Leadership & Staff

Board of Directors  |  Executive Staff  |  Advisors

Executive Staff

  • Sally Davis

    Sally Davis

    Chief Executive Officer

    Sally Davis joined the National Brain Tumor Society as its Chief Executive Officer in 2014. In this role, she will lead the Organization’s operations to achieve its strategic goals through targeted research programs, key public policy initiatives, and financial growth. Prior to joining the National Brain Tumor Society, she was the National Vice President, Development and Foundations for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Ms. Davis has more than 20 years of professional experience across both the public and private sector in academia, insurance, and the pharmaceutical industry. She is also the recipient of the Womenetics POW Award, and the WNBA’s ATL Dream Inspiring Women Award. Ms. Davis holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s from Drake University.

  • James Charnley

    James Charnley

    Chief Financial Officer

    James Charnley is the Chief Financial Officer of the National Brain Tumor Society. He joined the Organization in 2012, and effectively manages the accounting, financial planning, information systems, and human resource operations. He has managed the finance and operations for several social justice, commercial, and financial organizations including Benevolent Fraternity of Unitarian Churches and SCM Community Transportation.

  • Mike Sachleben

    Mike Sachleben

    Chief Technology Officer

    Mike Sachleben is the Chief Technology Officer of the National Brain Tumor Society. In this role, he oversees all of the online fundraising and engagement platforms, internal infrastructure, analytics, and reports. Mr. Sachleben joined the Organization in 2013. He has been responsible for leading technology teams and re-architecting database platforms, most recently at JustGiving, the UK's #1 online fundraising website. Prior to working in the online fundraising space, he founded and led a number of companies, including a consulting firm focusing on designing & building databases, database driven applications, and reports.

  • Carrie Treadwell

    Carrie Treadwell

    Chief Research Officer

    Carrie Treadwell joined the Organization in 1998 and serves as the Chief Research Officer at the National Brain Tumor Society, as well as Managing Director of the Defeat GBM Research Collaborative, a subsidiary of the Organization. In these roles, she interacts with leading researchers and institutions to guide the development and success of key research initiatives including overseeing the Organization’s grant process. She also serves as a patient advocate for the National Cancer Institute’s Brain Tumor SPORE Program.

  • David F. Arons, JD

    David F. Arons, JD

    Chief Public Policy and Advocacy Officer

    David Arons is the Chief Public Policy and Advocacy Officer of the National Brain Tumor Society. In this role, he directs the organization’s federal and state public policy efforts and nationwide advocacy program. He previously served as the Director of Government Relations for the American Cancer Society in Minnesota. He is the author of several books, including Power in Policy: A Funder’s Guide to Advocacy and Civic Participation, Strengthening Nonprofit Advocacy, and A Voice for Nonprofits and serves on the National Cancer Institute’s Council of Research Advocates and Clinical Trials and Translational Research Advisory Committee.

  • Kevin Courtney

    Kevin Courtney

    Chief Development Officer

    Kevin Courtney is the Chief Development Officer of the National Brain Tumor Society. In this role, he oversees all fundraising programs, including major gifts, capital campaigns, volunteer management, events, and strategic program development. Mr. Courtney joined the Organization in 2013. He has led the philanthropy programs at several leading healthcare, educational and human service organizations, including the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine and Medical Center and the Tufts University School of Medicine.

  • Kristina Knight

    Kristina Knight

    Chief Marketing & Community Relations Officer

    Kristina Knight is the Chief Marketing and Community Relations Officer of the National Brain Tumor Society. In this role, she is responsible for directing the community engagement strategies with other organizations and key individuals, and oversees the brand experience and tone of the organization. Ms. Knight joined the Brain Tumor Society in 2007, which then merged with the National Brain Tumor Foundation to become the National Brain Tumor Society in 2008. Prior to working in the brain tumor community, she was responsible for in-house marketing departments in various industries, and worked in business development for several branding agencies.

  • Alison Bengel, MBA

    Alison Bengel, MBA

    Director of Marketing Communications

    Alison Bengel is the Director of Marketing Communications for the National Brain Tumor Society. Ms. Bengel joined the Organization in 2012, and leads the external communication strategies and campaigns including all public relations, brand management, events marketing, and message development. Her industry knowledge and experience also includes high technology, managed care, and most recently life sciences. Ms. Bengel is active with community-based organizations such as Sustainable Watertown and serves on the JP@Home advisory board.

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Board of Directors

Officers

  • Michael Nathanson, JD, LLM

    Michael Nathanson, JD, LLM

    Chair

    Michael Nathanson is the Chair of the National Brain Tumor Society Board of Directors. He is also the Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chairman of The Colony Group, a leading independent wealth management company. He has been on the National Brain Tumor Society’s Board of Directors since 2011. He has been named five times by Barrons as one of the top 100 independent financial advisors in the nation. Mr. Nathanson has been living with a brain tumor since 2000.

  • Cord Schlobohm, DMD

    Cord Schlobohm, DMD

    Vice Chair

    Cord Schlobohm, DMD is the Vice Chair of the National Brain Tumor Society Board of Directors. He has been a practicing dentist in Bethesda, MD for over 25 years. Dr. Schlobohm became involved with the National Brain Tumor Society after losing his daughter to a brain tumor. He recently served as a patient advocate on the peer-reviewed Cancer Research Program of the Department of Defense, and has spoken on NPR on behalf of the National Brain Tumor Society.

