SONTAG FOUNDATION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Professor of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology Director, Beckman Institute, California Institute of Technology
Ashley manages the day-to-day human resources, financial operations, and reporting for the Foundation. She brings more than 15 years of corporate accounting experience to her role.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Ashley served as the Mortgage Accounting Manager for Ameris Bank. In this role she was responsible for managing the general accounting function for the mortgage division, including training, managing, and coaching new and existing staff to understand the complete financials of the mortgage business. Ashley also served as Assistant Controller for Sunset Financial Resources, Financial Reporting Manager for Bombardier Capital Group, where she acted as a liaison between the business units, Finance and IT to develop reporting solutions, and as a Financial Analyst for Barnett Bank.
Education
B.A., University of North Florida
Job Titles:
- Founder of North Avenue Capital
Ben is the Founder of North Avenue Capital. A serial entrepreneur, Ben has founded multiple companies and non-profit organizations. Ben specializes in entrepreneurialism, leadership, strategy, financial analysis, and deal structuring.
Prior to launching NAC, Ben founded Vision Research Capital Management, LP, a Dallas, Texas based investment manager, and was the general partner of Vision Research Capital Fund, a long-short equity, institutional fund specializing in small cap and short investments. Ben also co-founded Vision Research Organization, LLC (VRO) in 2004. VRO grew into a preeminent provider of independent research, analytics, and consulting services to hedge funds throughout the country and was recognized in 2009 by Integrity Research as the nation's top independent firm in the category of forensic accounting and short ideas. Ben is the founder and a current board member of Videre Microfinance Institute, a non-profit administrating small business training and lending programs in West Africa and serves as an advisor to numerous private companies. Ben has been featured as a visiting speaker and teacher at a number of strategic universities throughout the United States and China on the subjects of entrepreneurialism, finance, purpose, and faith.
Dr. Bernstein's research focuses on epigenetics - changes in gene activity governed by influences outside the genes themselves - and specifically how modifications to the protein scaffold called chromatin contribute to mammalian development and human cancer.
Dr. Bernstein's laboratory is characterizing epigenetic mechanisms that underlie stem cells' ability to give rise to almost any kind of cell, and exploring how epigenetic mechanisms contribute to malignant transformation and tumor progression. His work is notable for the discovery of bivalent domains that poise developmental genes for alternate fates in stem cells, for the systematic identification of enhancer "switches" in the human genome that control cell type-specific gene activity, and for the characterization of epigenetic aberrations that lead to cancer. Dr. Bernstein's honors and awards include a Career Award in the Biomedical Sciences from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, election into the American Society for Clinical Investigation, an Early Career Scientist award from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Bernard and Mildred Kayden Endowed MGH Chair (2016-2021), an NIH Director's Pioneer Award, an American Cancer Society Research Professorship, and the Paul Marks Prize for Cancer Research. He serves on numerous scientific advisory boards including the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the MD Anderson Cancer Center's Moon Shots Program. Dr. Bernstein is also on the Board of Reviewing Editors, Science, and serves on the Editorial Boards of Genome Research, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cell Research, Epigenetics & Chromatin, and Human Molecular Genetics.
Job Titles:
- Retired President and CEO, General Electric Aviation Systems
Brad began working for Rick Sontag at Unison in 1980, while still an engineering graduate student. In 1981, he joined Unison full-time as a Senior Development Engineer and worked with Rick for more than 20 years, holding various roles of increasing responsibility, including VP Marketing and Executive Vice President. Following the acquisition of the Company by General Electric in 2002, Brad became President of Unison.
Brad served as President and CEO of Aviation Systems for General Electric Aviation. Prior to this appointment, Brad served as vice president and general manager of General Electric Aviation's services operation and was named a company officer of General Electric Company in 2005. Brad is a former chairman of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA); member of the President's Council for the University of Illinois, and a distinguished alumni of the Department of General Engineering and the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois. Brad is also a 2014 Aviation Week Network Business Aviation Laureate Awardee and the 2016 recipient of the prestigious General Electric Chairman's Award.
