Speaking Engagements

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

Speaking Engagements:

1. Local Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) patient family and support persons events.
• In these events I share how they and other local and national organizations can provide multiple avenues of assistance, from better understanding their disease to emotional and financial support.
2. Janssen’s Pharmaceuticals annual off-site meetings. Janssen has several novel myeloma drugs that have been tremendously successful in treating Multiple Myeloma.
• My goal is to remind the attendees of what their work is accomplishing – saving and improving lives.
3. Blackstone Life Sciences (BXLS) annual meeting for their major investors.
• BXLS invests in a number of cancer therapies. 2 different events – where the importance of their investments in pharmaceutical research for patients who benefit from this was presented.
4. Informal talk a local church whose prior Bishop was out very ill with cancer. The church had requested a patient advocate to speak to the members about living with cancer.

Clinical Trial Participation

1. 2013: Johns Hopkins: to evaluate MILs therapy. However, my insurance changed so I was unable to complete that study.
2. 2014: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) with Dr. Bart Barlogie. I was in their internal Total Therapy 6 (TT-6) study. This was a study for patients that have been previously treated and were diagnosed with high-risk MM.
3. 2020: University of Penn: Janssen Pharmaceutical’s Teclistamab. Teclistamab is a bi-specific antibody. Two days after the first injection (1/25 of full dose) my MM was reduced by over 99%. Soon after, my cancer level was undetectable. This lasted for 18 months, but as MM does, it returned. The exciting thing about this study is that it was just approved by the FDA and it was so wonderful to know I had a part in that.
4. 2022: University of Penn: Genentech. Another bi-specific antibody Cevostamab. Two weeks after the first dose, I was again in total remission. The treatment for this trial is once every three weeks and lasts for 17 cycles. I am 11 cycles in now and am still in remission.
5. Another study I participated at UPenn was a specific study on how the Covid vaccine worked in patients with MM. They performed two needle biopsies under the arm into the lymph nodes. The result was that it had virtually no effect. A huge benefit of this study is that my doctor immediately started me on bi-annual covid antibody shots.
6. I have taken part in many other smaller studies over the years.
1. For some, I was asked if they could take an extra vial of blood or keep it for an internal study.
2. I recently participated in a small study on how the University of Penn might be able to improve services - they compared going to multiple departments for help vs. having a patient advocate. This is ongoing for another two months.
7. I have also participated in several dozen on-line, virtual or in person surveys in a variety of areas, but always a focus on cancer: typically Multiple Myeloma. These range from treatment issues, marketing perceptions, support issues, and other important aspects of being a patient with cancer.

Community Service

1. Connecting Families 4 Justice | 2013 – present
2. Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) | 2014-present
3. Fundraising for Light the Night Walk | multiple times
4. Volunteer for Gala for Awards | 2014-2019
5. Lead speaker at numerous fundraising events | 2014-2019
6. Local Support Group Member and advocacy member | 2014-present
7. Westside Wilmington Community Food Bank | 2011-2013
8. Brian Conley Veteran’s Resiliency Center (developed procedures) | 2018-2019
9. Galena Methodist Church special events volunteer | 2020 - present
10. Community Maintenance Organization President | 1996 - 1997
11. Epilepsy Foundation of DE (Negotiated free moving services) | 2010-2011
12. American Heart Association Heart Walk | 2010-2012

EDUCATION

• Wilmington University, New Castle, DE
  Master of Science in Management Program GPA:3.86, May 2019
• Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
  Masters Level courses in Corporate Real Estate: GPA: 3.8, May 2002
• Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York
  Masters Level courses in Facilities Management: GPA 3.8 May 1993
• Kean University of New Jersey, Union, New Jersey
  Bachelor of Science, Industrial Technology May 1984