  • Michael Corkin

    Michael Corkin

    Treasurer

    Michael Corkin is the Treasurer of the National Brain Tumor Society Board of Directors. He is also the President and Owner of Corkin Insurance Company, based in Newton, Massachusetts. He initially became involved with the Organization after his daughter was diagnosed and successfully operated on for a brain tumor 20 years ago. He is also a leading fundraiser for the Boston Brain Tumor Ride and in recent years served as the event co-chair.

  • Sarah Durham

    Sarah Durham

    Clerk

    Sarah Durham is the Clerk of the National Brain Tumor Society Board of Directors. She is the Principal and Founder of Big Duck, a communications firm that works exclusively with nonprofits to help reach supporters, build awareness, and raise money. She was named a top fundraiser under 40 by Fundraising Success in 2006, and one of the most influential women in technology by Fast Company in 2010.

Board Members

  • Jeffrey Kolodin, Chair Emeritus
  • Kristen Campana, Esq.
  • Michael Durbin
  • John Frishkopf
  • Richard Genderson
  • Ken Grey
  • Sheila Killeen
  • Chandri Navarro, Esq.
  • Susan Pannullo, MD
  • Alison Ross, Esq.
  • Stephen T. Sadler, JD
  • Rabbi Eric B. Wisnia

Honorary Board Members

  • G. Bonnie Feldman
  • Steve Karol
  • Scott Memmott, Esq.
  • Charles B. Wilson, MD
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Advisors

Industry Advisory Board  |   Medical Advisory Board  |   Public Policy Advisory Committtee  |   Scientific Advisory Council  |   Strategic Scientific Advisory Council  |   Scientific Policy Comittee

Industry Advisory Board

  • Joanne Smith-Farrell, PhD

    Merck & Co.

  • Michael Nathanson, JD, LLM

    The Colony Group

  • Skip Irving, MBA

    Health Advances

  • Michael Gutch, PhD

    MedImmune Ventures

  • Richard Gaynor, MD

    Eli Lilly and Company

  • Brian Gallagher, Jr., PhD

    SR One/GlaxoSmithKline

  • Neil Exter, MBA

    Third Rock Ventures

  • Giulio Draetta, MD, PhD

    UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

  • Bruce Booth, PhD

    Atlas Venture

  • Louis Beardell, Jr., JD, MBA

    Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

  • Lauren Abrey, MD

    Genentech / Roche

Medical Advisory Board

  • Jeffrey Wefel, PhD

    The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

  • Liz Salmi

    The Liz Army

  • Jeffrey Raizer, MD

    Northwestern Memorial Hospital

  • Scott Pomeroy, MD, PhD

    Boston Children's Hospital

  • Susan Pannullo, MD

    New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weil Cornell Medical College

  • Gigi MacMillan

    We Can Pediatric Brain Tumor Network

  • Glen Lesser, MD

    Wake Forest University Medical Center

  • Mark Gilbert, MD

    The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

  • Amar Gajjar, MD

    St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

  • Sherry Fox, PhD, RN, CNRS

    Bon Secours Cancer Institute

  • Paul Fisher, MD

    Stanford University Medical Center

  • Timothy Cloughesy, MD, Vice Chair

    University of California, Los Angeles

  • Terri S. Armstrong, PhD, NP

    The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Public Policy Advisory Committee

  • Eric Wenger

    Microsoft Corp.

  • Max Wallace, JD

    Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure

  • BethAnn Telford

    Team BT

  • Cord Schlobohm, DMD

  • Chandri Navarro, JD

    Hogan Lovells US LLP

  • Scott Memmott, Esq. Chair

    Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

  • Richard Hamburg, MPA

    Trust for America's Health

  • James "JD" Derderian

    The Stanton Park Group

Scientific Advisory Council

  • Jean Zhao, PhD

    Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

  • Forest M. White, PhD

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Evan Snyder, MD, PhD

    Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute

  • John Sampson, MD, PhD

    Duke University Medical Center

  • Paul Mischel, MD

    University of California, Los Angeles

  • Linda Liau, MD, PhD

    University of California, Los Angeles

  • Ching Lau, MD, PhD

    Texas Children's Cancer Center

  • Robert Jenkins, MD, PhD

    Mayo Clinic

  • C. David James, PhD

    University of California, San Francisco

  • Candece Gladson, MD

    Cleveland Clinic

  • G. Yancey Gillespie, PhD

    University of Alabama at Birmingham

  • Frank Furnari, PhD

    University of California, San Diego

  • David Eisenstat, MD, MA, FRCPC

    University of Alberta

  • Joseph Costello, PhD

    University of California, San Francisco

  • Suzanne Baker, PhD

    St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Strategic Scientific Advisory Council

  • W.K. Alfred Yung, MD

    The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

  • William C. Hahn, MD, PhD

    Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

  • Richard B. Gaynor, MD

    Eli Lilly and Company

  • George D. Demetri, MD

    Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

  • Webster Cavenee, PhD

    Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, San Diego

  • Darell D. Bigner, MD, PhD

    Duke University

  • Mitchel S. Berger, MD

    University of California, San Francisco

  • Anna Barker, PhD

    Arizona State University

Scientific Policy Committee

  • W.K. Alfred Yung, MD

    The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

  • Susan Pannullo, MD

    New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weil Cornell Medical College

  • Steven Brem, MD

    University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine

  • Patrick Wen, MD

    Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

  • Linda M. Liau, MD, PhD

    University of California, Los Angeles

  • Kenneth D. Aldape, MD

    The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

  • Jan Buckner, MD

    Mayo Clinic
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