Progress, Potential, and Possibilities Podcast / Show

Send us a textStephanie Smith is a Director, in the Humanitarian & Development group, at Mastercard (https://www.mastercard.us), the American multinational financial services corporation. Stephanie is responsible for operations of the Humanitarian & Development group at Mastercard, and ensuring the team’s efficient, consistent, and effective delivery against their vision to provide digital tools and access for education, health, commerce, and other critical services for marginalized individuals and communities. The Humanitarian & Development group is focused on driving commercially sustainable social impact in collaboration with governments, NGOs, and other private sector companies. After graduating from Oxford University, Stephanie began her professional career at a rapidly growing technology company, Applied Predictive Technologies / APT (acquired by Mastercard) delivering analytics software and consulting engagements to Fortune 500s. Stephanie is particularly passionate about diversity & inclusion and solving social problems, and has experience delivering projects and technologies that drive a lasting social impact. Stephanie led a pro bono project in partnership with the city government of New Orleans and a non-profit, that pioneered how APT applied data assets and technology to facilitate and measure inclusive growth. Stephanie also proactively took on new projects in social-impact oriented industries (for example, applying Test & Learn analytics to education), and co-led APT’s global Women’s Leadership Network (a business resource group to connect female leaders and build a more inclusive workplace). Stephanie is also on the Working Group of the Partnership for Central America (https://www.centampartnership.org/) working to support private sector efforts to address the root causes of irregular migration from Central America through coordinated, sustained, and transparent impact across the region. Stephanie is a passionate mentor of junior staff, and outside of work, volunteers time as a mentor with the Girls Network in London, and fundraising with Girls on the Run in Washington D.C.Support the show

Send us a text Mandy Sellars is the Chairperson of GoPI3Ks charity, which is focused on people with PIK3CA related overgrowth spectrum (PROS), an umbrella term for a group of very rare syndromes characterized by malformations and tissue overgrowth, caused by somatic mutations in PIK3CA gene. PIK3CA stands for phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase, catalytic sub-unit alpha, a gene that encodes a lipid kinase involved in multiple signaling pathways, influencing cellular functions such as growth, death, and proliferation. Ms. Sellars herself also possesses a very rare form of this genetic mutation that has resulted in extraordinary growth in both of her legs, but in PROS diseases individual malformations are seen in several different tissues such as skin, vasculature, bone, fat and brain tissue, depending on the specific disease. Ms. Sellars obtained a B.Sc. in Psychology from the University of Central Lancashire and has become a patient advocate, fundraiser for care and research, as well as a reality star along the way. Support the show

Send us a textCarole Fisher is President for the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), where utilizing her experience and deep familiarity with not-for-profit community-based hospice and palliative healthcare, she is charged with leading a wide range of activities for the membership organization, including developing strategic partnerships, meaningful collaborations and transformational innovations, amongst the nations’ most notable and distinguished end of life healthcare organizations. As a seasoned C-suite advisor, innovator and public policy advocate, for the past 35 years, Ms. Fisher has successfully led and transformed for-profit and mission driven healthcare operations, developing significant experience in growing and transforming companies, developing people, and preparing organizations for navigating the unforeseen and unanticipated. She has significant experience in growing market share, contracting with payers, building specialty provider networks, developing and integrating cutting edge technology, facilitating M&A and is well respected for her ability to merge cultures and teams. Ms. Fisher is the former President and CEO of Nathan Adelson Hospice, where she positioned the organization as a nationally known industry leader respected for their clinical advancements and innovations, and which was recognized for eight years by Modern Healthcare Magazine as a 100 Best Places to Work in the country. Ms. Fisher has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and attained a Masters Certification in Organizational Leadership from the Thayer Institute in Asheville, North Carolina. She serves as an adjunct faculty member for Teleios University and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Thayer Institute. Previously she served on the Board of Directors for MountainView Hospital – a subsidiary of HCA, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross Foundation, Health Insight, UNLV Health Law Program Advisory Board and the Nevada Hospital Association. Support the show

