Joanna Fawzy Doran, Esq.
Chief Executive Officer
Ms. Doran is a cancer rights attorney, author, speaker, and CEO of Triage Cancer, a national, nonprofit organization providing free education on practical and legal issues that may impact individuals coping with cancer and their caregivers, through events, materials, and resources. Ms. Doran has spent nearly thirty years working on behalf of individuals with cancer, including five as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Loyola Law School, teaching a seminar in Cancer Rights Law, and eight at the John Wayne Cancer Institute’s Psychosocial Care Program and Positive Appearance Center. She has also taught a Community Advocacy Clinic, as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Wayne State University Law School.
Ms. Doran co-authored the book, Cancer Rights Law , for the American Bar Association – the first and only book of its kind. In 2020, she wrote a chapter on Cancer-Related Legal Issues, for the Oncology Nursing Society’s book, Oncology Nurse Navigation: Delivering Patient-Centered Care Across the Continuum. In 2017, she wrote Preventing or Minimizing Financial Toxicity Across the Continuum of Cancer Care, a chapter for the Oncology Nursing Society’s book, Cancer Survivorship: Transdisciplinary, Patient-Centered Approaches to the Season of Survival. In 2009, she also contributed to a book entitled, Work and Cancer Survivors. And, her work has appeared in a variety of other publications, such as Psycho-Oncology, Heal, Cure, Coping with Cancer, Women, and Ability Magazine.
Ms. Doran has presented nearly one thousand educational seminars on employment, insurance, health care, and advocacy issues throughout the country for individuals diagnosed with cancer, caregivers, health care professionals, advocates, lawyers, employers, and the general public.
In addition, she has served on numerous cancer community committees and boards, including as Chair of the Board of Directors for the California Division of the American Cancer Society, ZERO Prostate Cancer’s Medical Advisory Board, the National Advisory Board of CancerForward, the Stupid Cancer Survivorship Advisory Council, and the Executive Committee of the American Bar Association’s Breast Cancer Task Force.
Ms. Doran has received several awards and recognition for her service to the cancer community and her work in the area of legislative advocacy, including the 2009 Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Public Policy Advocate of the Year and the 2015 Legacy Advocate Award from Stupid Cancer. In 2010, she was recognized by the Los Angeles Daily Journal as one of the Top 20 Attorneys in California Under the Age of 40.
Ms. Doran earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations from the University of California Los Angeles and a Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School Los Angeles.
Monica Fawzy Bryant, Esq.
Chief Operating Officer
Ms. Bryant is a cancer rights attorney, speaker, and author, dedicated to improving access to quality information on healthcare-related issues. She is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer for Triage Cancer, a national non-profit organization that provides education on the practical and legal issues that may impact individuals diagnosed with cancer and their caregivers.
Ms. Bryant is co-author of the first and only book on Cancer Rights Law , published by the American Bar Association (ABA) in 2018. In 2019, she received a 40 Under 40 in Cancer Award, and in 2015, was awarded the Legacy Advocate Award by a leading young adult cancer organization. She is an Adjunct Law Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Law, teaching a class on Cancer Rights. Throughout her career, she has provided more than one thousand educational seminars for individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer, their caregivers, lawyers, advocates, health care professionals, elected officials, and the general public.
She regularly shares her expertise through written book chapters, articles, and blogs, and appears on television, radio, and podcast shows. In 2020, she co-wrote a chapter on Cancer Related Legal Issues for the Oncology Nursing Society’s book Oncology Nurse Navigation: Delivering Patient-Centered Care Across the Continuum . Ms. Bryant provides expert review for a variety of national cancer organizations, including the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Cancer Support Community, Cancer and Careers, National Brain Tumor Foundation, and LIVESTRONG. She is the resident legal expert for the Patients Rising Podcast .
Previously, Ms. Bryant was Midwest Regional Director for a national cancer rights organization where she forged relationships with cancer organizations, hospitals, law firms, members of underserved communities, and other community partners, to introduce them to the field of Cancer Rights Law. Prior to relocating to Chicago, she served as Legislative Counsel for U.S. Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez and Law Clerk for U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. During her time in Congress, she worked on health, justice, civil rights, and women's issues.
Ms. Bryant is a member of the American Bar Association’s Cancer Legal Advocacy Task Force and Affordable Care Act Task Force, the Coalition to Protect Parenthood After Cancer, the National Cancer Legal Services Network, and many other legal and cancer community initiatives.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in law & society, with an emphasis in criminal justice, and psychology, from the University of California Santa Barbara and her law degree from The George Washington University Law School. She is a member of both the California and Illinois State Bars.
Jodi Omear, MAEdHD, MA, APR
Communications Director
Jodi Omear is a senior executive with more than 20 years’ experience in strategic communications, organizational and non-profit strategy, and change management.
