Dr. Jaishri Blakeley, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Neurology, Oncology and Neurosurgery
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Specialties:

• Neurology
• Oncology
• Neurosurgery

Biographical Sketch:
Dr. Jaishri Blakeley received her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine. She then completed a year of medical internship at Baylor prior to coming to the Johns Hopkins University for her residency in Neurology. She has recently completed two years of specialty training in Neuro-Oncology at the Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Blakeley is now an Assistant Professor in Neurology, Oncology and Neurosurgery. She focuses her clinical efforts on the diagnosis and management of primary brain tumors in adults such as glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, anaplastic oligodendroglioma and low grade gliomas. She is also the Co-Director of The Johns Hopkins Hospital Comprehensive Neurofibromatosis Center.

Dr. Blakeley’s research focus is in designing and conducting clinical trials to advance promising therapies for brain tumors. She is particularly focused on developing techniques to assess and maximize drug delivery to brain tumors. Dr. Blakeley is a member of the New Approaches to Brain Tumor Therapy (NABTT) consortium, a group of collaborating brain tumor centers funded by the National Cancer Institute devoted to discovering new brain tumor therapies.

Dr. Deni S. Galileo, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences,
University of Delaware

Current Research Projects:

• Control of invasiveness of glioma tumor cells within brain.
• Control of metastasis of breast cancer cells to brain and other organs.
• Roles of integrins and extracellular matrix molecules in neuronal migration and survival in developing brain.

Biographical Sketch:
Dr. Galileo earned his B.A. from New College of Florida, his Ph.D. from University of Florida College of Medicine and did his postdoctoral work at Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Galileo, who moved to Delaware in 2000 and teaches two classes at the University - Cell Physiology and Developmental Neurobiology - has been on the front-end of some extremely ground-breaking research on brain tumors.

Dr. Galileo's specific area of focus with his research has been the study of migrating cells, both normal and abnormal, in the developing brain. This endeavor has utilized the chick embryo as the model system and recombinant retroviral vectors as a main tool to express or attenuate specific proteins in cells. A current use of this technology is to modulate the L1 protein in human glioma and breast cancer cells followed by analysis of their motility in vitro using a high resolution time lapse microscopy system of his design.

One of the major focal points of the lab now is to further develop and utilize the chick embryo as a model for the study and manipulation of basic mechanisms of abnormal brain cell migration - i.e. glioma tumor cell local invasiveness and breast cancer spread to brain. Toward this new focus, his work has shown that human and rat glioma tumor cell lines are capable of producing invasive tumors in the developing chick brain and are now beginning such experiments to determine whether primary human glioma tumor cells from surgical samples do this as well. This novel chick model ultimately should be as useful as immunodeficient mice for studying certain mechanisms of invasive brain tumors, and it has several practical advantages like accessibility, ease of manipulation, and cost.

In addition to all of the above, Dr. Galileo is a member of the American Association for Cancer Research, the Society for Neuroscience (and its Delaware Chapter), and the Delaware Consortium for Brain Disease and Translational Neuroscience, which is an initiative that resulted from the collaborations of an alliance formed by key members of the neuroscience community (Delaware State University, University of Delaware, A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, and the Christiana Care Health System).

Dr. Donald M. O'Rourke, M.D.
Neurosurgeon / Associate Professor
The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Specialties:
Surgery for brain tumors, including gliomas and meningiomas and metastatic cancer involving the brain and spine; pituitary tumors; acoustic neuromas; skull base tumors; stereotactic radiosurgery for tumors; spinal cord tumors; Arnold-Chiari malformation

Biographical Sketch:
Dr. O'Rourke received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and his medical degree and neurosurgical training at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He is board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery and was previously Chief of Neurosurgery at the Penn-affiliated Philadelphia Veterans Hospital. Dr. O'Rourke is nationally known for his work in the clinical management of patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors, as well as his basic science research into the molecular mechanisms responsible for cell growth, survival and angiogenesis in gliomas. He is well known in the neurosurgical community for his support of the surgical management of patients with brain tumors and in the research community for his contributions to the understanding of brain tumor biology, glial cell growth and response to treatment. By his involvement in The National Institutes of Health, The Joint Tumor Section of The American Association for Neurological Surgeons and The Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the NABTT Brain Tumor Consortium of the NCI, Dr. O'Rourke contributes to state-of-the-art advances in surgical techniques and experimental therapies for brain tumors. His special interest is in how maximal surgery can improve the efficacy of non-surgical biological treatments for brain tumors. Dr. O'Rourke is a Clinical Investigator on numerous Phase I/II clinical trials for gliomas conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and the NABTT Brain Tumor Consortium. Dr. O'Rourke is Director of the Brain Tumor Tissue Bank at the University of Pennsylvania and directs a genetic testing program for patients with gliomas and oligodendrogliomas that is sponsored by the Abramson Family Cancer Center at Penn. Dr. O'Rourke has been an invited speaker to numerous neurosurgery and cancer research meetings, based on his involvement in the study and treatment of brain tumors.

