OUR TEAM

Stephanie Lieber serves as the Executive Director of Imerman Angels bringing with her a wealth of experience and acumen. With over 20 years working in the non profit world, she has a proven track record of leading large-scale development efforts and has worked extensively with executive Boards to form innovative strategic plans that have significantly advanced the missions of several prominent organizations in the Chicagoland area.

Before her time at Imerman Angels, Stephanie served as Vice President of Development at Chicago Children’s Museum where she provided ​leadership and management of fundraising operations for Chicago’s only museum focused exclusively on children and families. Working with the museum’s Board of Directors and senior leadership, Stephanie has a proven track record of successful campaigns, annual funds, major gift efforts, developing fundraising talent and initiating and executing innovative strategic plans. Prior to her role as Vice President of Development, Stephanie was Associate Vice President and Vice President of Individual Giving at CCM. Her fundraising career began at the Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School where Stephanie served as Associate Director and Director of Development.

In addition to her professional fundraising work, Stephanie has been an active volunteer and leader at both the Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation (LSCRF) and Francis W. Parker School. Stephanie began her volunteer involvement with LSCRF in 2006 and has since served as Vice Chair, Chair of the Board, Chair of the Nominating Committee, and Co-Chair of LSCRF’s 30th anniversary celebration. Stephanie has also been a Board of Trustees member of Francis W. Parker School since 2009. In her role at Parker, Stephanie has served as a Secretary of the Board and Chair of the Trustee Committee.

Stephanie holds a BA from University of Michigan.

Josh Kaufmann serves as Senior Operations Director and brings nearly 20 years of nonprofit experience to the team. As the son of a breast cancer survivor and a colon cancer survivor, he was drawn to the organization’s mission and the opportunity to support those affected by the disease.

Jackie has been a caregiver to several loved ones with cancer including her mother, who lost her battle with lung cancer in 2004. These experiences fuel her passion for the Imerman Angels’ mission. Jackie has been with Imerman Angels since 2012. In her current role as Director of Programs and Outreach, she oversees the Mentor Angel training process, the matches made between Mentor Angels and support seekers and the organization’s outreach efforts. Jackie was responsible for the creation of the outreach initiative at Imerman Angels. This program has helped strengthen partnerships with other cancer organizations and cancer centers to better serve more people who have been impacted by cancer. Additionally, she established the global Ambassador initiative, made up of volunteers who dedicate their time to spreading awareness about the Imerman Angels mission and pursuing partnership opportunities to ensure that no one faces cancer alone.

Jackie graduated from Northeastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She has worked in the fields of animal training, customer service and education. Her diverse background has proven to be beneficial for her role with Imerman Angels.

Dave comes to Imerman Angels after heading the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Charity Program where he worked with the over 150 not-for-profit organizations that fielded teams for this event raising over $15 million dollars for these charities each year.   He has been involved in the event planning arena through his work at the Chicago Marathon as well as through consulting on other Chicago area events including numerous 5Ks, 10Ks and half marathons as well as stair climbs and golf tournaments.  As an endurance athlete himself and a proud “middle of the packer”, Dave will be managing Team Imerman Angels. Dave is excited to be working with the many Team Imerman Angels athletes as they look to reach their goals and help Imerman Angels in connecting more and more individuals.

Dave graduated from Marquette University with a B.A. in History and Political Science and is an avid college basketball fan cheering on his Golden Eagles each winter (and, hopefully, into the spring). Dave also received his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and an LL.M. in healthcare law from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.  Dave and his family live in Chicago’s Smith Park neighborhood.

Ael started with Imerman Angels as a cancer intake & support intern. Previously, she  has held various community support roles serving the LGBTQ community and survivors of interpersonal violence.

Ael has a personal connection to the Imerman Angels mission to provide emotional support to anyone impacted by cancer. In her own life, she has seen the difference a friend can make in times of fear and uncertainty following a cancer diagnosis.

Ael is currently finishing a Bachelors of Health Science degree with an emphasis on psychology & health policy. In her free time, she enjoys creating art through various mediums, rewatching Cowboy Bebop, and making playlists for her friends.