She has worked with governors, congressmen, the entertainment industry, key media influencers, and executive leadership of organizations.
Jodi co–founded JaM Strategies, a women-led consulting firm that specializes in strategic planning. She also provides strategic counsel in overall communications and marketing strategies and leads operations and change management projects.
Throughout her career, Jodi has worked with organizations of all sizes to execute strategies. She has extensive experience in strategic planning, digital and social media strategy, crisis communications, celebrity management, event management and on-the-record work. She also coaches executives on communication with the media and the public, leadership development, and board development.
Jodi served as the chief communications strategist for the nation’s governors at the National Governors Association for more than 10 years, where she developed and implemented overall strategic communications plans in various issue areas including economic development, education, health, homeland security and natural resources.
She also served as the vice president of communications at RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, helping guide sexual misconduct communications and outreach strategies for clients as Uber, TripAdvisor, Massage Envy, McDonalds, and the Department of Defense.
Jodi has two master’s degrees from The George Washington University – one in Organizational Leadership and Learning and one in Political Management – a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism from West Liberty University, and an Accreditation in Public Relations from the Universal Accreditation Board. She is the immediate past President of the Board for the national nonprofit, Triage Cancer, and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and the International Breathwork Foundation.
Amanda Goodstadt, Esq.
Senior Staff Attorney
Prior to joining Triage Cancer, Amanda spent 12 years counseling seniors and caregivers about Medicare and related benefits through the Westchester (NY) Library System. She most recently served as a Program Coordinator for the WLS Senior Benefits Individual Counseling program. In addition, Amanda has been a Caregiver Coach at the Ken Hamilton Caregivers Center at Northern Westchester Hospital. She has a lengthy history of volunteer work with nonprofits, including service on multiple boards of directors in her community.
Amanda is an attorney and previously served as a Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for a division of News Corp. She began her legal career as a corporate associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.
Amanda earned a B.A. in Government from Cornell University and a J.D., cum laude , from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. She is a member of the New York and New Jersey bars.
Laura Beilke, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Laura is a Staff Attorney for Triage Cancer. Laura earned her Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School and her Bachelor of Arts in Neurobiology and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Laura is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Having experienced the loss of her mother to cancer at a young age, Laura is driven by a desire to leverage her legal expertise and background to make a positive impact within the cancer community. Beyond her professional pursuits, she engages in personal challenges, dedicating her free time to training for and participating in long-distance running events. Laura also enjoys spending time with her dog, Pretzel, and her family and friends.
Sofia Fernandez, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Sofia earned her Juris Doctor from DePaul College of Law in Chicago. She also earned her Master of Public Health and Bachelor of Science in Public Health from University of South Florida. Sofia is a member of the Illinois bar.
Sofia specializes in public health law and strives to use her expertise to be of utmost assistance to the cancer community. In her free time, Sofia enjoys binge-watching shows, going to the movies, and spending time with friends.
Kathryn J. Strobach, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Kathryn J. Strobach is a Staff Attorney at Triage Cancer. Kathryn graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2003. She then began her legal career at the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office Trial Division, representing individuals charged with all levels of crimes ranging from misdemeanors to capital offenses. She specialized in two areas – matters involving evaluation, commitment, and involuntary medications for people with serious mental illness and intellectual disabilities, and representing youth charged with felonies in adult court. She then joined the Appellate Division where she handled misdemeanor and felony appellate matters, as well as resentencing hearings for youth sentenced to life who were eligible for resentencing under the Miller and Graham cases.
Kathryn left the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s office in 2014 to join Dutton Law Group where she defended insurers in auto accident claims. During that time, she went back to school to get her Master of Social Work Degree from Florida International University. She interned as a public guardian and a social worker in a hospital emergency department and earned a Certificate in Working with the Elderly.
Before joining Triage Cancer, Kathryn was the Director of Investigations for Disability Rights Florida from 2019 to 2024. In that position, she led an interdisciplinary team that focused on addressing abuse, neglect, and rights violations against people with disabilities residing in institutional settings. She oversaw systemic litigation against Florida state agencies,conducted litigation and legally based advocacy on behalf of individual clients, and investigated and monitored facilities including state hospitals, short-term psychiatric facilities, nursing homes, forensic treatment centers, jails, and prisons.
Kathryn is a member of the Florida and Wisconsin Bars and is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida.
Natasha Viteri, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Natasha Viteri is a staff attorney at Triage Cancer. Natasha earned her law degree from the University of Colorado Law School and her Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of Texas at Austin.
