2020 Elevate Ambassadors
Learn how the 2020 NCCS Elevate Ambassadors are working to improve cancer care in their community.
Joli Bartell | Woodinville, WA
Woodrow Brokenburr, MBA | Agoura Hills, CA
Jennifer Campisano, JD | Phoenix, AZ
Crystal Champion, PT, DPT, CLT-ALM, Cert DN | Duluth, GA
Debbie Denardi | Sunny Isles Beach, FL
Lesley Glenn | Central Point, OR
Kimberly Harrison | Bowie, MD
Nancy Howe | Phoenix, AZ
Wenora Johnson | Joliet, IL
Joslyn McArdle | Wynantskill, NY
Raquel Smith | Hoover, AZ
Amy LeAlice Oliver Steinkuhl | Wilmore, KY
Susan Strong | Firestone, CO
Christi Turnage, MSN, RN | Madison, MS
Joli Bartell | Woodinville, WA
Joli has dedicated 10 years to coordinating and planning events and outreach activities for the Fred Hutchinson Survivorship Program team. It is her goal to improve survivors’ wellness, after treatment, and increase awareness about how to stay healthy.
As an exercise program leader for cancer survivors, she brings her experience in exercise and wellness for survivors to various opportunities and outreach events.
Jen aims to improve the awareness and education surrounding the late and long-term issues so that survivors can be more empowered and advocate for themselves.
Woodrow Brokenburr, MBA | Agoura Hills, CA
Woodrow Brokenburr is a long-term cancer survivor who has spent the majority of his life actively advocating for cancer patients and survivors. Woodrow has worked directly with survivors through the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life by providing support services and raising awareness. He has also worked with the Cancer Community of Ventura County and the Cancer outreach committee at Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks.
Woodrow is passionate about cancer research and connecting scientists with those who have been touched by cancer. He has served as a patient advocate at the state and national levels and hopes to further understand how to address the needs of those impacted by cancer.
“Treating the Patient vs. the Disease Can Boost Survivorship in Communities of Color” – Onco’Zine
“Coping With a Leg Amputation and Segregation During Cancer Treatment at Age 9” – CURE Today Video
“From Olympic dreams to activism: Fighting for health equity” – Bristol Myers Squibb
Jennifer Campisano, JD | Phoenix, AZ
Jen is an eight-year breast cancer survivor, though she still struggles with that term. At 32 and a brand-new mom, she was mistakenly diagnosed with stage 4, metastatic breast cancer and treated for nearly five years. In 2016, a lung biopsy revealed sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease that can mimic cancer on scans. She was taken off treatment and today, she shows no sign of either disease. She will always be a staunch ally to patients living with metastatic cancer.
A lawyer and former lobbyist before the federal government, Jen writes about motherhood, policy, and cancer on her blog, BoobyandtheBeast.com. She has written for numerous outlets and was featured on The Today Show in a segment kicking off Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Jen is an advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves.
Crystal Champion, PT, DPT, CLT-ALM, Cert. DN | Duluth, GA
Dr. Crystal Champion saw the need to serve cancer patients on a larger scale and encourage patients to take a more holistic approach to restoring their well-being and quality of life as the side-effects from treatment are often not addressed adequately, or at all.
She promotes and advocates for cancer survivorship through Champions Can! Foundation for Cancer Wellness, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization she founded. Her physical therapy company and nonprofit organization strive to be the leader in providing high quality care for lymphedema treatment and cancer rehabilitation, as well as cancer support services in her community.
Dr. Champion advocates for cancer patients on a daily basis to ensure they have an improved quality of life during and after cancer care.
For more information, visit: www.championscanfoundation.org
Debbie Denardi | Sunny Isles Beach, FL
Because Debbie’s mother and three sisters died from breast cancer, Debbie was consistently screened for breast cancer, yet she was not advised to be genetically tested for hereditary cancer until she was diagnosed with TNBC and a BRCA1 mutation at age 49.
Since her diagnosis, Debbie has been learning, educating, and advocating as much as possible about hereditary cancer. She started her volunteer work with Facing our Risk of Cancer Empowered to be a peer support leader. Her training in hereditary cancer transitioned into opportunities to learn and become a patient advocate.
Debbie wants to continue her journey in advocacy work as an Ambassador by empowering her community.
Lesley Glenn | Central Point, OR
Passion, motivation and personal experience of living with metastatic breast cancer for the past 9 years, drives Lesley’s desire to partner with communities, researchers and organizations, in aiding the funding of research for a cure, bringing awareness to this overlooked stage of breast cancer and support to those who live daily with Metastatic Breast Cancer.
With a bachelors of science in organizational leadership, she has been actively involved in advocacy since 2015, training with the inaugural Hear My Voice Volunteer class presented by Living Beyond Breast Cancer. She was invited back as a mentor in 2018, and was awarded the Living Beyond Breast Cancer Leadership Volunteer Award in the Fall of the same year. She is a member of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance, Susan G. Komen’s Advocates in Science, on the scientific advisory committee for the Love Research Army, and a consumer reviewer with the DOD-CDMRP, and Komen. She recently launched, her biggest endeavor, Project Life (www.projectlifembc.com), which is a virtual wellness house for those living with metastaticbbreast cancer and their loved ones.
