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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council

The AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council guides and supports the institute’s executive leadership concerning high-level initiatives for cancer prevention, screening, and treatment in our community. These local leaders are dedicated to working with AHN to advance preventive measures against cancer, promote screenings, and ensure our community has access to the latest, most effective treatments.

Stronger together

When a community’s local leaders join with physicians and researchers on the leading edge of cancer care, they form a team far greater than the sum of its parts. Together, we can achieve meaningful victories in the fight against cancer — a disease that can affect everyone. Together, we: 

  • Drive awareness of health initiatives to prevent cancer.
  • Identify disparities in access to treatment and get help where it’s needed most.
  • Secure funding for clinical trials and research to fight the disease.
  • Lobby local and state governments for aid in cancer-fighting initiatives that impact our region.
  • Attract leaders in the field of oncology to join us in the fight. 
  • Streamline the delivery of promising research to those who can help bring it to market.
  • Recognize those who are delivering high-quality care on the front lines.

Meet the AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council

 

 

AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - John A. Barbour, Shareholder - Buchanan Ingersoll - Rooney
Shareholder - Buchanan Ingersoll - Rooney

John A. “Jack” Barbour served for seven years as the firm's CEO, Managing Director and Chairman of its Board of Directors. He also served as Executive Chairman for over four years. Jack focuses his practice on real estate development and financing, as well as complex commercial transactions. He also advises and counsels high-net-worth family businesses.

Jack is currently serving on the Board of Directors of the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, having served as Chair from 2015 to 2017. Jack is a Trustee of the University of Pittsburgh and served as Chairperson of its Property and Facilities Committee from 2016 to 2020. Jack has served as a Life Trustee of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh for many years.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - Rev. Dr. William H. Curtis, Senior Pastor of Mt. Ararat Baptist Church
Senior Pastor of Mt. Ararat Baptist Church

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. William H. Curtis accepted the call to ministry at the age of 17. For seven years, he served as the Senior Pastor at Shiloh Baptist Church in York, PA. However, since 1997, he has served as the Senior Pastor at Mount Ararat Baptist Church in Pittsburgh, PA.

Dr. Curtis has been the recipient of numerous honors and awards. In 2009, he was inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers of Morehouse College. Dr. Curtis has authored the following books: FAITH: Learning to Live Without Fear, and his second book, Dressed for Victory: Putting on the Full Armor of God.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - David Finegold, President - Chatham University
President - Chatham University

Dr. David Finegold, the 19th President of Chatham University, has over 30 years of experience in higher education as a researcher, author, professor, academic dean, senior vice president and chief academic officer. He graduated summa cum laude from Harvard in 1985, and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, from which he received his DPhil in Politics in 1992. A renowned scholar and educational innovator, Dr. Finegold has dedicated his career to education reform, the design of high-performance organizations, and extensive comparative research on education and skill-creation systems from around the world.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - Jennifer Giovannitti, President - Benedum Foundation
President - Benedum Foundation

Jen Giovannitti is the President and a Trustee of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, a private family foundation founded in 1944. The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation is a regional philanthropy organization focusing on West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Foundation generally invests two-thirds of its grant dollars in West Virginia and one-third in Southwestern Pennsylvania, making it a place-based funder with a dedication to rural communities.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Giovannitti led community-based initiatives for seven years at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, working regionally and nationally on issues facing low-income communities and advancing strategies for community investment. She formed the West Virginia Loan Fund Collaborative in 2012 to better understand the impact of small business lending in underserved communities. She has authored a variety of reports, publications, and opinion essays, and has applied her expertise broadly in rural development strategies.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - Daniel Grealish, Jr., Chairman - Henderson Brothers
Henderson Brothers, Chairman

As chairman of Henderson Brothers, Inc., Dan Grealish is heavily involved with defining the vision for the company while directing his energies toward strategic planning, acquisitions and client interaction. He helps assure responsive customer service, assists clients in focusing their attention on succession planning and business continuation, and helps coordinate Henderson Brothers’ significant community service activities.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - Darrin Kelly
President Allegheny County Labor Council

Before being elected to President of the Allegheny Fayette CLC in 2018, he served as a Vice-President for 9 years under the Leadership of Jack Shea, Former President.

He also has served as the Political and legislative Director for the Pittsburgh fire Fighters 1 overseeing the political side of the spectrum in Harrisburg and Washington DC.

