Board & Leadership

TargetCancer Foundation is guided by the collaborative efforts of talented and committed individuals who serve on our various Boards. Learn more about them below.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jerry Alderman

Jerry Alderman currently serves as the CEO of Marsh & McLennan Agency’s New England region. Prior to joining MMA, Jerry was President of Alliant Boston. Before working at Alliant he was the Area President of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and prior to that Jerry was the owner of The InterNational Insurance Group, Ltd. from 1990 to 2007. With more than 35 years in the industry, his experience includes underwriting, global commercial insurance servicing and producing, VP of sales, managing director and business owner, and hard to place catastrophic coverage and large accounts. Jerry currently is a member of the Corporate Executive Council at WGBH. He is on the board of many family things and an advisor to numerous insurance companies. He was educated in England at King’s College Taunton and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Colin Carey
Chair

Colin is a relationship manager and product consultant at State Street Corporation, within the Global Credit Finance division. Colin is responsible for business development, regulatory management and structured product negotiations for the firm’s stable value wrap business. Colin earned a BA in Economics from Boston College and an MBA from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. He is a graduate of UMass Boston’s Emerging Leaders Program, a collaborative leadership development experience connecting professionals from corporate, nonprofit and government sectors. He resides in Needham, MA with his wife, Colleen, and twin daughters.

Jennifer Levin Carter, MD, MPH

Jennifer Levin Carter, MD, MPH, MBA, is a Precision Medicine Entrepreneur and Executive. She was Founder, President and Chief Medical Officer of N-of-One®, Inc., the global leader in oncology molecular decision support, acquired by Qiagen in January, 2019. She was also Founder and CEO of “TZ”, acquired in a pre-launch acquisition in March, 2019. She is currently VP at Integral Health. Dr. Carter has a passion for finding solutions to improve patient care.  Her particular focus has been the development and delivery of solutions to enable greater patient and physician access to novel diagnostics and therapeutic strategies. Since 2012, she has participated as a regular presenter, expert panelist, or moderator at industry conferences, events, and symposia and serves on multiple industry advisory boards. Prior to founding and leading N-of-One® in 2008, Dr. Carter spent eight years as an Investment Consultant specializing in biotechnology and life sciences investments. After obtaining her MD, Dr. Carter practiced internal medicine at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA. Dr. Carter has a BS in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University, an MPH from Harvard School of Public Health, an MD from Harvard Medical School, and an MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

C.J. Chapman

C.J. is a partner at Pilgrim Strategies, LLC, a Massachusetts based public affairs firm specializing in political and media strategy for private sector clients. He develops and executes long term strategic plans for clients facing high profile governmental policy, permitting and regulatory matters in various market sectors. He serves as a political advisor to United States Congressman Bill Keating. C.J. received his B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Stonehill College.

Sam Davenport

Sam is a litigation partner in the Boston office of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., where he spends most of his time representing life sciences, clean technology, and high technology clients in disputes concerning strategic alliances, joint ventures, profit sharing agreements, licensing, financing, and vendor agreements. Sam received his B.A. in American history from Connecticut College, and his J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law. In addition to his work with TargetCancer Foundation, Sam also serves as a trustee of the Duxbury Bay Maritime School and a member of the Duxbury Bay Management Committee. Sam is also a past trustee of the Manoment Center for Conservation Sciences and the Duxbury Historical Society.

Janet E. Fine, M.S.

Since the early 1980s, Janet has been at the forefront of the Victims Movement, holding various direct service and leadership positions locally and nationally, promoting advancements in victim rights and services, system reform and the development of innovative programs and services for victims of abuse and violence. She was the Executive Director of the MA Office for Victim Assistance for over 10 years, has served on the boards of state and national victim service organizations, and was a member of the National Crisis Response Team at Ground Zero in the aftermath of 9/11. More recently, she served as the Project Director for the federally-funded national Vicarious Trauma Toolkit Project, addressing the needs of first responders, victim service providers, and their organizations. She is adjunct faculty at Northeastern University’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, serves on the World Society of Victimology’s UN Liaison Committee, and provides training and consultation on victim rights and services and organizational and program development nationally and internationally. She received her B.S. in Human Development & Family Studies from Cornell University and her M.S. in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University.

