Gary Glasser, Board President
Gary L. Glasser was elected Life Raft Group’s President of the Board of Directors. He had been Secretary-Treasurer from 2015 to 2022 and has been a Board member since 2013.
Glasser currently, and since 2020, heads up the Data Science and Strategy group for Birch Hill Equity Partners, a private equity firm located in Toronto. Prior to Birch Hill, Gary had a long career in investment banking and investment management, including as Head of Research for Lucidus Capital Partners and Caxton Associates, Head of Investment Banking for Utendahl Capital Partners, Co-Head of TMT High Yield Investment Banking for JPMorgan Chase, and Head of Business Services Investment Banking for Goldman Sachs.
Gary has an MBA from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Science (Applied Mathematics) Degree from Yale University. His personal dedication to the Life Raft Group is in honor of his father, Lawrence, who passed away due to GIST in October 2011.
“We aim to assure every GIST patient is educated to:
- have a qualified GIST-specialist/ oncologist
- understand treatment options
- effectively manage side effects
- live life to the fullest and maximize quality of life.”
Steve Pontell, Vice President
Steven has served as our volunteer attorney since 2017 and has been a valuable part of the LRG family since then.
Mr. Pontell is a member of the firm of Verde, Steinberg & Pontell, LLC, established in 1986, which maintains offices in Hackensack, New Jersey and New York City. He graduated from Tufts University in 1979 and obtained his JD from George Washington University National Law Center in 1982.
Steven concentrates his practice in the field of litigation and the firm provides diverse legal services for the business community. He is certified as a civil trial attorney by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, and is board certified in civil trial law and civil practice advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy; AV Preeminent Peer Review rated by Martindale-Hubbell and was voted a Super Lawyer for the years 2005-2022. Steven is admitted to practice law in New Jersey, New York, Washington, D.C
Quote: “As a new member of the Executive Committee of the Board, I look forward to being of service to the devoted officers, staff, Board members and volunteers at LRG, who support and enrich the lives of so many every day.”
Kay Stolzer, Secretary
Kay joined the LRG Board in March 2021 and was elected to the role of Secretary/Treasurer in March 2022.
She has been a very active volunteer in our LRG community. Kay is one of the original 8 GIST Mentors, a program that has grown to 32 global mentors, and has mentored over 220 patients and caregivers, since its inception in 2019. She was the facilitator of our women’s support group, “Living Well with GIST”, which featured guest speakers on relevant issues facing women.
In Kay’s earlier life, she was an administrator for a large physicians’ group. When her children were born, she transitioned to full time homemaker, and was a very active volunteer in her community, in various roles and organizations. Kay enjoys spending time with her husband, Ira, and visiting their children and grandchildren in New Jersey and Tennessee.
“Of any organization in which I’ve participated, Life Raft Group has been the most meaningful and impactful. I’ve been privileged to work alongside the kindest, smartest and most dedicated people with the purest mission: to make GIST patients’ lives better and find a cure for this rare cancer. “
Santy DiSabatino, Treasurer
Santy DiSabatino has been very active in our LRG community as a volunteer, serving currently as the Voluntary Director of the GIST Mentor program, and as a mentor.
Santy previously worked as an educator and administrator in a Maryland school system for 36 years. He loves spending time with family in South Carolina, Northern Virginia, and Tennessee. His favorite sports teams are the New York Yankees, New York Giants, and Philadelphia Flyers.
Quote: “I hope to continue to ensure the Life Raft Group maintains its patient centric approach and help all patients in need of care physically, mentally and emotionally.”
John Abrams
John Abrams has been involved with the Life Raft Group for five years and is the state leader for Colorado. He additionally serves as a GIST mentor. He practiced dentistry for 35 years with an area of expertise in adult restorative dentistry highlighting esthetic restorations. He was honored by his peers as a Colorado 5280 Top Dentist. John retired from dentistry due to the side effects of Gleevec. In his “retirement” he is an equity partner in real estate investment and serves as a consultant for dental offices focusing on management and clinical skills.
