About LBBC

The LBBC Team

Meet our talented staff dedicated to helping women and families live well beyond breast cancer.

In 1996 at age 33, Jean Sachs became Living Beyond Breast Cancer's first executive director. Since joining LBBC, she has significantly expanded the organization's reach and overall health. She increased the annual budget from $100,000 to more than $1.8 million per year and tripled the size of the staff. Jean grew LBBC's membership base from 8,000 to more than 30,000. In 2003, she spearheaded the committee that developed a five-year strategic plan to grow and expand LBBC's programs and services. She diversified LBBC's financial base to include individuals, corporations and foundations, and she established an annual fund-raising gala that in its first year attracted 750 attendees. LBBC's most recent fund-raising gala netted $700,000.

During Jean's tenure, LBBC has become nationally recognized for the quality of our educational programs for a consumer audience. Each year more than 2,000 women affected by breast cancer attend or participate in LBBC programs. In 1998 and 2003, GlaxoSmithKline honored Living Beyond Breast Cancer for best practices with its International Impact Award, earning LBBC two unrestricted grants of $40,000 each. LBBC is one of only two organizations in the Philadelphia region to receive this prestigious award twice.

Under Jean's leadership, Living Beyond Breast Cancer created unique, culturally sensitive publications for African-American and Latina women and families. Getting Connected: African-Americans Living Beyond Breast Cancer was awarded the H. Winter Griffith Award for Excellence in Patient Education Materials by the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.

Jean has a long and distinguished career assisting women and families. She served as development director of the National Breast Cancer Coalition from 1993 to 1995, opening the group's national office in Washington, DC. She worked on the campaign of Pennsylvania state senator (now U.S. Congresswoman) Allyson Y. Schwartz and drafted breast cancer and women's health legislation during her tenure as Schwartz's legislative aide. After completing college, Jean worked at WOMENS WAY, where she started as an administrative assistant and after a year was promoted to special events coordinator.

Jean has master's degrees in social service and in law and social policy from Bryn Mawr College, in Pennsylvania. She was born and raised in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, and now lives in the Mt. Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia with her husband, John, and son, Max. She serves on the board of The Miquon School as co-chair of its capital campaign committee and enjoys running, yoga, shopping, movies, reading and travel.

Lauren Ainsworth coordinates and manages all aspects of LBBC's fundraising events, including Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer and the annual gala, and assists with other fundraising activities.

Lauren graduated from Union College with a bachelor's degree in anthropology and women's studies. Before coming to LBBC, she worked on the Light The Night Walk for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She has previous work experience in sales, legal recruiting and ski instruction.

Lauren grew up in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, and now lives in Havertown with her husband, Rob, and her cats, Maceo and Daisy. In her spare time, she enjoys skiing, tennis, photography, crossword puzzles and reading.

Lisa Black coordinates, implements and maintains the LBBC Survivors' Helpline--a national, toll-free telephone service staffed by trained volunteers affected by breast cancer--and coordinates volunteers for all office projects, education programs, special and fundraising events. Her responsibilities include developing, planning and facilitating Helpline and volunteer training sessions.

"I love to work with our volunteers, as they are an instrumental part of the organization," Lisa says.

Lisa graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a minor in special education. Prior to taking time off to raise her family, Lisa worked in human resources, where she was responsible for technical and college recruiting. Lisa lived in the Washington, DC, area where she returned to work as an elementary school teacher for five years before moving back to the Philadelphia area in 2005.

Lisa was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer seven years ago. She began volunteering for LBBC once a week in the fall of 2005 before becoming a staff member in 2006. She lives in Bryn Mawr with her husband, four children and one dog, and enjoys playing tennis, walking, traveling, gardening, decorating and volunteering.

Elyse S. Caplan joined Living Beyond Breast Cancer in 2000. She oversees LBBC's educational programming for breast cancer information and awareness, including large-scale conferences and teleconferences, the LBBC Survivors' Helpline, written and online publications, networking programs for young women and women of color and workshops and trainings for healthcare professionals.

Elyse represents Living Beyond Breast Cancer at professional and consumer conferences, and she serves as a spokesperson for national and local news media. Since joining LBBC, Elyse has helped expand our educational programming in both size and breadth. She is responsible for structuring and organizing new educational initiatives, including programs for Latina women and families and for women with advanced (metastatic) breast cancer.

Elyse has dedicated her career to assisting women and families affected by breast cancer. Previously, she served as program coordinator for breast cancer clinical trials at Albert Einstein Medical Center, in Philadelphia. She coordinated Einstein's cancer center psychosocial program, where she facilitated support groups, developed and implemented initiatives to enhance quality of life and well-being for patients undergoing cancer treatment and empowered patients to advocate for their health. Elyse has served as a consumer reviewer for the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program several times. In 2002 she was invited to serve as a consumer presenter and mentor for new consumer reviewers. Currently she serves as a consumer advocate resource for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Breast Cancer Center of Excellence Award, "Targeting Breast Cancer Metastasis," a multi-million dollar project funded by the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program. Elyse's most recent appointment as a grant reviewer is for the Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund, which seeks to reach women in need of breast cancer screening and treatment. She is a graduate of the National Breast Cancer Coalition's Project LEAD, a scientific training course.