Mary Pat Lancelotta

Mary Pat Lancelotta is the Vice President of Corporate Marketing and Communications at Adaptive Biotechnologies, a commercial-stage biotechnology company that reads and translates the genetic code of the adaptive immune system to develop personalized clinical products to improve patient lives. She s a seasoned healthcare strategist with a passion for precision medicine, and brings over 20 years of business and strategy experience in Big 5 and boutique consulting firms, Fortune 500 companies and biotech start-ups. Prior to joining Adaptive, Mary Pat led Marketing and Communications for Foundation Medicine, a molecular information company, from 2010-2015. Before joining Foundation Medicine, Mary Pat led several corporate strategic initiatives and strategic planning for the company’s largest ($5B) business unit. Mary Pat holds an MBA with honors from Columbia Business School and a BS in Biochemistry from Boston College.

Jim Palma
Chief Executive Officer

Since joining TargetCancer Foundation in 2010, Jim has overseen its growth from a small start-up to a nationally recognized foundation supporting comprehensive rare cancer research programs and patient support services. Prior to joining TargetCancer Foundation, he spent eleven years at Fidelity Investments in Boston, MA. Jim is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), and is a founding Co-Chair of the NORD Rare Cancers Coalition. In addition, Jim is a Steering Committee member at the GI Cancers Alliance and the Global Cholangiocarcinoma Alliance. Jim completed studies at the Institute for Nonprofit Management and Leadership at the Questrom School of Business at Boston University, and received his B.A. from Loyola University Maryland.

Kristen Palma Poth
President

Kristen has worked in public service her entire career. She began as a Victim Witness Advocate in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in Boston, where she met her husband Paul Poth, founder of TargetCancer Foundation. She worked as a project manager for youth development programs for the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, as well as the Public Affairs Director for the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance. In addition, she served as a working group leader at the United Nations Conference for the Establishment of an International Criminal Court in Rome, Italy. She received her B.A. from Skidmore College and a Masters in International and Public Affairs from Columbia University.  Since its founding in 2009, Kristen has served as President of TargetCancer Foundation.

Kristen Schuler Scammon

Kristen is a founding partner of the Boston law firm Torres, Scammon, Hincks & Day, LLP, a litigation boutique. Kristen’s litigation practice focuses on white collar criminal defense, corporate compliance and general business litigation for clients in a wide range of industries, including construction, health care and financial services. Kristen received her B.A. in Government and Spanish from Colby College, and her J.D. from Boston College Law School. In addition to her work with TargetCancer Foundation, Kristen also teaches Legal Writing at the New England School of Law.

Andrea MacIver Sullivan

Andrea is an attorney at Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. where she represents employers in a wide range of litigation matters, including allegations of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wrongful termination in state and federal courts, as well as before administrative agencies. Prior to Ogletree, Andrea worked at litigation firms in Boston and Chicago. Over her career, Andrea has successfully tried and arbitrated cases in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Utah. Andrea also served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Justice Nathaniel Howse Jr., Illinois Appellate Court, First District. Andrea received her law degree from DePaul University College of Law (magna cum laude and order of the coif) and her B.A. from Stonehill College (magna cum laude). Andrea lives in Dorchester, Massachusetts with her husband, Collin, and son, Grayson.

TargetCancer Foundation would like to acknowledge those who have previously donated their time and talents to serve on the Board of Directors. Each has made significant contributions that have helped TargetCancer Foundation to carry out and expand its mission since being founded in 2009.