Dr. O'Rourke is Principal Investigator of an independent research laboratory that is funded by The National Institutes of Health and is dedicated to the development of genetic and biological treatments for brain tumors that would complement surgical resection. He is one of only a handful of neurosurgeons nationally who received a five-year independent research grant from the National Cancer Institute for his research on the molecular genetic basis of gliomas. He has received research awards from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Veterans Affairs, The American Cancer Society, and The Brain Tumor Society. He has published numerous manuscripts and served as both scientific reviewer and editor for several peer-reviewed neurosurgery and cancer research journals and for The National Institutes of Health, with an emphasis on brain tumor biology. Dr. O'Rourke is a member of the Penn Neuro-Oncology Program, the Center for Cancer Pharmacology and the University of Pennsylvania Abramson Family Cancer Center. Dr. O'Rourke also has a secondary faculty appointment in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

Dr. Susan C. Pannullo, M.D.
Director of Neuro-Oncology
New York-Presbyterian Hospital / Weill Cornell Medical Center

Specialties:

• Neuro-Oncology
• Neurosurgical Oncology
  
• Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Biographical Sketch:
Dr. Susan Pannullo is the Director of Neuro-Oncology in the Department of Neurological Surgery at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. She is "she is Board Certified in Neurology and Neurological Surgery in both Neurology and Neurological Surgery, and is Fellowship-trained in Neuro-Oncology. Dr. Pannullo received her undergraduate degree with honors in Anthropology from Cornell University in 1983 and her medical college degree from Weill Medical College of Cornell University in 1987. Following a Medicine Internship at Harvard-Beth Israel Medical Center, she completed a Neurology residency at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in 1991. From 1991 to 1992, she was an American Cancer Society Fellow in Neuro-Oncology at Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She then completed a second residency in Neurological Surgery at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in 1997. Prior to returning to Cornell she developed a highly successful practice as a Neurosurgeon and Neurologist at Staten Island University Hospital, as well as laboratory research at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. At New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, she is an assistant professor of Neurological Surgery and has an additional appointment as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University. Her areas of particular expertise include treatment of benign and malignant brain tumors and Stereotactic Radiosurgery.

Dr. Sunjay A. Shah, M.D.
Medical Director, Cyberknife Radiosurgery Program
The Helen F. Graham Cancer Center

Specialties:

• Brain tumors
• Lung and prostate cancer
• Gamma Knife
• X-knife radiosurgery for pituitary tumors
• Acoustic neuromas
• Trigeminal neuralgia
• Tremor disorders
• AVMs
• Brain metastases

Biographical Sketch:
Dr. Shah graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He completed his medical training at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. During this time, he was awarded a prize for his research on brain imaging at the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, NC. Dr. Shah completed his residency in Radiation Oncology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He then completed a fellowship in Neuro-oncology at the Thomas Jefferson School of Medicine and Wills Eye Hospital, both in Philadelphia, PA, followed by a stint on the faculty.

He is board certified in radiation oncology and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Radiology. He is a member of the American Medical Association, American College of Radiology, the American College of Radiation Oncology and the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

Dr. Shah sees patients at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and the Elkton office.

Jeanne M. Wallace, PhD, CNC

Biographical Sketch:
Dr. Wallace has been working in the field of nutrition since 1989 and is a nationally certified nutritionist through the Society of Certified Nutritionists (SCN #20022). She holds both a Master's and PhD degrees in human nutrition from American State University in Honolulu, HI (an external degree program). In addition, she has completed 750 hours of classroom instruction at the Institute for Educational Therapy (IET), a California-state licensed nutrition consultant training program considered one of the best in the country. By comparison, most U.S. medical schools require physicians to complete only 2-4 hours instruction in nutrition. She is a member of editorial boards for several peer-reviewed medical journals, including Integrative Cancer Therapies and The International Journal of Integrative Medicine .

