CNETS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jacqueline Herman
President

JACKIE HERMAN currently holds position of President of CNETS Canada and became an active volunteer in the charitable sector as a result of her own diagnosis with neuroendocrine cancer in 2008. Her desire to make a difference on behalf of the NET patient community initially led to a sporadic volunteer role with CNETS Canada in 2010, Jackie joined the CNETS Canada Board of Directors in early 2011 and the Executive Committee in early 2012. Jackie was appointed to the role of President in late 2012. Jackie is committed to ensuring the Canadian NET cancer patient voice is heard and the mandate of CNETS Canada is carried out including patient support and education, disease awareness, NET specific research and optimum access to treatments and diagnostics for Canadian NET patients. Jackie is also co-founder of Gastric Cancer Canada, Canada’s only online patient support group for those affected by gastric cancer.

Amanda Rice
Vice President

AMANDA RICE is a motivated, results-driven professional with more than ten years of experience in developing insights and forming evidence-based strategies to solve business problems. Skilled at designing and executing complex projects to meet a variety of business objectives. She effective communicator with proven ability to build long-term relationships with stakeholders by establishing a high level of confidence and trust.
On February 23, 2010, Amanda’s husband was diagnosed with a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour her life was changed forever. For the next four years, they navigated the healthcare system, sometimes successfully, sometimes not, met with many doctors, tried many drugs and experienced a billion different emotions along the way. They were lucky to find support from CNETS Canada. The conferences, patient education sessions and support groups were tremendously helpful in learning about treatments, but also getting to know others in the small community.

Tracey Sherwood
Treasurer/Secretary

Tracey Sherwood has been working in the transportation industry for 20 years, creating and implementing Health, Safety, and Security policies and procedures. In 2008 Tracey met Marty and they were married in 2012.
In November 2013, Marty was diagnosed with Neuroendocrine Cancer of the left lung, stomach, and liver. Tracey and Marty had never heard about NET cancer, and to their surprise, the treatment options were very limited. Tracey took it upon herself to get educated on NET cancer and treatments, within and outside of Canada.
Tracey and Marty also joined the Atlantic Canada NET Patient Support Group which was led by Annette Jonah at the time. One of the first things they did to get involved, was holding a fundraiser at their campground. From that fundraiser, they were able to branch out to hold a night of music and food at a local restaurant in Moncton.
Tracey truly believes in giving back to the community. From 2012 to 2019, Tracey was a board member of Convoy for Hope – an annual fundraiser in the Moncton area that raises funds for Breast, Colon, Lung, and Prostate Cancer.
In 2018, Tracey took on the role of Atlantic Canada NET Patient Support Group Leader and held a successful NET Patient Education Day.  For the past 2 years, Tracey held numerous virtual Atlantic Canada NET Patient Support Group meetings and spends hours supporting new NET patients, by providing diagnosis and treatment information.

Simon Desmarais

Barbara Duffield

Dr. Girish Shah

PROF. GIRISH SHAH, the recipient of “Outstanding Achievement in Carcinoid/ Neuroendocrine Tumor Research” in 2006 from the Carcinoid Cancer Foundation, Inc. of USA, is a Professor at the Faculty of Medicine at Laval University in Quebec City. He has been chief of the Laboratory for Skin Cancer Research at the CHU de Quebec (CHUL) Hospital Research Centre of Laval University since 1997. Prof. Shah’s research is focused on carcinoid neuroendocrine tumors and solar ultraviolet radiation-induced skin cancers with specific emphasis on DNA damage, DNA repair and cell death processes, all of which can influence either the development of these cancers or their resistance to therapy. Dr. Shah has authored 55 peer-reviewed articles, which have been cited more than 2,387 times in literature. In addition, he has authored 4 book chapters and 119 presentations at the meetings. Dr. Shah’s team, in collaboration with two carcinoid clinicians in Canada and USA, had earlier reported that nearly ¼ of the carcinoid neuroendocrine tumor patients suffer from subclinical niacin (vitamin B3) deficiency, an incidence that is much higher than pellagra, the clinical niacin deficiency syndrome reported in these patients. His recent work has identified how this biochemical anomaly can be exploited to improve efficiency of chemotherapy of carcinoid NET cancers. He is currently also the President of the Scientific & Medical Advisory Board of CNETS Canada.

Darren Sinden

Darren Sinden was diagnosed with Pancreatic Neuroendocrine cancer in 2021, finding great comfort in the comprehensive information available from the CNETS website and community. The information and community provided him with access to clear information he couldn’t find elsewhere and was looking for a way to give back to the CNETS community.

10 years of heath and safety experience in the transportation industry has provided a unique perspective for health advocacy and information delivery that will be an asset to the CNETS community.  During his health and safety career Darren has been involved in organizing large, coordinated events with a targeted media presence that provided exposure to previously disengaged stakeholders and bringing increased participation, awareness and community structure to initiatives.