After graduating from law school, Natasha completed a two-year fellowship at Towards Justice in Denver, Colorado. As a fellow, she worked on employment issues relating to wage and hour law, discrimination, and the exploitation of immigrant and guestworkers in the United States. Natasha then joined the Environmental Protection Agency as an Associate Regional Counsel in the Region 5 Office. Natasha's responsibilities in this position included enforcement of regulations related to clean air and water, the remediation of Superfund sites, and the removal of hazardous waste from communities impacted by environmental injustice.
She is licensed to practice in Colorado and based in Chicago, Illinois.
Susan Yoon, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Susan Ha-kyung Yoon is a Staff Attorney at Triage Cancer. Susan earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in art history at UCLA and her law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. She is a member of the California Bar Association. Prior to joining Triage Cancer she practiced estate planning law in Los Angeles. She was also an advocate for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Quilting for Community (Q4C), a community building organization. As a two time cancer survivor Susan understands first hand the importance of the work done at Triage Cancer. She and her family personally experienced many of the legal issues that Triage Cancer deals with, from employment law to insurance issues to estate planning. Susan is happy to join Triage Cancer to help educate and inform others about the legal matters associated with a cancer diagnosis.
Christopher Cordes
Development Manager
Christopher is privileged to drive partnerships and investment in Triage Cancer's mission. He struggled with questions during his own diagnosis and hopes to connect people to the expertise and resources needed by all people impacted by cancer.
He is a two-time graduate of Arizona State University, earning a bachelor's degree in business and communication and a master's degree in nonprofit leadership and management. Go Devils!
Most recently, he directed development at Treasures 4 Teachers, a teacher resource nonprofit in Tempe, AZ. Previously, he managed development operations at the Pat Tillman Foundation and the Banner Health Foundation. He enjoys helping individuals and organizations express their values through philanthropy.
Christopher enjoys fun and adventure with his wife, twin sons, and daughter. A native and fifth-generation Arizonan, he also enjoys tennis, golf, fly fishing, and exploring the outdoors.
Shelby Wells
Events Manger
Shelby is thrilled to be part of the Triage Cancer team, serving as the Events Manger and contributing to the advocacy for cancer awareness. Originally from Mexico, she is fluent in Spanish and brings a rich cultural perspective to her endeavors.
She earned a BA in Psychology and Sociology from San Diego State University.
Before embarking on this journey, Shelby poured her heart into creating unique events and experiences as the owner of Picky Picnics. Her knack for event planning, marketing, and customer engagement was honed through this venture.
Beyond her professional pursuits, she enjoys spending time with her family, her dog Posy and she is a passionate enthusiast of Polynesian dancing. She is driven by her desire to make a difference within the cancer community and beyond.
Maisie Ruckman, MA
Marketing Coordinator
Maisie has earned her M.A. in Communication Management from the University of Denver and her B.A. in Computing in the Arts from the College of Charleston. She currently resides in Orlando, FL. While in school, she worked as a Marketing Coordinator for the Office of Student Life. Maisie spent her time volunteering with organizations such as the Red Cross and assisting with student campus events. Outside of work, Maisie enjoys roller skating, reading, and painting. She loves to take road trips and try new foods. Her pride and joy are her two guinea pigs, Reese and Peanut Butter.
Michaela Tobin
Outreach Coordinator
Michaela is honored to be the Outreach Coordinator for the Triage Cancer team helping to further the mission of cancer advocacy. She earned her BA in Youth Ministry from Moody Bible Institute and served as the Director of Elementary Ministry in her local church. Before joining the Triage Cancer team, Michaela dedicated her time to serving the families in her community alongside her church and non-profit organizations such as Inner City Impact and Breakthrough Urban Ministry. It has been through serving in these organizations that she developed a passion for being part of the change she hopes to see for the world and community around her. In her free time, Michaela enjoys exploring new ways to be creative, trying new food throughout the city of Chicago, and reading. She loves to spend time with her family and listen to stories told through the performing arts, which she on occasion participates in telling.
Thalia Garcia
Administrative Assistant
With a Bachelors in Science and a passion in philanthropy, Thalia has pursued experience advocating for both people and animals alike. She is so thrilled to be a part of Triage Cancer’s work. She hopes to bring her knowledge in social services and non-profit development to the position, along with her devotion to helping everyone and anyone. Outside of work, Thalia volunteers/fosters for local animal shelters, loves baking, drawing and most of all, snuggling her senior kitty named Lily.
Emma Wilfong
PILI Fellow
Emma is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan Law School where she was actively involved in the Michigan Health Law Organization and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Michigan Journal of International Law. During her time in law school, she completed an internship in the General Counsel's Office at the National Institutes of Health as well as an externship at the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Prior to law school, she managed a COVID testing site where she learned firsthand how community members respond during a health crisis. Emma earned dual B.S. degrees in Chemistry and Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. In her free time, she likes to explore Chicago's theater scene and spend time with her cat, Persephone.