Lesley currently, lives in the Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon with her rescue pup and 2 rescue cats.
Kimberly Harrison | Bowie, MD
Kimberly Harrison is the Executive Director of Supporting Our Sisters International, Inc. (SOSI), which aims to improve the continuum of care and reduce breast cancer mortality. She concentrated her attention on strategic messaging to help move SOSI from a breast cancer organization to a breast health organization.
Her 20 years of professional experience and ability to build relationships helped her negotiate a partnership with a commercial company advancing innovation in breast cancer early detection. Kimberly oversaw the successful implementation and roll-out of the BeSure/SOSI Early Detection Program. The program completed over 600 digital breast exams with the use of one mobile suite in the first quarter.
Kimberly loves working with people and sees specific needs in her area, especially for African American women. She plans to increase awareness and access about breast cancer screenings.
Nancy Howe | Phoenix, AZ
Nancy Howe was diagnosed with head and neck cancer in 1997. She was a weekend athlete who exercised throughout her treatment, overcoming fatigue and maintaining strength. Nancy left her career, earned her master’s degree in exercise at ASU, and counseled survivors about physical activity.
Nancy learned that pain, fatigue, and functional impairments that often limit survivors’ activity can be resolved by cancer rehabilitation, but unfortunately most oncologists and survivors are unaware of these essential services. To become a more effective advocate, Nancy entered the PhD program at ASU’s Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation in 2017, and in 2021 completed her comprehensive exams. Nancy’s PhD research will focus on promoting cancer rehabilitation in both oncology and survivorship.
Wenora Johnson | Joliet, IL
Wenora was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2011 and has since been diagnosed with two additional cancers. Her diagnoses have solidified the need to understand how patients will get the care they need for ongoing treatment. Wenora has since become a volunteer and advocate, attending several trips to Capitol Hill to speak on behalf of survivors by voicing their concerns about patient care, the future of health care, and pressing need for more mental health support.
Wenora believes in continuing the conversation about ongoing financial, policy, and healthcare needs.
Joslyn McArdle | Wynantskill, NY
Joslyn is an almost six-year breast cancer survivor who believes in helping as many survivors as she can. She has cultivated relationships within the cancer community by approaching each situation with empathy and understanding. She knows how difficult, but important, it can be to advocate for yourself.
Once she was diagnosed, she started volunteering at a local cancer treatment center to provide patients and their families with resources. She also became a fundraiser and leader in several patient committees and organizations.
Joslyn believes there are not enough resources, especially for younger patients. Yet, there are a lot of questions and opportunities to address important topics, such as: relationships, fertility, etc. She looks forward to raising more awareness and support to address important survivorship issues.
Raquel Smith | Hoover, AZ
Raquel was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer at age 27 and overcame obstacles from a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, dropped insurance, and childbirth, while receiving radiation. It inspired her to found Pinktopps, a nonprofit 501©(3) that spread awareness about early detection, breast health education, well-being, and support services in rural communities.
As founder and Executive Director of Pinktopps, Raquel hosts awareness events (such as health seminars) with health care experts and community members for survivors. She focuses on early detection for low income, underserved women, health lifestyle tools and resources, and support for survivors’ families and caregivers.
Raquel aspires to further partner with other community organizations to work together to enhance a better living for women living with breast cancer and their caregivers.
Amy LeAlice Oliver Steinkuhl, MA | Wilmore, KY
Amy fell in love with the idea of helping kids and their families while they were battling cancer when she volunteered at a local Oncology camp at age 15. It shaped her purpose in life as she continued to volunteer for the camp for nearly 30 years, in addition to serving as a Cancer Control Specialist.
She garnered media attention from a PBS documentary, Lion in the House, by working with pediatric cancer centers across the U.S. to develop outreach opportunities to young adult survivors. She was asked to develop and lead local educational workshops focused on creating healthy action plans for survivors across the state, known as Our New Normal. These state-wide workshops continue each year.
Her greatest joy is working with survivors and their families.
Susan Strong | Firestone, CO
Susan’s advocacy work over the past four years has been about building a foundation of understanding and experience and to develop a network of stakeholders in order to address the special needs of long-term cancer survivors.
Susan wants to address the long-term psycho-social and emotional impact cancer survivors face by increasing awareness about the late effects of treatments. As an Elevate Ambassadors, she aims to educate patients and their providers about high-risk screening protocols and the importance of life-long follow-up for early detection of cardiac disease and secondary cancers.
She looks forward to bringing meaningful change to improve the quality of life for the nearly 18.1 million cancer survivors.
Christi Turnage, MSN, RN | Madison, MS
Cancer survivor and nurse, Christi Turnage was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2006 and stage 4 in 2008. As an experienced nurse who received a master’s degree after working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and as a clinical educator in Pediatric Critical Care, Christi started the Awaken cancer support group.
Christi speaks consistently with new cancer patients and provides them guidance, education, and support with their diagnosis and its effect on long-term side effects, career, relationships, health, and more. She speaks at several conferences at training workshops.
She is passionate about helping survivors not just survive, but thrive.
Grant funding for the 2020 Elevating Survivorship program provided by Bristol-Myers Squibb, Janssen Oncology, Pharmacyclics, Eisai and Takeda Oncology.