Education
B.S., General Engineering, University of Illinois
M.S., General Engineering, University of Illinois
M.B.A., University of Chicago
Carlos manages the day-to-day finance and accounting function for the Foundation. He is responsible for monitoring cash flow and investment account balances, managing banking and investment relationships and preparing monthly financial reports for senior staff and the Board of Directors. In addition to his role as Finance Director, Carlos also oversees Human Resources and IT for the Foundation.
Prior to joining The Sontag Foundation in 2016, Carlos served as Controller of Tzadik Properties, a Miami based property management company with a portfolio valued at over $300 million. In his role, he oversaw the accounting department and was responsible for month end reporting, restructuring and implementing new accounting policies and procedures, managing external audit process, preparation of tax packages and quarterly review of management company and property specific budgets. Carlos also served as a Senior Fund Accountant for Sun Capital Partners, a global private equity firm with over $9.2 billion of capital under management, Controller at BBMK Contracting, a turn-key reconstruction and restoration company in Delray Beach, Florida, and as a Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley & Company.
Education
B.S., Accounting, University of Florida
M.A., Accounting, University of Florida
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder & Partner, Harbor View Advisors
Carolyn has over 20 years of experience in investment banking and capital markets. After moving to Jacksonville in 2005, Carolyn and her husband formed Harbor View Advisors, a boutique investment bank serving software and tech-enabled service companies.
Prior to Harbor View, Carolyn spent 12 years in the investment banking and equities divisions of Goldman Sachs, with stints in the New York, London and Los Angeles offices. She previously worked at Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette in San Francisco. Carolyn is a member of the Investment Committee of the University of North Florida Foundation Board and serves as Vice Chair of the Florida Venture Forum.
Education
B.A., Dickinson College
M.B.A., University of Chicago
Reporting to the Executive Director, Celeste serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external inquiries pertaining to The Sontag Foundation.
Celeste joined the Foundation in 2019 from the PGA Tour, where she worked in administration. In her role, she was responsible for processing payables for six TPC clubs. Celeste also has over two decades of experience working as an accounting clerk for property management companies, where she processed accounts for more than 80 home owner's associations. Previously, Celeste worked as a special event planner for multiple non-profit health organizations in Northeast Florida.
Education
B.S., Florida State University
Dr. Stiles is well-known for his early work that established functional relationships between cancer-causing genes (oncogenes) and the animal cell growth factors.
Dr. Stiles' research focused on cloning and characterizing genes that "instruct" brain progenitor cells to develop into mature neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes - the cellular components of a mature brain. We now know that many of the genes that give rise to a normal, functioning brain are the same genes that give rise to cancer of the brain when their expression is perturbed. Given a defined genetic target, scientists can screen large libraries of chemically diverse compounds to identify drugs that interact with the protein encoded by that specific gene. These genetically targeted "smart drugs" kill tumor cells, minimizing collateral damage to normal cells. Dr. Stiles has received various awards recognizing his scientific work, including the American Cancer Society Faculty Research Award, the American Association for Cancer Research prize for meritorious achievement by a young investigator and the Cori Award from the Roswell Park Memorial Institute. Dr. Stiles received his Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories. Following his postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Diego, he joined the faculty of Harvard and DFCI, where he served as co-chair of the Department of Cancer Biology until 2020. When he is not mentoring young scientists and reviewing grant applications, Dr. Stiles is enjoying retirement by woodworking, driving fast cars, and being grandfather and babysitter extraordinaire to Kendrick & Yvettte.
Cindy has proudly served as a Director of The Sontag Foundation since its inception.
From her personal experience, she knows that the diagnosis of a brain tumor is not only a life-altering experience for the patient, but also for all family members and close friends. Cindy is actively engaged in the Foundation and proudly supports its mission to improve the quality of life for those impacted by a brain tumor diagnosis. Cindy is the Founder and Managing Partner of Ellevate Executive Search in Chicago. Her firm helps build out sales teams for healthcare technology and services vendors. Cindy also regularly serves as a conduit between potential investors and startups seeking funding. She resides in Chicago with her three sons.