Send us a text Mr. Siva Balu is Vice President and Chief Information Officer of YMCA of the U.S. (Y-USA), where he is working to rethink and reorganize the work of the organization’s information technology strategy to meet the changing needs of Y-USA and Ys throughout the country. The YMCA is a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community by connecting all people to their potential, purpose and each other, with a focus on empowering young people, improving health and well-being and inspiring action in and across communities, and with presence in 10,000 neighborhoods across the nation, they have real ability to deliver positive change. Mr. Balu has 20 years of healthcare technology experience in leadership roles for Blue Cross Blue Shield, the nation's largest health insurer, which provides healthcare to over 107 million members—1 in 3 Americans. He most recently led the Enterprise Information Technology team at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), a national federation of Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. Mr. Balu was responsible for leading all aspects of IT, including architecture, application and product development, big data, business intelligence and data analytics, information security, project management, digital, infrastructure and operations. He has created several highly scalable innovative solutions that cater to the needs of members and patients throughout the country in all communities. He provided leadership in creating innovative solutions and adopting new technologies for national and international users. Mr. Balu earned a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communication engineering from Bharathiar University in India, a master’s in business administration from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and executive master’s degree from MIT-Sloan School of Management in Innovation, Strategy and Artificial Intelligence as well as additional certifications in Disruptive Strategy and Negotiation Mastery from Harvard Business School Online. In his free time, Mr. Balu volunteers and contributes to several charities, including The Soondra Foundation (delivering healthcare to the working poor in India), Special Olympics, Chicago Food Depository, Sarah’s Inn, Challenged Athletes Foundation, Beyond Hunger, The Pack Shack, Cradles to Crayons and Gardeneers. Mr. Balu has also developed a passion for long-distance running a few years ago starting with a 5k, and then to marathons and to running multiple ultra-marathons. He has run multiple 100-mile races. He recently ran what is referred to as 'the worlds toughest foot race,' Badwater 135-miler in Death Valley, and one of the coldest races, Tuscobia 160-miler. Support the show

Send us a text Dr. Sean Guillory, Ph.D. is Senior Robotics Process Automation Developer, at Booz Allen Hamilton, the U.S. management and information technology consulting firm. Dr. Guillory went to Dartmouth College where he received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Cognitive Neuroscience, followed by Postdoctoral Research at MD Anderson Cancer Center where he worked on mapping behavior and cognitive functions in brain tumor patients in order to protect the basic functions of the brain during neurosurgery. He then moved into the data and robots domain with organizations including Consumer Affairs and Clear Channel Communications, leveraging his knowledge in these consumer facing sectors. At Booz Allen Hamilton he is involved in the convergent domain of Robotic Process Automation and utilizing his extensive knowledge from cognitive neuroscience in Defense and National Security. Support the show

Send us a textDr. Veronica Rodriguez-Bravo, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Cancer Biology, at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, in Philadelphia, PA, USA. (https://sidneykimmelcancercenter.jeff...) Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo obtained her PhD in Pathology and Cell Biology (Summa Cum Laude) from the University of Barcelona in 2007, where she also received the Extraordinary Doctorate Award for her studies on the distinct DNA replication checkpoint mechanisms of tumor cells. During her postdoctoral training at the Experimental Oncology Department of the University Medical Center of Utrecht (UMC, The Netherlands) and at the Molecular and Cell Biology Programs of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC, New York), she specialized in the study of chromosome segregation during mitosis and the role of nuclear pores in genome integrity maintenance. Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo's post-doctoral work allowed her to apply genome-editing techniques crucial to dissect the function of mitotic and nuclear pore proteins in chromosomal stability and resulted in the recognition with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Postdoctoral Research Award. Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo’s research focuses on the study of genome integrity maintenance mechanisms and the relationship of defects in cell division to cancer pathogenesis with special emphasis in the pathways contributing to cancer cells’ more aggressive phenotypes.Support the show

Send us a text Dr. Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH, is President and CEO of The Chicago Community Trust (CCT), one of the nation’s oldest and largest community foundations, and under her leadership, CCT has adopted a new strategic focus on closing the racial and ethnic wealth gap in the Chicago region. An expert on global development, humanitarian, and health issues, for almost a decade, Dr. Gayle was president and CEO of CARE, a leading international humanitarian organization, and prior to that spent 20 years with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, working primarily on HIV/AIDS. She also worked at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, directing programs on HIV/AIDS and other global health issues. Dr. Gayle serves on public company and nonprofit boards, including The Coca-Cola Company, Organon, Palo Alto Networks, Brookings Institution, Center for Strategic and International Studies, New America, ONE Campaign, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, and Economic Club of Chicago. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Council on Foreign Relations, American Public Health Association, National Academy of Medicine, National Medical Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Gayle was awarded the Chicago Mayor’s Medal of Honor for her work on COVID relief and recovery for the city. Named one of Forbes’ “100 Most Powerful Women” and one of Non Profit Times’ “Power and Influence Top 50,” she has authored numerous articles on global and domestic public health issues, poverty alleviation, gender equality, and social justice. Dr. Gayle was born and raised in Buffalo, NY. She earned a BA in psychology at Barnard College, an MD at the University of Pennsylvania, and an MPH at Johns Hopkins University. She has received 18 honorary degrees and holds faculty appointments at the University of Washington and Emory University. Support the show

