Our Founders:
Roger Daltrey & Pete Townshend
Learn MoreCelebs Who Care
Board of Directors
Rebecca Rothstein
Board Chairman/Executive Committee Chair
Rebecca Rothstein is a Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisor at Merrill Lynch Private Bank & Investment Group. Rebecca and Ron, her husband of many years, have four sons and live in Beverly Hills, CA. Rebecca became involved with Teen Cancer through her friendship with musician Roger Daltrey: “It’s always been Roger’s dream to bring the teen cancer cause to America, and I’m honored to help him achieve that vision.”
Jordan Kaplan
Development Committee
Mr. Kaplan is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Douglas Emmett, Inc. (DEI), an office and residential REIT listed on the New York Stock Exchange. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of DEI. He co-founded Douglas Emmett Realty Advisors in 1991, which grew during the 1990’s into a large manager of institutional real estate funds and is the predecessor to DEI. Douglas Emmett went public in 2006 in what was then the largest REIT IPO in history. Currently, the Company has approximately 600 employees.
Mr. Kaplan is on various boards at UCLA, including the UCLA Board of trustees. He is a dedicated environmentalist and is on the board of the Los Angeles Waterkeeper, an environmental organization devoted to cleaning the Santa Monica Bay. He is also on the board of Teen Cancer America, a charity devoted to improving the lives of teenagers and young adults with cancer. A native of Los Angeles, Mr. Kaplan received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of California in Santa Barbara, and his MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA in 1986. He lives in Pacific Palisades, California with his wife and their three children.
Rick French
Development Committee/ Advisory Council Chair
Rick French is chairman & chief executive officer of French/West/Vaughan (FWV), one of the nation’s largest independently-owned public relations, public affairs, advertising and digital media agencies. He is 2017 inductee of the North Carolina Media & Journalism Hall of Fame; has twice been named PR Agency Professional of Year; and is listed among the 300 “Most Influential Communicators in the World,” by PR Week. But that’s only part of Rick’s resume: he is also a noted film financier and producer who serves as Managing Partner of Prix Productions; he co-owns the Daytona Tortugas, the Advanced A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds; and holds board seats and private equity investments in a half-dozen other media, sports and entertainment ventures. He is a national trustee of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum in Cleveland, Ohio and the London-based Buddy Holly Educational Foundation.
Lissa Barry
Elizabeth Barry is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Delta Systems, Inc. in Streetsboro, OH. She has been a board member of the company since 1995, becoming President in 2005, and she assumed the additional role of CEO in 2007.
Elizabeth is the recipient of several prestigious awards – most recently in Crain’s Cleveland Business as Crain’s Notable Women in Manufacturing. In 2016 she received the Streetsboro Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Recognition Award. She was also recognized by Smart Business magazine in 2011 in “Women Who Excel” and received the “Leading Edge Award” from Entrepreneurial Edge in 2010 and the “Image Award” from the Streetsboro Chamber of Commerce in 2008.
She is also a member of the following organizations: Governor’s Executive Workforce Board; Portage Development Board; Ohio Manufacturing Association Workforce Leadership Committee; Streetsboro Chamber of Commerce; Cleveland Museum of Art Business Advisory Group and the Women’s Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art; Board of Trustees, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Foundation; Board of Trustees, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; and the Women’s Council of the Union Club of Cleveland. Elizabeth is also an active alumna of Middlebury College serving as an Alumni Interviewer.
Her son Matthew Barry, was diagnosed with Pre B-Cell ALL Leukemia at age 19, and received care at one of TCA’s partnered hospitals, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio.
Robert Rosenberg
Executive Committee/Finance & Audit Committee
After an early career in the William Morris office in London working in business affairs, meeting and working with many of the movie and rock stars of the mid to late 70’s, he went back to music, his first love and signed a songwriting deal and had songs recorded by various artists, at the same time he worked closely with Jeff Wayne writer and producer of the multi million selling musical version of HG Wells’ The War Of The Worlds and various other music companies consulting on business affairs and music publishing, including Trinifold Management. In 1983 he became a Director of Trinifold and later Managing Director. Over the past 30 years he has worked closely with CEO Bill Curbishley on all the company’s artists and now co manages The Who and looks after several other artists on the roster. He has also worked extensively on The Who and Led Zeppelin catalogues exec producing several documentaries and live concerts. He became involved with Teenage Cancer Trust in the UK in 2000 when The Who performed with special guests at the Royal Albert Hall and has worked with the charity as a patron ever since.He hopes to help Roger Daltrey and the Board establish the charity as a major force for good in the USA.
