about us

Magnolia Contreras, MSW, MBA

Magnolia has been an advocate for health for over twenty years. Her work is grounded on sound social work, public and community health theories that incorporate social justice and human rights principles. By choice, she has specialized in the provision of services to communities of color and socially disadvantaged populations. She has held leadership positions in health and social services organizations that addressed the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and at two community health centers based in the greater Boston area. 

She is currently working to reduce the disparities that exist in cancer prevention, treatment and care.  As a six year breast cancer survivor, Magnolia brings a unique perspective of the cancer experience that all women can relate to.

Magnolia lives in Lynn with her loving and supportive family and friends.

Kari Dudley

Kari is a two-time cancer survivor and member of the Patient and Family Advisory Council at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) in Boston. She was diagnosed in 1995 with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and treated with mantle field radiation which is believed to be the catalyst for the development of her breast cancer discovered 12 years later.

Kari joined the Patient and Family Advisory Council in 2007 with the desire to support DFCI's commitment to patient centered care and to use her story to advance the field of survivorship.  

Professionally, Kari is a Vice President in the financial services industry where she has worked for over 15 years.  

Kari lives in the greater Boston area with her husband and two wonderful daughters.

Martha Donovan Hayward

Based on her experience following a bilateral mastectomy, Martha created Remember Beads out of a desire to reach breast cancer patients with the message that they are not alone and reach women throughout the world with the message of hope in early detection.

Martha is partner in the marketing and web design firm Donovan & Vicenti, LLP. In a career that began as a fundraiser for American Cancer Society, Martha has been a political fundraiser, development and communications director in education and a marketing consultant.

As a member of the Patient and Family Advisory Council at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Martha was a member of the Communications Committee. In addition to committee work, she was asked to sit on panels and do a number of public speaking events where she represented the patient voice.

Martha lives in Ipswich with her husband, daughter, son, a dog named Dan, and some nutty cats.

Camille Vicenti

Camille has worked in the design and marketing field for ten years. She received her A.B. in Urban Studies and Visual Art from Brown University. After a brief stint on the west coast doing historical research for the National Parks Service, she returned to the east coast and worked as Development and Communications Associate for a small private school on the North Shore of Boston where she met and worked with Martha Hayward.

A friend and advocate through Martha's cancer diagnosis and treatment, Camille and Martha switched gears in 2007 to start a design and marketing firm, Donovan & Vicenti, LLP. Together they were able to devote time to expand on Martha's idea for Remember Beads and to focus on the formation of Women's Health Exchange.

In addition to arts, Camille has a passion for the math and sciences. Whether tutoring math or learning about various web coding, she enjoys problem solving on all levels. She lives on Cape Ann where she can be found gardening or playing games at the beach.

Yelena Wetherill, PhD

Yelena received her doctorate degree in cancer cell biology from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, followed by postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA.  Dr. Wetherill’s research is focused on breast cancer with a focus on biomarker discovery and is supported by grants from Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

In the last 3 years, Yelena had been developing partnerships with Irkutsk Cancer Center and Women’s Union Angara in her native Russia, where most women are not informed about the benefits of screening mammography and breast cancer survival rates are only about 60%. The grassroots breast cancer advocacy/education initiated in 2006 by Yelena in Irkutsk, Russia, developed into an annual Breast Health Symposium where doctors and community leaders work together to break the silence on breast cancer.  Dr. Wetherill is committed to developing global outreach of WHE where researchers and clinicians share knowledge and work together side-by-side with breast cancer advocates/patients to alleviate the stigma still largely associated with breast cancer in many parts of the world.

Yelena lives in Boston, MA, with her adventurous husband and a wonderful daughter.  They enjoy spending family time together hiking in the White Mountains or sailing in Boston Harbor and beyond.

©2009 Women's Health Exchange is a §501(c)(3) organization, Ipswich, MA USA
site designed by Donovan & Vicenti, LLP