Charles Cheever, 2012-2021

Ted Eichelberger, 2011-2014

Gail C. Favreau, 2014-2017

Alicemarie Hand, 2014-2019

Chris MacKenzie, 2012-2017

Clare Poth, 2009-2014

Adam Sisitsky, 2011-2018
Member, Emeritus Board of Directors

Joann Webster, 2012-2017

HONORARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

R. Robert Popeo

In Memoriam: R. Robert Popeo

1938 – 2023

R. Robert (Bob) Popeo was the Chairman of the law firm Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo PC.  He established the firm’s Litigation Practice as well as its nationally recognized White Collar Criminal Defense Practice, and was a longtime leader of the Boston legal community.  Known as a brilliant strategist and “a force of nature at the Bar,” Bob tried some of the most highly publicized white collar criminal cases in the country.  He played a key role in reforming the Massachusetts court system and was an integral part of the fabric of Boston’s business and civic community for over 40 years.

Bob’s reputation for excellence and success did not stop with the practice of law. He was known and respected for his commitment to pro bono work, and established a pro bono practice at his firm that is a model nationwide. From its very first days, Bob supported TargetCancer Foundation’s mission both personally and through Mintz Levin, and acted as a guide and mentor for our work. That support continued for 14 years, ensuring TargetCancer Foundation’s growth and success today. We will always be grateful to Bob for his generosity, friendship and guidance. He is truly missed.

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

TargetCancer Foundation - Jay Bradner

James Bradner, MD
Emeritus

Dr. Bradner is President of the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research. Prior to joining Novartis, Dr. Bradner was an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. His clinical practice centered around the treatment of hematologic malignancies, specifically using allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Additionally, he led a research laboratory focused on the discovery, optimization and clinical translation of new targeted cancer therapeutics. Dr. Bradner received an A.B. from Harvard University, a M.D. from the University of Chicago-Pritzker School of Medicine and a M.M.S. from Harvard Medical School. He completed postdoctoral research training with Prof. Stuart Schreiber in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. Learn more about Jay by watching his Ted talk, or by reading about him in Nature.

 

TargetCancer Foundation - Todd Foley

Todd Foley

Todd Foley is a managing director with MPM Capital, one of the world’s largest life-science focused venture capital firms. Prior to joining MPM, Mr. Foley worked in business development at Genentech and in management consulting with Arthur D. Little.  Mr. Foley currently serves as a member of the board of directors of Chiasma (NASDAQ: CHMA), ClinicalInk, Iconic Therapeutics, Motus Therapeutics, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Selexys Pharmaceuticals, Semma Therapeutics, and Tetherex. He holds a B.S. in chemistry from MIT and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

 

AJI photo

John Iafrate, MD, PhD

Dr. Iafrate is the director of the Center for Integrated Diagnostics, a clinical laboratory for molecular diagnostics at Massachusetts General Hospital. He oversees the Translational Research Laboratory (TRL), a shared effort of the Pathology Department and Mass General Cancer Center. The TRL provides rapid personalized genomic testing to help inform cancer treatment decisions for patients. Dr. Iafrate received his MD, PhD degrees from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 2000, and was trained in anatomic and molecular genetic pathology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He joined the Massachusetts General Hospital staff in 2005. His post-doctoral work involved the discovery and description of a novel source of human genetic diversity, termed “copy number variation” (CNV). He established a cancer diagnostics lab focusing on genetic fingerprints that help guide novel, targeted therapies. His laboratory launched SNaPshot several years ago, an assay that tests over 100 of the most common mutations in tumors. His research is focused on lung and brain tumors, and he has been closely involved in the clinical development of crizotinib and companion diagnostics in ALK-positive lung cancers.

 

TargetCancer Foundation - Dr. Deborah Morosini

Deborah Morosini, MD, MSW

Dr. Morosini is Executive Vice President and Chief of Clinical Affairs at Prelude Therapeutics. She previously served as Vice President of Clinical Affairs and Patient Engagement (Chief Patient Officer) at Loxo Oncology, and prior to Loxo, Dr. Morosini was Vice President of Clinical Development at Foundation Medicine. Dr. Morosini has a particular passion for the genomics of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer. Inspired by her late sister and brother-in-law, Christopher and Dana Reeve, she has devoted her energies to raising awareness and research dollars for cancer research and early detection. She has been a featured spokesperson for numerous non-profit fundraising and government events in oncology and has provided expert commentary for national television and radio broadcasts, including NBC, ABC, CNN and FOX News. Dr. Morosini received her MD from Boston University School of Medicine and completed a pathology residency at Boston Medical Center, where she was chief resident. She served on the NCI – DCLG board, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Lung Cancer Alliance, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Foundation, the NPAF Scientific Advisory Board and the Cancer Support Community in Central New Jersey.