Howard Jaffe
Board Treasurer/Executive & Finance Committee
Howard Jaffe is an attorney and serves on the boards of nonprofit companies. A long time passionate fan of The Who, he approached Roger Daltrey about founding a charity in America similar to the ideas and success of the Teenage Cancer Trust in the United Kingdom. Howard became part of the team that organized and launched Teen Cancer America and hopes to expand the charity to cover the entire United States so every teen battling cancer has a place in a hospital to simply be a teen.
Peter Bradley, Jr.
Development Committee
Peter Bradley Jr. is a retail professional, prestigious watch and fine jewelry expert, and music historian.
Originally from the North East of England, Peter grew up with entrepreneurial parents who grew a successful jewelry business from a small second hand store.
Peter moved to London in his teens and signed a record deal at the age of 16. At the age of 28, he took a break from the music industry and joined the family business. He hasn’t looked back since.
“I love what we do, and I’m passionate about giving great service to our loyal customers that my family have built up over 50 years.”
When Peter isn’t working, he enjoys visiting the Yorkshire countryside with his wife Claire and dog Bertie, sailing and driving his classic car.
In 2012, Peter was appointed to the Board of the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded by his father Peter Bradley Sr. and Maria Elena Holly to promote the legacy of Buddy Holly and inspire and sponsor young talent in the music industry.
Dr. Glenn Taylor
Executive Committee/Hospital Programs & Services Committee
Dr. Glenn G. Taylor is a board certified orthopedic surgeon and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery. He is a founding member of Neurosurgery, Orthopedics and Spine Specialists of Waterbury, Ct., one of Ct.’s most highly regarded specialty practices. Dr. Taylor is a former Chief of Staff at Waterbury Hospital, ranked as one of Connecticut’s top hospitals by U.S. News & World Report in 2012. Educated and trained in England at King’s College, London and St. George’s Hospital Medical School, University of London and at Yale New Haven Hospital and Newington Children’s Hospital in Connecticut, Dr. Taylor is experienced in both British and American hospital and health care systems. This special expertise facilitates dialogue and liaison between physicians and hospitals wanting to develop teen and young adult cancer centers here in the U.S. and established programs in the U.K.. Glenn and his wife, Maria, are committed and honored to work with Roger and Teen Cancer America in this wonderful cause.
Jeff Ward
Finance & Audit Committee Chair
Jeff Ward is Chief Strategy Officer for First Citizens Bank, the official sponsor of Teen Cancer America in the Southeastern US. Jeff and his colleagues throughout the bank are excited to introduce TCA – First Citizens’ most comprehensive philanthropic effort ever – to people across our markets. The bank’s goal is to spread the word about TCA’s mission and help fundraise and sponsor new medical centers coming on board, primarily in the Carolinas.
Zach Cohen
Development Committee
Zachary Cohen is a recent graduate of Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Business where he received his degree in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises. He is deeply involved in managing his family’s Transportation and Logistics Company, New England Motor Freight, which operates inmore than 30 offices in 15 states throughout the Eastern U.S. In spite of his young age, Zach has been active in many philanthropic causes. His membership on the Syracuse University Student Philanthropy council helped support the creation of the University’s Scholarship in Action program, whose goal is to transform the lives of both current and future SU students. In addition, he has worked to support special education groups such as Cerebral Palsy of New Jersey, by working with administration and
student body of the CPNJ Horizon High School, which caters to the needs of those challenged by the disease. It’s his concern for others and his desire to support causes that impact children and young adults that brings him to Teen Cancer America.Deborah Montaperto
Development Committee
Deborah Montaperto, Private Wealth Advisor, is responsible for strategic business development as well as executing liability management transactions for clients of The Polk Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management. Additionally, she has developed the Team’s family advisory platform, a holistic approach to dealing with the interface between wealth, family dynamics, and the next generation.
