Board Members
Michael Hayes, PhD
Simply put, it’s personal. I was 27 when my sister was first diagnosed with cancer, and since that time, my father and grandmother were diagnosed and underwent treatment for cancer. Their experience, unfortunately, is all too common. Working in the Penn State Cancer Institute I meet with patients and caregivers everyday who are in the midst of their own experience surrounding cancer. Without exception, for each of them it’s personal. Their courage, tenacity, and determination inspires me to do everything I can to ensure those seeking treatment through the Penn State Cancer Institute receive the comprehensive, personalized medicine they deserve – CARE that is tailored to their unique circumstances and needs. My involvement with the THRIVE for Life Foundation represents an unwavering commitment to deliver on that pledge.
Steve Mancuso, BSN, MBA
In 2024 we celebrated THRIVE’s fifth fundraising season by doing what we do: GOLF4THRIVE, Cooking for Cancer, and the first THRIVE LIVE Concert Series event. We were also witness to the official naming of the Kristin Olewine Milke CARE Center! Upon reflection, I’m reminded that it’s not about us, but about the impact of what we do on the lives of those individuals who benefit from the CARE Center and its programs. To have been part of THRIVE’s journey these past five years is a gift and an inspiration.
Jennifer Feeman, MHA
Nineteen years ago, at the age of 32, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer. This terrifying and life-altering experience profoundly changed my life and the way I view the world. To say that I am grateful for all of the individuals who helped me through this experience doesn’t come close to the warmth and adoration that I now carry for those who entered my life both then and now as a result. Being a board member of the THRIVE for Life Foundation has provided a path for me to push forward that warmth and adoration to others who are now challenged by a similar diagnosis.
Shiyoko Cothren, MHA
I am privileged and honored to be on the THRIVE Board. Having focused my professional life on behavioral health and cancer services, the CARE Center is a place that can intersect these two clinical areas but achieve so much more. Providing support, educating and empowering those with cancer to lead full lives is an incredible and meaningful endeavor and I am so pleased that through THRIVE,we are able to help support the CARE Center.
Directors
Matthew Lawrence, JD
I first became aware of the project that would become the Care Center in teaching a class at Penn State Dickinson Law on entrepreneurship in health care. Michael Hayes came to talk about an idea he had for a person-centered care center at the Cancer Institute, and our class focused (as lawyers do) on how his “common THRIVE for Life Foundation Website Content Page of 4of 4 Rev. 11/29/2022 sense” idea was unlikely to work out because of financial and structural barriers in our oddly designed, fragmented health care system. Well, five years later a real- live center is in placing helping real-live patients, and that is thanks to Michael and many others’ tireless efforts—and to donors’ generosity. It is so rewarding and meaningful to see a (large and growing) group of committed people work together to do something hard, big, and important to make others’ lives better. And to provide support for people precisely when and how they need it most. It is a reminder that we can still solve hard problems, together. I am proud to chip in by serving on the board for THRIVE.
Kristen Olewine Milke
Sometimes the heart feels what words struggle to express. That is certainly true when I reflect on the importance of the Kristen Olewine Milke CARE Center and the vision and mission of the THRIVE for Life Foundation.
I received my first cancer diagnosis and treatment at the age of eleven in 1958. Even then, I remember thinking there should be more to patient care than simply showing up for weeks of radiation treatments. The experience felt impersonal at a time when compassion and support were needed most.
Now, after facing three additional cancer diagnoses over the course of sixty-seven years, that long-held belief has become a reality through the CARE Center. Thanks to the leadership of Dr. Michael Hayes, the THRIVE for Life Foundation, and its dedicated Board of Directors, the CARE Center is alive, thriving, and making a meaningful difference in the lives of countless individuals and families.
The CARE Center serves as a source of stability and reassurance, ensuring that people feel supported—not simply treated. Its patient-centered approach embodies the kind of impact I have always hoped healthcare could provide. Being part of a community that offers encouragement, connection, and hope is both inspiring and deeply rewarding. Here, every individual is treated with dignity, and hope is never out of reach.
I am honored to serve on the THRIVE for Life Foundation Board of Directors and proud to have played a small role in helping bring the CARE Center to life. Seeing its impact on patients and families affirms the power of compassionate care and strengthens my commitment to this extraordinary mission.
Terry M. Wolpaw, MD, MHPE
If there is anything I have learned in my years as a physician, teacher and education leader, it is the importance of seeing the whole person, respecting their uniqueness and supporting them in achieving their health and life goals. So often this means seeking to find and help resolve those barriers that may prevent a person from thriving. I know that doctoring skills are important, and I know they cannot stand alone. The THRIVE for Life Foundation is an inspiring organization that supports whole person care as its north star. I feel honored to be on the THRIVE for Life Foundation Board and proud to support the whole person initiatives so integral to care at the Penn State Health Cancer Center."
