The late Robert Seeger, M.D., Ph.D., was Professor of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine, Director of Cancer Research Program of the Saban Research Institute, and Division Head for Basic and Translational Research of the Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Seeger is considered one of the leaders in the fight against neuroblastoma. He has been involved in every major advancement in treating neuroblastoma. Dr. Seeger’s current therapeutic research deals with immunotherapy strategies that seek to maximize natural killer (NK) cell activity with tumor cell targeting antibodies and with agents that modify the tumor microenvironment milieu to minimize NK suppressive effects of monocytes/macrophages producing IL-6 and TGFβ1
Dr. Seeger helped establish End Kids Cancer. He dedicated himself to reducing and eliminating the suffering caused by childhood cancer. His compassion and kindness were constantly present in his interactions with others, manifesting in his unwavering commitment to helping young patients and their families. It has been a true privilege and honor to know Dr. Seeger. He gave all he had to this noble cause – our children. His impact will be felt in perpetuity. He is severely missed.
Dr. Malcolm K. Brenner
Malcolm K. Brenner, M.D., Ph.D., is the director of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and The Methodist Hospital. He is also director of the Shell Center for Gene Therapy at BCM and a professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, Section of Hematology-Oncology.
Before coming to Baylor, he was one of the pioneers in the field of gene therapy at St. Jude Children’s Cancer Research Center in Memphis. Dr. Brenner is a co-editor of the journal Molecular Therapy, a member of the American Society of Gene Therapy and a principal investigator or co-investigator on five NIH grants. He is the author or co-author of more than 200 professional articles in his field. He was the first to cure a child with neuroblastoma using T cells.
Dr. Shakeel Modak
Dr. Shakeel Modak, M.D., Ph.D., joins us from the Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Immunotherapy, Neuroblastoma at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York. Dr. Modak is a pediatric oncologist who specializes in the treatment of children and young adults with neuroblastoma.
Dr. Modak along with his colleague Dr. Brian Kushner just recently reported the results of their groundbreaking clinical trial in which a vaccine was utilized. They reported an 80% reduction in relapse rates (or increased survival from a 30% survival rate to a 54% survival rate) for children fighting neuroblastoma. This number has been holding – six years out. Not only was the increased efficacy huge, but just as important, they used a vaccine a non-invasive, non-toxic treatments with no short term and long term life-threatening side effects.
Dr. Fernando Stein
Dr. Stein, is the former President of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is a founding member of the Section of Critical Care, the Council of Sections Management Committee and the Committee on Membership of the AAP. As a member of the technical advisors of the Pan American Health Organization for the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI), he has been extremely active in advocacy for children in impoverished environments at the global level.
He is a leader in the area of chronically-ill children as survivors of intensive care. More than 1300 residents have rotated through the unit he has directed for the past 35 years. Residents under Dr. Stein’s Progressive Care Unitlearn the intricacies of caring for children with technological dependency and the complexities of chronic care, re-imbursement and social and educational re-incorporation of this ever-increasing group of patients.
Dr. Paul Sondel
Paul Sondel, M.D., Ph.D., is the Reed and Carolee Walker Professor in Pediatric Oncology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Dr. Sondel has been a leader in scientific policy through multiple national committee roles, including the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), and the National Cancer Institute, where he was a member of the Board of Scientific Counselors, and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, where he was the Chair of their Scientific Advisory Committee and is now chair of their cancer center’s external advisory board.
Due to his extensive background in genetics and tumor immunology, Dr. Sondel led his team to dramatically change the treatment for neuroblastoma, and, in turn, the survival rate for children with this high-risk disease.
Dr.Rene’ Bravo,M.D.,F.A.A.P.
Dr. Rene’ Bravo, is the president of the California Medical Association. Dr. Bravo is a primary care pediatrician who has been serving families and children on the Central Coast for 38 years. He is the founder and President of Bravo Pediatrics, a 5-physician single specialty group practice where he is the managing partner.
He is the past Chair of the Board of Directors at Cencal Health (Medi-Cal County organized health system) for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties.
At CMA, he has served on the Board of CALPAC and the CMA Foundation Board (now Physicians for a Healthy California), in addition to serving as District V Trustee on the CMA Board.