Her focus is on evidence-based complementary cancer care: educating her clients how to integrate a healthy diet and carefully selected dietary supplements with their medical treatments - surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or immunotherapy - to optimize the body's healing capacity. She specializes in malignant brain tumors, and in 2001, she submitted a "Best Case Series" of stage IV brain tumor clients to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) National Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine (NCCAM). She also works with clients healing from breast, ovarian, endometrial, vulva, colon, pancreatic, and head-and-neck cancers, as well as malignant melanoma.

Dr. Wallace was an outstanding and irreplaceable ally who helped fight Kelly's tumor until the very end. Her knowledge, excellent communication skills, and steadfast commitment to Kelly's battle and her family were remarkable traits that helped us through some of the most difficult times during Kelly's illness.

"Dr. Wallace is one of the most prominent practitioners of clinical nutritional oncology. She may be the nation's single most knowledgeable clinician in the area of treating patients with brain tumors with nutritional interventions."

-Andrew Freinkel, MD
Stanford University Hospital

Dr. Andrew W. Walter, M.D.
Department of Pediatrics
Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children

Specialties:

• Pediatric Hematology
• Pediatric Oncology

Biographical Sketch:
Dr. Andrew Walter is an Attending Physician in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at The Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware and an associate professor of pediatrics at the Thomas Jefferson School of Medicine. Dr. Walter received his undergraduate, graduate and medical
degrees from the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY. He completed an internship and residency in Pediatrics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He completed fellowship training in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Following completion of fellowship, remained in Ann Arbor and joined the faculty of the University of Michigan in the Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Walter then accepted a position at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee where he was an assistant member in the Pediatric Neuro-oncology section of the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. He was active in developing and administering new protocol therapy for children with brain tumors and published widely in this field. In 1999, Dr. Walter joined the staff at A. I. duPont Hospital for Children as director of the Pediatric Neuro-oncology section. Dr. Walter is board certified in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

Andrew "Rudy" Rudawsky MS, PT, ATC
Physical Therapist
Christiana Care Physical Therapy PLUS - Brandywine

Biographical Sketch:
Rudy Rudawsky graduated from Denison University, in Granville, Ohio, and then joined the United States Sports Academy where he earned a master's degree in sports medicine. He also earned a bachelor's degree in physical therapy from the University of Delaware. Rudy spent 11 years as the head athletic trainer for the U.S. Men's World Cup Soccer Team and has played soccer for most of his life, including in college, club and adult leagues. He remains active as a soccer coach and instructor. Through his expertise in physical therapy and his exceptional interpersonal communication skills, Rudy made an enormous impact on Kelly's life and helped her achieve great success in the physical battle against her brain tumor.

Fred C. Sears II
President and CEO
Delaware Community Foundation

Mr. Sears has served as a community leader in the greater Wilmington area and with organizations serving residents throughout Delaware for more than thirty-five years. His current position as President and CEO of the Delaware Community Foundation enables him to encourage long-term charitable giving by individuals, businesses and organizations as a way of improving the community, now and in the future. Prior to taking on the leadership of the Delaware Community Foundation in December 2002, Fred had a 38-year career in banking, most recently as President of Commerce Bank / Delaware. Early in his banking career Fred took time out to serve as Finance Director and Director of Commerce of the City of Wilmington and Director of the Port of Wilmington. He was elected to City Council from 1976 through 1984 and has continued to be politically active by serving on the transition team for Mayor James Sills and co-chairing transition teams for Governor Ruth Ann Minner in 2000 and New Castle County Executive Chris Coons in 2004.

Fred currently serves as a Director of Commerce Bank / Delaware and the Nixon Uniform Company and has been a member of the Board of Directors of more than 20 community nonprofit organizations. He is chairperson of the Wilmington Economic and Financial Advisory Council and is a Director of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, Wilmington Housing Partnership, United Way of Delaware and other organizations. He is a member of the Delaware Business Roundtable and the Wilmington Rotary Club. Fred has also served as chairperson for golf tournaments and other fundraising activities for numerous nonprofit organizations.

Roger Kirtley

Roger is a native of Wilmington, DE and is an Account Executive at a commercial insurance and risk management consulting firm. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware where he received a Bachelors of Arts degree in political science. Roger began his career as a political consultant and legislative correspondent on Capitol Hill for Congressman Michael N. Castle. Subsequent to that, he has spent 10 years in the marketing and sales departments of several companies including MBNA, First USA, Vital Home Services, CSC and, currently, the Lyons Companies.