Job Titles:
- Shareholder, Fisher, Tousey, Leas & Ball
- Shareholder, Fisher, Tousey, Leas & Ball / Director
Clay B. Tousey, III is a sharedholder of Fisher, Tousey, Leas & Ball where he focuses his practice on Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Administration, as well as forming and counseling Tax-exempt Entities and general Corporate Representation.
Clay graduated with honors from Harvard University and the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was a member of the Virginia Law Review editorial board and inducted into the Order of the Coif. After law school, Clay was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in 2005 and practiced law in Charlotte, North Carolina, for three years before joining Fisher, Tousey, Leas & Ball in 2008 and became a shareholder in 2011. Clay has been recognized by his peers as a Florida "Super Lawyer." Outside of Fisher, Tousey, Leas & Ball, Clay serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Wolfson Children's Hospital and a Trustee of Riverside Presbyterian Church, in addition to other philanthropic and civic engagements. Clay also previously served as a Director of The Brain Tumor Network, the sister organization of The Sontag Foundation. Clay is married to Tracy Tousey, a philanthropic consultant, and they have three young children. Clay and Tracy enjoy traveling, cooking, and chasing their children.
Education
Harvard University, BA
University of Virginia School of Law, JD
Job Titles:
- Managing Director of the Spring Bay Companies
Dan is the Managing Director of The Spring Bay Companies, the family office for the Sontag family and a provider of management services for The Sontag Foundation and Brain Tumor Network. Dan also oversees the venture portfolio of the Spring Bay Companies that consists of a range of early stage privately-held businesses, primarily in healthcare. Dan is responsible for sourcing and executing investment transactions and then assisting portfolio companies achieve their aims through his board membership engagement.
Dan began his career as an engineer for Sundstrand Corporation, a major manufacturer of aviation systems. In 1988, Rick Sontag hired Dan to serve in a marketing role at Unison Industries and helped grow Unison from a small operation to a corporation with 1,500 employees and worldwide sales of $200 million. Dan held numerous senior positions at Unison, including VP Marketing and VP Operations. After Unison was sold to General Electric, Dan joined Rick at the Sontag Foundation and helped form the venture capital operations of the Spring Bay Companies. Dan also serves as a board member of The Brain Tumor Network and a member of The Sontag Foundation Investment Advisory Board.
Education
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University
M.B.A., Duke University
Dr. Benveniste's research focuses on the ways cells of the immune system and the central nervous system communicate and interact. These studies have implications for autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's Disease, and cancers such as brain tumors.
Dr. Etty (Tika) Benveniste was the founding chair of the Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology (2012-2016) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Benveniste also served as Chair of the Department of Cell Biology (2000-2012) and holds the Charlene A. Jones Endowed Chair in Neuroimmunology. In September 2015, Dr. Benveniste was appointed Senior Associate Dean for Research Administration at the UAB School of Medicine. Dr. Benveniste also holds professorships in the UAB Departments of Neurobiology and Neurology. Dr. Benveniste has served as the Director, Graduate Program in Cell Biology (1995-2000) and as Founding Associate Dean, Office of Postdoctoral Education (1999-2001). She became Associate Director, Basic Science Research, O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB, in 2006 and Co-Director, UAB Multiple Sclerosis Center in 2015. She is a Past-President of the American Society for Neurochemistry (2015-2017) and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Current Appointments
Senior Associate Dean for Research Administration, UAB School of Medicine
Associate Director for Basic Research, O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center
Professor, Department of Neurobiology and Neurology
Education
B.A. California State University, Chico
Ph.D., Immunology, University of California, Los Angeles
Job Titles:
- Member of Ludwig Cancer Research Institute
Dr. Frank Furnari is a Member of Ludwig Cancer Research Institute, Professor of Pathology at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and head of the Laboratory of Tumor Biology. His lab has made significant contributions to our understanding of glioma biology and therapeutic resistance. The primary focus of his research is to study fundamental pathways that drive initiation and progression of glioblastoma, as well as the malignant phenotypes of this aggressive brain cancer, ranging from tumor biology, biochemistry, cell biology, signal transduction and bioinformatic analyses, to orthotopic glioma models and preclinical investigations. His recognition in the field of glioma biology is highlighted by scholar awards from the V, Kimmel and Goldhirsh Foundations, Awards for Basic and Translational Research from the Society for Neuro-Oncology, and by his service on numerous scientific advisory boards. Dr. Furnari also serves on the editorial boards of Molecular Cancer Research and Neuro-Oncology and is co-scientific chair for the Society for Neuro-oncology annual meeting.
