health quality, information technology, and Part B Medicare reimbursement. ... of the University of Washington with a Ma
Speaker Bios Keynote The Honorable Kathleen B. Blanco Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco is the first woman to have been elected governor of Louisiana. She began her career in public service to the State of Louisiana in 1984 when she became the first woman ever elected to represent the people of Lafayette in the state legislature. She served two terms before being elected to the Louisiana Public Service Commission (PSC). While on the PSC, she served as chairperson in the 1993 and 1994. In 1996, she was elected to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor where, along with many other economic activities, her job was to position Louisiana along with Paris, Rome, and London as a top travel destination. Before being elected governor, Mrs. Blanco served two terms as Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana. She was re-elected by an overwhelming eighty percent of the state's electorate. As the state's second-highest official, she directly supervised the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, which encompasses the Offices of State Parks, State Museums, State Libraries, Cultural Development and Tourism. Recently, through the park system, she was successful in launching the Audubon Golf Trail. She also administered the Louisiana Serve Commission and the Louisiana Retirement Development Commission. Louisiana Serve oversees 64 national service projects across Louisiana and involves more than 13,000 service volunteers. The retirement development commission is dedicated to marketing Louisiana as a premier retirement state. Mrs. Blanco and her husband Raymond have been married since 1964. They are the parents of six children and the proud grandparents of five. In June 2011, Governor Blanco was been diagnosed with choroidal melanoma.
Saturday Panels Agop Bedikian, MD Agop Y. Bedikian, MD is Professor and Deputy Director of the Skin Center, Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX. An Internist at Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX., he is a graduate of the American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon and University of Beirut, Lebanon. Dr. Bedikian completed a Clinical Fellowship, Medical Oncology, The University of Texas System Cancer Center, Houston, TX and Clinical Residency, Oncology, Barnes Hospital, St. Louis, MO. He is board certified by the American Board of Medical Oncology and American Board of Internal Medicine. Caroline Bosch-Voskens, PhD Caroline is an Assistant Physician in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Erlangen in Germany. Caroline graduated from Medical School at Leiden University in her home country The Netherlands. During medical school, she conducted her scientific graduation project at the Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories, Blantyre, Malawi, Africa, in 2002. This project evaluated different techniques to diagnose hookworm as part of a large research project on aetiology, pathogenesis and long-term outcome on severe anaemia in Malawian children. After graduating from medical school in 2004, she started to work as a research fellow at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA. Here, immuno-monitoring studies of a phase I clinical trial on peptide-based cancer vaccines were combined with basic laboratory studies on cellular immunotherapy. In 2009, Caroline returned to Europe and was awarded a training position in the department of Dermatology, University of Erlangen, Germany under supervision of Prof. G. Schuler. She is currently working as a resident and is involved in clinical studies on RNA transfected dendritic cells in melanoma patients. A large Phase III clinical trial using these dendritic cells as prophylactic treatment in uveal melanoma patients upon primary diagnosis is expected to start recruiting in the coming months. Colleen Cebulla, MD, PhD Colleen Cebulla is an Assistant Professor of Ocular Oncology and Vitreoretinal Diseases at The Ohio State University. Dr. Cebulla graduated from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN. She received her MD and PhD degrees from the Medical Scientist Training Program at Ohio State University and completed her ophthalmology residency training at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, FL, followed by a Fellowship in Ocular Oncology and a two-year Vitreoretinal Surgical Fellowship, also at Bascom Palmer. She is currently Assistant Division Director of Retina at Ohio State University Department of Ophthalmology and Director of the Retina Research Laboratory. Her areas of interest include uveal melanoma, metastatic disease, retinal detachment, retinal regeneration, and translational research.