Throughout his life, Roger has dedicated a significant amount of time to helping the community where he lives be a better one. His volunteer experience includes The Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware, Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, Christ Church Christiana Hundred, and the Delaware Community Foundation, where he is a founding member of the Next Generation Committee.

Roger lives in Wilmington with his wife, Alexandra Alevizatos Kirtley, and their young daughter. He enjoys playing guitar, traveling, golf, skiing, and spending time outdoors with his family.

Shelley Dinehart

Shelley is currently a Human Resources Executive with JPMorgan Chase Card Services, headquartered in Wilmington Delaware and has been with JPMorgan Chase and its predecessors in various capacities since 1992.

Shelley graduated from Bucknell University with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and then began career in Human Resources upon completing her Masters degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.

Shelley is a member of JPMorgan Chase's Contribution Committee and serves on the firm's Corporate Diversity Council. Additionally, Shelley is actively involved in a number of community and charitable organizations. Shelley currently serves on the Board of Directors of Jobs for Delaware Graduates, Inc. and is a member of the St. Agnes School Home and School Association Board supporting Amigos de Jesus, a Catholic orphanage for boys in Honduras.

Shelley currently lives with her husband and children in Pennsylvania.

Susan Morisson

Susan has over thirty years of experience in the design and implementation of public awareness, education and training programs for the New York State Departments of Education, Labor and Health.

Through this experience, Susan has proven skills in non-profit administration, cross-system collaboration and community capacity building. Susan holds an MS from the State University of New York at Buffalo and is currently the Director of the Erie County Community Collaboration Partnership and an adjunct faculty member in the School of Educational Administration at Canisius College.

Susan, who is also Chris’ mother, currently lives in Buffalo, NY and has another son, Keith.

Sarah “Janie” Truitt

Sarah, known to the world as Janie, grew up in Maryland, but calls Delaware home having attended K-12 in the Indian River School District in Southern Delaware. Janie received her B.A. in Economics and International Relations from Smith College. After working for several years in various marketing and analysis positions in France and in Washington, D.C., she attended the University of Virginia where she received an M.B.A. in Marketing from the Darden School of Business.

After graduation, Janie was recruited by IBM into their Financial Services Consulting Group in Charlotte, NC. In 1999, Janie returned to Delaware to join WingspanBank.com where she launched the bank’s home equity business. This proved to be a fortuitous move since this allowed Janie to be near her family when her brother, Tom, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in August of 2000. Tom, after a valiant fight, unfortunately lost his struggle and passed away on August 10, 2001 at the age of 38. It is to him that Janie dedicates her efforts with the Foundation.

Janie lives in Wilmington, DE with her husband, Steven, and their son, Thomas, and currently manages the e-Commerce group for J.P. Morgan Private Bank.

Kevin M. Sullivan

Kevin serves as Senior Director-Credit Card Partnership Development at Barclays in Wilmington, DE. Previously, he has served in a variety of marketing and sales roles at JPMorgan Chase, MasterCard International, American Express, Doremus Porter Novelli PR and Biggs-Gilmore Advertising in Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Sullivan received a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina in 1986.

He serves on the parents advisory committee for the YMCA of Delaware youth sports program, is a mentor at the EastSide Charter School in Wilmington and volunteers for the Wilmington Little League. He lives in Wilmington, DE with his wife, Danielle and their three children.

Kevin was instrumental in getting KHG started and his efforts with the Foundation are dedicated to his brother, Dan, who passed away in September 2008 after a 11-year battle with a Meduallblastoma.

John A. D’Agostino, CPA, MST

John is a Director of Santora CPA Group (SCG) with 17 years of public accounting experience. He is a 1989 graduate of Widener University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and has since received his Master of Science Degree in Taxation from Widener, as well.

John joined SCG in August 1994 and heads the Auditing Department. He became a Director of SCG in July 2003. In addition to being a member of KHG’s Board of Directors, John also volunteers with the community as Chairman of the Delaware Helpline.

He is a member of the American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants, and the Delaware Society of Certified Public Accountants.

John, his wife, Luann, and their golden retriever, “Elvis”, live in Hockessin, DE.