Deborah began her career on Wall Street in 1986. As a Managing Director in Citigroup’s Investment Banking division, she was responsible for fostering client relationships between the Institutional Clients Group and Global Wealth Management. Deborah joined the Polk Group at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management in 2008 and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. Additionally, she is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst.
Deborah has been named to Barron’s Advisor Hall of Fame (2019), Barron’s Top 100 Advisors (2019-2022), Barron’s Top 100 Women Financial Advisors (2010-2022), Barron’s Best-In-State Advisors (2020-2022), Forbes’ Top 100 Women Wealth Advisors (2018, 2022), Forbes’ Best-In-State Women Wealth Advisors (2022), and Forbes’ Best-In-State Wealth Advisors (2019-2022). She is a frequent presenter at Morgan Stanley and industry conferences, such as Barron’s.
Deborah is an active member of The Lincoln Center Women’s Leadership Council, The National Arts Club, The Economic Club of New York, and Hunts Point Alliance for Children. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Teen Cancer America. Deborah graduated with a B.A. cum laude from Tufts University and earned an M.A. degree from the Villa Schifanoia in Florence, Italy.
2019-2022 Barron’s Top 100 Financial Advisors (formerly referred to as Barron’s Top 1,000 Financial Advisors: State-by-State). Source: Barrons.com (Awarded 2019-2022). Data compiled by Barron’s based on 12-month period concluding in Dec of the year prior to the issuance of the award.
2020-2022 Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors: State-by-State (formerly referred to as Barron’s Top 1,000 Financial Advisors: State-by-State). Source: Barrons.com (Awarded 2020-2022). Data compiled by Barron’s based on 12-month period concluding in Sept of the year prior to the issuance of the award.
2010-2021 Barron’s Top 100 Women Financial Advisors.Source:Barrons.com(Awarded June 2010-2021).Data compiled by Barron’s based on 12-month period concluding in Mar of the year the award was issued.
2018, 2022 Forbes America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors (formerly referred to as Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors, Forbes America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors). Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2018, 2022). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in Sept of year prior to the issuance of the award.
2022 Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In- State (formerly referred to as Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors, Forbes America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors). Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2022). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in Sept of year prior to the issuance of the award.
2019-2022 Forbes Best-In- State Wealth Advisors. Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2019-2022). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based 12-month time period concluding in June of year prior to the issuance of the award.
Barron’s Hall Of Fame 2019 List
Source: The Barron’s “Hall of Fame” list, published throughout 2019. Based on Barron’s rankings received over the prior 10 years.The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney. The CDFA designation is not intended to imply that either Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors are acting as experts in this field.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, a division of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC 5076427, 11/2022.
Maria Taylor
Board Secretary/Development Committee
Maria Taylor is a native of Connecticut and a 26-year veteran of the luxury real estate market in Connecticut’s tiny Northwest Corner. She consistently ranks in the top 3% of the brokers in her firm. Additionally, she has earned the respect of her peers and the community at large through her expertise in the restoration and renovation of neglected vintage properties. Maria also selflessly dedicates her time to an outstanding roster of charitable efforts, including service as a veteran board member on the Saint Mary’s Hospital Foundation in Waterbury, as an active committee member of the Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition, and as a past board member of the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra. Maria brings a facility and an energy for raising the awareness and the resources to make this initiative a resounding success in the USA.
Bill Curbishley
Development Committee/Hospitals Programs & Services Committee
A highly successful music and film producer and band manager, Bill Curbishley is best known for managing the Who. He founded Trinifold Management in 1974 to handle The Who and later expanded to include other major acts including Judas Priest, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. Bill was heavily involved in the stage show of “Tommy,” which went on to garner five Tony awards on Broadway. His further involvement with the Who led to his producing the movies “Quadrophenia” and “McVicar.” Bill also produced the film, “The Railway Man,” based upon an Eric Lomax story about his capture and torture by the Japanese on the Burma-Siam railway during World War II. Bill’s involvement with teen cancer comes about through his long-time friendship with Roger Daltrey.
