National Board of Directors

This is a fabulous organization that provides one-on-one support to breast and ovarian cancer patients. The volunteers are survivors and give an amazing amount of personal time and energy to provide support for patients, their friends and family members. It's amazing what these women do for FREE! I tell all new breast cancer patients about Breast Friends. I consider them a key resource and don't know what I would do without them!

~Spotblue

Trustees in Support of the Mission

Breast Friends’ governing body is made up of a national board including the two co-founders, executive officers, and board members who also oversee the Oregon Affiliate. We also have Local Advisory Boards in each other affiliate location. To see the local affiliate board members, please visit each affiliate page separately.

Executive Officers

Becky Olson
Co-Founder
Professional Speaker & Author
Retired-Sales Manager-Dex Media
Diagnosed 1996, 2004, and 2009

Becky is a three time breast cancer survivor. She left her job as a sales manager for Dex Media in 2005 to pursue her role as co-founder and president of Breast Friends. Becky, a member of the National Speaker’s Association, has also developed her skills as a professional speaker and now travels all over the country sharing her experience. She has also written a book which was published in 2004 with a second printing in 2007. Becky has five grown children, three grandchildren and lives in Portland with her husband.

Sharon Henifin
Co-Founder
Certified Life Coach
Retired-Sales Manager & Trainer-Dex Media
Diagnosed 1993

Sharon was diagnosed in 1993. She was working as a sales rep for US West Direct (later becoming Dex Media). She took time off to take care of herself while raising two children. She helped co-found Breast Friends in 2000. During the early stages of running the organization, she was also promoted to Sales Manager and eventually a sales trainer for Dex Media. Finally in 2006, she left her job to work in her role as executive director and co-founder for Breast Friends. She has three grown children and three grandchildren. She lives in Portland with her husband.

Kristen Janes
Board Chair – 2010
Board Member since 2009
Strategic Planning Specialist and Consultant

Kristen is a seasoned strategic planner at the billion dollar level in high tech. She left Intel to pursue her passion in improving the healthcare industry. Kristen has been facilitating Breast Friends in capturing the founders strategic vision and success in the metro area and turning that vision into a strategy and actionable business plan to take the Breast Friends’ programs national.

Gia Gilmour
Board Secretary since 2008
Student-Portland Community College
Diagnosed 2005

Gia, diagnosed at age 39, lived with fibrocystic breast since the age of 19. With a certification as an executive administrative assistant, she has worked in hospitality, the technology industry, insurance, human resources, non-profit companies, and marketing. Her experience with breast cancer has changed her career direction to earn her nursing degree.  She brings to Breast Friends her administrative assistant skills with data processing and commitment to helping others.

Aaron Traxton, CPA
Board Treasurer 2011

As Certified Public Accountant, Aaron provides extensive business start-up, turnaround, and expansion leadership, as well as strategic analysis, training, management, and CFO services to his clients; with the heart of a teacher and the expertise of a master.  After graduation, Aaron worked for a Top 20 Los Angeles Certified Public Accounting firm. In the years to follow, Aaron gained tremendous experience specializing in Tax, Trust, and Audit. For over twelve years, Aaron has proudly donated his time coaching hundreds of tomorrow’s leaders in youth sport activities. When Aaron is not in his office you can probably find him playing sports with his kids or in the Racquetball Courts, nicknamed “Spiderman” for his tenacity.

 

Board Members

Susan Brodahl
Board Member since 2011
Vice President
Survivor

Susan joined the board of Breast Friends in August 2011.  Susan brings her marketing expertise and passion not just from the Survivor’s perspective, but also that of daughter to a mother with cancer.  She is  known for her humor, her creativity and her enthusiasm.  Susan is a Vice President of a major insurance brokerage and joined the board to improve awareness for working women during treatment and recovery.  She lives in Portland with her husband and daughter.

Daniel Gruenberg, MD
Board Member since 2011
Medical Oncologist

Daniel joined the board of Breast Friends in August 2011.  Dr Gruenberg brings tremendous knowledge of patient care from the medical perspective.

Charmaine Houriet
Board Member since 2009
Clinic Practice Manager

Charmaine is well connected in the breast cancer community. Charmaine is in a new role as Clinic Manager for The Vancouver Clinic Oncology Department, effective, January 2011. Charmaine previously worked for Northwest Cancer Specialists which is a large oncology practice in the Portland Metropolitan area.  She helped create and build a partnership between Breast Friends and Northwest Cancer Specialists.  We look forward to a new partnership with The Vancouver Clinic.

