California Ambassador News

California
Ambassador
News
Volume 4, Issue 3
April & May 2013
Helping Light the Night with Your California
Volunteer State Lead Ambassador
It is starting to heat up...the calendar says spring but it seems
like summer is starting to arrive.
We had a wonderful turnout for
our State Legislative Day on
April 10th...thank you for everyone who visited with their elected officials or staff. Now, we are
ready to do our In District meetings with our Federal representatives during May, June, & July.
Thank you for always being that
face and voice from our cities to
Washington DC.
I don't know if you all realize
how important you are in helping us reach our goals. Our Staff
is fantastic but cannot possibly
reach out in the numbers that
our Ambassadors can to make
sure that our voices are heard.
You are the face and the voice
of the American Cancer Society
Cancer Action Network when
you respond to Action Alerts,
visit your elected officials and
send Letters to the Editor.
In addition to all the work we
will be doing over the next
months, I have another challenge. In September at National
Lobby Day we will be having a
Lights of Hope ceremony at the
Capitol Reflecting Pool. Last
year, we had 1,000 bags that
were lighting up the night. We
want to exceed that this year and
place the most orders in the nation. To do that we need all your
help. Your ACT! Leads have the
Although we didn't reach our
goal of 75 new Ambassadors by
May 1st, I am so excited with the
30+ new wonderful Ambassadors
that are making us an even
stronger team. So, thank you
and lets keep adding to our
team.
information and should be sharing it with all of you. So, help us
really light up the night this
year.
If you have any questions please
contact your ACT! Lead or the
ACS CAN Sacramento Office.
You are the VOICE, the FACE
and the PASSION that will help
us reach our goals.
Linda Shaner
California Volunteer
State Lead Ambassador
Our 24 New California Ambassadors since February/March:
 Karen Contreras
Fontana
 Deborah Lin
Newport Beach
 Melissa Shaljean
Atwater
 Elizabeth Fung
Sacramento
 Sarah Evingham
Sacramento
 Robin Sosa
Spring Valley
 Marilyn Broussard
Belmont
 Lisa Oshita
Sacramento
 Tom Portante
Oakland
 Carolina Ugarte
Santa Barbara
 Rob Elders
Sonoma
 Jessica Castano
Oceanside
 Kevin Liu
Sacramento
 Sandra Greenleaf
Stockton
 Kerri Berntsen
Oxnard
 John Schmitt
Manhattan Beach
 Sandi Holmquist
Camarillo
 Mark Cimino
Citrus Heights
 Valerie Stewart
Redlands
 Brenda Gutierrez
Sun Valley
 Ricardo Reznichek
Hermosa Beach
 Oscar Bugarini
Long Beach
 Simone Cordova
Victorville
 Wayne Ulmer
Victorville
Page 2
California Ambassador News
New Ambassador Profile: Deborah Lin
The battle with cancer is a deeply personal cause. I’ve lost family to cancer, but I’ve
vowed to do what I can to help the fight against cancer. My cousin departed from this
world in his mid-30s. We had many debates about the best way to help those who could
not afford proper health insurance. There was no perfect answer. We respected each
other’s opinion, but he was always the feisty one. He never gave up what he was passionate about, and his fighting spirit continues to live on in those that continue his legacy.
The best way to begin to fix a broken system is to be part of it. My legislative experience
has most recently been as the Council Executive Assistant for the City of Irvine. I have witnessed many legislative policies being formed, and ultimately, amended or adopted certain policies. Working for the City of Irvine has allowed me to fully connect with community members and understand the root and implications of major health problems. These
experiences have helped fuel my interest in focusing on health care policy and my passion, motivation, and drive to support the implementation of the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act. The American Cancer Society – Cancer Action Network has given me
the opportunity to advocate for many diseases.
Deborah Lin
Outside of being an ACS CAN Legislative Ambassador, I am an Officer in the Taiwanese American Professionals (TAPLA) organization. TAP-LA provides resources and programs that inspire, empower; develop and support professionals
to become Taiwanese American community-oriented leaders.
I grew up in Newport Beach, CA. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and minor in Business Administration
from the California State University, Bakersfield. Shortly after, I also received my Master’s degree in Demographics
and Social Analysis from the University of California, Irvine.
Ambassador Spotlight: Dr. Gus Dalis
The road to becoming an ACS CAN volunteer started when as a UCLA student I visited the Los Angeles ACS Office for an assignment related to cancer. After graduation