John grew up in St. Louis and has lived in Colorado since 1975. He graduated from Miami University (Oxford Ohio) and the University of Missouri School of Dentistry.
He has always loved sports and teaching. As such, he coached youth soccer for 20 years on both the recreational and competitive levels and was on the board of directors for the largest soccer club in Colorado for 5 years. He also coached basketball for 10 years. When he was actively practicing dentistry, he was a consultant for the Department of Regulatory Agencies as it related to dentistry in Colorado.
As a long time GISTer and survivor of two other primary cancers, John hopes his story can be at least some inspiration to others on their own journey.
To quote John, “I also hope my insights into these battles allow me to contribute in a meaningful way to the board. Although I have always had exceptional support from family, friends and my medical community in Colorado (and elsewhere), my life has been enhanced by meeting and becoming involved with the Life Raft Group. The leaders and fellow GISTers I have become close with are just one more positive in my life. The mission and accomplishments of the LRG in advocating for people with this rare disease is overwhelming. I am very proud to become a board member. I only hope I can contribute in a meaningful way.”
Dr. Monica Anderson
Dr. Monica Anderson, or Dr. mOe, as she is known to her fans, is an inspirational leader who resides in Texas. Dr. mOe has spoken at Life Fest 2016, served as a spokesperson for our holiday campaign, and was the emcee at the 2020 Women in Sarcoma Gala which honored women who have made an extraordinary impact on the lives of sarcoma patients.
Dr. mOe is a dentist, author, speaker, and podcaster. She has served as a board member and volunteer to several nonprofit organizations and has a wealth of knowledge as a business owner and executive of a publishing company.
Since being diagnosed with GIST in 2012, she has actively worked to raise awareness about GIST. “I am honored to join the board as a GISTer who has directly benefitted from the work of the Life Raft Group for over a decade. I have been in healthcare for three-plus decades also. Each board member brings a unique, diverse perspective to the group. I hope my voice will add value to our mission and outcomes.”
Patricia Bonda-Swenson
Patricia Bonda-Swenson has been involved as an active member of Life Raft Group since her diagnosis with GIST in 2007. She has served as the NY State patient representative since 2008 and continues to serve as a GIST Mentor.
Pat has volunteered for many years for the LRG while still working full time in her 40-year plus career in the Trade Show and Architectural Interior industry.
Quote: “My hope, having just recently joined the Board of Directors, is that with my many years as the NY State patient representative and my time as a GIST mentor that I am able be bring fresh new ideas and a different perspective to the Board of Directors.”
Bill Borwegen
Bill Borwegen comes to our Board after a successful career developing and managing programs and staff in the nonprofit world. He has an impressive fundraising track record of garnering over $30M in government and private foundation funds. His lobbying efforts both in Washington, DC and across the country have resulted in the passage of dozens of federal and state laws and regulations to protect healthcare and other service sector workers from on-the-job hazards.
Since his diagnosis, he has applied this same zeal combined with a strong scientific underpinning in public health to learn all he can about the latest developments in the field of GIST treatment and research, and how he can contribute to advance medical progress for both providers and patients.
Bill goes on to state: “As a new Board member, I hope to learn all I can from the the experiences of our long-standing board members and Life Raft’s incredible staff on how I can best contribute in laying a solid foundation for Life Raft’s continued success.”
Stan Bunn
Stan Bunn has been a member of the Life Raft Group Board of Directors since its infancy, being appointed the first President in 2002, and has been an integral part of creating the organization’s infrastructure. His passion for advocacy is in memory of his late wife, Ana-Maria Baldor Bunn, one of the first members of The Life Raft Group, who tragically lost her life at age 30.
Stan is the Director of Global Client Management and BST Data Sales for BST Global and is a member of the BST Global Executive Management team. Stan oversees a team of people worldwide, responsible for global sales, ensuring client satisfaction and helping client partners cultivate strong product adoption.
His 25+ years of technology experience spans multiple enterprise resource-planning applications and numerous customer relationship management solutions. Stan holds an International Business degree from Eckerd College and is a member of the Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA) and Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS).