Dr. Gerald Grant
Development Committee/Hospitals Programs & Services Committee
Dr. Gerald Grant is a board certified pediatric neurosurgeon and Fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons. He specializes in the surgical management of pediatric brain tumors and is Division Chief of Pediatric neurosurgery and Acting Associate Professor at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford. He is also an Air Force veteran with extensive neurosurgical experience abroad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Dr. Grant had the opportunity of training for a year in neurosurgery at Atkinson Morley’s Neurosurgery/Neurology Hospital in London and therefore is very familiar with the noble mission of the Teenage Cancer Trust. He is passionate about advocating for the teenagers with cancer with the primary goal of improving their survival and quality of life on a daily basis. After personally touring Teenage Cancer Trust units in London Dr. Grant was impressed with the impact of these units had on the teenagers and young adults afflicted with cancer as well as the passion of Roger Daltrey and his team in this effort. Dr. Grant is honored to work with such a dedicated team to leverage all the great things that Teenage Cancer Trust has done for teenagers and young adults with cancer in the UK to help build Teenage Cancer America.
Becky Mancuso-Winding
Development Committee
Becky Mancuso-Winding serves as the Executive Director of UCLA Health, Community and Business Partnerships. She leads the UCLA Health Office of Community with focus on community engagement, community wellness and community partnerships. Those partnerships include foundations like Leukemia Lymphoma Society (LLS), American Heart Association (AHA) and American Cancer Society (ACS), as well as corporate partnerships such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Los 88Angeles Dodgers and AEG.
Becky started her UCLA Health career in 2008 in Health Sciences Development, overseeing UCLA Health Medical Center, Santa Monica and a number of patient programs including UCLA Operation Mend, Daltrey-Townshend Teen& Young Adult Cancer Program at UCLA, UCLA Alzheimer’s Dementia Care Program and UCLA People-Animal Program (PAC).
Prior to 2008, Becky had a multi-decade career as a creative executive in entertainment industry. During her entertainment industry career, she was involved in a number of charitable endeavors for City of Hope, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and served on the original board of what is now UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. During her fourteen years of service on that Board, she advocated and raised funding for a number of pediatric healthcare initiatives and was instrumental in sta?ng the ongoing annual fundraiser, Mattel Part;y on the Pier.
Throughout her career, Becky has held numerous executive positions in the film and music industry, but is best lmown for her pioneering work as one of the industry’s first credited feature film music supervisors, having crafted award winning soundtracks for over fort;y music oriented films, including Urban Cowboy and Footloose. In 2018, the Guild of Music Supervisors recognized her contribution to the industry with the Legacy Award.
Her other entertainment industry work included founding a division of Sony Entertainment, Sony Wonder, focused on children’s and family entertainment that crossed multiple platforms of music, film, television, and games. She was a producer of a number of award-winning television specials that included Sesame Street’s Elmopalooza for ABC, the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of Sesame Street for ABC, Elmo Saves Christmas for PBS and Cinderella for ABC featuring Dorothy Hamill and the Ice Capades.
Becky currently serves on the national Board of Teen Cancer America, and Students4Students that actively addresses shelter needs for college students experiencing homelessness and food insecurity.
Advisory Council
Sally Webb
Sally Webb, CSEP is Founder and CEO of The Special Event Company (TSEC), based in the Triangle region of North Carolina. She formed the company in 1987 from a background in sports PR and marketing. TSEC is a WBENC certified Woman Owned Business.
TSEC delivers essential business communications through live and virtual events and for a diverse clientele in education, financial services, technology, pharmaceuticals, media, manufacturing, sports and non-profits. Over the past three decades, Sally has produced events in over 30 countries throughout Europe, USA, Africa, South America and Asia.