David Eschelman, MD David Eschelman is an Associate Professor of Radiology at Jefferson Medical College and Associate Director of Interventional Radiology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. After graduating from Jefferson Medical College, he completed his internship in general surgery and residency in diagnostic radiology at Boston University and Boston City Hospitals, followed by a fellowship in vascular and interventional radiology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He is board certified by the American Board of Radiology, with a certificate of added qualifications in vascular and interventional radiology. He currently focuses on liverdirected therapies for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma, working closely with Takami Sato, M.D., Ph.D. and Carin Gonsalves, M.D. Peter Hovland, MD, PhD Dr. Hovland earned his PhD in Biochemistry with an emphasis on genetics and cellular division from the University of Colorado. After his MD training from the same institution, residency in ophthalmology at the University of Wisconsin, Madision, he completed a two-year fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, with appointments at Harvard Medical School, and Schepens Eye Research Institute, where he retains a connection serving on its Board of Trustees. Since 2006 he has practiced medical and surgical retina, with an emphasis on ocular oncology, in Denver with the Colorado Retina Associates. He cares for patients with retinoblastoma at Children’s Hospital Colorado, and for patients with uveal melanoma at Porter Memorial Hospital. He is a member of the International Society of Ocular Oncologists, and the Collaborative Ocular Oncology Group. Tony Hursey, MPH Tony Hursey is Director of the Clinical Trials Office (CTO) at Georgetown University Medical Center, a position he has had since the CTO’s inception in 2000. In this capacity, Tony directs a variety of clinical trials operations on behalf of the University including trial location services for patients, assistance to new GUMC investigators, study coordinator services, and cost analyses and budgeting for new trials. Tony also served for five years as Vice President of a health communications company which focused on providing information about clinical trials to patients globally. In this capacity, Tony provided strategic development and project management for patient outreach and retention programs in support of commercial- and government-funded clinical trials. His work in this capactiy spanned a variety of disease areas and indications, and covered both drug and medical device studies. Prior these experiences, Tony worked for 11 years as Cardiology Research Manager for a large medical center in Chicago. He may be reached at
[email protected].
Derek Maetzold Mr. Maetzold is founder, President, CEO, and Board member of Castle Biosciences, Inc. He has been a leader in biopharmaceuticals for 24 years, working in increasing leadership roles at Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Schering Corporation (now Merck), Integrated Communications, Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Sandoz (now Novartis). Derek started in field sales, completed assignments in marketing, new product development, business development, commercialization strategy and completed his tenure prior to Castle Biosciences at Encysive as Officer and Vice President, Marketing and Sales. Derek attended George Mason University, where he received a BS in Biology before completing additional coursework at the University of Calgary Health Sciences Center and the MBA program at University of California-Riverside. Castle Biosciences is a biomarker based cancer diagnostics company that is committed to bringing the promise of personalized medicine to underserved orphan diseases. It focuses its our efforts in aggressive, underserved orphan cancer markets where it hopes to assist the oncologist in achieving greater outcomes for their patients by providing them with diagnostic information that aids their decision making. Takami Sato, MD, PhD Takami Sato is a Professor of Medical Oncology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia. Currently, he serves as the Director of the Metastatic Uveal Melanoma Program in the Department of Medical Oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, the Co-leader of the Immunology Program at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson and as the Associate Director for International Affairs at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson. Dr. Sato has been named to Americas Top Oncologists (2007) and Best Doctors In America (2004-2008). Having led multiple clinical trials and been awarded numerous research grants, Dr. Sato now serves as Chief Editor to What’s New in Oncology as well as on the editorial board of the Medical Science Monitorand as a reviewer for five scientific journals; International Journal of Cancer, Medical Science Monitor, Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, Cancer Research and Cancer. Dr. Sato received his medical degree at Jichi Medical School in Japan and went on to his post graduate training in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Oita Prefectural Mie Hospital. He completed his fellowship training in Pediatric Oncology at Jichi Medical School. Dr. Sato received his PhD in 1997 from Jichi Medical School in Japan. Susan Walther, MS, CGC Genetic Counselor, Genetic Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA Ms. Walther works in the laboratory that offers genetic SNP-array based analysis of ocular melanoma tumors and provides post-test counseling for the risk assessment. She is certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (Genetic Counselor).
