About UFH Board of Directors

Oluwadamilola Fayanju, MD, MA, MPHS

Member

Dr. Oluwadamilola “Lola” Fayanju is the Helen O. Dickens Presidential Associate Professor in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (PENN) and Chief of the Division of Breast Surgery for the University of Pennsylvania Health System, aka Penn Medicine. She is also Surgical Director of the Rena Rowan Breast Center in the Abramson Cancer Center, Director of Health Equity Innovation at the Penn Center for Cancer Care Innovation (PC3I), and a Senior Fellow in the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (LDI) at PENN. Dr. Fayanju is an academic breast surgical oncologist whose research spans four areas: (1) addressing disparities and promoting equity in breast cancer presentation, guideline-concordant treatment, outcome, and clinical trial participation; (2) improving prognostication and treatment for biologically aggressive variants of breast cancer including inflammatory, lobular, and metaplastic carcinoma; (3) optimizing oncologic care through the collection and application of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and data on social determinants of health (SDOH); and (4) elucidating the importance of race, ethnicity, and gender in the conduct of research and the promotion of a diverse healthcare and medical research workforce. She received her undergraduate degree in History and Science and an MA in Comparative Literature from Harvard. She received her MD and a master’s of population health sciences (MPHS) from Washington University in St. Louis, where she also completed her residency in General Surgery. She completed fellowship training in Breast Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. In 2019, she was recognized by the National Academy of Medicine as an Emerging Leader in Health and Medicine Scholar. Her research is supported by a diverse array of organizations including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), and she has published in a variety of journals including Annals of Surgery, Cancer, the Journal of Clinical Oncology, JCO Oncology Practice, JAMA Oncology, JAMA Surgery, and JAMA.

Rachael Vaughn Ray

Member

Dr. Stefania Nolano

Member

Dr. Stefania Nolano was appointed as director of Jefferson – Abington Health Breast Program in November 2016. She completed her fellowship training in Breast Surgical Oncology at The Bryn Mawr Hospital. Dr. Nolano received her medical degree and general surgery training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is board certified in General Surgery and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. She is an active member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncology and Association of Women Surgeons.

Dr. Nolano, whose mother is a breast cancer survivor, has a specific interest in studying and treating the disease. She is a thought leader in the surgical treatment of breast cancer dedicated to providing highly specialized care for all types of stages in breast cancer. She is dedicated to improving treatment approaches and breaking barriers to disparities in health care. She has presented at multiple meetings and was name top physician under 40.  She serves as a co- principal investigator for the SKCC oncology group clinical trials and serves on the NRG Oncology Breast Cancer Local Regional Working Group.

Dr. Nolano provides cutting-edge treatment to patients and access to resources which they need and deserve. She currently specializes in breast surgical oncology at the Asplundh Cancer Center SKCC in Willow Grove, PA.

Maia Tolsdorf

Member Emeritus

Inspired by Sue and her unique vision for how to empower and support women with breast cancer, Maia came to Unite for HER as a volunteer grant writer in 2012. She worked with Sue to strengthen and grow the Board, and was the first to take the reins from Sue as President. After her tenure on the Board, Maia joined the staff of Unite for HER as the Director of Strategy and Development, and continued in that role through the fall of 2019. 

 Maia holds a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law. She is passionate about nonprofits that serve women, children, and families, and has served on many nonprofit boards and committees. She is currently the Head of School at Fairville Friends School, a small Quaker preschool in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Maia and her husband Chris have two daughters and a son, and live happily with their dogs and chickens in West Chester, PA. 

Karin Risi

Chair Emerita

Karin Risi is a breast cancer survivor and active advocate for the compassionate care, treatment, and support of those affected by the disease. Karin is Chair Emerita of Unite for HER, having first joined the Board in 2013 and serving as Vice Chair (2014) and Chair from 2015 to 2020.

Karin is managing director of Vanguard’s Strategy, Product, Marketing and Communications division. Serving as the firm’s Chief Strategy & Product Officer, she is responsible for guiding Vanguard’s business development and enterprise strategic direction, developing and overseeing a global investment product lineup serving the firm’s 50 million investors, and strengthening Vanguard’s brand and reputation.

Since joining Vanguard in 1997, Karin has held leadership positions spanning the firm’s corporate, institutional, and individual investor divisions. Before assuming her current role, she was managing director of Vanguard’s Personal Investor division responsible for the business strategy, client experience, and brokerage and wealth management services for Vanguard’s 9 million individual investor clients.