The company has won over 40 international event management awards for their work. Her personal accolades include International Event Producer of the Year by Event Solutions Magazine, Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Live Events Association (ILEA) , Business Leader Magazines Top 50 Women Extraordinaire Award, Special Event Magazines Top 25 Greatest Industry Influencers of the past 25 years. In January 2018 she was the recipient of the Special Events Industry Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to the Special Event Industry.
In 2021 TSEC expanded their service offerings with a Film and Broadcast Studio, creating Internet TV through a wide range of in-studio and remote services, to support the growing virtual communication business needs.
Sally is a founding member and former President of the International Special Events Society in the UK, before moving to the US in 2005. She is a founder of the Triangle British American Business Council Chapter and recently Chaired the Special Event Industry Certification (CSEP) examination restructure committee.
As a founding board member of Roger Daltrey & Pete Townshend’s Teen Cancer America organization www.teencanceramerica.com.
She lives in Cary, NC with her husband Grant Berry, who is a professional caddie on the PGA Tour.
The Special Event Company website can be viewed on www.specialeventco.com
Kamesh Nagarajan
Kamesh Nagarajan is an Executive Director and Senior Portfolio Management Director at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management with over 20 years of experience. He focuses on helping corporate executives with their overall wealth planning, including integrating corporate benefits and concentrated stock planning, and in advising physicians and entrepreneurs on holistic wealth management issues.
Mr. Nagarajan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Vassar College and a Juris Doctor with honors from Syracuse University College of Law.
Kamesh is on the Board of Advisors of Syracuse University of Law and on the Board of Directors of The PATH Fund. Mr. Nagarajan resides in Manhattan with his twelve-year-old twins, Anya and Prem.
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Grace Wang
Grace is the Founder and Managing Director of IGA Capital which invests in, advises and mentors technology startups. She is also a mentor and advisor to the Techstars Music incubator and the international Techstars network at large. Grace first became acquainted to TCA through it’s UK arm, the Teenage Cancer Trust while working as a Managing Director at JP Morgan in London and when she relocated to Los Angeles was excited to find Teenage Cancer America and to be able to get involved to help solve teenage cancer as it’s a cause near and dear to her family. She helped organize the inaugural Rock’n’Polo event at Will Rogers and is committed to help TCA fundraise and extend its reach across as many hospitals as possible in the United States.
Chris Stewart
Before enjoying a career in music, Chris Stewart was CEO of Gelber Group, a financial futures and trading firm at the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). He served on the board of directors for the CBOT board on the Chicago Mercantile Board from 2006-2014.
Currently, Mr. Stewart serves on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Board (2006- present), where he works on the Development and Induction committees. He has served as a board member for the Country Music Hall of Fame (2016-present), where he works on the Development committee.
Mr. Stewart played percussion with the Dave Mason Band from 2006-2012.
Mr. Stewart believes strongly in the preservation and in music education. He splits his time between his Nashville and Chicago homes. And enjoys his free time with his wife and three sons.
Dan Wise
Dan is an entrepreneur who has founded several companies focused on the sales & marketing of consumer products over the last 25 years. In 1998, he built the world’s first b2b marketplace for brand name excess inventory, LiquidXS.com. Dan returned to Montreal in 2007 to start CroJack Capital. The group buys and sells overstock product inventories and makes small investments in early stage companies. RealEats has become his full-time passion, focus and platform for inciting change through life’s most important ingredient… food.
Jamie Siegel
Jaime Siegel is CEO of Cerebral Assets, LLC, a consulting firm that provides business strategy and services to clients related to intellectual property assets across industries and the globe.He spent most of his career as a patent litigator, spending 16 of 30 years at Sony. Jaime is a seasoned leader of teams that have generated billions of dollars in revenue globally, as well as being a member of the executive leadership team of a NASDAQ listed company. Currently, Jaime is a National Trustee of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland and resides in Rancho Mirage, California.Andy Saperstein
Andy Saperstein is Managing Director and Co-Head of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. He serves on the Morgan Stanley Operating Committee and as a Trustee of the Morgan Stanley Foundation, the firm’s charitable arm. Mr. Saperstein previously served as Co-COO of the Institutional Securities Group, working across the ISG businesses and coordinating initiatives with Wealth Management.
