AA&MDSIF Staff

Position	Staff	Background
Executive Director	John Huber	John has more than 30 years of leadership experience in both national and international nonprofit organizations. He previously served as the Executive Director of the American Urological Association Foundation, and prior to that, served as the Vice President of Membership Support Service for eight years with Goodwill Industries International. His expertise includes creating and implementing new governance models and strategies, securing financial resources for patient education and research programs, expanding membership, and deploying "member service" driven concepts. John holds a Masters degree in Adult Education from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Director of Health Professional Programs	Alice Houk	Alice manages the research grant program, monitors newly published research and drug company announcements, coordinates the Scientific Symposium, serves as liaison to the Medical Advisory Board and is the primary contact with other professional and patient organizations. She also leads efforts in educating health professionals about bone marrow failure diseases. Her nonprofit experience includes having served as a national organizer for the SAFE KIDS campaign and as a regional program coordinator for the March of Dimes. In addition, Alice has extensive experience working with volunteers in educational, fund raising and program areas. She holds a Master's degree in Health Policy from the University of Maryland.
Director of Patient Services	Jean Logan	Jean leads the needs assessment, program and material development, management and evaluation of our services to patients and families. As an experienced oncology nurse and clinical nurse manager, Jean brings front line patient service experience to our organization. She has also served as a Navy Hospital Corps staff instructor. She holds an RN and BSN and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Nursing Education and Clinical Research at Drexel University.
Director of Information and Advocacy	Benita Marcus	With extensive experience in information and Web site management for nonprofit organizations, Benita leads efforts to enhance the foundation's online presence and web-based services, including our email communications, social media and online activism tools. Benita also manages government advocacy campaigns for the foundation including advocating for Department of Defense research funding and support for the Bone Marrow Failure Disease and Treatment Act. She studied political science at the University of Pittsburgh and has taken graduate courses at George Washington University.
Director of Development	Sandra Walter-Steinberg	With more than 20 years of nonprofit organization development and fundraising experience, Sandra leads our development efforts including annual and planned giving, major gifts, foundation and corporate support along with donor development. Sandra graduated from American University with a degree in Business Administration specializing in Marketing, Communication and Advertising.
Publications Manager	Robert Burleson	Robert manages the content and development of our print publications, including the Insider, and MDS Connection. His past experience includes many years working in marketing for commercial and nonprofit medical and scientific publishers, and more recent experience in scientific professional society membership management and member relations. With a strong publication background, Bob joined us in January 2011.
Grants and Industry Relations Manager	Ramona Crawford	Ramona is responsible for corporate development and grants management. Establishing and maintaining relationships with AA&MDSIF’s partners in the pharmaceutical and healthcare services area is a key part of her work. Prior to joining AA&MDSIF, Ramona had a diverse nonprofit career that included work for medical and scientific professional organizations, The American Red Cross, and the Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.
Community Development Manager	Martha Crews	Martha organizes volunteers with fundraising events and other activities, and manages our Communities of Hope program. She has over 12 years of experience with the International MOMS Club and holds prominent positions in several PTA organizations. Martha holds a degree in Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences from Northwestern University.
Learning Events Manager	Shari Lynn	Shari is responsible for the development, implementation, and marketing of patient educational events and online programs. She coordinates and oversees our conferences, online learning events, webinars and Online Learning Center. Shari has 15 years of experience in nonprofit association management. Previous experience includes work with the National Recreation and Park Association and the American Medical Writers Association. Shari is a certified meeting professional and earned her associate degree at Frederick Community College in Maryland.
Database Manager	Desiree Ruiters	With an accounting background, Desiree handles our financial processes and manages our member database. She acts as the first contact between donors and the foundation, ensuring the smooth processing of requests for information and receipt of contributions. Desiree studied at the University of Capetown and her previous experience includes work in accounting and asset management at Mobil Oil in South Africa before she moved to the Washington, DC area.
Development Manager	Nila Vehar	Nila is responsible for annual giving and donor relations. She ensures that we hold timely and appropriate communication with donors. Nila received her Bachelor of Science in Economics from Robert Morris University and has taken graduate level courses in the fields of ethics studies and public policy from Georgetown University and George Washington University. She has over 25 years of nonprofit management and fundraising experiences.
Patient Educator	Leigh Clark	Leigh communicates with patients and their families around the world through telephone and email contact. She provides information on treatment options, financial support, and education, and connects them to resourses. Her previous experience includes working as a patient advocate for individuals with developmental disabilities. She is currently pursuing a nursing degree.
Development Support	Mike Breuer	Mike’s major responsibilities include conducting donor research, coordinating events, and assisting with projects of the Development Department. After studying journalism at the University of Wisconsin, Mike received a Nonprofit Management Certificate from the University of Illinois and obtained Certification in Corporate Communication from Elizabethtown College.
Program Support	Jacqueline Kallenbach	Jackie manages our social media presence, including our Facebook page, Twitter feed and YouTube channel. She provides program support in the areas of patient and health professional programs. Jackie obtained her Bachelor of Political Science degree from Eastern Illinois University. She also interned with the foundation in the summer of 2010.
Adminsitrative Support	Elise Harper	Elise joined AA&MDSIF in 2010 and assists with database maintenance and general office support. She has experience in customer service and restaurant management.

Originally published on 04/21/2011 - 11:37am. Last updated on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 2:03pm.