Tigerlily Foundation: Medical Advisory Board

Dr. Rachel Brem is the Director of Breast Imaging and Intervention at George Washington University Medical Center and Vice Chair of the Department of Radiology. Dr. Brem completed her undergraduate studies at Brandeis University followed by medical school at Columbia University where she graduated with honors. Dr. Brem completed both her Diagnostic Radiology Residency and Breast Imaging Fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.

Dr. Doris Browne is also President and CEO, Browne and Associates, Inc., a health consultancy company, which manages diversified health programs that address the health status and disparities of national and international populations through the use of health information and communication technologies to enhance positive health outcomes. Browne and Associates’ activities are primarily focused in the areas of breast and prostate cancers, women's health, disaster management, HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases with emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention. Dr. Browne recently retired (2009) from the National Cancer Institute where she managed the breast cancer portfolio for the Breast and Gynecologic Cancer Research Group in the Division of Cancer Prevention. Her primary focus was centered on the development of chemoprevention agents for breast cancer and the identification of surrogate endpoint biomarkers. She is also a Woodrow Wilson Public Policy Scholar (2007) at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars where her research focused on estrogen receptor negative breast cancer health disparities. Dr Browne is a retired Colonel of the US Army Medical Corps and former Director, Medical Research and Development, US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command where she was responsible for the biomedical research programs for the Army and the Department of Defense (DoD). Previously, Colonel Browne was Director, Prevention and Standards, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs with responsibility for analysis, review, and formulation of policies, guidelines and programs on women's health issues, oversight for health promotion and disease prevention, and TRICARE preventive benefits. She served as Chairperson, DoD Breast Cancer Prevention, Education, and Diagnosis Initiative and DoD’s representatives to the National Action Plan on Breast Cancer.

Dr. Virginia Chiantella obtained her undergraduate degree at Georgetown University, and received her MD degree from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She completed her surgery specialty training at the Wake Forest University Medical Center, where she was the first female to complete the Surgery training program. She spent a year at the University Medical Center as the Bradshaw Surgery Research Fellow, participating in award-winning cardiac surgery research, and was Chief Resident in Surgery there in 1989.

Dr. Chiantella has been in private surgery practice in Northern Virginia since that time, and her practice is now limited exclusively to the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant diseases of the breast. She has been Chief of Surgery at Inova Loudoun Hospital on two occasions, and she is the volunteer Medical Director of the only regional free clinic for breast disease evaluation. She is a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and her practice is a member of the National Consortium of Breast Centers. Although she practices out of facilities in Loudoun and Fairfax Counties in Northern Virginia, her practice, The Breast Center of Loudoun, has a large draw regionally, with loyal patients returning to be seen from as far away as Florida and London. Dr. Chiantella has been called one of "America's Top Surgeons".

Dr. Isaac Eliaz is a respected author, lecturer, researcher, product formulator, and clinical practitioner. He has been a pioneer in the field of integrative medicine since the early 1980s.

Dr. Eliaz is a frequent guest lecturer on integrative medical approaches to health, immune enhancement, and cancer prevention and treatment. He has also taught several courses on Traditional Chinese Medicine for medical doctors and licensed acupuncturists. As an innovative formulator of dietary supplements, Dr. Eliaz developed and currently holds the patents for several of his unique herbal formulations.

In order to substantiate nutritional approaches to health, Dr. Eliaz regularly participates in clinical studies and has been published in well-recognized, peer-reviewed journals. In addition, many of Dr. Eliaz' formulations have been submitted for validation in independent human clinical studies whose results have been published in peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Eliaz continually studies, integrates and applies the best health practices of both western medicine and complementary and alternative approaches. A native of Israel, Dr. Eliaz lived in the Far East and in Latin America before returning to study medicine at Tel Aviv University. While studying for his degree, Dr. Eliaz' interest turned towards the role of alternative therapies—from meditation to martial arts—in daily health. This led to his eventual research and personal experience with yoga, shiatsu, and acupuncture as therapeutic modalities.

After graduating medical school in 1986, Dr. Eliaz established a highly successful clinical practice in Tel Aviv, utilizing his training in both Western and Eastern medicine. While maintaining a clinical practice, Dr. Eliaz pursued graduate studies in clinical herbology at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and classical Chinese medicine with teachers in Israel and Europe.

In 1989, Dr. Eliaz moved to the San Francisco Bay area in order to continue his studies at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, earning a Master of Science degree in 1991. During this time he also energetically sought out leading practitioners of alternative medicine to broaden his knowledge and experience. Since 1991, Dr. Eliaz has led the integrative medical team at Amitabha Clinic, a busy private practice in northern California that focuses primarily on integrative, holistic protocols for patients struggling with cancer and other chronic ailments.