Send us a textDr. Charles Brenner Ph.D. is the Alfred E Mann Family Foundation Chair in Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, and Professor and Chair of the Department of Diabetes & Cancer Metabolism, at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center (https://www.cityofhope.org/faculty/ch...). With his Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from Stanford University, Dr. Brenner’s laboratory focuses on disturbances in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), the central catalyst of metabolism, in diseases and conditions of metabolic stress (https://www.cityofhope.org/charles-br...). Among his most significant discoveries, Dr. Brenner identified nicotinamide riboside (NR) as a vitamin precursor of NAD, as well as a quantitative metabolomic technology that allowed him to discover that the NAD system is disturbed by many diseases and conditions of metabolic stress, including diabetes and cancer. Specifically, Dr. Brenner and colleagues have found that in animal models of fatty liver, type 2 diabetes, diabetic and chemotherapeutic neuropathy, central brain injury, heart failure, postpartum and coronavirus infection, the NAD system is disturbed and that in these models, provision of nicotinamide riboside is highly protective. Dr. Brenner also led the team that conducted the first clinical trial of nicotinamide riboside establishing safe oral availability and has participated in trials establishing safety and potential activities of nicotinamide riboside in clearance of liver fat and depression of common markers of inflammation. Dr. Brenner continues to research how the NAD system is disregulated as a function of postpartum, coronavirus infection, inflammatory conditions, diabesity and specific malignancies, with the dual goals of defining mechanisms of biological regulation and developing safe preventative and therapeutic interventions for people. Dr. Brenner's work over the years been funded by numerous agencies including the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the March of Dimes, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Beckman Foundation, the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation. Dr. Brenner is author of more than 140 publications and was the senior editor of the 2004 book, Oncogenomics: Molecular Approaches to Cancer. Dr. Brenner also serves as a Member of the scientific advisory board and Chief Scientific Advisor to ChromaDex, a global bioscience company dedicated to healthy aging.Support the show

Send us a text Dr. Aboubacar Kampo, MD, MPH is the Director of Health Programs at UNICEF (UN Headquarters) where he provides strategic leadership, management support and overall direction to UNICEF’s global health program. UNICEF, also known as the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund, is a United Nations agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. The agency is among the most widespread and recognizable social welfare organizations in the world, with a presence in 192 countries and territories. UNICEF's activities include providing immunizations and disease prevention, administering treatment for children and mothers with HIV, enhancing childhood and maternal nutrition, improving sanitation, promoting education, and providing emergency relief in response to disasters. With over 20 years of experience in development aid and humanitarian assistance, Dr. Kampo has worked as a physician/surgeon in hospitals and clinics in rural and urban areas in Africa and Asia and has over 14 years’ experience in senior management position as Country Director, Senior Global Health Advisor, and Chief of Health and Nutrition with International NGOs and United Nations’ Agencies. Dr. Kampo is a Medical Doctor and Public Health Specialist, passionate about using innovations to address real life community challenges and bridge the gap between communities and stakeholders. Dr. Kampo had his Medical degree from University of Mali, an MPH (Epidemilogy and Complex Emergency) at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and is certified in Health Economics from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U. of London. Support the show

Send us a textDr Andrei Gudkov, PhD, DSci, is a preeminent cancer researcher who serves as Senior Vice President, Research Technology and Innovation, Chair of the Department of Cell Stress Biology, and a member of the senior leadership team for National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Center Support Grant at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (https://www.roswellpark.org/andrei-gu...). Dr. Gudkov is responsible for building on the basic and translational research strengths of the Cell Stress Biology program in DNA damage and repair, photodynamic therapy, thermal and hypoxic stress and immune modulation. Dr. Gudkov assists the President & CEO in developing and implementing strategic plans for new scientific programs and enhancing collaborations in research programs with regional and national academic centers as well as with industry. Before joining Roswell Park, Dr. Gudkov served as chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics at Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and Professor of Biochemistry at Case Western University. He earned his doctoral degree in Experimental Oncology at the Cancer Research Center, USSR and a Doctorate of Science (D.Sci) in Molecular Biology at the Moscow State University, USSR. He has authored or co-authored over 135 scientific articles and holds 27 patents. Dr. Gudkov is also an accomplished entrepreneur who founded Cleveland BioLabs, Inc., OncoTartis LLC and Everon Biosciences, Inc. He holds the position of Director & Chief Scientific Advisor at Panacela Labs, Inc., Chief Scientific Officer of OncoTartis LLC, Chief Scientific Officer for Everon Biosciences, Inc., Chief Science Officer at Genome Protection, Inc. and Chief Scientific Officer of Cleveland BioLabs, Inc. Andrei V. Gudkov is also on the board of Incuron LLC. Dr. Gudkov also serves on the Scientific Advisory Board and is author of the founding concept for the Vaika (https://www.vaika.org/) program, a not-for-profit charitable medical research organization with a mission to extend the health-span and life-span of domestic animals, with a focus on aged sled dogs.Support the show