A 15-year breast cancer survivor, Elyse is well known for her compassion and advocacy on behalf of all women affected by breast cancer. She enjoys spending time with her children, going to the theater, socializing with friends, walking, dancing and baking. She and her husband, David, live in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania. They have three sons, Kevin, Rob and Dan.

Amy Grillo coordinates Living Beyond Breast Cancer's educational programs for breast cancer information and awareness, including teleconferences, physical conferences and networking meetings.

Amy has more than seven years of experience in administrative work and program coordination for nonprofit organizations. Working for a cause is important to her because she believes that each of us makes a difference in the lives of others every day. She joined LBBC six years ago because of the organization's commitment to women and families affected by cancer.

Because cancer has touched her life in a very personal way, Amy is passionately committed to empowering women to take charge of their health and well-being. She is also active in women's rights issues and hopes to complete a degree with an emphasis in women's studies in the future.

Janine Guglielmino plans and oversees communications and marketing for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. She manages public relations and advertising, serves as editor of Insight and oversees all printed and virtual communications.

Janine received her bachelor's degree in history from Haverford College and her master's degree in journalism and public affairs from American University. She worked for four years as associate editor at American Forests, a nonprofit organization in Washington, DC. She also served as a managing editor at the Chronicle of Philanthropy in Washington, DC, before becoming Living Beyond Breast Cancer's communications director in November 2001. Janine is a member of the Public Relations Society of America.

Janine joined LBBC because "everyone seemed friendly, bright and caring." She has a close friend who was treated for breast cancer, and she wanted to understand better what her friend had experienced and use what she had learned to help others.

"My main goal in all my work is to lessen or alleviate feelings of isolation, fear, anxiety and sadness that result from a diagnosis of breast cancer, so all the wonderful women we serve can enjoy their lives for as long as possible," she says.

Janine lives in South Philadelphia with her beautiful white cat, Nanuq, and Tug, a gray tabby with a record-breaking fastball. Her hobbies include traveling, reading, writing, knitting, photography and watching professional baseball and football.

After graduating from Dickinson College in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in women’s studies and English, Mary Alice Hartsock wanted to find a job that combined both areas of study. Since she also believes health education is the most important step to empowering women, working for Living Beyond Breast Cancer was a perfect fit.

“Women should be able to make informed decisions about their bodies, and they cannot do so without access to the kind of clear information that LBBC offers,” she says.

Mary Alice’s responsibilities at LBBC include print production, composing text for the website, writing for the newsletter, maintaining the LBBC database and coordinating the annual gala ad book. During the past few summers, Mary Alice worked as an office assistant in the office of the assistant dean for freshmen at Lycoming College. She also did internships with the Pennsylvania Commission for Women and the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce.

Mary Alice plays the flute and enjoys cooking and reading. She also has a passion for women’s issues, and she hopes to get involved with some volunteer work in this area in the future.

As LBBC’s education assistant, Kathleen takes care of registration and post-event evaluation work for educational programs, fulfills orders for LBBC publications and prepares educational materials for regional and national conferences.

“I have always been heavily involved in volunteer work, and I wanted to continue doing full-time work that would help to better people’s lives,” Kathleen says.

Kathleen graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in ethics, history and public policy. Prior to joining LBBC, she held a temporary position at the Vanguard Charitable Endowment. Her work experience during college includes teacher’s assistant, research and writing for the Heinz Regional History Center and nonprofit administrative work.

Kathleen lives in Elkins Park, and loves all kinds of music, dancing, cooking (and eating) and volunteering. She is also a huge NFL fan (she loves her Eagles and Steelers) and watches far too much television.

A graduate of Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, Vicki Klopp earned a degree in communications in 1998. Disillusioned with the for-profit world, she joined Living Beyond Breast Cancer in 1999 so she could make a difference in the lives of others.

Among her many responsibilities at LBBC, Vicki helps track donations, registrations and other fundraising data. She is responsible for thanking supporters, assisting at fundraising meetings and helping answer the phone.

Vicki's varied work history includes waitressing, retails sales, and inventory control. She lives in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and enjoys cycling, skiing, tap dancing, swimming, reading and gardening. She is currently learning to ride horses.

Eloesa McSorley joined LBBC because she has a long, sustained interest in women's rights and democratic access to resources.

"I have been especially concerned with access to health care and health education for women, particularly in underserved populations. I also appreciate the collaborative nature of LBBC, both internally and with other organizations," she says.

Eloesa coordinates LBBC's Project Connect initiative, a community-based outreach program providing education and support to women of color affected by or at high risk for developing breast cancer. She partners with regional and national organizations to distribute LBBC's culturally sensitive books Getting Connected: African-Americans Living Beyond Breast Cancer and We Celebrate Tomorrow: Latinas Living Beyond Breast Cancer, and she coordinates trainings for healthcare professionals. She helps administer the Cis B. Golder Quality of Life Grant and provides Spanish translation or communication around the office as needed.

