Board of Directors
Jason Kuhn
Chairman of the Board
Tampa, Florida
Malissa Blake Lischin
New York, New York
Toni Dachis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Stephanie R. Davis, JD, MA
Secretary
Sherman Oaks, California
Tim Ennis
Immediate Past Chairman
Boca Raton, Florida and Lockport, New York
Julie Fleshman, JD, MBA
President & CEO
Los Angeles, California
Dr. Stevan Holmberg, MBA, DBA
Potomac, Maryland
Cynthia Stroum
Founding Chairman
Seattle, Washington
Jason Kuhn
Chairman of the Board
Tampa, Florida
Jason Kuhn was born and raised in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and finance at Washington University in St. Louis, a law degree from the Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, and an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law.
After practicing for KPMG in New York City, Mr. Kuhn moved to Miami to enter the automobile business. In 1998, he formed Direct Automotive, which purchased a chain of car dealerships based in North and Central Florida. Jason currently serves as the President and CEO of Direct, which is headquartered in Tampa.
Jason was the youngest car dealer ever to be elected to serve on the board of the Florida Automobile Dealers Association, and continues to serve in the capacity of director. He has conducted educational seminars in automotive acquisitions, and strategic operations.
Jason is very involved in non-profit fundraising and sits on various local boards. In 2004, Jason lost his 62 year old father to pancreatic cancer, and since then has been active in the cancer community both locally and on a national level. He is working closely with Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa to eventually initiate a pancreatic cancer center of excellence.
Jason is 37 years old, married, and has two boys. They reside in Tampa, Florida.
Malissa Blake Lischin
New York, New York
Malissa Lischin is a Vice President and Manager of High Net Worth Marketing for OFI Private Investments, Inc. in New York City, a subsidiary of OppenheimerFunds, Inc. Prior to joining OFI Private Investments, Lischin worked at Prudential Investments for over six years. Lischin also currently helps out with financial and marketing matters for Dutchess Views Farm and Metropolitan Stud two thoroughbred breeding facilities located in Pine Plains, NY.
Lischin became a PanCAN board of director after losing both of her paternal grandparents to pancreatic cancer. In addition to PanCAN, she also sits on the board of the Sheldon H. Lischin Foundation formed to help save lives by supporting effective research, education and awareness about pancreatic cancer. Their research has been focused on genetic risk and the analysis of these risks to develop earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment.
Lischin is a member of the Investment Management Consulting Association (IMCA), and is a certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) which she received through the Wharton School of Business. Malissa graduated from the University of Miami with a BBA in Business.
Toni Dachis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Toni Dachis has served
as the TeamHOPE Minnesota Coordinator since November 2000. Team
Hope Minnesota has had an annual benefit every year since then,
netting over $1.4 Million for PanCAN.
Toni is also on the Board at the Mayo Clinic for their SPORE in Pancreatic Cancer. She also has done some patient advocacy work in the past 3 years.
Toni is a graduate of the Minneapolis College of Art & Design. She has worked as an Art Director in both a studio setting and in advertising firms. She has been a docent at the Walker Art Center and currently paints from her studio, in her home. Toni has 2 children and is married to Bruce, an investment broker.
Stephanie R. Davis, JD, MA
Sherman Oaks, California
Stephanie R. Davis, who lost her mother and maternal aunt to pancreatic cancer in 1999, is a lawyer and psychotherapist. Admitted to the California State Bar in 1990, much of her time is spent working with various associations in helping to fulfill their missions. She has experience as a litigator, however her passion lies in the art of communication. She received her Master's in Psychology in 2006 and is currently interning with the California Family Counseling Center in Encino, California, working with children, individuals, couples and families.
She has embraced a variety of public and private organizations over the past many years. She served as adjunct faculty at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Museum of Tolerance, in Los Angeles. She was one of the first people recruited and trained by their "Tools for Tolerance" program as a facilitator and has trained numerous law enforcement agencies on issues surrounding diversity. Other organizations that have benefited from her assistance include Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Dispute Resolution Services of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Los Angeles Valley College and our own Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Inc.
Tim Ennis
Immediate Past Chairman
Boca Raton, Florida and Lockport, New York
Tim Ennis is the President and CEO of Montondo's Seafood, Inc., a major supplier of seafood to restaurants and institutions in the Western New York area. Tim has won numerous awards including the 1998 Niagara Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year and the 1992 Eastern Niagara Chamber Retailer of the Year. He sits on the Town of Lockport planning board, the Lockport Memorial Hospital Board of Directors, the Dale Association Senior Citizen Board, he is a member of the Partners in Pride Program with the Lockport School District and he is the Co-Chairman of the Lockport Memorial Hospital Modernization Project. He is a past member of the Town of Lockport Zoning Board.