Kirsten A. Osland

Kirsten grew up in Canada, but moved to the United States to pursue her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Psychology at the University of Buffalo. After graduating with honors, Kirsten was selected to join Wachovia Bank’s Management Training program in Atlanta, GA. In 1999, Kirsten joined First USA in Wilmington, DE as an Internet Relationship Manager within Wingspanbank.com. Kirsten later returned to Wachovia to manage Business Card acquisitions within the Southeast until the portfolio was sold in 2001, when she moved to Washington, DC to join the international airline-owned Commercial Card, UATP, as the Manager of E-Commerce. In 2007, Kirsten took a job as a Director within the Strategic Partnership & Alliances group at Barclays.

Kirsten and her husband, Kevin, were both close friends with Chris and Kelly, and were actively involved in the formation of the Foundation. Kirsten and Kevin live in Landenberg, PA with their son, Haakon, and daughter, Evelyn, where they enjoy many outdoor activities.

Thomas P. Jule

Tom is a graduate of the University of Delaware, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. While at Deloitte & Touche in Philadelphia, Tom obtained his CPA license and managed three SEC clients in the Philadelphia area.

Tom then spent the next 20 years working for Rapidforms, Inc., New England Business Systems (NEBS) and Deluxe Corporation, developing an expertise in all aspects of direct marketing. During this period, Tom held positions including Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Marketing.

Tom's wife Eileen Kerr Jule died November 8, 2004, after courageously battling through her first tumor in September 1994, and a recurrence in May 2004.  Known as Queen Eileen amongst friends and family, she was a best friend, loving wife of 14 years, and an adoring mother for Alec and Bradley Jule.  With and eye to fashion and an interior designer, Eileen loved decorating the house and making sure the boys were “best dressed”.  Tom Jule is a soccer dad, and manages direct marketing for Corporation Service Company (CSC) headquartered in Wilmington, DE.

Wendy C. Hoffman

Wendy C. Hoffman joined the Chester County Bar Association in 2002 as Director of Finance and Administration and in January 2005, she was appointed Executive Director of both their association and their foundation. Wendy’s energy and leadership have taken the bar association to new heights with increased membership and record attendance at programs and events. Her recruitment of new sponsorships and development of non dues revenue sources has allowed her bar’s budget to surpass the $1,000,000 mark in 2007. Wendy works with local organizations such as The Chester County Community Foundation and The Chamber of Commerce of Greater West Chester, as well as the Hoopsters Club at Unionville High School.

Wendy’s husband, Steve, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2002 after they were married just 3 years and were enjoying a wonderfully blended family with 6 children. Steve’s faith, courage, and positive mental attitude were apparent to all and many of his friends and family had no idea of all he endured during his 5 year courageous battle with the disease that took him from us far too soon in February of 2007 at the age of 46.

Wendy attended Notre Dame College in Manchester, New Hampshire and obtained several National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) licenses. She was a Securities Trader for Delaware Trust Co. and later was a Stock Broker with Drexel, Burnham Lambert in Dallas and with Morgan Stanley & Co. in Chicago. After enjoying nine years at home raising her three children, Wendy returned to her career in banking and financial management in the Philadelphia area. In her spare time, Wendy enjoys traveling, sailing, decorating, piano, learning about wine, and spending time with her children, Blake, Jacqui and Garrett.

Dora A. Temple, LCSW

Dora A. Temple, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker. She received her BASW from Salisbury State University and her MSW from Delaware State University. She worked in the Child Welfare field for 23 years specializing in the areas of physical and sexual abuse. She helped develop the personal safety curriculum and a sexual abuse treatment program. She is currently a social worker at the A.I. duPont Hospital for Children where she spent over five years as the social worker for the Division of Hematology/Oncology. She is now the social worker in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. She also serves as the Donor Advocate for the hospital. She has facilitated parent support groups and is currently co-facilitating a bereavement support group for parents.

In March, 2007 Dora’s oldest daughter, Elizabeth, died of a brain tumor (GBM) at the age of 27 leaving a husband and 2 beautiful sons, David and Samuel, then ages 2 years old and 9 months old respectively. Elizabeth was a beautiful woman who lived life with much passion. Dora believes she would have embraced the work of the Foundation and would have been right here with us fighting this disease. Dora has also been touched by many precious children at A. I. duPont Hospital for Children who have lost their lives to this disease. They and many surviving children who have shown incredible courage fighting brain cancer and struggling to rehabilitate are what drive Dora to get behind this Foundation. Dora has another daughter, Kirsten, who is married and has a son, Joseph. Dora herself is married to a very supportive husband, Robert Irwin.