The Team

Tracey joined the MDS Foundation in 2004 as a part-time Patient Coordinator, assisting with patient education programs. As Executive Director, Tracey now oversees all daily business activities, including finances, staffing, and projects to support the mission of MDSF. She works with the MDSF Board of Directors on strategic planning for meeting the ongoing needs of MDS patients and healthcare professionals. Tracey manages the corporate grants program and is responsible for all corporate relations, organizational partnerships, and new business development.

Tanya joined the MDS Foundation in 2022 to oversee the development and fundraising needs of the organization. She develops and implements effective fundraising initiatives to increase overall short and long-term donations to the MDS Foundation, including major and planned gifts. Tanya works in conjunction with the organization’s Development Board, Board of Directors, Medical and Scientific Advisory Board, internal MDSF team, and external patient and family volunteers to identify and cultivate relationships with prospects and donors, identify potential grant opportunities, and secure donations to carry out the mission and vision of the foundation to make potentially curative therapies available for all patients with MDS. Tanya also assists the marketing team with the organization’s branding and public relations strategies.

Ashley graduated from Austin Peay State University in May 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a minor in leadership studies. Her dedication has been to oncology from the start. She began her career as an infusion nurse at a local outpatient oncology clinic. She made the transition from outpatient to inpatient nursing at Centennial Medical Center in 2013 where she worked on the hematology/BMT floor. Ashley then accepted a position on Vanderbilt’s inpatient myelosuppression unit in 2015. In 2017 she joined the hematology research team where she mainly focused on Phase II/III trials. Ashley’s love of details led her to transition to Phase I hematology trials after about a year in the research department. After five years, she transitioned to her most recent position as the Manager of Research Projects for Malignant Hematology, Cellular Therapy and Toxicity, and Plasma-Cell Lymphoma.

Outside of work, Ashley serves as the Secretary for the Middle TN chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS). During her tenure with the society, she has published abstracts to include The Need for Paper in an EMR Based System in 2020. In addition to the collaboration with pharmaceutical companies in the realm of research, she has done consultant work for Celgene, the Cancer Support Community, and Taiho with a focus on improving the patient experience. Ashley first became affiliated with the MDS Foundation in 2019 when she spoke at their patient forum in Nashville. She knew immediately that she wanted to be part of this team. Ashley was honored to be selected to be on the MDS Foundation Nurse Leadership Board in 2020. In October of 2022, she was selected as the recipient for the foundation’s Compassionate Care Award which she considers one of the highlights of her career. Ashley is very excited to start this new journey and looks forward to being able to contribute the MDS population at large to include patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers in this new role.

Lea joined the Foundation in 2001. Lea manages all aspects of professional education including CME and Non-CME educational programs, live symposia, podcasts, educational meetings and our biennial international MDS congress. She also coordinates our Young Investigator Grant program. In addition to her professional education responsibilities, Lea is also responsible for several patient educational projects such as Knowledge is Power, MDS & MDSF mobile apps, Building Blocks of Hope® as well as translation of our educational resources.

Janice joined the Foundation in 2008 and is primarily responsible for enhancing communications with our patient community regarding registration for patient events and coordination of philanthropic support through her organization and management of our contact database. Janice is responsible for the coordination, quality control, and production of printed and electronic Foundation materials; she manages the patient educational initiatives executed by our MDS Foundation International Nurse Leadership Board; and is the Secretary for our Board of Directors.