As an active Fire Fighter for the City of Pittsburgh for over 19 years, his commitment to his job has remained a priority as well as his Leadership in their day-to-day operations. He also served as a National CPR instructor.

Darrin served in the US Navy and has been highly successful in instituting the Union Veteran’s Council, which is a first for the Labor Movement in the State of Pennsylvania.

He continues to serve on many committees, as a Vice-President on the Fire Fighters Pension Board, Three Rivers Area Labor Management Committee Co-Chair, Partners4Work Board of Directors, PWSA Storm Water Committee, the United Way Board of Directors and the Allegheny County Public Safety Vision Team appointed by County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

Darrin is the proud father of two beautiful daughters, Olivia and Sara. Darrin has been a lifelong resident of Pittsburgh.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - David J. Malone, Chairman & CEO - Gateway Financial
Chairman & CEO - Gateway Financial

David is a co-owner and co-founder of Gateway Financial, providing key leadership since 1982. He is responsible for building and managing relationships for the firm. David has sophisticated insight and experience in all areas of financial, benefits, and generational wealth planning for individuals having net worth of $20 million or more and is adept at the design and funding of executive benefits for both public and private companies. His extensive expertise in wealth preservation and business continuity planning creates opportunities to work with a variety of individuals and business owners.

David works closely with clients and their advisors and guides them through the insurance acquisition process, educating them on the economics and risks to create a personalized estate plan. Keeping current on industry trends and changing products allows David to design plans meant to keep his clients at the pinnacle of efficient wealth planning strategies. David creates a clear vision for Gateway, empowering the Executive team and employees to build an effective organization. The empathy David has for his clients and the synergy he creates among his relationships are hallmarks of his success. He is a passionate advocate for various community organizations and is particularly interested in workforce development and education issues. He serves on the boards of United Way, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, the Snee Reinhardt Charitable Foundation, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, and Robert Morris University, among many others. David has received several awards for his community involvement, including: the Jewish Nation Fund Tree of Life Award and the Fred Thieman Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern PA Award.

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Theresa Mayer
Vice President for Research

Theresa S. Mayer is Carnegie Mellon University’s Vice President for Research, providing leadership for the University’s research enterprise and advocating for the role that science, technology, and innovation play nationally and globally.

Theresa holds joint faculty appointments in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering.

Theresa was previously Purdue University’s executive vice president for research and partnerships and a professor of electrical and computer engineering. There she oversaw Purdue’s research enterprise.

Mayer served as vice president for research and innovation and a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Virginia Tech. Prior to her role at Virginia Tech, Mayer was at Pennsylvania State University for more than 20 years, where she served as a distinguished professor of electrical engineering, associate dean for research and innovation in the College of Engineering, the site director of the National Science Foundation’s National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network and director of the Materials Research Institute Nanofabrication Laboratory.

She is internationally recognized for her research in applications of nanotechnology to electronic and photonic devices with new and previously unexplored functions. Her work in directed and self-assembly of nanoparticles has been used to expand the types and complexity of materials that can be integrated into devices beyond standard lithographic approaches, enabling a wide range of novel structures from low-power integrated nanosensor circuits to nanostructured gradient index optical components.

She has more than 350 technical publications, invited presentations and tutorials, and holds eight patents. Several of her co-inventions have been transitioned into commercial products. She is a fellow of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and has received numerous awards for her teaching and research, including the NSF CAREER award. Throughout her career, she has supported the advancement of women in science and engineering.

Mayer earned her bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Purdue.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member -Michael McMullen, President and Owner, MTM Restaurant Group
President & Owner, MTM Restaurant Group
AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - Jim McQuade, President -  Dollar Bank
President -  Dollar Bank

Jim McQuade is the President and CEO of Dollar Bank, Federal Savings Bank and Dollar Mutual Bancorp, Dollar Bank’s Mutual Holding Company.  Dollar Bank is a full service, regional bank committed to providing the highest quality of banking services to individuals and businesses. Dollar Bank operates more than 80 offices throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia with total assets of over $10.4 billion.

Only the twelfth Dollar Bank president in more than 165 years, Jim takes great pride in the role Dollar Bank plays in the communities it serves. As the largest independent mutual bank in the nation, Dollar Bank has no shareholders to answer to and therefore is not fixated on stock price. Jim feels a deep responsibility for the bank to remain independent and provide products and services that grow out of understanding customer needs.

