as well as on myelodysplastic syndromes.

Currently he is principal investigator in several experimental trials in which patients receive chemotherapies in combination with monoclonal antibodies.

John Gibson, MD
Dr. Gibson is Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Sydney (Australia) and concurrently holds positions as Senior Hematologist and Deputy Director of the Institute of Hematology at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Head of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program for the Central Sydney Area Health Service.

He received his undergraduate medical degree, as well as his Doctor of Philosophy, at the University of Sydney and was a Fellow at both the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia.

John's previous appointments include: NH&MRC Postgraduate Research Scholar at the University of Sydney, Staff Specialist at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, as well as, Visiting Scientist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre, Seattle Washington (1995). He is involved with numerous cancer related organizations including the American Society of Hematology, the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation and the International Bone Marrow Transplantation Registry.

Kerry Patterson, RN, OCN
Kerry is an Oncology Nurse certified in chemotherapy administration by the Oncology Nursing Society (US) and has provided direct care to hospitalized and ambulatory cancer patients for over nine years.

Her experience caring for cancer patients includes surgical & medical oncology, hematology oncology, and blood and marrow transplants. Kerry has been working with transplant patients for the past five years, during which she coordinated educational classes for patients and their families prior to undergoing a transplant. Most recently she acted as a Long Term Care Coordinator at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center in Denver.

Currently Kerry is getting her Master's Degree in Nursing at the University of Colorado (Health Sciences Center) to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. As a Nurse Practitioner, she plans to continue working with cancer patients addressing their unique psychosocial needs that often accompany this life changing diagnosis.

Gabrielle Prest, RGN, Onc Cert, MPH
Gabrielle has accumulated over 20 years experience in the nursing care of people with cancer and has worked extensively in health settings in NSW (New South Wales, Australia) and the UK in both the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

Gabrielle was a founding board member of the Leukemia Foundation Australia in 1997, one of the first staff in 1999, and is currently the state Manager, implementing programs and services for people living with blood and bone marrow cancers, and provides executive assistance to the state Medical & Scientific Advisory Committee.

Her experience in cancer nursing includes senior roles as a Clinical Nurse Consultant, Nurse Manager, and lecturer/course coordinator at the NSW College of Nursing. She has practiced in a range of clinical settings, including hematology and bone marrow transplantation, surgical and medical oncology, and community palliative care.

She has served on several professional associations, including the National Cancer Advisory Committee of the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA), the founding executive of the new national peak group, the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA), Cancer Council NSW Clinical trials network, and is currently involved with the new Cancer Institute NSW. She has published and presented on a range of cancer nursing matters.

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ADVISORY BOARD:

Chad Blankenship
Chad is Advertising/Brand Manager at NYC2012, the non-profit committee leading New York City's bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. Prior to NYC2012, Chad was an Account Manager at advertising agencies Ground Zero (Los Angeles), Wieden & Kennedy (Portland, OR) and The Richards Group (Dallas, TX), working with brands such as Coca-Cola, Continental Airlines, The Home Depot and Los Angeles Times.

While at Ground Zero Advertising, Chad had the opportunity to help develop a new communications strategy and brand identity for The Wellness Community, an international non-profit organization that helps people with cancer and their loved ones take an active role in their care. The Wellness Community's Patient Active Concept and the many cancer patients and survivors he met there have inspired Chad to embrace life's every moment in a much deeper and more significant way.

A competitive amateur cyclist and triathlete, Chad recently finished his second marathon.

Barbara Boster, Project Manager/Production Mastermind
As owner and principal of Barbara Boster & Associates, Barbara provides sales, marketing and consulting services to film/production companies serving the advertising industry.

Four days after a routine mammogram in 2003, Barbara was diagnosed with stage-two breast cancer. She was more surprised by her response than by the diagnosis. Instead of fear, she saw opportunities for growth and learning in the challenges ahead of her. Cancer, she decided, is only a word, but it is a word with powerful energy. Barbara was determined to harness that energy and put it to positive use. Always looking for blessing tucked inside the experience, Barbara prevailed through her chemotherapy.

Today she is cancer-free and enjoying life with her husband, Alan Phillips, and their three cats. Her vitality has returned. Her enthusiasm never left. And she now offers both to Prepare to Live.

Catherine Collins Gravatt, MPH
Catherine recently left her job at SENSEI Health, a public relations agency located in New York City to become a Public Relations Strategist at Biosector 2, where she specializes in the oncology category.

Prior to joining SENSEI, she served as the Director of Development and Outreach Director for WE CAN, a New York based non-profit recycling and redemption center for the homeless. Her responsibilities included grant writing and fundraising, conducting grassroots outreach, serving as a media contact for local news outlets, and managing relationships with long-term supporters including the Rockefeller, Richard Abrons, and Starr Foundations.