He has served as the Chair of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics TAC, the Governance TAC, the Restorative Justice TAC and the Fast Action Committee responding to the Office of Health Care Affordability (OCHA). A longtime delegate to the CMA House of Delegates, he has Chaired Reference Committee B for past House of Delegates. Dr. Bravo is past president of San Luis Obispo County Medical Society, where he also served on its Governing Board and chaired the Physician Wellness Committee for 10 years.
Dr. Philip Landrigan
Dr. Philip Landrigan, is a pediatrician and epidemiologist at Boston College. Dr. Landrigan is considered the leading expert in understanding the connections between toxic chemicals and human health, especially the health of infants and children.
His landmark research in the ’70s prompted the EPA removing lead in gasoline and household paint. In the 1990’s at the National Academy of Sciences, he also defined children’s unique susceptibilities to pesticides and other toxic chemicals and catalyzed fundamental revamping of US pesticide policy.
He served for 15 years as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer and medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
His leadership of a National Academy of Sciences Committee on pesticides in children’s diets secured passage of the Food Quality Protection Act in 1996, a major U.S. federal pesticide law and the first environmental statute to contain specific protections for infants and children.
Dr. Chrystal Louis
Dr. Chrystal Louis is a pediatric hematologist and oncologist who is passionate about bringing novel therapeutics to patients with serious conditions. With more than two decades of experience across academia and industry, Dr Louis is currently the Chief Medical Officer at TScan Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of T cell receptor engineered cellular therapies for the treatment of patients with cancer.
Prior to joining TScan, she was Senior Vice President of Hematology Clinical Development and Medical Affairs at Zentalis Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Louis held roles of increasing responsibility within medical affairs at CRISPR Therapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMS), and Celgene Corporation (acquired by BMS), as well as clinical development and project leadership at Merrimack Pharmaceuticals.
Throughout the course of her career, she has been responsible for the design and oversight of clinical programs, medical strategy, and pre-commercialization and launch activities of novel therapeutic agents that have spanned small molecules to cell and gene therapeutics.
Prior to joining industry, Dr. Louis was an Assistant Professor at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, where she worked on the early development of CAR-T cell therapy products for solid tumor malignancies. She completed her pediatric hematology and oncology fellowship at Texas Children’s Cancer Center and her general pediatrics residency at the University of California at Davis. Dr. Louis received her M.D. from Tulane University School of Medicine, her Masters Degree in Public Health from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, in addition to her B.A. in Political Science and B.S. in Chemistry from Southwestern University at Georgetown, TX.
DR. HIROYUKI SHIMADA
Dr. Hiroyuki Shimada, MD, PhD, is a Professor of Pathology and Pediatrics Standford Medicine. He is a world-renowned expert in pediatric pathology, specifically recognized for his pioneering work in neuroblastoma. Dr. Shimada is a major figure in pediatric oncology:
He is the Chair of the International Neuroblastoma Pathology Committee. He was born in Tokyo, Japan (1948), graduated from Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan (1973), and completed Pathology Training at the Children’s Hospital and the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA (1988). He founded the International Neuroblastoma Pathology Classification (1999). He is actively reviewing pathology samples of about 700 neuroblastoma cases per year from United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Christopher Kennedy Lawford
The late Mr. Lawford was an early advisor of the foundation. He provided the spark and critical early guidance.
He spent much of his life in Washington and Hollywood, navigating these two worlds as an actor, writer, lawyer, activist and public speaker.
Mr. Lawford worked with the United Nations, the Canadian Center on Substance Abuse, and the World Health Organization in efforts to raise awareness globally about addiction steps and hepatitis.
His uncle, the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, authored the 21st Century Cancer Access to Life-Saving Early Detection, Research and Treatment (ALERT) Act, a comprehensive bill to address the broad issues the nation faces in combatting cancer.
Mr. Lawford was an extremely intelligent and compassionate man. He will be sorely missed.
Bill Hagelstein
After joining the agency business in the Midwest, Bill began his West Coast career at Needham Harper Worldwide/Los Angeles, which became RPA in 1986, rising to SVP /Group Account Director while running the Honda business.
During an 8-year leave of absence, he led the Orange County office of Foote, Cone & Belding (FCB) as EVP / Management Director. In 1996, Bill returned to RPA where he rose to serve as President and CEO, until becoming Executive Chairman in 2023.