Prior to this role he held a succession of senior leadership positions in Wealth Management. He joined Morgan Stanley in 2006 as COO of National Sales, and became Head of Wealth Management, including U.S. Private Wealth Management, following the initial acquisition of Smith Barney in 2009. He subsequently served as Head of Investment Products and Services. Earlier in his career, Mr. Saperstein held numerous leadership roles at Merrill Lynch, including COO of the Direct Division, and was a partner in the Financial Institutions Group of McKinsey & Co. He graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School and summa cum laude from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, with a dual degree in economics and finance.
Howard Schwartz
Howard M. Schwartz has more than 40 years of experience as a real estate professional and is founder and CEO of Howard Schwartz Commercial Real Estate in Michigan, a boutique commercial brokerage company whose core competencies include retail tenant representation, investment sales, and vacant land for development. Howard and his wife Robin’s charitable endeavors include a modest family foundation, “May the Schwartz Be with You”, whose focus is cancer, mental health, and Jewish causes. Howard is a founding member of the Friendship Circle, a children’s special needs charity, and has been an active member of their board of directors since 1995.
In 2007, Howard became a member of the board of directors for Kadima, a mental health services non-profit, and currently sits as vice present on the executive board. Howard is also special counsel to the founder and president of Sanctum House, a charity that offers a safe home with integrated services and programs for the survivors of human trafficking. He has been involved in Teen Cancer America for seven years. What free time Howard may claim, he is an avid art collector, a hobbyist in model railroading, and he and his wife enjoy travel, scuba and fishing. His family professes that when he was a young teenager, the album “Quadrophenia” was his first therapist.
Char Fowler
Char is a community activist, serving on boards involving the arts and medical causes— especially Angie’s AYA CANCER INSTITUTE in Cleveland. She and her husband, Chuck, enjoy spending time with their daughters and families – love traveling and biking as a group.Having lost their daughter Angie to melanoma at age 15, has driven Char to help drive attention to this age group’s special battles with cancer.
Individual Donors
Rebecca Rothstein
Jordan Kaplan
Dr. Harry Alberts, Alex and Lyndsay Alberts
Chuck and Char Fowler
Darren Strowger
Howard Schwartz
Christopher Guy
Zach Cohen
Bill Curbishley
Triple Threat Productions, Inc.
Results Advertising & Productions Inc.
John and Heather Dean
Duane Hoover
Dr. Gerald Grant
Howard Jaffe
Causemedia Group
Deborah Montaperto
Anne & Michael Recine
Robert Rosenberg
Transatlantic Reinsurance Company – Mike Sapnar
Jerome I Nadel
Dr. Glenn Taylor
Maria Taylor
Sally Webb
Btig, LLC
Sue D White
Becky Mancuso-Winding
Based Princess Enterprises
Jeff Ward
Foundations
The Snyder Family Foundation
The Reuben and Rose Mattus and Doris and Kevin Hurley Foundation Inc.
Wonderful Giving
The Kevin Cordasco Foundation
Servier
Resonance Foundation for Children's Health
Oakland Civic Charities Foundation
Morgan Stanley Volunteer Incentive Program
LA Trial Lawyers Charities
Kenny's Kids
Johnson & Johnson Matching Gifts Program
Johnny Kicks Cancer
Hartnett Foundation
Give inLieu Foundation
Freirich Family Foundation
Char and Chuck Fowler Family Foundation
Chad Corbin Starfish Foundation
Buddy Holly Educational Foundation
Aris Anagnos Foundation
The Lawrence Foundation
Francis Meyer Charitable Lead Unitrust
Baer Foundation
Testimonials
The Team
Vickie Katz, M.A.
Development Specialist
What do I do at Teen Cancer America? – I support the Executive Director, Development and Partnership Director and coordinate events to foster growth and generate revenue for Teen Cancer America.