Catherine's other non-profit experience extends to serving as a Consultant to the North Carolina chapter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation and as Clinical Research Coordinator at the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center where she coordinated and managed clinical trials in hematologic malignancies including chronic myeloid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, and multiple myeloma.

Prior to receiving her Masters in Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Catherine began her healthcare career working for a contract research organization managing regulatory strategy for a variety of chemotherapeutic agents, arthritis treatments, and gene-based therapies for cardiovascular disease.

Sara Maas
After returning home from her honeymoon in 1998, Sara was immediately diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. She soon had a bone marrow transplant (BMT) at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto and Sara, and her marriage, survived.

Sara now spends her time competing in triathlons through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's popular fundraising/training program, Team in Training, raising money on their behalf. She was recently voted "Woman of the Year" in her area (2003) for her tireless volunteerism and uncanny fund raising abilities and continues to work enthusiastically for the cause helping to find cures for blood cancers.

Prior to her involvement with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Prepare to Live, Sara worked as an Account Executive for BaxterEder Marketing, a promotional advertising company, and in 1996 started her own advertising specialty business, Summit Enterprises.

Along with spending time outdoors with her husband, dog and cat, Sara loves to occasionally indulge in her favorite food; movie-theater popcorn mixed with Peanut M&M's and a Coke.

Amy Nadaskay, Design Director
Amy discovered her love of design while working at ad agency Cole Henderson Drake – as an Account Director. It was here that she happened to see her first copy of Graphis Magazine. Nine months later she was happily living in Atlanta, Georgia getting her design degree from The Creative Circus.

Upon completion she was immediately tapped by Deepend New York and San Francisco to design and spearhead projects for clients such as Bacardi, Accenture and Schick. After gaining vast experience in digital communications, Amy expanded into packaging and strategic branding, working most recently in New York with clients such as Victoria’s Secret and Caress.

She continues to broaden the scope of her expertise, now focusing on print at the highly acclaimed Moon Design in Sydney where she looks forward to pre-work surfs and exploring all Australia has to offer.

Ryan Nord, Entertainment Lawyer, Legal Advisor
A graduate of UC Berkeley and Georgetown University Law Center, Ryan is an attorney for the NBC Universal Television Group in Burbank, California. As an entertainment attorney, Ryan drafts and negotiates the contractual arrangements between the studios and the talent for network and cable television shows.

Prior to working for NBCUni, Ryan was a transactional attorney with the San Francisco office of Latham & Watkins where he focused on Mergers & Acquisitions and securities offerings. Ryan also has experience litigating general corporate matters.

Outside of his professional life, Ryan is a competitive triathlete (on hiatus) and spends his spare time honing his surf skills on waves found up and down the California coast. He is currently sharing his knowledge as a former competitive swimmer with the will-be triathletes of the Los Angeles based cancer survivor group, Team Survivors.

Happy, Film Advisors
Happy was originally set up by Guy Shelmerdine and Richard Farmer to shed creativity, love, kindness, hope, and humor onto the commercial and music video communities.

In 2002, they were named Best New Director at Cannes, and were included in the Saatchi New Directors Showcase. More recently, they were named among the Top 25 Directors by Creativity Magazine, and among the Top 5 Directors in Japan.

Over their career, they have made films for such clients as Ikea, Virgin Mobile, Playstation, Bacardi, Right Guard, Skittles, Egg, Fray Bentos, and Wrigley’s, as well as a musical video for FREELAND’s "We Want Your Soul".

Guy currently lives in N.Y. with his wife Ashley. Richard lives in Los Angeles with his wife Kirsten. When they are not out burning film or fixing up the house, they are refueling at the Bistro Burger in NY or Yucca’s in LA.

John Phillips
John has over 10 years experience in Marketing, Media and Advertising, in both Australia and Asia. John has developed a skill base in media strategy, integrated marketing communications and project management by working with such clients as Sony Music, Festival Records, Apple, Mushroom Entertainment, Louis Vuitton, Fosters Group and Ford Australia.

Kirk Souder
Kirk is a 24-year survivor of synovial sarcoma with lung metastases, and has been cancer-free for two decades.

He has extensive advertising experience including starting his own agency, Ground Zero, which has launched successful campaigns for ESPN, Disney, and the California Anti-Tobacco initiative, among others. Kirk has won numerous awards for his work in advertising, yet he is most proud of his work for The Wellness Community and the Sarcoma Alliance, both national organizations that provide free support services for cancer patients and their families.

Kirk is currently President and Executive Creative Director for Publicis/Hal Riney in San Francisco. He volunteers his time as a peer-to-peer counselor, hosting support groups for the Sarcoma Alliance, and working hard to bring much needed resources and attention to this minority in the cancer world.

©PREPARE TO LIVE

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