Sara-Beth Spearey

Sara-Beth Spearey was born and raised in Richmond Hill, Ontario and now lives in Edmonton, Alberta. She attended Queen’s University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Geography and a Master’s of Urban and Regional Planning. Sara has over 25 years of planning experience in Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton writing policy and managing large scale developments.

Sara’s first Pheochromocytoma was found in December 2016. She was placed on disability in February 2017 and is now medically retired. With the support of her husband Peter, she has crisscrossed the country advocating for herself and seeking care. She was grateful to be accepted as a patient of Dr. Ezzat at Princess Margaret who recommended the Welireg Belzutifan Clinical Trial to her at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary where she is now under the care of Dr. Dean Ruether.

Through the last few years of her own care journey, Sara has witnessed a health care system which is struggling to care for patients with rare diseases like pheochromocytoma. Sara would like to take an advocacy role to help bring awareness to pheo and to improve knowledge and care in Canada – advocacy, research, education and support to patients.

Miranda Stavrides

Miranda works as a health policy analyst for the Canadian Cancer Society where she is responsible for synthesizing the evidence used to raise awareness of issues affecting people with cancer and affect policy change. Her policy areas of expertise include drug access (pharmacare, drug shortages, take-home-cancer-drugs and biosimilars), health human resources and sickness benefits and leave. In the past, she worked as a medical assistant and patient advocate in the oncology department of the Jewish General Hospital, where her work helped her to recognize the important role of age and cancer type in cancer care, and to identify the unique challenges of providing optimal care for those living with a rare disease and those diagnosed with cancer in young adulthood. Miranda has been a fierce advocate for people with cancer since her first day of work at the hospital, and her commitment to making a difference in the lives of people living with neuroendocrine cancer is fueled by the loss of her family member Douglas (2012) and her beloved partner Daniel (2019) to the disease. Miranda strongly believes in CNETS ability to improve the lives of people living with NET cancer through their awareness, advocacy, research and patient support.

Elizabeth Wood

Elizabeth, a neuroendocrine cancer caregiver since 2014, brings extensive executive leadership experience to her volunteer role with CNETS.  As EVP of the CMI Financial Group, she was recognized among Canada’s top 50 leaders as a recipient of the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business 2023 Best Executive Awards. She is passionate about transformative corporate leadership with a focus on creating a safe, inclusionary and open workplace. In recognition of her trailblazing industry contributions, Elizabeth was recognized as a Canadian Mortgage Professional Woman of Influence (2019 & 2022) and was the Canadian Mortgage Awards Woman of Distinction in 2021. Elizabeth is a dedicated mental health advocate and co-chair of the Canadian Lender’s Association’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion roundtable where she advocates for advancement and empowerment of marginalized groups in the financial services sector. She has earned an MBA, a Bachelor of Commerce in Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Elizabeth holds several industry-leading certifications, is an instructor and course content developer with the McMaster University CCE Business and Marketing programs and is the Treasurer of the National Board of Directors of CIM Chartered Managers Canada..

Dr. Radhika Yelamanchili

Dr. Radhika Yelamanchili is a Medical Oncologist, GI/NET disease site lead at the Walker Family Cancer Centre, St. Catharines, and Assistant Clinical Professor, at McMaster University, Hamilton. Her Oncology practice includes Breast, GI, and NET Disease sites. Dr. Yelamanchili obtained her undergraduate degree from NTR University, India, and then Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology from McMaster University. She strongly believes in bringing quality care closer to home, collaboration and coordination among health care teams, and education. This reflects in the projects that she is involved in, in Niagara and her active collaboration with the NET expert centers in Ontario.
Dr. Yelamanchili is one of the few Medical Oncologists outside an academic center, with a high volume of NET practice. She is actively involved in the CommNETs community and has a keen interest in improving NET patient care through research, education, and collaboration.

Past Directors

  • Elissa Alter (deceased)

  • Dr. Carol Bates

  • Barbara Bell (deceased)

  • Pamela Bell

  • Carolyn Bennett

  • Pierrette Breton (deceased)

  • Maureen Coleman (deceased)

  • Linda Dean (deceased)

  • Dr. Al Driedger

  • Pooneh Fooladi

  • Sue Folinsbee

  • Peter Fransham

  • Laurie Gauthier (deceased)

  • Wendy Gillis (deceased)

  • Lyn Gaetz (deceased)

  • Vernon Holt (deceased)

  • Barry Jackowich (deceased)

  • Garry Johnson (deceased)

  • Jim Kormos

  • Robert Logan (deceased)

  • Susan Oliver

  • Robert Otis

  • Brian Riden

  • Patrick Sandes (deceased)

  • Chris Silvestre

  • Julia Stinton

  • Dr. Jean- Luc Urbain

  • Boris Weiss