Current Appointments
Professor of Pathology, University of California, San Diego.
Education
B.A., Biology, Hofstra University
Ph.D., Microbiology & Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Rick serves as the President of The Sontag Foundation, The Spring-Bay Companies, a venture capital firm, and The Brain Tumor Network, all founded by Rick & Susan Sontag.
In 1980, Rick engineered the purchase of Unison Industries, a small aviation components manufacturer. As President of Unison, Rick then spent the next 22 years growing the business from a small single plant operation with less than 100 workers to an international business with over 1,500 employees. In 2002, Unison was sold to General Electric. Using a portion of the proceeds, Rick and Susan formed The Sontag Foundation; fulfilling the promise they made to each other that if given the chance, they were going to do something to improve the quality of life for brain tumor patients. In 2014, Rick and Susan formed the Brain Tumor Network fulfilling another dream of providing brain tumor patients with objective, viable advice when they are faced with the uncertainty that comes with a brain tumor diagnosis.
Education
BS, Physics, Harvey Mudd College
MS, Physics, University of Nevada
MBA, Harvard Business School
Fred has proudly served as a Director of The Sontag Foundation since its inception.
Fred began his career as a sales representative for SimuFlite International in Dallas, Texas. After his mother was diagnosed with brain cancer in 1994, he moved to Jacksonville to be closer to family and joined the family business, Unison Industries. Since the sale of Unison Industries to GE Aviation, Fred continues to work in the aviation industry, first in business development for AAR Corporation and most recently as Vice President of Distribution Solutions and Vice President of Sales-America for GA Telesis.
Education
B.S., University of North Dakota
Job Titles:
- President and COO of Eastern Quality Foods
Grant serves as President and COO of Eastern Quality Foods, a large protein and wholesale distribution company with headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and multiple offices throughout the United States and Mexico.
Since joining Eastern in 2011, the company has executed four business acquisitions and has grown to over $400 million in annual revenue. In addition to his role at Eastern, Grant serves as CFO of First Eastern Development Company, LLC, a real estate investment company based out of Charlottesville, Virginia. Prior to Eastern, Grant held various senior level banking positions in the Philadelphia, PA market including Chief Lending Officer of Eagle National Bank, COO of Physicians National Bank and President & CEO of the bank holding company, Eagle National Bancorp, Inc. Grant presently serves on various for profit and not for profit boards in the Southeast.
Education
B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
M.B.A., Villanova University
Hilary oversees the development and execution of the strategic objectives of the Foundation.
Hilary joined The Sontag Foundation from The Nemours Foundation where she served as Chief Legal Officer. While in that role, she was a member of the Florida Leadership Team and the Florida Executive Strategy Forum responsible for implementing key initiatives throughout the state. Prior to this role, she served in various capacities within the United States Department of Health and Human Services including, Acting Chief of Staff of the Indian Health Service, a $6 billion integrated healthcare system. Hilary also served for more than twelve years as a Senior Attorney in the Public Health Division of the Office of the General Counsel. In this role, she served as team lead for a 40 attorney Practice Group responsible for negotiating contracts transferring over $2 billion annually to provide health care services. Hilary knows firsthand the devastation a brain cancer diagnosis has upon a family. Hilary's cousin Mark passed away in 2015 at the age of 43 from brain cancer leaving behind a wife and three beautiful children. She is honored to be able to serve as Executive Director of The Sontag Foundation and work closely with the Sontags to carry out the mission of the Foundation.