Jim joined Dollar Bank in 2001, rising through the ranks of senior management with first-hand experience managing the bank’s retail branch network. His background includes seventeen years in senior management at Dollar Bank and a decade in bank management at several financial institutions before that. Jim has a deep understanding of the importance of customer relationships and brings that perspective to the strategy, vision and mission of Dollar Bank.

Professionally, Jim is on the Board of Directors for the American Bankers Association, and he is also a member of the American Bankers Association Mutual Advisory Committee. Personally, he recognizes the unique responsibility of supporting cultural and business organizations working to enrich lives and preserve the heritage of our people and communities. Jim is on the Board of Directors of the United Way of Southwestern PA, the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, and the Duquesne Club. Devoted to finding a cure for cancer, Jim is also on the Advisory Board for Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - Morgan O'Brien
President & CEO of Peoples Natural Gas Company LLC

Morgan K. O’Brien is a native Pittsburgher who was raised by a blue collar Irish-Catholic family to value all people and all forms of work.   His work ethic and value of other people helped him rise to become CEO at Duquesne Light Company here.   He later moved over to become the CEO at Peoples Gas here.  He’s helped raise his family here and now has the privilege of watching their family’s grow here.

In those roles, he was the face and voice of the hardworking employees who dedicated each day to helping families and businesses here.   He successfully grew the companies in terms of employment and in investor value.  He has positioned both Peoples and Duquesne Light as the true community partners and champions they are today.  They both continue to invest and partner with many organizations that drive economic development and improve the quality of life in the region.

O’Brien earned his degrees from Robert Morris University.  O’Brien is active in civic organizations throughout the region, including serving as the incoming Chair of the Board of Trustees of his alma mater.  He also serves on many boards, some which include Matthews International, Watt Fuel Cell, Enviro Power, Dollar Energy, Neighborhood 91, AHN Cancer Institute, Co-chair of Pittsburgh Works Together, United Way of Allegheny County, African American Chamber and The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.  Morgan is also the current Chair of the United Way Campaign.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - Daniel Onorato, Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs - Highmark Health
Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs - Highmark Health; AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council Founding Executive Leader

Daniel A. Onorato is executive vice president of corporate affairs for Highmark Health. He has a broad portfolio of responsibilities, including public policy, government and regulatory affairs, community investment and corporate communications. He serves as chairman of the Highmark Foundation, executive director of the Highmark Caring Foundation, and on the board of directors and executive committee of the Jefferson Foundation.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - Audrey Russo, President - Pittsburgh Tech Council
President - Pittsburgh Tech Council

Since 2007, Audrey Russo has served the technology business sector for southwestern PA as President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Technology Council (www.pghtech.org), the oldest (1983) and largest technology trade association in North America. In this role, Russo facilitates strong interaction across all sectors of the regional economy, which she believes will only succeed and grow through technology innovation and commercialized disruptions across every platform and experience. With a background in information technology, operations and finance, Russo previously worked for large multi-national Fortune 500 companies (Alcoa, Reynolds Metals), as well as at MAYA Design, and in an adjunct faculty and project role at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Russo earned her Bachelor of Science from Ohio State University. She also has a Masters in Public Administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Public Affairs.

Russo is committed to the complexity of Pittsburgh’s physical, literal and metaphorical terrain, and believes that vital cities are the moral imperative in achieving competitive, diverse and vibrant economies. She was the Board Chair for the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh. Russo is a serving board member at the following organizations: Regional Industrial Development Corporation (RIDC), Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Greater Pittsburgh, CityLab, Highmark Business Advisory Board, the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and City of Asylum.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - Catherine S. Ryan, Partner - Reed Smith LLP
Partner - Reed Smith LLP

Casey is the Global Head of Legal Personnel and a member of the firm's Senior Management Team.

A member of the firm's Labor & Employment Group, Casey is listed in The Best Lawyers in America©, Chambers USA and Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Casey represents employers in a wide variety of employment-related disputes, including harassment, retaliation, discrimination, wrongful discharge, equal pay and breach of contract litigation. She has successfully litigated in federal and state courts throughout the United States, and routinely appears before both federal and state agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and various state human relations commissions. She also has successfully defended employers in employment class actions and in litigation brought by the EEOC.

A member of the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County, Casey is an accomplished trial lawyer who has secured defense verdicts in federal court jury trials in matters including gender and race discrimination as well as retaliation. She also has extensive trial experience in the arbitration context.

Casey's extensive arbitration practice includes representation of employers in FINRA, AAA and JAMS proceedings, and has prevailed in numerous arbitrations involving matters such as breach of employment contracts, wage claims, and bonus and incentive pay disputes.