Eloesa graduated from Wellesley College in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in Latin American studies and a concentration in history. Before coming to LBBC, she worked in marketing at a small international academic publishing house based in Northampton, Massachusetts. Originally from New Mexico, Eloesa now lives in the Fitler Square neighborhood of Philadelphia, where she enjoys the farmers markets, the proximity of the Schuylkill River Trail and the beautiful row houses. She volunteers for Planned Parenthood and loves cooking, especially healthful cooking with seasonal ingredients and whole foods.

Robyn Savidge manages Living Beyond Breast Cancer's day-to-day operations to keep the organization running smoothly.

Robyn is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management and has previous work experience in human resources and office management in the marketing, sales and information technology fields. "I joined LBBC because I was looking for an opportunity to work at a nonprofit, and when I saw the opening here, I knew it was perfect," Robyn says. "My mom is a survivor of breast cancer."

Robyn lives in Rosemont, Pennsylvania. She is a member of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and has a huge soft spot for furry creatures, especially dogs (she has three).

Anna Shaffer joined Living Beyond Breast Cancer in 2005 to combine her experience in the nonprofit world with her passion for communicating messages of hope to those who need them most.

As LBBC's communications specialist, Anna is the managing editor of LBBC's website and oversees the development, marketing, writing and maintenance of lbbc.org. She is also the editor of LBBC's annual report and regional newsletter, the LBBC Community Connection. Her other responsibilities include writing and editing articles, brochures, press releases, advertorials, electronic communications and other public relations and marketing materials; initiating public relations projects for educational and fundraising events; and coordinating print production and editorial projects. She was the project manager for LBBC's website redesign and led the selection and implementation process for a new database.

A native of the rainy Pacific Northwest, Anna graduated cum laude from Western Washington University with a bachelor's degree in journalism, a concentration in environmental policy and a minor in French. In 2004, she received a certificate in public relations from the University of Washington. Her work history includes chapter manager for the National Alliance for Autism Research, and development manager for the American Cancer Society. She has also done some freelance writing, editing, proofreading and public relations consulting.

Anna moved from the heart of Seattle to live in the heart of Philadelphia. She has many interests, including international and local travel, food and wine, cultural events, music, animals, history and sports. In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis and softball, skiing, singing with the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia and volunteering for Pegasus Riding Academy.

Kim A. Shiley oversees all fundraising activities for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, including planning, direct mail, special events, corporate partnerships and promotions, major gifts, merchandise, memorial and tribute gifts and planned giving.

Prior to moving to Philadelphia in 2001, Kim was the director of a hospital arts program within a multi-facility healthcare system in Washington, DC, one of the first of its kind in the arts and healthcare movement. Upon her arrival in Philadelphia, Kim was appointed executive director of the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia, a position she held until 2006. During this time, Choral Arts enjoyed unprecedented artistic and organizational success, twice receiving the prestigious Philadelphia Cultural Leadership Program award from The Pew Charitable Trusts for excellence in organizational management, and attaining national recognition as the recipient of Chorus America’s Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence. In 2006, Kim joined the University of Pennsylvania as the director of major and individual gifts at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, before her passion for the work she did in arts and healthcare led her to become LBBC’s development director in 2007.

"LBBC's dedication and commitment to helping women and families affected by breast cancer make it a very exciting and special place to work," Kim says. "I feel honored to be contributing to such a meaningful cause and making a difference."

An accomplished concert pianist, Kim received bachelor and master degrees in piano performance from Skidmore College and Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. In addition to her 15-year career as a concert and chamber ensemble pianist, accompanist and teacher, she directed, produced and accompanied numerous community and student musical theatre productions throughout the New York, Boston and Washington, DC, metropolitan areas. She serves on the executive committee of the Section on Medicine and the Arts at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

Kim and her husband, Ed, live in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. They have a daughter, Megan, and a son, Christopher.

As LBBC's "tech goddess," Christine's job is to oversee the database at LBBC, to make sure the computers are up and running, and to manage the tool we use to send out emails and register people for events.

Christine joined LBBC because she wanted to work for an organization that makes a difference in the world. "My mother is a breast cancer survivor (cancer-free now for 7 years) and, as fate would have it, a childhood friend was just diagnosed about 2 weeks ago," Christine says. "I am hoping that my background in e-communications can help improve our ability to serve our constituency and, hopefully, reach out and connect with more survivors."

Christine received her undergraduate degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania and her Masters in Counseling Psychology (MEd) from Temple University. After working as a psychotherapist and having her own private practice for more than 10 years, she earned a certificate in computer programming from The Chubb Institute and got the position of fundraising operations manager at WXPN, a local public radio station in Philadelphia. At XPN she managed the database and online fundraising and e-marketing tools, among other things.

Christine loves music and is a big supporter of the local Philadelphia music scene. She loves to travel and is a big fan of public art (murals, statues, etc.), authentic ethnic restaurants (which are abundant in the Philadelphia area) and good coffee (she grinds the beans herself every morning).

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