Bill is active in the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO Gold). In 2019 he was the Hall of Fame Chairman of the American Advertising Federation, where he serves as a Board Member and sits on their Executive Committee.
Additionally, Bill is a member of the Board of Directors of the AD Council. He was a long-time member of the Los Angeles Music Center Fraternity of Friends and served on the Board of Directors for the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County.
In 2016 Bill was named one of Los Angeles Business Journal’s 500 Most Influential People in Los Angeles. In 2024, he received the American Advertising Federation’s Barton A. Cummings Gold Medal Award, the highest honor for volunteer service throughout the advertising industry.
SUE ANDRESEN
President/CEO at Marian Regional Medical Center — which includes Arroyo Grande and Santa Maria campuses (in San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County, respectively). She most recently served as vice president of finance and CFO for the Dignity Health Central Coast Service Area. In addition to several other health care leadership positions, Andersen previously served as an accounting instructor at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
Dr. Jeffrey D. Armstrong
Betsy Robertshaw Umhofer
William Yoast, Honorary Chairman
Taylor Fukushima C.F.R.E
Taylor, is a dedicated fundraising expert with a decade of service, was inspired to make a difference after witnessing her sister’s and sister’s friends’ brutal battles with childhood cancer.
Taylor’s fundraising career began at Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles, followed by a role at the American Red Cross. She currently serves as a fundraiser for Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.
Taylor resides in Spokane with her husband and their 2-year-old son and 10-month-old daughter.
Terry Kalman C.P.A
Terry received her undergraduate degree in Accounting and Business from California State University, Northridge. She has worked as a CPA at top accounting firms, both locally and nationally, including Radakovich, Shaw & Company, Glenn, Burdette, Phillips & Bryson, and Peat, Marwick, Main & Co. She is currently the controller at Precision Construction Services.
However, Terry’s most significant personal challenge began 24 years ago when she and her husband received devastating news: their 12-year-old daughter’s childhood cancer had relapsed, with zero chance of survival. Refusing to give up, they were convinced a doctor somewhere could save her.
While they were searching for the doctors who would save their daughter, she also focused on maintaining stability at home for their three children, ensuring a solid family foundation during an unimaginably difficult time.
Guy Rathbun, Board
Mr. Rathbun is a radio host at KCBX Public Radio, Public Radio Exchange, Independent producer for Public Radio Exchange, and former Program Manager for KCBX Public Radio, 1986-2011. Guy began his career in broadcasting as a field reporter in 1975. From 1983 to 1991 and again between 1999 and 2011, he taught Broadcasting, Audio Production and Broadcast Writing at Cuesta College
Dan Roberts, Board
Dan is a writer, director and creative director who has created award-winning advertising for clients like Honda, Farmers Insurance, Southwest Airlines, La-Z-Boy and ampm. He holds an MFA in creative writing, has lectured at Stanford University and Antioch University, and is proud to have worked with End Kids Cancer since 2016. Dan lives in Santa Monica with his wife and daughter.
Frank Kalman, Executive Director & Founder
Frank received his undergraduate degree in Marketing/Business from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He went to work for the American Honda Motor Corporation Automotive Division in the marketing department as an analyst. He generated recommendations and implemented changes to improve Honda car sales throughout the United States. He was later promoted to the Auto Distribution Department as an analyst and tasked with reducing distribution costs. The new processes that were implemented save American Honda millions of dollars annually.
Frank began his informal medical education 24 years ago when he and his wife were told their 12-year-old daughter had a zero chance of survival because she had relapsed with a deadly pediatric cancer. They were convinced somewhere out there was a doctor who could save her. He started reading medical literature, attending medical conferences throughout the United States, and went to see top experts at centers nationwide. He found them.
He founded End Kids Cancer in response to witnessing the devastating pain and loss endured by so many children and their families by cancer while caring for his daughter during her prolonged cancer battle. Also, he learned that the researchers on the cutting edge at the leading cancer centers are on their own when raising funds for their research. While searching for the doctors who would save his daughter, he discovered who the leaders in the field were and recruited some of the top ones onto the Foundation’s Medical Advisory Board.