 

TargetCancer Foundation - Jeff Settleman

Jeffrey Settleman, PhD

Dr. Settleman’s research is focused on cellular signaling pathways in human cancer. His current research is primarily related to molecularly targeted cancer therapeutics, personalized cancer medicine, and mechanisms of drug resistance. He received a Ph.D. degree in Genetics from Yale University in 1989, and from 1989-1992 was a postdoctoral fellow at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research at M.I.T. in Dr. Robert Weinberg’s laboratory. He joined the Harvard School of Medicine faculty in 1992, and was named the Laurel Schwartz Professor of Oncology at Harvard Medical School in 2008. He was also the Director of the Center for Molecular Therapeutics and the Scientific Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. In 2010, Dr. Settleman joined Genentech, as the Senior Director of Discovery Oncology, and in 2015, moved to Calico Life Sciences as the Head of Oncology Research.

 

Lori Stetz, MD, MPH

Dr. Stetz is a physician executive with over 20 years of experience in primary and global population health. As Chief Medical Officer for Best Doctors Insurance, based in Miami, her focus is on expanding access to high level care for the Latin American market. As in her previous role as Senior Medical Director for Aetna International, Dr. Stetz drives medical policy, strategic planning and product development in concurrence with changing markets and technologies in evolving healthcare systems. She also leads teams focused on creating effective international networks, and assessing risk on an individual and population basis. Prior to joining Aetna in 2009, Dr. Stetz practiced primary and urgent care medicine and public health in the U.S. and a number of international settings. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine and has further certifications in Travel Medicine and Aeromedical Evacuation. She has published and presented on global health issues to the United Nations Foundation, the Institute of Medicine, the Hong Kong Mental Health Conference, and numerous industry events. Dr. Stetz graduated from Haverford College, and holds an M.P.H. from Boston University and an M.D. from SUNY Downstate.

STAFF

Jim Palma
Chief Executive Officer

Since joining TargetCancer Foundation in 2010, Jim has overseen its growth from a small start-up to a nationally recognized foundation supporting comprehensive rare cancer research programs and patient support services. Prior to joining TargetCancer Foundation, he spent eleven years at Fidelity Investments in Boston, MA. Jim is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), and is a founding Co-Chair of the NORD Rare Cancers Coalition. In addition, Jim is a Steering Committee member at the GI Cancers Alliance and the Global Cholangiocarcinoma Alliance. Jim completed studies at the Institute for Nonprofit Management and Leadership at the Questrom School of Business at Boston University, and received his B.A. from Loyola University Maryland.

Kristen Palma Poth
President

Kristen has worked in public service her entire career. She began as a Victim Witness Advocate in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in Boston, where she met her husband Paul Poth, founder of TargetCancer Foundation. She worked as a project manager for youth development programs for the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, as well as the Public Affairs Director for the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance. In addition, she served as a working group leader at the United Nations Conference for the Establishment of an International Criminal Court in Rome, Italy. She received her BA from Skidmore College and a Masters in International and Public Affairs from Columbia University.

Samantha Sullivan
Associate Director of Programs and Community Engagement

Prior to joining TargetCancer Foundation in 2017, Samantha was a member of the Foundation Relations team at Boston Children’s Hospital Trust, the development arm of the nation’s top-ranked pediatric hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital. Prior to her work at Boston Children’s, Samantha worked in the Advancement Division of Tufts University, where she focused on event creation and management, constituency relations, and volunteer management. An Australian-American Fulbright Scholar, Samantha received her Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Victoria, Australia, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Tufts University in Medford, MA.