Stan Muir
Board Member since 2011
Attorney
Trademarks

Stan joined the board of Breast Friends in June of 2011. Stan is a patent attorney authorized to practice in matters before the US Patent and Trademark Office.  He has significant experience with sophisticated transactions, software, mergers and acquisitions and international law. Stan practices Business and Intellectual Property Law in Vancouver, WA and Beaverton, OR and has 30+ years experience as in-house counsel with Fortune 500 companies and in private practice.  He has an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering & Operations Research from Virginia Tech and a law degree from William & Mary.

Mary Schwartz
Board Member since 2010
Event Planning Specialist and Consultant

Mary Schwartz comes to us from a nurses’ association where she invited Breast Friends to exhibit at many of their conventions and conferences.  Mary is eager to be a part of Breast Friends, especially since her own mother had breast cancer and she is very passionate about helping do “whatever it takes to help make Breast Friends another Susan G Komen!”  Mary has a background in Meeting & Event Planning which she has done for the past 35 years both in the hotel industry and for a non-profit organization.  Mary has been personally supportive of the organization for many years and was delighted to join the board in May of 2010. She has one son who lives in Redondo Beach and lives with her husband Craig in California.

Elisabeth Twist
Board Member since 2010
Attorney
Estate Planning and Wills

Beth joined the board of Breast Friends in September of 2010.  Beth is an estate planning attorney, and her practice focuses on preparation of wills and trusts, wealth preservation and tax planning, probate and trust administration, as well as business matters.  To learn more about Beth’s services, please visit her website at etwistlaw.com.  She is an active member of Portland Estate Planning Council, the Oregon State Bar Estate Planning and Tax sections, and Women Entrepreneurs of Beaverton. Beth’s passion and priority is to put clients at ease in discussing legal issues surrounding disposition of assets, family relationships, incapacity and end of life.  This is especially true when families are facing the fear and uncertainty of breast cancer.  Beth also brings expertise in planned giving to ensure Breast Friends’ success in helping women for years to come.

 

Advisory Committee

Cindie Berry
IT Specialist and Consultant-Co-owner of TeamLogicIT

Cindie is extremely knowledgeable on managing and marketing IT services. Among Cindie’s strong characteristics is her great attitude and strong customer service orientation. You can rely on Cindie to deliver what she promises. TeamLogic IT provides state-of-the-art technology solutions to small and medium sized companies through consulting services.  We take a unique, proactive approach with our customer’s computer systems. As co-owner of TeamLogicIT, Cindie has provided all of Breast Friends technical support and computers.

R. Craig Byrd, PhD
Financial Consultant-Owner, Byrd Financial Group, Inc.

Craig Byrd has been a supporter of Breast Friends since the inception of our organization. He has supported us financially and emotionally by providing networking and staff support for our programs and projects. Craig lost his wife Carol to breast cancer, so he holds our cause near and dear to his heart.  Craig has also set up an account for us to accept donations of stock.

Gary McGee
Certified Public Accountant

Gary is the founder and managing director of Gary McGee & Co., a firm that focuses exclusively on providing accounting, audit, tax, and management advisory services for nonprofit organizations. He has worked in the tax-exempt community for more than 25 years and practices extensively in the areas of charitable giving and solicitation, trust administration, and federal grant and contract compliance. He lectures frequently on non profit subjects and provides counsel to tax-exempt institutions throughout the country on abroad range of financial, accounting, and tax matters.

Devon Webster, M.D.
Oncologist and Researcher

Devon is a young two-time survivor of breast cancer. Devon previously worked in the oncology department at OHSU and headed up a research lab at the hospital. She most recently worked at Northwest Cancer Specialists. She has a strong working knowledge of breast cancer treatment. Devon brings her passion and expertise to our Advisory Committee and will be able to keep us on top of cutting edge changes in technology.

Honorary Member

Robert McSweeny
1933-2011
Non-Profit Consultant

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Bob received his BA degree from the University of Michigan. Upon graduation he was commissioned in the Navy and served on several types of ships and as Flag Lieutenant to the director of the U.S. Joint Mission to Turkey. His last posting was as Commanding Officer of USS TOMBIGBEE, (AOG-11) in the Pacific Fleet. After leaving the navy, Bob returned to Ann Arbor for law school. Upon graduation he and his wife, Jean, and their two young sons moved to Oregon. Bob practiced law in the Portland, Oregon area for many years, primarily in the area of business transactions and estate planning. From 1969 to 1976 he also served as Municipal Judge for the City of Hillsboro in addition to his law practice. In 1991, he left the practice of law to pursue a career in nonprofit organization and development. Bob has served as an executive director and board member of several nonprofit organizations. Bob worked as a consultant to nonprofit organizations to establish their corporate structure and obtain 501(c)3 tax-exempt status. He assisted Breast Friends in setting up our corporate structure and helped us receive our 501(c)3 status in record time.  In December, 2011 Bob passed away from a 15 year battle with prostate cancer.  We lost a good friend. He will be missed.