Roberta Levy-Schwartz, President and YSC Co-Founder
Diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer at the age of 27, Roberta is dedicated to furthering breast cancer care for young women. Roberta is one of the three founders of the YSC and serves as the Co-Chair of the Research and Advocacy Steering Committee. She is currently working as the Vice President of Operations at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX. Roberta lives in Houston, Texas with her husband Lee and their two daughters and newborn son.
Lanita Moss, Vice President and YSC Co-Founder
Lanita was diagnosed with Paget's disease, a Stage 0 form of breast cancer in 1996 at the age of 32. In 1998, she founded the Young Survival Coalition with Roberta Levy Schwartz and Joy Simha. The same year, Lanita lost her husband in the Swissair 111 crash off the coast of Nova Scotia. Lanita is currently attending law school and intends to use her law degree to lobby and advocate for the rights of breast cancer survivors and the safety and security of our nation's skies. She currently lives in Kansas City with her new husband, Colby Moss and their daughters Elliott and Hunter.
Jen Levinson, Secretary
Jen, diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in 2000 at age 34 and re-diagnosed at the age of 36 with a local recurrence, is the YSC's National Secretary and a member of the Executive Committee. Jen discovered the YSC's existence soon after her diagnosis and immediately became involved in the organization as a national volunteer. During her tenure as a breast cancer advocate she has been the co-chair of the YSC's Research/Advocacy committee, a two-time team leader for the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC), a board member of the Florida Breast Cancer Coalition and a patient advocate for the NCCTG Cooperative promoting the benefits of clinical trials. In November 2005, she was honored by NBCC for her dedication and commitment to legislative advocacy on a local and national level. Jen is a 14-year employee of the National Basketball Association where she is Senior Director, Interactive Media in the NBA's Advertising Group. Jen lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL where she spreads the word about YSC and its programs and is a point of contact for young women affected by breast cancer. She lives with her husband Randy and son William.
Mel Benson, Treasurer
With more than 20 years of extensive management experience in banking and health care industries, Mel serves on the YCS's Board of Directors as Treasurer. A strong relationships builder, lobbyist and spokesperson, he is a founder and current Chief Financial officer of Senior Whole Health, LLC, an intensive case management health care plan specializing in health care for the elderly. Mel also plays an integral role in non profits throughout the Boston community including the MA Chapter of March of Dimes, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Human Studies Committee, Saint Mary's Women and Infants Center, the Brockton Neighborhood Health Center and the National Black MBA Association. Mel currently lives in Milton, MA.
Anna Cluxton, Chair, YSC Board Affiliation Committee
Anna joined the YSC in October 2001. She currently serves on the Board and co-chairs the Field and Volunteer Development Steering Committee. Anna holds an M.B.A. in Healthcare Administration, is a Project LEAD® graduate, a Lifetime Television® Breast Cancer Hero, and the recipient of an Astra Zeneca Vision of Hope Award. She has served as a Team Leader for NBCC and as an advocate reviewer for the California Breast Cancer Research Program. Anna works at OhioHealth hospital system as the Manager for the Cancer Genetics Program, and is a local leader for the YSC - Central Ohio Chapter. Anna was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2001, at age 32, five days after returning home from her honeymoon. Anna and her husband Brian live in Columbus, Ohio.
Elizabeth Danes
Elizabeth Danes is a Principal at Capital Z Investments where she has been responsible for sourcing, evaluating and structuring investment in private equity and hedge funds and their management companies. Prior to joining Capital Z in 1998, Ms. Danes was a Fund Manager at the F&C Group (formerly Foreign & Colonial), a London-based asset management business, where she assisted in the development and management of private equity funds. She was also an Associate in the Financial Institutions Group at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London. Ms. Danes graduated with a B.S. in International Politics from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and received an M.S. in Economics from the College of Europe (Bruges, Belgium)
Lisa J. Frank
Lisa is a founding member of the YSC and attended the first YSC meeting on November 1, 1998, just a month and a half after being diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer at the age of 36. A member of the original Board of Directors and the first fundraising co-chair, Lisa has remained involved in the YSC, working on the annual YORK® Tour De Pink and In Living Pink fundraisers and currently sits on the Board Development Committee. In August 2004, Lisa had a second primary recurrence and was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer at the age of 43. The first call she made after her second diagnosis was to the YSC. Lisa is a lawyer for ADP, Inc., the national payroll service and major partner in the YSC's ResourceLink program.
Margaret McCormick
Peg McCormick was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in 1999 and first became involved with the YSC in 2001 while heading up oncology advocacy relations for Roche Pharmaceuticals. While at Roche, Peg secured funding for YSC's national programs including the YSC documentary, Fighting For our Future, YSC's educational video, You are Not Alone, the Young Perspectives Newsletter, and the Annual Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer. Peg earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Minnesota and a Masters in Business Administration from the University Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business. She is currently working as a Director of Alliance Development for Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Peg brings a broad range of health care experiences to the YSC including advanced practice nursing, research administration, marketing and advocacy relations. Born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Peg currently resides in Hoboken, New Jersey with her husband Ron LeGault.