In addition to her commitment to Unite for HER, Karin serves as Trustee for the Vanguard Foundation and former Trustee for Vanguard Charitable. She also serves as a Trustee for Episcopal Academy, Corporate Council member for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Investment Committee member for the Barnes Foundation, and Dean’s Council member for the Villanova School of Business.

Karin holds both a B.B.A. in Finance and an M.B.A. from Villanova University

Dr. Linna Li

Chair/Executive Committee

Dr. Linna Li graduated with a Bachelor in Arts from University of California, Berkley in 2002 with high honors having a double major in Immunology and Cell Biology and Social Welfare. She went on to graduate from Drexel University College of Medicine in 2006. She did an internship with Drexel University School of Medicine in Internal Medicine and went on to do a radiation oncology residency at Fox Chase Cancer Center, becoming Chief Resident in 2010. She came to Bryn Mawr Hospital as an Attending Radiation Oncologist in 2011. Linna has authored several articles for peer-reviewed journals and presented research at professional oncology meetings, many relating to breast cancer. She has been the recipient of several awards such as; the Women in Excellence award in 2006 and the National Cancer Center Network Fellowship Award in 2008 and the RSNA Roentgen Award in 2010.

Amy Gallo

Vice Chair/Development Committee

Amy is Vice President of Sales, Local Markets at Independence Blue Cro at Independence Blue Cross where she leads Mid-Market Account Management teams responsible for customer and broker relations, customer retention and growth. Since joining Independence Blue Cross in 1993, she has held various leadership roles including New Sales and Account Management in both the Small and Mid-Market segments. In addition to her Sales experience, she is responsible for strategic planning and business development and has served in a leadership capacity for corporate strategic initiatives throughout her career.

Amy holds a B.S. Degree from Villanova University and an M.B.A. from St. Joseph’s University with a concentration in Healthcare Administration. Amy is a breast cancer survivor and an advocate for those affected by this disease. Amy and her husband Frank live in Glen Mills with their twins, Abby & Matthew.

Cathy Dougherty

Treasurer/Finance Committee

After earning a Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Scranton, Cathy has enjoyed a 25+ year career in the finance and consulting industries, holding leadership positions at Deloitte, IBM, AT&T, The Siegfried Group and Crane Co. Cathy’s expertise is in creating high performing teams, leading strategic and business planning processes, project management, and process improvement. Cathy is active with a number of community-based non-profits, including Students Unite for HER and Chester County Food Bank. Cathy and her husband, Sean, live in West Chester with their two children.

Dr. Mark Shahin

Member/Ovarian Cancer Advisor

Mark Shahram Shahin, MD, graduated Summa Cum Laude at Syracuse University where he was a member of the National Engineering Honor Society. While at Syracuse University, Dr. Shahin received distinct awards, including the George M. Berry Award for Best All-Around Senior and Bioengineering Award for Outstanding Achievement by a senior. After earning his medical degree, Dr. Shahin completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology where he continued to receive awards and honors such as Outstanding Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident and Outstanding Northwestern Resident Teacher Award. He completed two fellowships in advanced gynecologic surgery and gynecologic oncology at the University of Iowa Hospitals and clinics. During this time his research focused on p53 genetic mutations in ovarian malignancies as well as phase II and III p53 gene replacement therapy in ovarian cancer. He was recently appointed chief of the Hanjani Institute for Gynecologic Oncology.

The Hanjani Institute for Gynecologic Oncology offers the expertise of a teaching and clinical research institution and the personal involvement and accessibility of a community hospital. The gynecologic oncology program at Abington Hospital is highly ranked among 49 full members of the Gynecologic Oncology Group in terms of number of patients treated and quality of research data.

Dr. Shahin has published several manuscripts on treatments of gynecologic cancers. He has made multiple appearances and presentations on a local and national level. He serves as the co- principal investigator for gynecologic oncology group clinical trials. He is a fellow of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and American College of surgeons. He is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology. He is appointed as the associate director of Obstetrics and Gynecology residency program at Abington since 2006. He is an active member of Society of Gynecologic Oncology and American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Parker Carroll

Member/Development Committee

Parker has spent the last 30 years in the software industry working in sales management and executive positions . He is a graduate of Lehigh University where he received a B.S. in Marketing. He and his family have been volunteers and supporters of Unite for HER from its beginning. Parker and his wife, Mary, live in West Chester, PA and have 3 children.