Education
B.A., University of Florida
J.D., George Washington University School of Law
Job Titles:
- President & CEO, Augustine Asset Management
Jeff has over 20 years of investment experience, and his responsibilities include managing Augustine's core equity, emerging market equity, and fixed income strategies.
His prior experience includes global equities advisor at Trinity Capital; Vice President and senior global equity portfolio manager at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, London; equity research analyst at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and at Kidder, Peabody & Co; and consultant at McKinsey & Co. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst, a Director and former President of the CFA Society of Jacksonville, Chairman of the City of Jacksonville Retirement System Board of Trustees, a Director of the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, and President of the University of Pennsylvania Club of Jacksonville.
Education
BS, Economics, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
MBA, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- Co - Founder, Palmetto Capital
Jennifer is the co-founder of a private-equity group based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Jennifer is responsible for sourcing, evaluating, structuring, closing and managing private equity investments on behalf of high net worth investors.
Jennifer has nearly 20 years of mergers and acquisitions experience. Prior to Palmetto Capital, Jennifer was a Principal at Ellipse Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm and Vice President of Corporate Development at Interline Brands ("IBI"), a publicly traded industrial distribution company with more than $1.0 billion in sales. Jennifer also worked for Mellon Ventures, a $1.4 billion private equity fund affiliated with Mellon Financial Corporation and as a financial analyst in the investment banking division of Robinson Humphrey.
Education
B.S., Vanderbilt University
M.B.A., University of Virginia
Dr. Sampson is a neurosurgeon and researcher who is passionate about treating patients with brain tumors and other diseases of the nervous system and spine.
As a clinician, Dr. Sampson enjoys seeing that patients who have had a life-threatening disease are now living normal, healthy lives. His practice focuses on the treatment of brain cancer, either newly diagnosed, recurrent primary, or metastatic brain tumors. In 2015, Dr. Sampson was appointed the inaugural chair of the Duke University Department of Neurosurgery, when the department was elevated from a division to department status. In 2020, Dr. Sampson assumed the role of President of the Private Diagnostic Clinic (PDC). The PDC is the physician practice of Duke Health, with 1,850 physicians and additional provider members practicing in Duke University hospitals and more than 140 primary and specialty clinics across North Carolina. Dr. Sampson still maintains his research lab and clinical practice.
Job Titles:
- Its First Executive Director
Kay joined The Sontag Foundation as its first Executive Director in 2002. In 2015, Kay also became the first Executive Director of The Brain Tumor Network. Kay retired from both roles in December 2019. In 2020, she joined the Board of Directors of The Sontag Foundation and The Brain Tumor Network.
During the early years of her career as a social worker, Kay worked for the State of Tennessee advocating for the safety of children and seniors. For six years prior to joining the Sontag Foundation, Kay served as the first Executive Director for the Foundation established by the first draft pick in the history of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, Tony Boselli. Upon joining The Sontag Foundation, Kay played an instrumental role in the formation of the Foundation's grant programs, including developing and operationalizing the Foundation's Distinguished Scientist Award program, the formation of the Brain Tumor Funders Collaborative, and the establishment of the Foundation's Northeast Florida grant portfolio. Kay received many awards during her time at The Sontag Foundation, including the Society for Neuro-Oncology's Jan Esenwein Public Service Award.
Dr. Aldape is a diagnostic and molecular neuropathologist with a research interest in primary brain tumors.
Dr. Aldape studies genomic and epigenomic alterations in brain tumors, including glioma and meningioma. His lab characterizes the biology of specific genomic alterations and how they contribute to the molecular pathogenesis and treatment resistance of aggressive brain tumors. His lab also utilizes genomic signatures with a goal of identifying clinically relevant subclasses. His hope is that biologically-based classification of brain tumors will lead to a greater understanding of why specific tumor subtypes may be more or less sensitive to therapeutics. Prior to joining the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Aldape held faculty positions at the University of California, San Francisco, MD Anderson Cancer Center where he served as Department Chair of Pathology and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre where he served as a Senior Scientist. Dr. Aldape is a past President of Society for Neuro-Oncology and serves as an Executive Editor of Neuro-Oncology.