Tim lost his wife, Barbara, to pancreatic cancer on March 7, 2000. His son, Christopher, is a chef working at The Argyle in West Hollywood, California.
Julie M. Fleshman, JD, MBA
President and CEO
Los Angeles, California
Julie Fleshman currently serves as PanCAN's President & CEO. She served as the organization's Executive Director from May 2000 -June 2004.During her tenure at the organization, PanCAN has grown from a start-up organization with one full-time employee to a growing organization with a full staff, volunteers all over the country, and well-developed programs that are serving the pancreatic cancer community. Julie loves her job and finds the work both challenging and rewarding.
Julie graduated from Santa Clara University School of Law and Leavey School of Business in December 2000 with a JD/MBA degree. Julie graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1997 with a B.A. in Law & Society and was awarded most outstanding graduating senior in the Law & Society program. She has also studied for a term at Oxford University and in Tokyo, Japan.
Julie's work experience, prior to coming to PanCAN, includes positions as the In-House Counsel Law Clerk at 3Com Corporation, a Legal Department Law Clerk at Nippon Steel Corporation in Japan, an Intern in the Political Unit at CBS News in Washington D.C., and an Intellectual Property Intern at Pillsbury Madison & Sutro in San Francisco. She was a finalist in the Santa Clara University School of Law 1999 Honors Moot Court Competition and served as a Chair on the 2000 Honors Moot Court Board. Julie chaired and served as a representative on a wealth of committees throughout her schooling career. She lost her father to pancreatic cancer in June 1999.
Julie recently received the Los Angeles Business Journal's Women Making a Difference Rising Star Award for 2004. This award honors PanCAN's growth and services to the pancreatic cancer community, as well as Julie's fantastic leadership abilities.
Stevan Holmberg
Potomac, Maryland
Dr. Stevan Holmberg was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tulsa and his MBA and Doctor of Business Administration degrees from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. He is a Professor in the Kogod School of Business at American University in Washington, DC and teaches in the area of strategic management; strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions; and entrepreneurship. He is Chair of the Management Department and former Acting Dean of the Kogod School of Business.
Dr. Holmberg became a member of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Board of Directors after losing his wife, Margie to pancreatic cancer. Margie was a sixth grade reading and English teacher in Montgomery County, Maryland. She lost her battle with pancreatic cancer on April 4, 2007. During the thirteen months of her illness, he conducted extensive research on alternative treatments and found the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s patient information resources extremely valuable and insightful.
Dr. Holmberg is very honored and proud to join the fight to enhance diagnostic and treatment research, encourage additional federal government funding, provide information and hope to patients and their families, and to encourage others to join in raising their voices to find a cure. He has participated in the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s annual gala, An Evening with the Stars, Patient Educational Symposium events, government relations advocacy, and assisted in fund raising.
Dr. Holmberg has been very involved with numerous medical and non-medical nonprofit organizations. He has assisted nonprofit organizations in developing and implementing strategic plans, building membership and funding, assessing member needs, developing effective organizations, formulating entrepreneurial and innovative ideas, and practical financial management tools and metrics.
Cynthia Stroum
Founding Chairman
Seattle, Washington
Cynthia Stroum received her Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations/journalism cum laude from the University of Southern California. After graduation, Cynthia stayed in Los Angeles and worked in the film industry, eventually producing national television commercials. Returning home to Seattle, she became involved in community service, establishing two philanthropic foundations as well as handling her personal investments in start-up businesses (Starbuck’s being one of them). Cynthia was a Tony nominated producer for the 2004 Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun.
After recently completing her maximum term as a trustee of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, she was appointed a member of the Senior Council. She has served on the boards of Pacific Northwest Ballet, Northwest School for Hearing-Impaired Children, Channel 9/KCTS (Public Television), the Jewish Television Network, University Prep (a private school in Seattle), The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, A Contemporary Theatre and The Shoah Foundation (founded by Steven Spielberg). She was a Washington State Arts Commissioner and also served on Senator Patty Murray’s (D-WA) and Senator Maria Cantwell’s (D-WA) executive finance and planning committees. Cynthia continues to be politically active and is on the Obama for America National Finance Committee.
Since her father’s diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in 2000 and subsequent death a year later, Cynthia has helped to bring greater visibility to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) as the founding Chairman of the Board. In addition to raising critical funding for research to fund a cure, she has played an important role in helping to move PanCAN’s legislative agenda through Congress. She also tirelessly speaks to families all over the country who are battling pancreatic cancer.
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