Personal Journey & Inspiration

The Full Story

I am a dedicated leader in community engagement, nonprofit development, and advocacy, with a strong background in public sector initiatives and childhood cancer advocacy. I am the co-founder of WITH Grace Initiative, a nonprofit supporting children and families affected by cancer. I currently in development role at Rutgers Cancer Institute.

My passion for patient advocacy and policy change stems from my personal experience, my daughter Grace was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor in 2018. This inspired me to pivot my career from twenty plus years in fashion merchandising and to use those skills to become deeply involved in childhood cancer legislation, research funding, and patient-centered initiatives. I serve on multiple advisory boards, including the Patient Family Advisory Committee (PFAC) and the Scientific Review Board (SRB) at Rutgers Cancer Institute, and the NCI Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI) cohort working group.

I have extensive experience in leadership, fundraising, and strategic planning, ensuring both for-profit and nonprofit organizations can grow their impact and deliver results. I am deeply committed to collaborative leadership, transparency, and driving meaningful change in every role I take on.