Dana L. Dornsife
President
Dana Dornsife is the founder and current president of Lazarex Cancer Foundation. She founded Lazarex in 2006 after watching, three years earlier, a family member succumb to pancreatic cancer at age 42. Dana received her undergraduate degree in business from Drexel University in Philadelphia. She received her Interior Design Certification from John F. Kennedy University, San Francisco and her Lighting Design Certification through the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. In 1991, she co-founded Axiom Design,
Inc., a lighting design and architectural electronics consulting firm. Her design work has been published, and she has had the honor of teaching for the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association, in both the United States and England. In 2002 Dana founded Adorn, a lighting and interior design company.
Dana serves on several boards including Epeius Biotechnologies, developing genetic medicines for the treatment of cancer; Global Healing, dedicated to providing developing countries with modern healthcare; and the USC Huntington Institute for Advanced Studies. She is active with her husband Dave Dornsife in support of World Vision, an international humanitarian agency. Through World Vision in West Africa the Dornsifes support micro-economic enterprise, agriculture and literacy programs in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and, in partnership with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, well-water drilling in Mali, Ghana, Niger and Ethiopia. She is a council member and trustee for the Yosemite Fund and was recently inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society at the University of Southern California for meritorious service. At USC, Dana serves on the Board of Directors for the Brain and Creativity Institute and the Board of History and Culture through the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
Susan Sappington
Director of Development, Board Member
A
native Californian, Susan Sappington brings over twenty-five years of sales and marketing experience to Lazarex Cancer Foundation. Using this expertise, as well as the lessons learned through studying business administration at the University of Phoenix, Susan now owns a successful women's couture clothing company.
In 2001, Susan was a founding member of the Northeast Bay chapter of the Executive Women's Golf Association, which has now grown to more than 150 members. Susan has extensive volunteer management experience. While working for Kaiser Permanente, she ran three nonprofit hospital gift shops with a staff of over fifty volunteers. During her tenure, the revenue from the shops grew from $350,000 to over $1,000,000.
Susan feels strongly that her success should be shared and she wants to give back to the community that has given her so much. She believes it is her time to make a difference in people's lives and that Lazarex provides her a platform to support new technologies, change the face of cancer and find a cure. She was elected to the Lazarex Board of Directors in May 2007.
Tami Keeler
Office Manager
A San Ramon, CA resident, Tami Keeler joined Lazarex Cancer Foundation in 2007 as Office Manager. With over fifteen years of customer service experience under her belt, Tami is well prepared for the most important part of her work - looking after Lazarex’s VIPs (Very Important
Patients). In addition to patient interaction, she applies her vast array of other skills to the marketing, administration, event planning, caretaking, accounting, design, and logistic aspects of the Lazarex organization. Titles and work functions aside, Tami is a woman of persistence, humor and compassion. These are qualities greatly needed in the daily striving to offer hope, dignity and life to those in need. She is also an artist, photographer and mom. Her best work of art is her young son. Tami is thankful to be able use her talents to help Lazarex fulfill its mission of providing hope and assistance to people with cancer who have been told they have run out of options.
Cynthia Sandoval
Division Manager, Team for Life
Welcome Cynthia! Bio & head shot coming soon.
Karen Ambrogi
Communications Manager
Karen Ambrogi joined Lazarex Cancer Foundation in February 2009. Her
current responsibilities are fundraising, communication, education and community outreach. She has a strong base in relationship building and service – from working with the mentally handicapped to a very long career incorporating technical sales, account management, technical writing and leadership skills training. Karen
is a seeker and a traveler.
A “pre midlife crisis” career change led her to establish a company that provided education and travel programs designed to encourage more conscious, authentic and creative living by exploring the mind/body/spirit connection. After losing two brothers in law to pancreatic cancer, she is grateful to have the opportunity to give her focus and her heart in the service of building a bridge to hope for cancer patients and their families.
Allison Gervis
Medical Liaison
As Clinical Liaison, Allison Gervis strives to help patients navigate treatment options and information associated with clinical trials.
Allison graduated with honors from California Polytechnic State University with a degree in business administration and worked in the fields of human resource consulting, business education, and career counseling. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor's of Science degree in nursing at California State University, East Bay. Allison decided to go back to school to study nursing after losing her mother to pancreatic cancer in 2007. She is grateful and honored to have the opportunity to help cancer patients with clinical information and resources.
Karen Weixel
Medical Liaison
Karen Weixel graduated from CSU Chico with a degree in Community Health Education. After graduation she worked for the American Lung Association and developed their community outreach program.
In 2005 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was through this experience she learned the importance of being very involved in one’s treatment and the value that an outside advocate can bring to the process. It is with this personal experience in mind that Karen feels blessed with the opportunity to make use of this knowledge and expertise on behalf of others who are currently undergoing a similar life experience.
