The Melanoma Research Foundation’s Board of Directors, working in partnership with the Executive Director and staff, defines the vision, mission and values for the organization and establishes plans and policies.
Stan Adler (New York)
Stan is the founder and creative director for Stan Adler Associates, a full-service marketing communications firm, based in New York City, established in 1979. After being successfully treated for Stage IV metastatic melanoma with high dose IL-2 in 2005, he discovered the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) and became an active participant on the bulletin board and in the chat room to try and help melanoma patients make informed decisions about their treatment. As a patient advocate, Stan speaks frequently around the country to groups of doctors, nurses, patients and caregivers about his experiences battling metastatic melanoma. Stan and his wife Aviva live in New Rochelle, NY and have three married children and three grandchildren.
Manuel Amezcua (Michigan)
Manuel Amezcua is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, public speaker, and executive in the insurance and financial services industry. He currently serves as President, CEO for MassMutual Great Lakes. MassMutual Great Lakes is one of the leading brands in creating financial security, stability and success on behalf of the individuals, business owners, and institutions it serves in the United States. Manuel is also the co-founder of One Life Advisory, a national planning practice focused on serving entrepreneurs, executives, and professional athletes. Manuel was recognized with MassMutual’s Community Service Award in 2015, appointed to the Sales Manager Advisory Board in 2015, and invited to join the Field Leadership Development program in 2016. Manuel has spoken at MassMutual Academy, Summit, NAIFA Chicago’s Taste of MDRT, GAMA’s global LAMP conference, NAIFA Illinois’s annual conference, FUND Conference, is a consistent contributor to Hoopis Performance Network’s Firm Foundations program, and various other sales and financial services programs.
At the forefront of Manuel’s personal life are his wife, Samantha, and two children, Ava and Atlas. They share a passion for community involvement and maintain a commitment to the Israel Idonije Foundation and NFL Alumni Association. Manuel was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for the Delta Tau Delta Educational Foundation. He also provides service to POSSE Chicago’s Leadership Council, and has served as Chair of the Melanoma Research Foundation’s Wings of Hope Gala (Chicago) in 2015, 2016 and 2017. He has provided previous board service to NAIFA Chicago, the Center for Economic Progress, and the Reilly C. Bush Foundation.
Michael B. Atkins (Washington, DC)
Michael B. Atkins, MD, is Deputy Director of the Georgetown-Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C. and Professor of Oncology and Medicine (Hematology/Oncology) at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Prior to his move to Georgetown, Dr. Atkins was Deputy Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology, Director of the Cancer Clinical Trials Office, Director of the Cutaneous Oncology Program, and Director of the Biologic Therapy Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). In addition, he was the leader of the Kidney Cancer Program at the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and Professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School. He served as Director of the DF/HCC Kidney Cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant and co–principal investigator of the DF/HCC Skin Cancer SPORE since their inceptions in 2003 and 2001, respectively.
Dr. Atkins completed his medical education at Tufts University School of Medicine, and postgraduate training at Tufts New England Medical Center Hospital. Dr. Atkins’ major research interests are cancer immunotherapy, treatment of melanoma and renal cell carcinoma, predictive markers for response to biologic therapy, and antiangiogenic and targeted therapies. His research work has been funded by the National Cancer Institute, various foundations, and several pharmaceutical companies.
Doug Brodman (Florida)
Doug is an accomplished senior executive with 35 years of experience in leading international businesses in the beverage industry. Working with Miller Brewing Company and SABMiller for the past 17 years, he led commercial sales, strategy and marketing efforts in multiple business units across the United States, Europe and Latin America. He is an effective role model, leader and mentor with a reputation for enhancing team effectiveness, developing senior talent, and affecting organizational change.
In his most recent position as Vice President, Strategy for Latin America, Doug led strategy development for SABMiller’s largest and most profitable region. Previously, Doug spent 5 years in Europe where he was Commercial Director, Europe, developing commercial sales and marketing strategy across 10 independent business units. Prior to this, Doug served as Chief Executive and Chairman of the Board of Plzensky Prazdroj, the largest brewer in the Czech Republic.
A stage 4 melanoma survivor, having been successfully treated with immunotherapy in a clinical trial, Doug became actively involved with the Melanoma Research Foundation leading to his current role as Board member.
Doug is also currently serving on the Board of a start-up company in the healthcare technology sector, VitalVio, located in Troy, NY and is a Board member of Revibe Technologies, located in Raleigh, NC. Doug earned a Bachelor of Science in Management from St. John’s University and has an MBA from Hofstra University. He lives in Bonita Springs, Florida, with his wife Terry.