Ken Preston
An expert in family and small business, Ken is Clinical Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship at the Stern School of Business, New York University Graduate Division where he specializes in managing growing companies and family business management. Ken also established the Family Enterprise Project at NYU. A supporter of the YSC since 2000, Ken serves on the Board Nominating Committee. He and his wife Linda reside in New York City.
Randi Rosenberg
Randi Rosenberg is a founding member and former President of the Young Survival Coalition. She is a young breast cancer survivor, diagnosed in 1998 at age 32. Since her involvement in the YSC, Randi has assisted in the creation of YSC's Medical Advisory Board, comprised of interdisciplinary oncology specialists from across the United States and Europe. In addition, she has led YSC's Research Task Force, building a plan to formulate and advocate for research specific to issues of early onset breast cancer. During her tenure as President, YSC's capacity has continued to more than double, and in 2002 accepted the Avon Foundation's award naming the YSC among "The Most Powerful Women in Breast Cancer". Ms. Rosenberg is a graduate of Project LEAD and represents the YSC on various boards including the National Cancer Institute's CALG-B Cooperative Group and a national coalition of organizations focused on addressing cancer in young adults.
After the "reality check" of her cancer diagnosis, Rosenberg followed her longtime dream of entrepreneurship and left the corporate world to start her own marketing consulting firm, where she specializes in direct marketing and strategy development for conferences, seminars and executive education programs. Randi is also a professor at New York University where she teaches a course on Marketing and Revenue Strategy. In June 2004, six years after her diagnosis, she gave birth to her first child, Alexandra Marais.
Cynthia Rubin
Diagnosed at the age of 36 with stage III breast cancer, Cynthia was the President of the Young Survival Coalition from 2000- 2002 and now Chairs the YSC's Development Committee. Born and raised in Baltimore, MD, she is a graduate of Project LEAD; the Park School, Columbia University and New York University School of Law. She is a partner at Flemming, Zulack & Williamson, LLP in New York City specializing in Family and Matrimonial Law. Cynthia also volunteers on the Legal Advisory Board of Sanctuary for Families Legal Center; has served as a Monitor for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa in 1998; and sits on the Board of Directors of Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert (JALBCA).
Jeannine Salamone, Co-Chair, YSC Marketing and Communications Committee
Diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2000, Jeannine is dedicated to helping the Young Survival Coalition achieve its mission of educating and influencing the medical, research, breast cancer and legislative communities to address breast cancer in women 40 and under. She serves on the board of the Young Survival Coalition as Co-Chair of the Marketing and Communications Steering Committee. Jeannine is a graduate of the National Breast Cancer Coalition's Project LEAD and a former Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation Board Member. In 2005 she was recognized as a Lifetime Television Breast Cancer Hero. Jeannine received a Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York, College of Oswego in 1992 and currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband John. She is a Program Manager in the Communications and Patient Information Department of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Joy Simha, YSC Co-Founder, Co-Chair, YSC Advocacy and Research Committee
Joy represents YSC on the Board of Directors of the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) and is a Project LEAD® graduate. She sits on the International Advisory Board of The Cochrane Collaboration's Child Health Field and she also serves on the Consumer Coalition of the Cochrane Collaboration. Joy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1994 at the age of 26. At the time she was a single career girl. Her advocacy work began the day she was diagnosed and she realized how little was known about breast cancer in young women, treatment options, fertility after breast cancer and long term survival rates. A video producer, Joy lives in New Jersey with her husband and their two children.
Marcia Stein
Marcia was diagnosed with Stage I Breast Cancer in 1996 at the age of 34. After searching the Web fruitlessly, at the time of diagnosis, Marcia discovered the YSC site through Web MD after her treatment was completed. She has been involved with the YSC since then. Marcia lives in Massachusetts with her husband and son, and works at Senior Whole Health, a health care firm specializing in HMO's for the elderly. She has a B.A. in English from the University of Chicago and M.S. from Tufts University in Physics.
Eric Winer, MD, Chair, YSC Medical Advisory Board
Dr. Winer is Director of the Breast Oncology Center and Chief of Ambulatory Services at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He is also an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Co-Chair of the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) Breast Committee. Dr. Winer received his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital where he served as Chief Resident. He completed a fellowship in hematology/oncology at Duke University Medical Center , where he subsequently remained on the faculty until 1997. Dr. Winer's clinical and research interests include the development of new agents and new chemotherapeutic regimens for women with breast cancer and he has conducted a wide range of clinical trials in women with early stage and advanced breast cancer. He has a particular interest in the treatment of her-2/neu positive breast cancer .He also has interests in the psychosocial aspects of breast cancer and health services research. Dr. Winer has published extensively in the medical literature and lectures throughout the United States and abroad.