The guiding mission of Dr. Eliaz' professional life is achieving the integration and synergy of multiple healing modalities from both ancient and modern paradigms into a holistic practice of medicine. It is the heart of his clinical practice, of his research, and a mission that he communicates with great passion and clarity.

Dr. Carolyn Fang is a health psychologist with expertise in behavioral medicine and psychoneuroimmunology. Dr. Fang received her PhD in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and then completed a National Cancer Institute-funded fellowship in cancer prevention and control at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Fang is currently Director of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center. She also holds an appointment as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Public Health at Temple University. The overarching theme of Dr. Fang's research is to investigate how psychosocial and behavioral factors interact with biological mechanisms to influence cancer risk and disease progression. Dr. Fang's work on how stress exposure may modulate cell-mediated immunity has resulted in innovative research studies that investigate the impact of psychological interventions on emotional well-being, quality of life, and biological outcomes in at-risk and patient populations. The findings from such studies may lead to the development of novel approaches to promote positive psychosocial and physical outcomes among at-risk individuals and cancer patients. These studies also serve to identify potential mechanisms regarding how complementary and alternative therapies may enhance psychological and physical well-being in various populations. In addition, Dr. Fang is involved in numerous collaborative endeavors to address cancer health disparities in underserved populations and to evaluate community-based interventions to promote screening and well-being. This research will help inform future public health efforts designed to address cancer risk factors in underserved populations.

Dr. Fang is currently a member of the College of CSR Reviewers for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and she has served on a number of review panels for NIH, the Department of Defense, and other organizations. Dr. Fang is a member of the editorial board of Health Psychology and has served as past chair of the Biological Mechanisms in Health and Behavior Change Track for the Society of Behavioral Medicine annual meeting. Dr. Fang is a member of a number of professional organizations including the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, the American Society of Preventive Oncology, and the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

Dr. Anne Favret, a native of the Washington , D.C. area, is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Catholic University . She received her medical degree at Temple University . Dr. Favret completed her Internship and Residency training at Georgetown University and completed her Fellowship training at Stanford University . While at Stanford she focused primarily on clinical research for breast cancer.

Dr. Favret has published several review articles and original research papers, in addition to a book chapter in the area of breast cancer management. She is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology. Dr. Favret is also an associate member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. She is a physician on staff with Fairfax-Northern Virginia Hematology-Oncology (FNVHO) in 1999. Dr. Favret has a special interest in treating breast cancer. Learn more about FNVHO at http://www.fnvho.com.

Dr. Rebecca Kaltman is a medical oncologist with extensive experience caring for patients with breast cancer. An additional area of specialty is genetic counseling and risk assessment of those without a diagnosis of breast cancer. She is currently in a breast cancer specific private practice in Bethesda , MD affiliated with Suburban Hospital . Prior to moving to Maryland , Dr. Kaltman served on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine as a breast oncologist and clinical researcher in the Rena Rowan Breast Center , part of the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania .

Dr. Kaltman obtained her undergraduate honors degree from the University of Michigan . She was the valedictorian of her medical school class at MCP-Hahnemann University School of Medicine. Dr. Kaltman completed her internship, residency, and oncology fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania . She is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Dr. Hee-Soon Juon is a social and behavioral scientist who received her Doctor of Philosophy Degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health. She is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Health, Behavior & Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research has focused on liver cancer and HBV infection among Asian Americans, minority mental health, suicidal behavior, substance use, criminal behavior, and cancer control behaviors of underserved minority populations including Korean Americans, Asian Indians, and African Americans. She is currently on the Advisory Counsel of the Minority Women's Health Panel of Experts of The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and an Advisory Board member of the Intercultural Cancer Council. She has received the NIMH National Research Service Award and has been honored by the Delta Omega Honor Society.

Rebecca Keen-Fan Sze, FNP, MSN, MPA is currently the Director of Women’s Health at the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center in New York City. As the Director, she oversees the delivery of comprehensive women’s health services to ensure that quality health care is provided throughout the different stages of a woman’s life. The Women’s Health Department champions an integrated service model which incorporates preventive care, patient education, community outreach, and comprehensive women’s health services.

In her tenure at the Women’s Health Department, Director Sze has increased the number of grant funded programs for various women’s health issues and the Health Center’s medically underserved patients. She sets a high standard of patient care and service excellence; fostering partnerships with multiple community organizations to promote greater access to culturally sensitive health care and social services for Asian women. She has also increased the accessibility of services for women by creating more flexible hours, reducing waiting time, enhancing services and reaching out to different groups of women in the Asian American community.