Job Titles:
- Albert Billings Ruddock Professor of Biology
Dr. Bronner is a developmental biologist. Her lab studies formation, migration and differentiation of neural crest cells. Neural crest-derived cells are involved in a variety of birth defects and cancers such as neurofibromatosis, melanoma, and neuroblastoma.
Dr. Bronner is the Albert Billings Ruddock Professor of Biology and Biological Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. She is also the Director of the Beckman Institute at CalTech. Born in Hungary, Dr. Bronner assumed her first faculty position at the University of California, Irvine, where she advanced from assistant to full professor. In 1996, she joined the faculty at CalTech, and became the first woman to be chair of the faculty in 2001 to 2003. Dr. Bronner was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2009, and to the National Academy of Sciences in 2015. She received the Conklin Medal from The Society for Developmental Biology in 2013, the Women in Cell Biology Senior Award from the American Society for Cell Biology in 2012, and a Javits award from the NINDS in 2002, as well as several teaching and mentoring awards from her institution.
Dr. Johnson is a widely-known expert in the management of brain tumors and is the director of programs for adult hydrocephalus and neurosurgical pain management.
Dr. Johnson is a 2004 Sontag Foundation Distinguished Scientist Award recipient and one of two alumni serving on The Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Johnson is also a senior consulting vice provost for mentorship, leadership and transformation of UMass Medical School and directs the UMass Medical School residency program in neurological surgery. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Johnson leads a translational research lab focused on adult hydrocephalus and on the genomics, cell biology and treatment of brain tumors. Prior to his role at UMass, Dr. Johnson was an Associate Neurosurgeon at Brigham and Women's Hospital and an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School.
Current Appointments
Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery, University of Massachusetts Memorial
Professor, Neurological Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Senior Consulting Vice Provost for Mentorship, Leadership, and Transformation, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Education
B.S., Chemistry, Amherst College
M.D., Harvard Medical School
Ph.D., Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, Sontag Innovation Fund
Scott is responsible for managing the venture philanthropy and impact investment activities of the Fund. In his role, Scott works with senior leaders in the financial and scientific research communities to identify promising new technologies relating to the treatment of brain tumors, which may not be able to transition to potential commercialization if not for philanthropic investments of seed capital. Scott also provides scientific support to The Sontag Foundation DSA Program.
Scott joined the Sontag Innovation Fund from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Foundation for Research Development where he served as a Sr. Director of Innovation Support & Commercialization. In this role, he evaluated MUSC inventions for commercial potential, managed protection of intellectual property (IP), marketed technologies to prospective licensees, negotiated IP agreements, and assisted faculty in commercializing inventions. Prior to this role, Scott served as a Licensing Associate at Oklahoma State University from 2014 through 2016, where he was responsible for the IP management, marketing, technology development and licensing of life science technologies. Scott also previously served as a Licensing Assistant at The University of Texas at Austin, where he assisted Licensing Officers in evaluating and commercializing biomedical technologies. Scott is a Registered Patent Agent and holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from The University of Texas at Austin. His dissertation work focused on utilizing multiple genetic manipulation strategies to uncover the molecular basis for ethanol action on the large conductance potassium (BK) channel.
Education
B.A., The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Ph.D., Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin
Shandra is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing The Foundation's initiatives. Her primary responsibilities include managing, monitoring, and coordinating all programs and grants; identifying innovative ways to support grantees; and coordinating The Foundation's annual scientific summit.
Prior to joining The Sontag Foundation, Shandra spent almost two decades in public service focusing on creating strategic community alliances, operations administration, project implementation and oversight. Her career started in municipal government in Cleveland, OH, where she managed the city's animal care program for over ten years. She received numerous awards, including the Mayor's Outstanding Community Member Award. Shandra expanded her civil service work by continuing to serve as the first Program Director for a program of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Foundation, directly reporting to Michael White, the longest-serving mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. After relocating to Florida in 2011, Shandra was responsible for implementing the Dodd-Frank Act at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in Jacksonville, Florida and provided programmatic oversight to grantees throughout the State of Florida until joining the Foundation in 2014.