and while in Korea as Liaison Officer to the Swedish Red Cross Hospital I had the
opportunity to host Dr. Alton Ochsner, a leading researcher in the area of lung cancer. In 1955 he talked about the relationship of tobacco use and cancer and the importance of educating the public about behavior that puts people at risk for cancer
He was ahead of his time. After the service and as a high school health teacher I
went again back to the ACS office to gather cancer materials for my students. I had
developed a passion for education to prevent cancer. For me the “magic bullet” was
cancer education. Shortly after I was asked to serve on an ACS youth and schools
committee. The rest is history. From that time on to the present I have had the
privilege of serving on various local, state and national ACS committees.
Dr. Gus Dalis with
wife Helen
My interest in cancer prevention and control intensified when my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her survival rate was enhanced by research on a drug
called Tamoxifen. I really saw the importance of cancer research. An opportunity
came along to participate in raising research funding when I was asked to start the
Torrance Community Relay for Life. As we were organizing for this event I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Some 11 years later the Relay is going strong. Now
along comes ACS CAN when both my wife and I were invited to participate in the
first nationwide ACS Celebration on the Hill in Washington DC. From that time on I
have been an Ambassador, found another “magic bullet”, ADVOCACY, and the beat
goes on.
Volume 4, Issue 3
Page 3
ACS CAN Bay Area Research Breakfast
WOW is how to describe the ACS
CAN Research Breakfast held in
Palo Alto on April 26th. The
guests began to gather at 7AM
and kept coming. The Palo Alto
Elks Lodge prepared a hearty
breakfast and directed us to a
light filled large room. Promptly
at 7:30, Allison Jones Thompson,
event chair, began the program.
Our keynote speakers started
with representatives of Onyx
Pharmaceuticals. Matthew Furst,
COO, spoke of the research behind the development of cancer
drugs. He was followed by Deanna Darlington, Senior Director of
Government Affairs, who spoke our
language as she outlined efforts on
Capitol Hill for funding NIH and
CDC. Deanna was passionate and
congratulated ACS CAN volunteers
who have walked the Hill in support of cancer issues.
Dr. Cynthia Kenyon, ACS Research
Professor ay UCSF, regaled us with
worms. She studies a species of very
small worms that she has manipulated to live longer and healthier.
Imagine a room full of donors
hanging on why these worms are
important to the study of cancer.
Cynthia actually helped us to understand her research – not a mean
chore at 8 a.m.
Natalie McQueen gave her personal
story of cancer and a call to action.
Natalie tied the morning up in a
tidy package as she summarized
why ACS CAN is important and why
we should all support the efforts.
ACS researchers at each table spoke
of their work and their gratitude to
ACS for funding their work. The
researchers were intrigued by CPS-3
and promised to enroll this summer
– at least those over the age of 30.
The program ended promptly at
8:30.
Submitted by:
Dave Bonfilio, ACT! #10 Lead
ACS CAN Sacramento Research Breakfast—Coming Soon
The event will feature a discussion highlighting the potential for lifesaving breakthroughs in cancer research right
here in our own community, plus how ACS CAN is fighting to protect national cancer research funding.
2013 Research Breakfast
Thursday, June 27, 2013
7:00 a.m. Registration • 7:30-9:00 a.m. Program and Networking
The Citizen Hotel
926 J Street • Sacramento, CA 95814
Tickets start at $50.00.
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Additional contributions to ACS CAN accepted at the event. RSVP before
June 10th.
Call or email: 916.446.7933 ext. 319, [email protected] or reserve online at www.acscan.org/sacramento
Contributions or gifts to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc. are not tax deductible.
Ambassador helps with Smoke-free UC Riverside Implementation
Cassie Nguyen is a student at UC Riverside, and a
member of their smoke-free committee on campus. She attended the UCR Relay For Life on May
18 and took the opportunity to spread the word
about the smoke-free policy, including making a
speech for the hundreds of participants in attendance. Relayers learned from Cassie about the
policy which will be implemented in January 2014,
and how they can protect themselves from the
hazards of second-hand smoke. Cassie plans on
attending other Relay events in the Inland Empire
and continuing to spread the word, and invite
others to join ACS CAN as a way to fight cancer.
Submitted by:
Beckie Moore-Flati
Page 4
California Ambassador News
Three Things you Didn’t Know About Me
Berni Ann Lewis