Sunday Panels Z. Colette Edwards, MD, MBA Colette Edwards leads Insight MD, a healthcare consultancy and PeopleTweaker, a coaching service line providing health, wellness, and life coaching for individuals and corporations and training in health coaching techniques for health professionals and support staff. Dr. Edwards received her BA from Harvard, her M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Wharton School. She completed a residency in internal medicine from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a fellowship in gastroenterology from the University of California, San Francisco. She has also completed a graduate certificate program in health and wellness coaching from the Tai Sophia Institute. Colette is the former Vice President and Senior Market Medical Executive, MidAtlantic and the National Medical Executive for Health Disparities for CIGNA HealthCare. Prior to joining CIGNA, she was a Senior Medical Director at Oxford Health Plans. She began her career as a practicing gastroenterologist and Associate Medical Director for Patuxent Medical Group/Columbia Medical Plan, entities affiliated with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Maryland. Dr. Edwards is also the author of a McGraw-Hill text, Gastroenterology Quick Glance, a managing co-editor of the Wharton Healthcare Quarterly, and a member of the Visiting Committee of the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago. She is a member of the Johns Hopkins AHRQ DEcIDE Expert Stakeholder Advisory Group and the National Quality Forum Steering Committee on Health Disparities and Cultural Competency. Suzanne Fortnum, MA Hailing from Toronto, Suzanne Fortnum moved to Washington, DC to pursue an MA in Art Therapy. During her second year of studies, Suzanne discovered her passion for adult outpatient oncology when developing an Art Therapy Program for patients with cancer at GW Medical Faculty Associates. As a student intern, she created an art therapy program for adult patients with cancer. The program offered patients undergoing active treatment, a safe, therapeutic environment to process the overwhelming feelings that accompany a cancer diagnosis such as depression, anxiety, fear, grief, and loss. Art Therapy provided patients with a renewed sense of control and empowerment, social engagement, helped to restore positive outlook, and enhanced quality of life. In addition, she is also a certified yoga teacher and have occasionally run workshops catered to patients with cancer. Suzanne currently teaches stress management and yoga courses at George Washington University. In addition, she works at the Sheppard Pratt Center for Eating Disorders, facilitating art therapy and yoga groups using a mindfulness-based approach. Suzanne is a registered 200hour yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance. It is her dream to continue to develop mindfulness-based art and yoga workshops to aid in women’s stress reduction. Suzanne holds the delegate position for the Potomac Art Therapy Association Board. In this role, she is responsible for connecting with the delegates from local art therapy chapters around the country. Suzanne mat be reached at
[email protected].
Deborah Mizeur Deborah Mizeur is a senior level student in the M.S. of Herbal Medicine program at Tai Sophia Institute. Prior to undertaking her studies Ms. Mizeur was an accomplished expert on the national health policy scene. From 2003-2008 she served on the professional staff of the Committee on Ways and Means in the U.S. House. In that capacity, she held primary responsibility for a portfolio of health issues ranging from health tax and coverage expansion, to health quality, information technology, and Part B Medicare reimbursement. While at the Committee, Deborah was lead staff on the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (PL 110343), the Wellstone Mental Health Parity Act, the reauthorization of the Trade Adjustment Assistance, and the Children’s Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act. A graduate of the University of Washington with a Master of Health Administration degree, Ms. Mizeur obtained a B.A. in government from the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau. While completing her undergraduate degree, she worked as a legislative assistant for a member of the Alaska Legislature and as the Assistant Sergeant-At-Arms for both the House of Representatives and Senate. Caroline Peterson, MA, ATR-BC, LPC Caroline Peterson is a board certified art therapist and licensed professional counselor. Having participated in advanced professional training through the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, she has led over 40 mindfulness-based programs. Ms. Peterson originated innovative work integrating art therapy into the MBSR curriculum. This work, Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy (MBAT), has been the focus of two research studies with persons diagnosed with cancer funded by the NIH. This work has been conducted at Thomas Jefferson University where she served as a Research Associate through 2009. Ms. Peterson is the founder and director of Springboard Studio, a space for mindfulness, creativity, and wellbeing in the Mt. Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia where she has her private practice. She is also a licensed professional counselor, art therapist and mindfulness meditation instructor at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Rose Truby-Scharff , MAc, LAc Rose Scharff is a licensed acupuncturist with a Master of Acupuncture degree from Tai Sophia Institute (f/k/a the Traditional Acupuncture Institute) in Columbia, Maryland, the oldest accredited acupuncture school in the United States. Ms. Scharff is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, where she earned Bachelor of Art degrees in Studio Art and Psychology and has enhanced her training and care with courses and experience in Acupuncture Oncology at the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Ms. Scharff has extensive experience in holistic approaches to health maintenance, disease management, as well as pediatric special needs and impaired seniors care. Her early work with special needs children and the elderly, in particular, fostered her interest in the application of Oriental medicine to one's mind, body and spirit and how this holistic approach could benefit those facing life-threatening illness and coping with unique physical and mental challenges.
