ASCF Founder Tom Amschwand in Big Sur, California August 1998
ASCF Executive Board of Directors
Jane Amschwand
Jane Amschwand graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Journalism after which she worked in New York in the industry. Since then, Ms. Amschwand has expanded her journalism and public relations experience to also include work in social services and non-profit organizations. Serving as one of the organization's original board members, Jane has been especially instrumental in decisions related to the organization's communications plan and website.
Having lost both her brother and mother to sarcoma, Jane has up close and personal experiences with the disease. Her commitment to minimizing or preventing the challenges faced by families affected by sarcomas is unrelenting.
Melissa Amschwand Bellinger
As one of the orginal board members, Melissa Amschwand Bellinger co-founded the Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation with late husband Tom in 2001. Since then, Melissa has continued to serve as the Executive Director and President of the growing non-profit. In December 2004, Melissa resigned her position as Administrator of Patient and Public Affairs for the Harris County Hospital District to focus on ASCF as a full-time volunteer. In her previous role at the Hospital District, Melissa was responsible for the areas of Patient/Customer Relations, Interpretation and Translation Services, Spiritual Care, Volunteer Services, Hospital Auxiliary, Patient Satisfaction, Guest Transportation, Corporate Communications, Grants Management and Acquisition, Data Management, as well as Public Partnerships and Tangible Gifting. In addition, she provided executive oversight for the county’s Gateway to Care initiative.
Mrs. Bellinger continues to serve in an advisory capacity for a number of non-profit organizations. She holds a Master in Public Health with a specialty in Health Promotion/Health Education from the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health - Houston and an undergraduate degree in Government from the University of Texas at Austin.
Melissa is a member of the Junior League of Houston, Inc. and volunteers regularly. She is a native Houstonian whose interests include a variety of outdoor activities as well as spending quality time with her husband James and new daughter MaryAnna.
Danetta Beaushaw
Danetta Lyn Beaushaw’s service on the Board of Directors is fueled by the memory of her mother-in-law, the Rev. Carolyn Nave Pratt, who valiantly fought leiomyosarcoma over a 10-year period. Danetta explains, “It is one thing to be told that you have to face cancer; it is another thing altogether to be told that you have to battle such a rare form of cancer with so few resources at your disposal. And it is another to have the combined blessing and challenge of facing over five rounds of treatment. My husband Andy and I saw Carolyn face each round of financial, physical, logistical, emotional and spiritual challenges with raw spirit and iron determination -- knowing that these challenges were eased somewhat by the lucky fact that we lived close to a leading sarcoma center. We know others are not as lucky, and want to find ways to help patients without local resources to minimize the day-to-day difficulties of getting cutting-edge treatment for this rare disease.”
A native of rural south Louisiana and a first-generation college student, Danetta attended Mount Holyoke College and Dartmouth College and received her law degree from the University of Michigan. She currently serves as the Corporate Counsel for the U.S. operations of Mexico-headquartered CEMEX, the world’s second largest building materials company. Previously, she held legal positions at General Electric Company, El Paso Energy, Sonat and the firm of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton. For years, Danetta has volunteered with The Junior League of Houston, Inc. where she has served in a number of administrative positions as well as community placements. She has pioneered pre-law mentoring initiatives at Mount Holyoke Holyoke, coached high school lacrosse and volunteered with animal rescue and zoological organizations. Danetta and Andy enjoy sprinting after their energetic twins, Brooke and Ripley, who appear to have inherited all of their Nana’s fearlessness and aplomb.
Jill Collins
Jill Collins has served as a board member for the Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation almost since the organization's inception in 2001. Mrs. Collins graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1993 with a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering. She worked in the natural gas industry in Houston, Texas and as an environmental consultant in Austin, Texas, Texas. In 1999 after the birth of her daughter, Jill retired to become a full time mother.
As the mother of three, Jill volunteers her time and talents with her children's schools and other charitable organizations including the Junior League of Houston, Inc.
Stephen Fadem, MD
Dr. Fadem is a practicing Houston nephrologist. He began practice in 1978 after completing a renal fellowship at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, and did his internal medicine residency at The University of Texas and MD Anderson Hospital in Houston. He is a Clinical Professor of Medicine Baylor College of medicine. Formerly from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Dr. Fadem is married and has three children.
He is also a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology, diplomate of the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, and a member of the International Society of Nephrology, Renal Physicians Association, the American Association of Kidney Patients and The National Kidney Foundation.
He is active in quality management, credentialing and peer review for his dialysis centers. He is also active in several civic and religious organizations and is a past Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board of the National Kidney Foundation of Southeast Texas.
On a national level, he is Vice-President of the Board of Directors for Chronic Kidney Disease and on the Medical Advisory Board of the American Association of Kidney Patients. He is a member of NKF cyberNephrology, the ISN Informatics Commission, and the ASN Renal Informatics committee. He is on the Laboratory Advisory Board for Davita. He is on two national RPA committees, the Government Affairs Committee and the Health Finance Committee, and active in the Forum of ESRD Networks as a member of the Clinical Performance Measures Committee. He has been a consultant to the computer industry in the development of CKD management software and is a business partner in Touchmed. He lectures frequently on dialysis management, preventive nephrology, vascular calcification, anemia, patient education, CKD education, computer technology and computer security.