Hometown – Los Angeles, CA
College – Boston University
Favorite Who Song – “Won’t Get Fooled Again”
If you couldn’t listen to The Who what three artists would you listen to? – Taylor Swift, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John
Favorite Vacation Spot – Anywhere with my daughterWhy Teen Cancer America? – In 1988, at the age of sixteen, my younger brother died from cancer, I was twenty years old. Losing him became the driving force and inspiration behind my work and volunteerism of 30 + years in helping kids and teens with cancer and their families. At Teen Cancer America I have the opportunity to continue to do what I can to improve the quality of life of others by serving a population (teens and young adults) that have many of their crucial needs unmet. As the saying goes…”it takes a village”…and I couldn’t be more proud than to be part of this village here at TCA.
One Fun Fact – For those who always wanted a pet monkey as a child…this fulfilled that wish. In my last college semester, I signed up for a directed study that counted towards my B.A. in Psychology. I potty trained a capuchin monkey using behavioral training methods. The organization, located in Boston, was founded to raise and train capuchin monkeys to provide daily in-home assistance to people living with spinal cord injury and other mobility impairments.
Jamie Park
Celebrity Partnerships Manager
What do I do at Teen Cancer America? – I handle celebrity and brand partnerships for TCA. My role is getting celebrity talent engaged, passionate and involved in TCA and our mission as both supporters and ambassadors.
Hometown – Mililani, Hawaii and San Jose, CA
College –University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
Favorite Who Song – Baba O’Riley and Behind Blue Eyes
If you couldn’t listen to The Who what three artists would you listen to? – Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Depeche Mode, Sigur Ros
Favorite Vacation Spot – Hawaii
Why Teen Cancer America? –I am inspired to do whatever I can to help make things better and brighter for young people with cancer. I dedicate my work to a very special teenager that I lost 4 years ago to Ewing’s Sarcoma. She changed my life forever and I hope to do the same for young people with cancer.
One Fun Fact – I was named after the lead character in the TV series “The Bionic Woman” (Character name: Jamie Sommers played by actress Lindsay Wagner). My mom watched this series back in the day. One of my best friends (also named Jamie) as well as actress Jamie King were both also named after the Bionic Woman.Also, my mother is my most favorite human in the world. (Sorry, I guess that is 2 fun facts)
Simon J. Davies
Executive Director
What do I do at Teen Cancer America? Strategic design and delivery, organizational management, profiling and external relations.
Hometown: Felixstowe, England
College: University of Coventry
Favorite Who song: Behind Blue Eyes
If you couldn’t listen to The Who what three artists would you listen to? Marshall Tucker Band, Oasis, Gladys Knight and The Pips
Favorite Vacation Spot: Alicante, Spain and Los Angeles
Why Teen Cancer America? Having built up Teenage Cancer Trust in the UK and changed the structure of cancer services for young people over there, I am inspired to achieve the same and more in the USA. Teen Cancer America will deliver!
One fun fact: I can pronounce this without reading: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, a small village in Wales with the longest name in the world.
Hilary Gan
Hospital Programs & Services Director
What do I do at Teen Cancer America? I work with hospitals across the country interested in developing specialized facilities and programs for the teen and young adult cancer population with the emphasis on young people ages 13-25. As each health care and hospital system is unique, I work to encourage and support the creation of the best model for teen and young adult patient care including space, teams, treatment and research that meet the needs of each individual hospital while providing best patient care for this age group.
Favorite Who song: Behind Blue Eyes
Hometown: Born in Tacoma, WA but raised in Los Angeles, CA
If you couldn’t listen to The Who what three artists would you listen to? Bon Jovi, Adele, and David Bowie
Favorite Vacation Spot: Moorea, Tahiti
Why Teen Cancer America? I have been committed to serving this population for over 20 years. For the majority of my career I worked in a clinical role and saw first hand the challenges that this population faced in the health care system. Teen Cancer America’s mission focuses on very important unmet needs of the teen and young adult cancer population. There is much to be done but it isn’t impossible and Teen Cancer America has the ability to change the trajectory of health care This must change and who better to make that happen than Teen Cancer America.
One Fun Fact: I am terrible at thinking of fun facts
Michelle Elle Aland
Development and Partnerships Director
What do I do at Teen Cancer America? Create partnerships to raise funds and awareness for TCA.