Supporters & Patient Perspectives Janice Allen, MSN The widow of OMF founder Robert Allen, MD, Janice is currently Executive Chair of International Cooperating Ministries (www.icm.org), a non-denominational philanthropy active in nearly 60 countries. Janice has been an ICM board member since the ministry’s inception twenty-five years ago. In 2002, she became involved with strategic planning, operations and development and has been ICM Executive Chair since 2008. Janice graduated with honors from the University of Virginia and earned a Master’s Degree from Duke University in 1977. She served as an Oncology Clinical Specialist, founding and directing Alachua General Hospice, a home care hospice program, in Gainesville, Florida and later was on the faculty of the Nursing School at Boston University as a Clinical Professor. She has also served as Clearinghouse Coordinator for Love, INC (In the Name of Christ) in Charlottesville, Virginia. As a volunteer, Janice serves on the Ocular Melanoma Foundation Board of Directors, has served as an Elder at Third Presbyterian Church in Richmond, VA, and has been Chair of the Adult Committee for Young Life Richmond. She has three grown sons, Grant, Matt and Connor and a daughter-in-law, Adrienne. Butch Ewing Butch Ewing is a web applications developer, artist, musician, entrepreneur, t-shirt printer, scooter driver, cancer survivor, small business owner, screenwriter, ordained minister and comedian. His journey with ocular melanoma began Labor Day weekend of 2008 when he noticed a "floater" in his left eye. About a week later, he was diagnosed with choroidal melanoma and opted for plaque therapy which he had that October. His tumor was roughly 14mm in diameter and 6mm in depth. Since then, Butch has undergone three laser surgeries, a steroid injection, a vitrectomy, cataract surgery, and a thoracentesis. Today, Butch has no evidence of disease (NED) but has experienced significant vision loss. Now he wears an eye patch every day to reduce eye strain and headaches. The decision for plaque therapy over enucleation, he says, has cost time and money but he did it all for the slim chance of maintaining vision. Butch has since started a campaign to raise awareness and money for research, creating helpbutch.com, administering the Eye Cancer group on Facebook, and leveraging numerous other social networking outlets to raise much needed awareness of and support for ocular melanoma.
Sarah Elizabeth Pharis Hailing from Staunton, VA, Sarah Elizabeth Pharis spends most of her time as a writer, artist, and what she likes to call, Cancer Princess. She holds a Master of Education, a Bachelor of Arts degree with a focus in English Literature and Theatre, and is an AMI certified Montessori Teacher at the Primary Level. This roughly qualifies her for work as a glorified Girl Friday and for teaching young children how to read. She is a native English speaker, has a halting and broken command of the French language, but fluently speaks and writes Pig Latin. She chronicles her life as a Cancer Princess at www.loveinfinitysquared.org. Sarah Elizabeth is also the inspiration and one of the creative talents behind Sarah & The Dinosaur, a play by Ingrid De Sanctis which will be premiering March 14th in Harrisonburg, VA. The play tells the story of a woman living with ocular melanoma, a cancer that has come to her in the form of a dinosaur. Throughout the play, Sarah fights this always lurking and always hungry dinosaur, struggling to make peace with what it means to live with “terminal” cancer. Sarah & The Dinosaur is not your typical cancer play, but rather an unorthodox, funny, heartbreaking, and honest narrative of one woman and her journey with metastatic OM. OMF is a proud supporter of Sarah & The Dinosaur. Molly Stoffa, RN Molly Stoffa has been an ER nurse for the past 11 years. She became involved with the fight against ocular melanoma when her mother-in-law, Shirley Stoffa, was diagnosed with metastatic OM in early 2011. Molly is focused on helping to educate others about this little known disease, and to help patients and caregivers learn how to get what they need and deserve out of their healthcare experience by giving them the ability to speak their minds to their healthcare team. Born and raised in DeKalb, IL, west of Chicago, Molly is married to a wonderful husband, Todd and has two beautiful children, Abby and Cole.
