METAvivor Board of Directors and Our Team
Chairman, Dian “CJ” M. Corneliussen-James
Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer to the lung in 2006.
“CJ” retired from the Air Force in 2003 after serving 24 years as an intelligence officer. She then continued to work for the federal government in a civilian capacity until 2007 when complications from metastatic breast cancer cut her career short. CJ’s positions included, amongst others, monitoring and analyzing Soviet satellite activity during the Cold War, supporting airlift operations for Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama and Operation DESERT STORM in Iraq, serving as the intelligence lead on the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the Somalia Conflict, and coordinating intelligence activities of 11 nations for NATO crisis intervention. Overseas tours included South Korea and Germany – the latter spent working with German intelligence organizations due to her fluency in German. Her last position in the Air Force carried over into her civil service career … that of resolving the cases of Americans who did not return from previous conflicts, primarily the Vietnam War and the first Gulf War. CJ and her husband Rob, a retired Air Force pilot and Vietnam War veteran (OV-10 forward air controller), live in Annapolis, Maryland with their four adopted cats.
Treasurer, Avis M. Halberstadt
Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer to the bone in 2007.
A native New Englander, Avis graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in English and Education. She began her 28-year teaching career in Cambridge, MA teaching first, second, and third graders. After moving to Maryland, Avis continued her career in Anne Arundel County, teaching sixth grade and, then, middle school math. In 1999, she became an active volunteer for the Maryland Affiliate of Komen for the Cure where she reviewed grants and served as Chairman of the annual Educational Symposium and the 2007 Maryland Race for the Cure. Avis is currently a member of the Anne Arundel Medical Center IRB board. This board reviews all the research protocols and clinical trials that doctors hope to offer their patients. Also, she continues to run an individualized SAT and math tutoring service that she initiated in 1991. Avis has been married to Fred, a retired Air Force officer, for thirty-eight years. They have one son, Adam, a medical researcher.
Director of Support, Patricia “PAT” Tomaselli
Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer to the bone in 2007.
Patricia “Pat” Tomaselli is the former Sector Director of Security for Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems. She is a 35 year employee of the corporation, beginning her career with the Westinghouse Electric Company in Buffalo NY, Pittsburgh PA, New York City and Sunnyvale California before the acquisition by Northrop Grumman in 1996. She became Sector Director in 1998 with the responsibility for both classified and physical security operations in 35 states and 29 countries. She stepped down from that position for health reasons in 2007 and entered the disability ranks in 2009. Pat has been an active voice in Industry associations as the former chairman of the Security Committee of the Aerospace Industries Association and the National Defense Industry Assn. She was chosen by Industry and the Department of Defense to represent Defense Contractors on a Government Board called the NISPPAC from 2001 to 2005 and in 2007 won the Donald Woodbridge Award for Security Excellence, one of the highest individual honors in the Security industry. In 2009 she and a team of colleagues won the Northrop Grumman’s highest honor, the Chairman’s Award, for their support of the three employees kidnapped in Colombia for five and a half years. Pat lives with her granddaughter, Kya, in Annapolis, where she sponsors two midshipmen of the US Naval Academy. She also volunteers at Annapolis High School.
Member-at-Large, Kelly Lange
Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer to the skin in 2007.
Kelly Lange was raised on Maryland's Kent Island and received a BS in Chemical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 1986. After two years in plastics at Armstrong, Kelly took a position with Bendix Field Engineering Corporation in 1988 as a software engineer. There, she developed antenna control and orbital mechanics software for NASA and Navy antennas, including the Naval Academy’s S-band telemetry antenna. In 1994 Kelly switched to Northrop Grumman, expanding her knowledge base into torpedo detection and sonar systems. In 2006, her career was in full swing when complications from her breast cancer necessitated a disability retirement. With a passion for causes, Kelly began volunteering as soon as she was well enough to do so. In 2007 she helped found Save the Coconuts, an Annapolis-based organization that raises money to fight breast cancer. The following year, she learned of METAvivor and quickly became active in that organization as well. Kelly lives in Annapolis with her husband, Michael, also an engineer as well as a musician. Not only do the two have engineering in common, but Kelly is also very musical. Having often participated in musical theater in college, Kelly now occasionally accompanies her husband by singing or performing on the ukulele. The two live in Annapolis MD and enjoy boating together on the Chesapeake Bay. When she can squeeze in the time, Kelly also enjoys quilting.
Volunteer Coordinator, Candicé Milré Rockwood
Breast Cancer Survivor.
Born in New Jersey, Candicé traveled westward throughout her childhood and graduated from Western Washington State University with a degree in English and Psychology plus a secondary education certification. She then moved to Fairbanks, Alaska where she was employed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks for 25 years. In Alaska, she was involved in research (reindeer husbandry and environmental issues in national parks including humpback whale studies), then concluded the last half of her professional life in university administration. Upon “retirement” Candicé moved eastward spending time as a consultant at a west coast community college, held several administrative positions in Denver, and finally landed in Maryland where she provided organizational assistance to several small businesses. Candicé has been an active volunteer and coordinator beginning with the Laubach Literacy Program. She spearheaded a cadré of volunteers including a monthly newsletter for a non-profit organization. Upon moving to Crownsville with her husband, Alan, in 2000, Candicé was diagnosed with breast cancer. She currently volunteers at Anne Arundel Medical Clinic, in the University of Maryland Master Gardener Program, and she supports several individuals on a personal basis. When not volunteering, Candicé lives life abundantly enjoying international travel, gardening, craft activities and her (canine) vizsla, Táncos Kislány.
METAvivor Spotlight
Erin McCoy
Our heartfelt thanks to Erin McCoy – Sponsor of our METAvivor website.
For the month of April METAvivor is putting the spotlight on Erin McCoy, a valued supporter of our group. For the past several months Erin has provided financial support for the creation and development of our METAvivor website. She also provides ongoing financial support for the site.
Erin is one of only a handful of researchers nationwide that concentrate on cancer that has metastasized. While attending a summer program in biomedicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Erin became interested in the area of bone metastases. As a graduate school student she continued this area of interest, where she concentrated on the ability to block attachment of cancer cells to the bone. Erin continues to conduct research on bone metastases with the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where works in a “mets” only lab. Her co-mentor is Dr. Dan Welch, a well known researcher in the field of cancer metastases. Erin's research is funded by the Marie and Emmett Carmichael Fund for Graduate Students in Biosciences.
Erin made the decision to become a financial sponsor of the METAvivor Research and Support Program after meeting METAvivor President Dian “CJ” Corneliussen-James at a conference. At the conference Erin had the opportunity to read CJ’s essay on what it is like to live with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer. The combination of meeting CJ and reading her essay had an impact on Erin. “I realized how important it is for this organization to have a good website and communication tool”, Erin stated. When asked if there was anything she would want folks to know about her decision to provide financial support for METAvivor, Erin said, “Everyone should have the opportunity to meet someone like CJ – it reminds us of what is truly important”.
METAvivor is truly thankful for the financial support of Erin and others like her.
THANK YOU, Erin!