Rebecca Dreman (Colorado)
Rebecca King Dreman, Esq. was crowned Miss America in 1974. After her year of service, she attended the University Of Denver Sturm College Of Law and is currently a practicing attorney specializing in Family Law. In addition to her role as an attorney, Rebecca serves on the Miss America Pageant Board of Directors. In September 2010, Rebecca was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma. After enrolling in a combination therapy clinical trial, she finds herself NED (no evidence of disease). Rebecca received the MRF’s Courage Award in 2012 for her courageous battle with melanoma.
Rebecca has been featured in Vogue, USA Today, People: 25th Anniversary Edition, as well as The PBS American Experience and The BBC’s More Than Just A Pretty Face. Among her many television appearances, Rebecca has appeared on The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Carson’s Comedy Classics and co-host of the Rose Bowl Parade. She lives in Denver, CO with her husband and has two daughters.
Joe Fazio, Board Secretary (Pennsylvania)
Joe Fazio, recently retired, was an independent contractor providing Business Development Services to clients in the Philadelphia, PA area. He was previously Chief Operating Officer of the Mommy’s Light Lives On Fund in Exton, PA, which works to bring comfort to children whose mothers have died by helping them keep alive traditions they shared with their mothers. Prior to joining Mommy’s Light, Joe was the Director of Business Development at IMC Construction Company, a national commercial construction firm based in Malvern, PA. Before his stint with IMC, Joe spent 25 years as a Retail Executive with Genuardi’s Family Markets, headquartered in Norristown, PA. Joe holds a BS degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, and an MBA from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.
Joe, along with his three children, created the Susan Fazio Foundation for Melanoma Research (SFFMR) in 2006 in honor of his wife who died from mucosal melanoma. The SFFMR has raised over $400,000 since its inception and has funded four research grants through the MRF.
Jeffrey Harris (California)
Jeff Harris is a senior Global Account Executive with over 20 years of national and global leadership in organizational transformation, systems integration and change management/communication. Currently, Jeff works with Oracle and is a Global Account Manger responsible for leading Oracle’s alliance with PriceWaterhousecoopers (PwC). In this role, Jeff focuses on expanding the strategic partnership between Oracle and PwC with an emphasis on cloud based market development, thought leadership and partner enablement.
Previously, Jeff served as a Principal with KPMG LLP in KPMG’s Silicon Valley Office, where he was the national partner for KPMG’s System Stabilization and Improvement Practice and the lead advisory partner for KPMG’s Venture Capital practice based in Mountain View. In addition, Jeff also served as a primary national trainer and content developer for KPMG’s advisory practice.
In addition to his work with the MRF, he also serves on the University of Victoria’s Gustavson School of Business International Advisory Board. In this role he helps provide guidance and recommendations on the strategic direction of the school as well as mentoring current students and past graduates.
Jeff is also a past instructor for the University of Victoria Faculty of Business teaching organizational design/change management and he has been recognized as one of the Top 25 alumni to watch for the University of Victoria’s Gusatavson School of Business.
Jeff lives in San Jose, California with his wife Lisa Harris and enjoys spending his off time playing golf, hockey or traveling around the globe (playing golf and hockey).
Anthony T. Hendrickson (California)
Prior to retirement, Tony Hendrickson served as Vice President & Chief Accounting Officer at Caliper Technologies, Inc., a microfluidics research and manufacturing biotechnology company. As a member of the executive management team, Tony was responsible for all finance, SEC, facilities, risk management and treasury operations. Before his time at Caliper Technologies, Tony served as Corporate Controller & Chief Accounting Officer at SEQUUS Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a $62 million biotechnology company which clinically developed manufactured and marketed oncological pharmaceutical products. His resume also includes serving as Director of Finance & Administration at a subsidiary of Lanier Worldwide; Senior Manager at KPMG LLP, Information & Computing Tax Advisory Practice; and management positions at Syntex Corporations. He holds a BBA from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA from Ohio State University.
George P. Jameson, Board Treasurer (Illinois)
George Jameson is the Founding Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Dearborn Partners, LLC. Prior to founding Dearborn Partners, he was a Managing Director of the Fixed Income Division of Nesbitt Burns Securities, Inc., a subsidiary of the Bank of Montreal. He began his career at Goldman, Sachs & Co., where he served 16 years in various capacities, including Fixed Income Product Manager, Midwest Regional Manager and Vice President. George also served as Senior Managing Director and Head of Fixed Income Sales and Marketing at First Chicago Capital Markets. He earned a BS in Industrial Management from Georgia Institute of Technology and holds an MBA from Emory University.
Alison Martin, MD (Washington, DC)
Alison Martin, a medical oncologist, has over 25 years of multisector experience in drug development and clinical trials – at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Clinical Research Organizations and Foundations. Dr. Martin is currently the Chief Medical Officer of the
Melanoma Research Foundation Breakthrough Consortium (MRFBC), a national network of 18 centers of excellence in melanoma.