Elisabet (Eli) joined Imerman Angels in 2021 as a Bilingual Cancer Support Specialist. As a biracial, bilingual veteran, diversity, inclusion and equal access to services has been the core of her professional career.   

Eli comes from a social services background with an emphasis on youth with high levels of trauma, immigrant communities and low income families.  Eli’s  passion is focused on addressing the importance of cultural competence, cultural humbleness and cultural diversification within social services and mental health service providers.  

Her role will be to add a comprehensive perspective on the impact of race, culture and life experiences and the role that cultural values and socioeconomic status plays in the access to cancer support as well as seeking and receiving services. 

Eli received her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from The Pennsylvania State University. She also served in the US Army for 10 years. A Puerto Rican native, Eli enjoys traveling, powerlifting and playing the violin.

Gicelle joined the team in 2021 after working as a Cancer Support intern. She has several years of experience in the professional beauty industry, where she learned how to help people feel better from the outside. Now she strives to help people feel better from the inside.

Gicelle has an intimate history of cancer after she became a caregiver to her mother at the age of . Her mother’s nine-year battle with ovarian cancer has inspired Gicelle in numerous ways and is Gicelle’s driving force to provide compassion and care to anyone touched by cancer.

Gicelle is currently completing her Bachelor of Psychology with a minor in Communications from Northeastern Illinois University. She graduates in December 2021 and plans to continue her education by studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling in graduate school. In her free time, Gicelle loves testing new vegan recipes, playing with her two cats, and reading new research in the field of counseling.

Hannah joined the team in 2019 as a Cancer Support Specialist at Imerman Angels after several years in the nonprofit and social service world. She has personally seen how cancer impacts fighters, survivors, and caregivers, and uses her passion for serving others and creating connection to ensure no one faces challenges alone.

With a background in maternal and veteran’s community mental health work, Hannah has much experience working with people who may feel marginalized by society. It is her goal in her work to ensure that those who may feel alone can be connected to a community that will love and understand them for who they are.

Hannah received her Bachelor of Social Work degree with a minor in Spanish from Trinity Christian College and her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In her free time, Hannah enjoys CrossFit, watching reality TV, and spending time with her dog.

Vanessa joined Imerman Angels as volunteer coordinator in April 2018 with 16 years in Retail and Customer Service.

Rachel joined Imerman Angels in November 2021 with a background in management and administration. She returns to the nonprofit world after working in the arts as the director and manager of multiple Chicagoland dance studios and dance companies.

Yasmine (she/they) serves as Outreach Coordinator and brings her passion for community organizing and policy advocacy to this role. Seeing firsthand the disparities in care, research, and representation in healthcare informs her diversity, equity, and inclusion work. Despite many close family members being diagnosed with breast cancer, genetic testing showed no genetic markers. For Yasmine, this result is unsettling and can be attributed to the lack of research on genetic markers for communities of color. This lived experience as someone of high-risk inspired Yasmine to pursue healthcare justice as a career.

Yasmine graduated from Oberlin College with a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry and Biology. She also holds an M.S. in Law from Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law. Yasmine is a disabled, queer, and nonbinary South Asian woman. Much like her identities, she works with an intersectional framework. With her science and law background, she aims to make policy, academic research, and healthcare services accessible to everyone. Outside of work hours, you might spot Yasmine pushing her elderly chihuahuas in their dog stroller around the lakefront.

Katherine started her work with Imerman Angels in 2021 as a Cancer Intake and Support Intern where she developed her passion for assisting those who seek guidance. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology, her desire to continue her work with Imerman Angels only grew to allow her to become a fulltime Cancer Support Specialist. 

Katherine is especially interested in the field of community psychology which emphasizes the importance of compassion, collaboration, and individual wellness. During her undergraduate and internship experience, Katherine was able to dedicate her time to researching the best practices to support previvors which deepened her knowledge and her appreciation for the Imerman Angels mission. 

Through the experiences of many family members and loved ones, Katherine’s connection to the cancer community fuels her enthusiasm for her work. In her free time, Katherine enjoys lots of coffee, reading, and watching old Olympic ceremonies.