As part of counseling employers on day-to-day issues, Casey regularly advises on issues of hiring, disciplining and firing in both unionized and non-unionized workplaces. She also authors employment policies, including drug and alcohol testing procedures, executive contracts, separation agreements and employee handbooks. Casey frequently conducts on-site training sessions on topics such as workforce management, workplace violence, harassment and discrimination, and computer and Internet usage. 

A substantial portion of Casey's practice involves traditional labor law and counseling employers on contract interpretation and discipline issues. She has represented employers in grievance arbitrations and in National Labor Relations Board proceedings, and has advised employers during union organizing campaigns.

Casey routinely represents colleges and universities on employment issues, as well as those involving tenure, Clery Act compliance and student affairs. She is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and has presented at NACUA’s regional and national conferences.

Additionally, Casey has conducted numerous internal investigations into matters including fraud, embezzlement, theft, discrimination and harassment. She also trains human resource professionals on conducting and documenting internal investigations.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - Lisa Schroeder, President and Founder - The Pittsburgh Foundation
President and Founder - The Pittsburgh Foundation

Lisa Schroeder is president and CEO of The Pittsburgh Foundation. She was appointed in February of 2019 and took the helm in June that year to lead the philanthropy, which was established in 1945. The Foundation works to improve the quality of life in the Pittsburgh region by evaluating and addressing community issues, promoting responsible philanthropy and connecting donors to the region’s critical needs.

As a nonprofit executive and civic leader,  Schroeder has a distinguished record in Pittsburgh and Baltimore for turning place-centered organizations into powerful movements for quality-of-life improvement.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - Travis Williams, President - Pittsburgh Pirates
President - Pittsburgh Pirates

Travis Williams began his role as President of the Pirates on November 1, 2019. In this role, he is responsible for the baseball and business operations of the organization, with a particular focus on the club’s vision for the future, connection to its fans and commitment to the community.

In his first year at the helm, Williams made it a priority to strengthen the organization’s connection with the fan base by focusing on a fan-oriented business approach. An important part of this approach was the reshaping the Pirates leadership team with the hiring of several key leaders with vast experience in fan engagement and the customer experience.

Williams has also overseen several outreach initiatives to strengthen the Pirates impact throughout the Pittsburgh community, which was of heightened importance in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

From the onset of the pandemic, Williams worked to ensure the organization was driven to help meet the immediate Community Food Bank on several distribution events to serve over 425,000 meals to those in need. He also led a season-long campaign to help local area businesses and nonprofits get back on their feet.

Williams has more than a decade of Pittsburgh sports executive leadership experience, having spent 11 years as an integral part of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ executive team. He returned to Pittsburgh from his most recent position as the President of Business Operations for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League. During his year in New York, Williams helped the Islanders accomplish a lot in a short period of time, including the building of an entire business operations staff, doubling the season ticket base and breaking ground on a new arena.

While with the Penguins, Williams served as the Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the day-to-day business and arena operations. In addition, Williams oversaw the development of PPG Paints Arena as well as the construction of UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.

Williams joined the Penguins in 2008 as Senior Vice President of Business Affairs/General Counsel. Prior to that, Williams was a partner at Reed Smith LLP where he represented several sports franchises, including the Pirates, as well as regional sports networks and other sports-related businesses during his 12 years with the company.

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AHN Cancer Institute Advisory Council member - Marlin Woods, Founder and CEO - BenefitsPLUS
Founder and CEO - Benefits PLUS

Marlin D. Woods is Founder and CEO of Benefits PLUS Consulting, a Vendor Management consulting firm specializing in pairing best fit health & welfare benefits vendors to employers through a unique matching system. Mr. Woods is the author of the book, “Courting the Employ(H)er: A Business-To-Business Romance”, which debuted as a #1 Best Seller in the Business Insurance class on Amazon. Mr. Woods has over 20 years of sales leadership experience and is a national public speaker on sales behavior and inspirational messaging. Mr. Woods occupies a seat on the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association and is Chairman of the Executive Leadership Committee. Mr. Woods is a member of the advisory board of the National Workplace Benefits Association and serves on the board of Governors of the Rivers Club, a private athletic and executive club in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mr. Woods has a driving burden for community mentorship and is the Founder of the “Empower Me” Motivational Mentorship Seminar, a bi-annual seminar providing mentorship exposure to African Americans across the United States to increase quality opportunities in leadership and entrepreneurship.

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