Director Sze is passionate about women’s health issues, especially the health of Asian American women and is a firm believer in education and empowering women to be proactive about their health. The availability and accessibility of affordable health care that is linguistically and culturally competent is yet another high priority for her. She has been chairing the Annual Women’s Health Symposium since 2003 and is an active spokesperson and community advocate for Asian women’s health. Director Sze has membership on the NAWHO (National Asian Women’s Health Organization) National Advisory Board, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Medical Advisory Board and Asian American/Pacific Islander National Advisory Council, and Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Detection and Education Program NYS Advisory Council. She is the award recipient of Innovation in Breast Cancer Early Detection and Research by the New York State Cancer Detection and Education Advisory Council in 2007 and the Partnership of Distinction by the NYSODH Cancer Services Program in 2006. She holds a Master in Public Administration from New York University and is a licensed Family Nurse Practitioner. She currently lives in Queens, New York with her husband and three daughters.

Dr. Gail Lebovic is President of the American Society of Breast Disease. She has dedicated much of her career to developing new products and techniques in the diagnosis, treatment and post-operative care of breast patients. She has been one of a few select surgeons who have earned a reputation as a pioneer in the field of Oncoplastic surgery, and her vision for the future includes teaching other surgeons these new and innovative techniques in breast surgery throughout the world. As the Director of Women’s Services for the Cooper Clinic, she continued to expand her clinical focus to include methods for early detection and prevention of breast cancer by encouraging regular screening, cancer risk assessment and encouraging women to lead a healthier lifestyle through exercise and proper nutrition. She is an active member of numerous professional and non-profit organizations and has been featured as a breast healthcare expert in various broadcast media, including ABC Prime Time News, CNN World Report, Cooper Healthy Living, countless newspaper articles, magazine features and radio talk shows across the world.

Dr. Philomena McAndrew is a native of Philadelphia, attended Villanova University for her undergraduate studies, and then entered medical school at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Internship and residency were completed at Temple University Hospital. In 1981, she and her husband moved to Los Angeles where she began the prestigous UCLA fellowship program in Hematology and Oncology. Her skills in teaching and research quickly were recognized at UCLA; upon completion of the program she was offered and accepted a full-time position. During this phase of her career, she was occupied with patient care in the UCLA Clinics, as well as research and subsequent publication of scientific papers on leukemia, malnutrition associated with cancer, and fat metabolism in cancer patients.

In 1987, she embarked on a career change and entered private practice. She concentrated most of her practice activities at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and eventually became one of the founding partners of Tower Hematology Oncology Medical Group. This period was also characterized by her involvment in numerous hospital committees, teaching and clinical research which resulted in scientific papers and abstracts on lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and breast cancer. She has served as the Clinical Vice Chief of Medicine at Cedar Sinai Medical Center and has been the Chairperson of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Medication Safety
Committee.

In addtion to her clinical appointments, Dr. McAndrew maintains a number of professional affiliations. She is an active member of: The American Society of Hematology , American Society of Clinical Oncology, Southern California Academy of Clinical Oncology, American Medical Association , Los Angeles County Medical Association, California Medical Association , Women of Los Angeles and American Society for Breast Disease.

Dr. Elan Reisin, of the Reisin Institute, received training as Chief Resident in Plastic Surgery at the Georgetown University Medical Center. Dr. Elan Reisin is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

After working as a Research Fellow in Genetics for the National Institute of Health, Dr. Elan Reisin decided to pursue a career in health care. He received the Michigan Achievement Award during his undergraduate studies and completed his Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology at the University of Michigan. Following that, he completed a Masters Degree in Medical Science at Wayne State University and received his M.D. at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. He finished three years of General Surgery training at the prestigious Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit before transferring to Georgetown to complete an additional three years of residency specializing in Plastic Surgery. Dr. Elan Reisin is trained in both Cosmetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery procedures and is certified by the Amerian Board of Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Maria E. Rosa is the Vice President for the Institute for Hispanic Health (IHH) at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. In this capacity, she maintains overall strategic and operations responsibility for the IHH program areas, which include diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, HIV/AIDS, STDs, genetics, reproductive health, and nutrition and exercise. In addition, Dr. Rosa co-directs the NCLR-CSULB (California State University, Long Beach) Center for Latino Health, Evaluation, and Leadership Training, a joint initiative between NCLR and CSULB. The NCLR-CSULB Center has been designed to develop and implement cutting-edge health programs, conduct rigorous evaluation of NCLR-operated health programs, administer other community-based health interventions, and conduct related activities.