Education
B.S., Baldwin Wallace College
M.P.A., Cleveland State University
Dr. Chang is an internationally recognized leader in the field of neurological malignancies. She specializes in the treatment of adults with brain tumors, including glioblastomas and meningiomas.
Dr. Chang's research expertise is in clinical trial design and the development of novel therapies and imaging biomarkers for brain tumors. She is involved in more than 20 active clinical trials that evaluate the wide spectrum of therapeutic treatments, including chemotherapy, targeted agents, immunotherapy, and convection-enhanced delivery of novel agents. Dr. Chang is especially dedicated to improving the experience of her patients and their families, with a particular focus on increasing quality of life. She is the founder and Director of the UCSF Neuro-Oncology Gordon Murray Caregiver Program, which provides resources and support to the caregivers of brain tumor patients. She is also the co-Director of the Sheri Sobrato Brisson Brain Cancer Survivorship Program focused on comprehensive survivorship care for brain tumor patients. Dr. Chang previously served as the Director of Clinical Services for the Department of Neuro-oncology and the Chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Chang is also a past President of the the Society for Neuro-Oncology (2008-2009).
Current Appointments
UCSF Neurosurgery Network Director of Quality
Director, UCSF Neuro-Oncology Gordon Murray Caregiver Program
Co-Director, Sheri Sobrato Brisson Brain Cancer Survivorship Program
Education
B.S., University of British Columbia
M.D., University of British Columbia
Job Titles:
- Director
- Emeritus Director
Susan was a full time homemaker and mother to her children Fred, Cindy, and Julie when in 1994 she was diagnosed with brain cancer in the form of a grade 3 astrocytoma.
At the time she was told she would most likely have less than 3 years to live. Today, she still struggles with the effects of the disease but is living proof that brain cancer can be a survivable malady. Her battle with this disease was the main inspiration for the formation of The Sontag Foundation. Today, Susan lives as normal a life as possible and enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family. She also has a crafts hobby that she has turned into a small business. Although Susan no longer holds a board position, Susan inspires each of us daily as we strive to further the mission she and Rick envision for the Foundation.
Education
B.A., Pomona College
Dr. Baker's lab is focused on understanding the underlying molecular, cellular and genetic mechanisms driving high-grade gliomas, including diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) in children.
Dr. Baker was the first to identify TP53 mutations in human cancer. Focusing on pediatric gliomas, she also co-discovered the first histone mutations in human cancer, illuminating critical connections between development, epigenetics and cancer. This research provided clear evidence that pediatric high grade gliomas are distinct from adult high grade gliomas. Dr. Baker is a Member of the St. Jude Children's Hospital Faculty and Endowed Chair in Brain Tumor Research. She serves as the Director of St. Jude's Brain Tumor Research Division, Associate Director of Basic Research at St. Jude's Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Co-Leader of Neurobiology and Brain Tumor Program. Dr. Baker was also recently appointed Associate Dean, Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Sciences at the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
Dr. Chan is an internationally recognized expert in precision immuno-oncology and a pioneer in the use of genomics to determine which patients will respond best to certain types of immunotherapies.
Dr. Chan is a 2010 Sontag Foundation Distinguished Scientist Award recipient and one of two alumni serving on The Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Chan is the Director of the Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology at the Cleveland Clinic. He is on the leadership team of the National Center for Regenerative Medicine of Case Western Reserve University and on staff in the Genomic Medicine Institute of the Lerner Research Institute and the Department of Radiation Oncology of the Taussig Cancer Institute. Dr. Chan joined Cleveland Clinic from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell School of Medicine, where he led the Immunogenomics and Precision Oncology Platform and was a tenured professor, the PaineWebber Chair, and the Translational Oncology Division chair. He has published over 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals, has made landmark discoveries in his field, and has received numerous awards, including the National Cancer Institute Outstanding Investigator Award in 2018.