Board of Directors

President and Founder Pamela Katz Zakheim, M. Ed. Pam holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Leslie College in Cambridge, MA, with a specialization in psycho-diagnosis and groups therapy. She has additional specialized training as a Family Therapist at both the Cambridge Family Institute, Cambridge, MA & the Centro Milanese Di Terapia Della Famiglia, Milan, Italy. She had a private practice as a psychotherapist in Brookline, MA from 1980 until 1995. Concurrently she founded an organizational and management consultation service for small retail businesses and physicians offices. She is the founder of both The Wellness Community-Greater Boston and The Wellness Community-Greater Miami.   Chairman Adam Spiegel, CPA Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra, LLP Partner, Small Business Advisory and Accounting Services  Adam provides accounting services to corporate entities and high net worth individuals which include the preparation of audited, reviewed and compiled financial statements, and other tax and business consulting services. He is the Secretary/Treasurer of the Downtown Miami Chapter of Business Networking International and a Member of the Young Leaders group of United Way. Vice-Chairman Erik S. Sherman John Hancock Life Insurance Co.  Investment Advisor Representative Erik has been with John Hancock for the past six years where he helps individuals, families, and businesses realize their financial goals. Erik has been awarded the top category producer in the country for the past two years running.   Secretary Richard Rubinson, MD Cardio Thoracic Surgeon  (Retired)  Richard Rubinson, M.D. is a Cardio Thoracic surgeon (retired) who practiced in the South Miami – Baptist area for over thirty years. He is past president of the Dade County Medical Association and served on the Public Health Trust for ten years. His retirement interests include fishing, orchid culture, participation in Habitat For Humanity, and collecting the stamps of Canada.   Directors     John Arasi Sharp General Contractors President John M. Arasi founded Sharp General Contractors 15 years ago. He is a State Certified General Contractor and also licensed in Mold remediation. SGC specializes in commercial building, mainly medical facilities and dialysis centers. Although his office is located here in South Florida, his company currently has projects under construction or completed throughout Florida including Fort Meyers, Orlando, Tampa, Tallahassee and Daytona.   Adam E. Carlin Bermont/Carlin Group – Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Director Wealth Management – Portfolio Management Director The Bermont/Carlin Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney was founded in 1974. For more than 30 years, under the leadership of Portfolio Managers Richard B. Bermont and Adam E. Carlin who joined in 1994, the Group’s primary mission has been to build close, cooperative, and enduring relationships with clients that judiciously help them preserve and grow their wealth.    Mary Frank, Ph.D. Mary received her Ph.D. in Art History from Princeton University in 2006. With a specialization in Renaissance Venice. She taught Art History for five years at the University of Miami before embarking on her doctoral work. She is active on the board of Save Venice, Inc. and the immediate past President of the Miami Art Museum board of trustees. She writes and lectures on both Renaissance and twentieth-century art.   Rudy Kranys Principal at Syntheon, LLC (retired) Rudy is a founding partner of Syntheon LLC, a medical device company. Previously, he held various positions at Cordis, including President of the Angiographic Product Division, Senior VP North American Operations, and VP World Wide Research & Product Development. He currently serves on a number of Boards for different non-profit organizations.   Tamara Moravia-Israel Ernst & Young Principal International Tax Services National Tax  Tamara is a Partner/Principal of Ernst & Young LLP and the Transportation Industry Leader for the Firm. Prior to joining E&Y in 2006, Tamara was Senior Counsel for the IRS for 8 years; she was Industry Counsel for Shipping/Air Transport/International Penalties. Tamara graduated from Nova Southeastern University (J.D.) and University of Miami (L.LM Tax). Tamara also speaks 5 languages including English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Hebrew; additionally, she is conversational in Arabic.   Kathryn Penkcus Corzo Syndax  Director Clinical Liaison & Medical Communication  Kathryn is responsible for building and growing the oncology business in Florida and South Georgia. She recruits, coaches and trains a diverse team of oncology sales specialists, and cultivates key relationships with major partners. Kathryn has worked in this field in the U.S. and abroad for over 20 years. She received her B.S. from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy.     