Dr. Fadem has been nationally recognized by receiving the American Association of Kidney Patient's Nova Award, the National Kidney Foundation's Distinguished Service Award. He has also received the National Kidney Foundation's Presidents Award and the Myron L. Jenkins Award. He has been awarded the Peter Lundin Award for his contributions to patient education.
Dr. Fadem's hobby is photography.
Gretchen Ferguson
As co-owner of The PR Boutique, a full-service boutique public relations firm, Gretchen Ferguson is involved in strategic planning as well as the daily orchestration of communication efforts based on individual clients needs. Her specialization in national, regional and local media relations, along with her expertise in marketing consumer brands and developing community partnerships, has proven valuable for a variety of clients.
Prior to forming The PR Boutique, Ferguson held a director position with an environmental governmental entity in Houston, working closely with the City to promote and develop urban green spaces along Houston’s main waterway. In addition, she led consumer and business-to-business accounts in Austin and Houston for Texas’ largest independent public relations firm. Early in her career, Ferguson worked at a national public relations firm in New York City, handling national media relations and event marketing activities for consumer clients.
Ferguson is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and is Honorary Chairman of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership young professionals group, Bayou Buddies. In addition, Ferguson serves on the Board of Directors for the Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation and is involved with organizations such as the Contemporary Arts Museum Arts Museum, Trees for Houston, Young Texans Against Cancer and Women of Wardrobe. She holds a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of Texas at Austin.
J. Boyd Heath III
Boyd Heath serves as the Corporate Treasurer for the Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation. Mr. Heath is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Network International, Inc. an internet-based, global marketplace for surplus, idle and used energy equipment. Prior to joining Network International, Mr. Heath was a Vice President of EnCap Investments L.C., an institutional funds management firm focused on private equity investments in the oil and gas sector. During his tenure at EnCap, he was involved in the structuring and management of numerous investments in both public and private companies. Prior to EnCap, Mr. Heath worked for Koch Industries where he focused on acquisitions in the midstream, petrochemical, and power sectors. Mr. Heath began his career as a member of Chase Manhattan Bank's (now J.P. Morgan) Global Energy Group, where he structured senior and subordinated debt offerings, both public and private, and advised clients on acquisition and divestiture opportunities. Mr. Heath graduated from The University of Texas, where he received a B.B.A.
Margaret Ling
Ms. Ling joined the ASCF Board of Directors in August 2005 and now serves as the Secretary of the organization's Board of Directors. Married with three children, she graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a bachelor of music degree and received her law degree from South Texas College of Law. She is an Assistant Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Texas.
Ms. Ling is a breast cancer survivor and has personal experience with sarcoma and the urgent need for finding effective treatments for these rare cancers. In May 1999, her twenty-three- year- old son Ben was diagnosed with chondrosarcoma. After surgery at M.D. Anderson and a year of remission, Ben’s cancer returned and was inoperable. With surgery no longer an option and no other treatments available, Ben lost his fight with the disease in March 2001.
Since losing her son to sarcoma, Ms. Ling’s most important mission has been supporting sarcoma research and promoting awareness of this cancer. She and her husband established a fund in honor of their son at the University of Iowa to support the University of Iowa Chondrosarcoma Research Program of Iowa Chondrosarcoma Research Program. She has spoken with members of Congress about the importance of funding for sarcoma research, and has been involved in counseling chondrosarcoma patients and their families at M.D. Anderson. Ms. Ling is a member of the West Houston chapter of the Compassionate Friends (a support group for bereaved parents), the Texas chapter of the Sarcoma Foundation of America, and an affiliate member of the American Association for Cancer Research.
In addition to her other activities, Ms. Ling enjoys playing her violin (including the occasional gig as fiddle player with her younger son’s band) and riding her Arabian horse and best buddy Faaji.
Steph Veigel
Steph Veigel & his wife Joanna have experienced the true challenge of cancerʼs recovery. Joanna was diagnosed twice with Osteosarcoma over the span of twelve years, most recently experiencing cancer as a new wife and mother. As a support partner to his wifeʼs recovery, Mr. Veigel strives to advance the understanding of this rare form of cancer through his contributions to ASCF Board.
Mr. Veigel professionally assists firms in defining, implementing, and achieving strategic financial objectives for their firms. Currently Mr. Veigel is the Commercial Finance Leader for GE Aero Energy. Previously Veigel worked with Citigroup Venture Capital company, as Worldspan's Director of Corporate Development, and as Senior Principal of Finance & Strategy at Sabre Inc. a former division of AMR Inc., parent company of American Airlines. Prior to Sabre, he worked to rebuild Continental Airlines as Director of Corporate Development and Senior Economist in the Finance Department. Mr. Veigel began his career in investment banking and capital markets analysis as an Economist with Fleet Financial Group. He holds advanced degrees in Economics & Financial Mathematics having studied at Trinity College, Texas Tech University, and Yale University. He resides in Houston with his wife and two children.
Leigh Williams
Leigh Williams, owner of Leigh Williams Lifestyle Management, plots, plans, advises and organizes the lives of busy Houstonians. After studying public relations at The University of Mississippi, she realized that her knack for being a self-prosessed "know it all" could turn into a profitable business. Although special event planning continues to be the focus of her business, the services she offers her clients are limited only by their imagination.
This Houston native utilizes her skills to serve her community as a volunteer working with organizations such as Family Services of Greater Houston, The Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation, Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance, Contemporary Arts Museum as well as the Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation. Ms. Williams has served as a volunteer with the Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation for years including co-chairing the foundation's 2007 Catwalk for a Cure event.