Quote: “The LRG mission is vital to helping provide a support system to connect patients and caregivers with the latest science regarding GIST treatment and management.”
Jim Hughes
Thomas J. “Jim” Hughes attended Kenyon College, Ohio and Loyola University, Chicago where he earned a BA in Philosophy. Between schools Jim served as an officer in the United States Army in the US and Vietnam. Jim retired from the telecommunications industry after a 35-year career including positions in engineering, long-range planning, and marketing.
Jim and Margi are the parents of two children, Nancy and Jamie. Nancy Hughes Welsh (1967-2005) was an early member of The Life Raft Group (2002). Nancy was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma in 1991 at age 23. After ten years of surgery and chemotherapy Nancy was re-diagnosed with GIST in 2001. Nancy participated in the Phase Three imatinib trial in 2001 and the Phase Two sunitinib trial in 2003. Nancy’s GIST was eventually diagnosed as SDH epimutant.
Jim and Margi have continued to help facilitate the LRG Chicago chapter meetings since 2003. Jim serves as the Life Raft Group Clinical Trials Database Coordinator and is a founding member of the LRG Science Team.
What I hope to achieve by being on our board:
“From joining the board in 2005 I have sought the creation of a durable and lasting infrastructure that would support patients throughout their journey, and represent the patient’s viewpoint at all points in the translational process from research to development of a cure for GIST. I believe that infrastructure can support multiple GIST types as well as other rare cancers. At the heart of our infrastructure building process is the gathering and sharing of individual histories and information about our disease and care. Using our collective experiences, we will help each other and partner with providers, researchers, industry, legislators and regulators to help patients survive, thrive and see a cure for their disease.”
Teena Petersohn
As an LRG member, Teena has been an advocate for GIST patients since joining the LRG in 2011, promoting GIST awareness locally, and participating in OVAC’s (One Voice Against Cancer) lobby day. She joined the Board in 2016.
As a GIST Patient, she is passionate about raising awareness about this rare disease, and about assuring that there is funding for continued research effort. “In the future, I look forward to interacting more with not only the board members, but also with the staff. They have done such a wonderful job of making sure we all continue as best we can. I am very proud to be a part of this group.”
Christa Pereira, PsyD
Dr. Christa Pereira joined The Life Raft Group’s board of directors in July 2024.
Her professional background encompasses clinical work, research, and training students in neuropsychology. She earned her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology-Stanford PsyD Consortium in 2014. Specializing in learning disorders, her research focuses on identifying individual cognitive strengths that can be translated into innovative interventions for learning difficulties. Dr. Pereira is an assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco, co-director of the UCSF-UCB Schwab Dyslexia and Cognitive Diversity Clinic, and conducts research at the ALBA Language Neurobiology Lab and UCSF Dyslexia Center.
Dr. Pereira was introduced to The Life Raft Group by her mother, Colleen, who was diagnosed with GIST in 2010. The Life Raft Group supported her mother in numerous ways, including connecting her with surgeons, providing options for second opinions, offering tips on managing medication side effects, and fostering a sense of community.
“I hope to bring my background in psychology, research, and development to serve the GIST community and The Life Raft Group in particular. I was amazed at the love and support my mom received from The Life Raft Group, and I want to ensure that continues for all GISTers. I was also impressed by the progress in GIST treatments and believe that a cure is possible. One specific goal I have is to start a conversation among researchers, GISTers, donors, AI scientists, and the entire GIST community to understand why and when secondary or more adverse tumor mutations occur and how to prevent them so current and future treatments can work indefinitely.” – Christa
Dr. Joe Germino
Dr. Joseph Germino is a retired medical oncologist and former VP of Medical Affairs at Bayer, where he played a key role in the approval of Stivarga (regorafenib) for GIST. With experience in both patient care and the pharmaceutical industry, including treating sarcoma and melanoma patients at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Dr. Germino brings a well-rounded perspective to healthcare. Having admired The Life Raft Group’s data-driven advocacy for years, he now joins the board, contributing his expertise in drug development and patient-focused care to further their mission.