Arnoldo (Arnie) Perez Carnival Corporation General Counsel & Senior Vice President – Legal  Arnaldo Perez joined Carnival Corporation in July 1992 as assistant general counsel and currently serves as Senior Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Miami in 1982 and a J.D. (“Juris Doctor”) from Columbia University in 1985. He was a member of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Perez has been a “Big Brother” through Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Miami and Mentoring Resource Center and has chaired the United Way-Legal Division annual campaign several times.   Carmen Perez   Margarita M. Pons, CPA, MBA Advanced Medical Specialties, LLC Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director Maggy is responsible for day to day financial management, annual budgeting and trend reporting and she is the corporate liaison with accountants, financial institutions, pharmaceutical representatives and corporate legal counsel. She received her MBA from the University of Miami in December 2006.   Debra Schottenstein Debra has focused on volunteer work in Miami for the past 17 years. For 14 years she has been a member of the Community Council, a volunteer arm of Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation and has served as past president and Gala chairman for that organization.   Edie Spiegel Edie has a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics Education and has taught and worked in many areas of the field including public and private school education for teens and adults. Volunteerism has been a major part of her life. She has been affiliated with the American Cancer Society as a Chairperson of the Relay For Life for ten years, a member of the Relay Advisory Team for the Mid South Division of the American Cancer Society, and its Chairman of the Mississippi Leadership Council. She is the past president of the Kosciusko Rotary Club and the past president of Kosciusko Foundation for Excellence in Education. She has been part of the creation of many educational institutions such as Brandeis Academy of Miami, The Literacy Council and Adult High School of Livingston, Tennessee, and The Oprah Winfrey Boys and Girls Club in Kosciusko, Mississippi.   Robert Stamen, Esq Packman, Neuwahl & Rosenberg Bob has spent his entire legal career at Packman, Neuwahl & Rosenberg, and has concentrated his practice on estate planning, pension and profit sharing plans, individual income taxation, and corporation law. He is a member of The Estate Planning Council of Dade County and the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce.     Candace D. Vassillion  Northern Trust Bank Vice President, Commercial Banking Group Candace is tasked with promoting a new commercial bank to investors to achieve an initial capital investment of $40 million. She networks with local and out of state investors and advises prospective clients. Candace has a Masters Degree in Finance from Florida International University, and has served on the Board of the Junior League of Miami.   Carole Wright Gibraltar Private Senior Vice President  Private Banking Officer Carole Wright joined Gibraltar Private is a Senior Vice President, Private Banking Officer. Prior to joining Gibraltar, Ms. Wright worked for SunTrust as a Vice President for 16 years where she spent the majority of her career in the Private Banking Division. Ms. Wright is involved in several community organizations including being a member of the Miami City Club, Florida State Alumni Association and the Seminole Club of Greater Miami where she was also a past treasurer. In addition, she is active in her local Church.   Richard Zakheim, MD Miami Children’s Hospital Director Emeritus Dr. Zakheim founded Miami Children’s Hospital’s Cardiology Department and served as its director until 2002. Previously, he was Director of the Pediatric Cardiology Program at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Dr. Zakheim received his medical degree at Albert Einstein Medical School in New York and trained in pediatric cardiology at Children’s Hospital Boston. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Pediatrics and the Sub-board of Pediatric Cardiology.     Staff     Danielle Spiegelman  Executive Director   Peggy Rios, Ph.D Program Director    Amparo Alvarez Outreach Coordinator   Theresa Jacome Administrative Assistant   Miriam Prieto Program Assistant   Facilitators: Christina Austin-Valere, MSW Mae S. Greenberg, LMHC Oscar R. Hernandez, M.D. Eric Torres, PsyD Gary Mallinckrodt, LMHC  Gloria Montes de Oca, Ph.D Lisa Regensburg-Paz, MFT   Instructors: Felipe Azambuja , MA, LMT Esly Caldwell Suzette Ciota  Cathee Connor Lise Efronson Margie Eisenberg Tony Garcia Jorge Gonzalez Nancy Greene Fishman JoAnn Sheehe Elisa Smith Wendy Weinshall, PT   Dieticians: Betsy Klein, RD, LD Karla Otero, RD, LD Cathy Clark Reyes, RD Rachel Richardson, RD, LN Stephanie Quirantes, MS, RD, LD/N

 

Cancer Support Community -- Greater Miami
8609 South Dixie Hwy
Miami, FL 33143
305/668-5900
Fax: 305/668-0048
info@cancersupportcommunitymiami.org