Hometown – Pittsburgh, PA
College – Stetson University, FL
Favorite Who song – You Better You Bet, Eminence Front, Magic Bus
If you couldn’t listen to The Who what three artists would you listen to? Foo Fighters, Oasis, Beyoncé, JayZ
Favorite Vacation Spot – My friend’s villa in Spain
Why Teen Cancer America? I have been involved with this fantastic charity for the past 10 years in the UK and am excited to help TCA expand in America. TCA occupies a unique and necessary space for teens and their families.
One Fun Fact – Upon being locked in, had to climb down the Duquesne Incline in Pittsburgh on a ladder track which is 400 feet high.
Leonard Sibala
Operations & Finance Director
What do I do at Teen Cancer America? – I am responsible for operations and finance
Hometown – Philippines, Hollywood CA, and San Francisco!
College –University of St. La Salle
Favorite Who Song – Behind Blue Eyes
If you couldn’t listen to The Who what three artists would you listen to? – Frank Ocean, San Rai, and The Beatles
Favorite Vacation Spot – New York City
Why Teen Cancer America? –TCA has the coolest people to work with.
One Fun Fact – I can’t be in a virtual meeting without shoes on.
Alec Kupelian
Operations and Program Development Specialist
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
College: University of California, Santa Barbara
Favorite Who Song: My Generation
If you couldn’t listen to The Who, what three artists would you listen to?: T-pain, Akon, Thomas Rhett
Favorite Vacation Spot: Provence, France
Why Teen Cancer America?
When I was 19 years old, I was diagnosed with a 19 cm. long tumor in my left pelvis. Getting diagnosed with cancer changed my life from a normal college freshman to eleven months of in-patient chemotherapy every other week. However, I don’t view my year of treatment as a bad thing! I was treated in UCLA’s Teen and Young Adult (TYA) floor which was sponsored by Teen Cancer America and The Who. It wasn’t until I was partway through my treatment that I realized that most adolescents and young adults do not get the kind of hospital support that made what could have been a nightmare year into one with so many positives. I’m not saying that that year was easy, but because of Teen Cancer America’s support my time in treatment was much more manageable. I want to make my experience a reality for adolescents and young adults across the country.
One fun fact: I am a big knitter and love to knit little plush animals that I give to my friends as gifts.
Laura Freels
Donor Cultivation Specialist
What do I do at Teen Cancer America? – I support fundraising efforts by corresponding with our donors and managing our database. I also provide administrative assistance to our lovely team.
Hometown – Atlanta, Georgia
College – Georgia State University
Favorite Who Song – Won’t Get Fooled Again
If you couldn’t listen to The Who what three artists would you listen to? – The Allman Brothers, Townes Van Zandt, and Joni Mitchell. And I could listen to Motown all day.
Favorite Vacation Spot – Provence
Why Teen Cancer America? – A network that provides tailored care for young people fighting cancer is absolutely crucial to improving treatment outcomes. It takes a village to beat cancer and I’m grateful to share in this worthwhile endeavor.
One Fun Fact – I’m planning a trip to go diving with great whites.
Lily Fuentez
Communications & Digital Marketing Manager
What Do I Do At Teen Cancer America: Plan fundraising campaigns and events, as well as events for young people who have or had cancer, and design the marketing materials and timelines for them.Hometown: San Diego, CACollege: Chapman UniversityFavorite Who Song: The Kids Are Alright
If you couldn’t listen to The Who what three artists would you listen to: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Fleetwood Mac, and Queen Bey (BEYONCE) of course!Favorite Vacation Spot: Yosemite and the RedwoodsWhy Teen Cancer America? I worked with teens through the Boys & Girls Club organization, and it became very clear to me while working with these special young people that teens have their own unique set of needs. Teens are not children, and they’re not adults. They need spaces that are comforting to them so they can heal and grow through challenges like cancer.One fun fact: A few years ago, I took a spontaneous trip to an archaeological dig in Spain, and spent the summer excavating Roman and Iberian ruins in Andalusia. It was incredible!