Meghan McVety

Member/Strategic Plan Advisor

Meghan McVety, is a Principal and Co-Founder of Capacity for Change, LLC, a consulting group dedicated to inspiring greater community impacts through smart strategy consulting. Meghan has expertise in strategic and business planning, organizational development, facilitation, and philanthropy, and she works with nonprofits and foundations throughout the Philadelphia region and at the national level. Meghan previously served on the Boards of Directors of the Chester County Community Foundation and Coatesville Youth Initiative, and currently serves on committees with Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia and Volunteer English Program. She earned her Master of Public Administration from the University of San Francisco. Meghan lives with her husband and two sons in West Chester, PA.

Alexis Rose-Hamburg

Member

Alexis and her husband Steve, live in Royersford, PA with son Lincoln and two rescue pups Gidget and Rue. Alexis Rose is the current US Head of Trade Strategy & Operations at Organon, a global pharmaceutical company focused on transforming women’s healthcare.  Alexis received her undergraduate degree from Bloomsburg University and then went on to obtain her MBA from Eastern University in Radnor, PA. In her free time, Alexis enjoys working out, cooking, traveling, spending time with her family and friends, and reading a great book from the comfort of her mountain house. Most notably, Alexis is a breast cancer survivor who seeks out any opportunity to support other newly diagnosed women and their families.

Cheldin Barlatt Rumer

Member

As CEO of i-g creative and the Executive Producer & Host of THIS IS IT TV, Cheldin Barlatt Rumer has spent close to two decades creating, managing and executing strategic grassroots marketing campaigns for clients within an array of various lifestyle industries. Rumer continues her commitment to communication and marketing education by telling and sharing entrepreneurial stories through her daily digital program THIS IS IT WITH CHELDIN. Through this online program small business owners have the opportunity to find their marketing voice while promoting their products and services.

In addition to producing her own digital morning talk show, Rumer has recently launched the THIS IS IT NETWORK, where she produces additional online programs highlighting captivating hosts and their businesses. This global, interactive, digital TV network connects remarkable women to inspiring stories. Each episode aims to engage, entertain and educate her growing THIS IS IT TV community.

As a marketing expert, Rumer has developed a result-driven yet cost-effective online marketing course and instructional program called SCREAM YOUR DREAM. This digital, hands-on, educational tool supports the needs of small business owners, entrepreneurs and independent sales professionals who are looking to take their personal brand and marketing efforts to the next level while achieving their realistic and measurable on-going business goals.

Connie Fogarty

Member/Finance Committee

Connie has spent the last 20+ years working for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals in Finance, Commercial, Sales, and Business Strategy leadership positions. Her passion for improving healthcare through life sciences has taken her all over the globe, including a 4 year assignment in London, England to lead merger and acquisitions for the company’s 2 nd largest therapeutic area. She started her career as a Certified Public Accountant working for KPMG, auditing non-profit organizations. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Minnesota and a Masters of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She is active in the community, serving on several boards and committees. She is a breast cancer survivor. She resides in Malvern, Pennsylvania, with her husband and 3 children.

Jeff Shapiro

Member/Finance Committee

Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from West Chester University. After graduating from college, Jeff went to work in the textile industry and had a 30-year career in the business. In 2013, he sold the textile manufacturing company that he owned for 24 years. He fulfilled his obligation to work for the new company for a year and a half and then retired. He is a past board member of Foundation for Learning In Tredyffrin/Easttown. His hobbies and interests include golf, cars, motorcycles and travel. Jeff and his wife, Maureen, live in Berwyn, PA and have three boys.

Esperanza Martinez Neu

Member

A resident of West Chester, Pennsylvania., Ms. Neu has been working for AmerisourceBergen Corporation in Valley Forge, Pa., for 30 years, where she is currently the vice president of talent acquisition, diversity, and community involvement. In this role, she is responsible for developing programs and strategies to acquire talent, leads the company’s initiative to promote a diverse and inclusive work environment, and ensures AmerisourceBergen creates a sustainable presence within the community. Ms. Neu is active in her community and serves as the company chair for the annual giving campaign , which includes partnering with high-impact agencies such as United Way. She is also a member of the board of Congreso de Latinos Unidos, a nonprofit agency focused on education, health, employment and social services for the Latino community in Philadelphia. In addition, Ms. Neu and her husband, David, founded the David and Esperanza Neu Charitable Foundation to support causes related to health and education. In 2012, Ms. Neu was the recipient of the Most Powerful & Influential Women Award by the National Diversity Council and also received the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Award. Additionally, Ms. Neu was the recipient of the 2012 Alumni of the Year Award from Strayer University, where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree. She is also a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).