Prior to joining the MRF, Dr. Martin was Head of Melanoma and GU Therapeutics at NCI’s national clinical trial division (CTEP), where she also served on Data Safety Review Committees, international peer-review grant committees and NCI’s Central IRB. As a team leader for the current head of Oncology at the FDA, she has experience working with companies to develop drug approval strategies, has presented to ODAC, and represented the Commissioner to the National Cancer Advisory Committee. Dr. Martin has been a Board member of the Society for Melanoma Research and served on multiple ASCO committees, including the annual meeting’s Education Program, Public Relations and Board of Directors’ Nominating Committees.
Dr. Martin currently is a member of the NCI’s Adult Oncology Treatment Board for PDQ. She received her undergraduate degree from New York University, her medical degree from George Washington University, completed internship, residency and chief residency at University of Pittsburgh and a medical oncology fellowship at the NCI in Bethesda, Maryland.
Glenn Merlino, PhD (Maryland)
Glenn Merlino’s career research contributions include the areas of receptor tyrosine kinase signaling, oncogenic transformation, transcriptional regulation, cell cycle regulation, multiple drug resistance, genomic instability, and genetically engineering mice to generate models to study human cancer. Dr. Merlino was the first to report the amplification/rearrangement of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor gene in human cancer and was among the first to show that growth factors could function in vivo as oncogenes. Dr. Merlino and his colleagues are seeking to elucidate the complex molecular/genetic programs governing melanoma genesis and progression through development and analysis of genetically engineered mouse models. Using such models Dr. Merlino provided the first experimental evidence supporting the notion that childhood sunburn is a critical melanoma risk factor. His aim is to continue to uncover mechanisms associated with UV-mediated induction of melanoma and its progression to the metastatic state. Currently, a particular emphasis is on modeling melanoma responses to clinically-relevant pathway-targeted and immune-based therapies. Preclinical models have now been developed that are anticipated to help uncover mechanisms by which melanomas survive and develop resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors, in order to devise improved clinical strategies to more effectively treat patient melanomas and prevent their recurrence.
William G. Reilly (Virginia)
Bill Reilly has served as the President/Owner of Champion Title & Settlements, Inc. since 1993 and has over 15 years experience in Commercial and Government Systems Sales. He serves as director of the Champion Way Foundation and is a member of ALTA, the Chamber of Commerce for Montgomery County, Maryland, the Northern Virginia Builders Industry Association, and Our Lady of Hope Church. Bill earned his BA in Business Administration at Roanoke College.
Steve Silverstein, Chair of the Board (New Jersey)
Formerly the President & CEO of Kurt Versen Company, manufacturers of specifications downlighting equipment, Steve Silverstein now serves as Chairman of the MRF Board. He is a Stage IV melanoma survivor who was a complete responder to IL-2. He has been an active advocate for patients since his own treatment and joined the MRF board in 2009. Steve also serves on both the Board of Trustees for Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ and the Board for the YJCC of Bergen. He holds a BS in Business from USC and an MBA from New York University.
Read Steve’s letter.
Cheryl Stratos, Vice Chair of the Board (Virginia)
Cheryl Stratos was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma in November 2009. She enrolled in a phase two clinical trial at UCLA and attributes research and drug development to saving her life. Since her diagnosis, she has dedicated herself to advocating for melanoma research advancement in hopes of finding a cure. She brings her background in nonprofit marketing, promotion and event planning to her role at the MRF. Cheryl has worked in the nonprofit sector for the past 25 years, helping organizations succeed at meeting their goals. After 13 years with Innovative Associate Solutions, Cheryl left her position as Partner to start her own firm in January 2013, called Media/Convention Sales, LLC. She holds a BS degree in economics and marketing from George Mason University and an AS in association management from the University of Delaware.
Mark Weinzierl (Texas)
Mark is an ocular melanoma survivor. He was treated for a primary tumor in July 2007. He continues to have regular follow-ups and, to day, there is no evidence of spread of the disease. Mark is the founder and chairman of Anelto, a company specializing in remote telehealth and mobile emergency response devices; and founder and chairman of Zackat, Inc., a technology investment firm. He has served on the steering committee since 2011.
In Memoriam: C. Randy Lomax, MA, MFT (California)
Randy Lomax served on the MRF Board of Directors for 14 years before his passing in July 2016. The Randy Lomax Memorial Research Fund has been established in his honor.
Randy Lomax is a Stage III melanoma survivor. He served as Chairman of the MRF Board for ten years. He is now the President and CEO of the Melanoma Research Foundation Breakthrough Consortium (MRFBC), whose mission is to accelerate the research and development of the most promising therapeutics for melanoma in order to deliver curative options to patients.
Randy has both a Bachelors and Masters degree in Psychology and is a licensed Marriage and Family therapist. He has taught and worked in the counseling center of De Anza College for 38 years, retiring in June of 2009. His expertise included Human Sexuality and Drug and Alcohol abuse. Randy has been nationally recognized for his teaching excellence.