Dr. Rosa is a highly qualified professional who has proven to be a strong advocate for Hispanic populations. As such, she promotes the highest standards of practice in education, research, and service to accomplish the mission, philosophy, goals, and objectives of Healthy People 2010–2020. Among her qualifications, Dr. Rosa holds two doctoral degrees: a Ph.D. in Nursing Sciences from University of California, Los Angeles, and a Dr.PH (Doctor of Public Health) from Loma Linda University in California with post-doctoral studies conducted at the University of California, San Francisco. She completed a Master in Sciences of Nursing (MSN) degree with specialization in Education and Community/Family Health at the University of Puerto Rico, where she also completed a specialization in Psychiatry and Mental Health. Dr. Rosa has obtained a Master in Public Health (MPH) degree from Loma Linda University with emphasis in Health Services Administration. She is certified by the American Credentialing Center as a Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist and as a Community Health Nurse, and by the International Society on Addictions Nursing as an Addictions Nurse.

Prior to joining NCLR, Dr. Rosa worked as Dean and Professor of the School of Health Sciences, Universidad del Turabo, Puerto Rico; Dean and Professor of the School of Nursing, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico; and was actively involved as a fellow at the Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellowship. After completing the fellowship program, she continued active involvement as an alumni member. Dr. Rosa is currently the president of the nonprofit organization, the Rosa Institute of Puerto Rico: A Health Promotion and Health Education Center.

Freya Schnabel, M.D., recently joined NYU Langone Medical Center as a Professor of Surgery and the Director of Breast Surgery. Dr. Schnabel was previously the Vivian Milstein Associate Professor of Surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center where she was the Chief of the Section of Breast Surgery and Medical Director of the High Risk Breast Cancer Program. Dr. Schnabel’s research has focused on women at increased risk for breast cancer, and she has published extensively on this topic. Since her arrival at NYU, Dr. Schnabel has initiated clinical trials focusing on refining the techniques of breast conserving surgery and pioneered a prospective database for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. She is a Co-Investigator on the Breast and Ovarian Cancer Genetics study, which seeks to expand our knowledge of the genetics of breast cancer. Dr. Schnabel has made significant contributions to the medical literature on breast diseases, and has lectured extensively to both professional and nonprofessional audiences. An Alpha Omega Alpha graduate of the NYU School of Medicine, Dr. Schnabel is consistently named one of New York magazine’s Best Doctors.

Dr. Vanessa B. Sheppard is a cancer control scientist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Oncology at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University. As a National Institute of Health Disparities Scholar, her long-term career goal is to help reduce the unequal burden of cancer experienced by minority women through scholarship and service. She has received federal and private funding to pursue this goal. Her work is primarily focused on African American, African Immigrant, and Latina populations. She centers on examining factors that contribute to disparate treatment outcomes such as patient-provider relationships, informed decision-making, and genetic counseling and testing. In 2007, she founded Sisters Informing SistersSM a breast cancer communication decision support intervention for Black women diagnosed with breast cancer. Dr. Sheppard has been fortunate to have her work presented at numerous professional meetings and published in scientific journals. She is a previous recipient of the prestigious Herbert Nickens, MD award for outstanding junior faculty from the American Association of Medical Colleges.

The oldest of three siblings, Dr. Sheppard was born in Anchorage, Alaska and raised in Norfolk, Virginia. Her talent for music led her to James Madison University where she completed her BA with a double major in Public Administration and Political Science. She went on to pursue additional education completing Masters, Doctoral, and Postdoctoral work in urban sociology, health services research, and health services epidemiology. She completed fellowships with the American Association of Medical Colleges and the Moffitt Cancer Center’s NCI-funded program in cancer, culture, and literacy. She resides with her husband Mr. Earle Sheppard and their twin sons – Aaron and Erik

Dr. Shawna Willey is an Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at Georgetown University and the Director of the Betty Lou Ourisman Breast Health Center at Georgetown University Hospital’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. A native of Iowa, she received her MD from the University of Iowa and completed her residency in surgery at the George Washington University Medical Center. Before joining Lombardi, Dr. Willey served as the Director of the Breast Care Center at George Washington University. She serves as the Chief of the Division of Breast Surgery and is an active researcher in the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Willey has been an investigator on several clinical trials with a focus on outcomes and quality of life. She is interested in international health and education, and has conducted programs throughout the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Dr. Willey is an active member of the American Society for Breast Surgeons and served as its president in 2008-2009. She is also a co-founder of the Breast Cancer Care Foundation.