I was named after my
father

I was the first young
women to play on an all
boys soccer team in
1974-1975 in Goleta, CA

I love to travel
Sherwood Kingsley
Lou Moerner

I am fully addicted to
stand-up paddle boarding

My friends will tell you
that I make the worlds
best meat balls, but I’m
a vegetarian

I can make just about
anything out of duct
tape.

I love ocean fishing; fish FEAR
me!

I enjoy unique things & places: I have been to Mongolia
and walked on the Great
Wall of China, I have visited
both the Winter & Summer
Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia

I am an Eagle Scout & I am a
father of an Eagle Scout
ACS CAN Club: Relay For Life of Tracy
Congratulations to Relay For Life of Tracy for becoming California's first ACS CAN Club Event in our pilot year! Along
with that significant achievement, three teams from the event achieved ACS CAN Club Team status. Well done Tracy!
Photos from ACS CAN California State Legislative Day 2013
Volume 4, Issue 3
Page 5
City Weighs Options to Tighten Smoking Regulations
From the Civic News of Lafayette
By Cathy Tyson
City leaders are considering more
restrictive regulations that could
ban smoking in apartment buildings
and condominium projects in Lafayette. There’s a growing trend in
California and individual cities to
limit availability of acceptable
smoking areas, in a not so subtle
nudge toward supporting public
health.
The California Air Resources Board
classifies secondhand smoke as a
“Toxic Air Contaminant;” the World
Health Organization and the Surgeon General both agree there is no
safe level of exposure to tobacco
smoke.
Currently there’s a proposed state
law in the works, AB-746, that
would further restrict smoking
statewide; if passed, it wouldn’t
take effect until 2015.
In State of Tobacco Control, a report card of tobacco prevention
measures by the American Lung
Association, California earned an
“A” for smoke-free regulations that
banned smoking from schools to
casinos. Many Bay Area cities including Pleasant Hill, Martinez and
Alameda got high marks for ordinances that enforce smoke-free outdoor air and smoke-free housing.
Concord bans all smoking downtown.
Unfortunately Lafayette earned a
surprising “F” grade, due to rules
dating back to the 1990s that were
updated in 2009. The current regulations don’t allow smoking in retail
stores, commercial buildings, elevators, public restrooms, grocery
stores and more. The update in
2009 added restrictions for indoor
and outdoor smoking on cityowned property – but still allowed
smoking on city streets and sidewalks along with inside private residences and some hotel rooms.
the public in recognition of research that indicates the dangers of
secondhand smoke. “Anything that
generates smoke is a public health
hazard,” testified Denice Dennis
with the Contra Costa County Public
Health Department, to encourage
city council members to tighten regulations. “Help us save lives, we are
your constituents,” said longtime
resident Margo Connolly.
Options ranging from restricting
smoking at outdoor dining areas to
20 feet away from business’ doors
and windows to inside and outside
of multifamily units were discussed.
There was support for some, but
not all of the options. Although it
was late in the evening, the council
directed staff to further investigate
five of the 10 suggested options
and will review the findings at a
later date.
The city council received a thorough
staff report that offered a range of
options to help craft an ordinance
that would provide protection to
Submitted by:
Margo Connolly,
ACT! #11 Ambassador
ACS CAN California State Legislative Day 2013
My first experience with ACS was at
my college’s Relay for Life. I’ll never forget that night: Luminarias’
shadows dancing along the sides of
smiles and tears; holding hands with
loved ones and strangers during the
4:00 a.m. walk around the field on
too little sleep; the slow, calm chill
in the air that gave more weight
and meaning to our silent thoughts.
Without knowing it would happen, I
became a part of something more
important that night. For over a
decade since, I’ve been involved
with ACS as the fight against cancer
continues to impact my life in unexpected ways.
The unexpected often comes at a
cost: it catches us off-guard and
makes the depth of our loss more
palpable, more tragic. But sometimes the things we don’t or can’t
expect are the things that shape us
most.
As Associate Director of the Cancer
Legal Resource Center, I am fortunate to advocate for the legal
rights of people with cancer daily. I
expected ACS CAN’s California
State Legislative Day to be another
interesting day at work. What I
didn’t expect, however, was that it
would be one of the most fulfilling
days I’ve had in my life—personally
or professionally.
Over the course of the last twelve
years, I’ve become increasingly politicized by cancer. I lost my best
friend and other loved ones to the
disease; I’ve seen family and friends
lose hope in moments where access
to health care or the ability to pay
for treatment seemed too far out
of reach. These are political issues
that I care deeply about, and the
unfortunate nature of politics is
such that small victories often require long, uphill battles. But Cali-
fornia State Legislative Day was
different: though I expected politics to play out in the political
landscape, unexpectedly it didn’t.
Like my first Relay for Life—and
every one I’ve been involved with
since—my fellow Legislative Ambassadors and I were part of something more important than ourselves, and more important than
politics. Legislators and their staff
listened and related. Alliances
were built. We were a bipartisan
community, holding hands with
loved ones and strangers, being
heard and respected as we
marched along for the things and
people we care about. I am grateful for the opportunity and already
look forward to next year.
Submitted by:
Shawn Kravich,
ACT! #62 Lead
Page 6
California Ambassador News
Enroll & Promote Upcoming CPS-3 Enrollment Sites
Date
6/20
6/20
6/25
Hours
11-2:30 PM
1-4:30 PM
3-6:30 PM
City
Murrieta
Norco
Riverside
Location
Loma Linda University Medical Center
Corona-Norco Unified School District (ABC RM)
Riverside Community Hospital( Health Education Center Main Auditorium)
6/27
7/13
7/13
7/17
7/20
7/23
7/23
7/24
11-2:30 PM
12:30-4:30PM
1-4:30PM
10-1:30PM
10-1:30PM
3-6:30PM
12-3:30PM
3-6:30 PM
Rancho
Campbell
Santa Clara
San Francisco
Alameda
Fremont
Milpitas
Berkeley
7/24
7/24
7/24
7/25
7/25
7/25
7/25
7/26
7/27
7/27
7/27
7/27
7/30
7/30
7/30
7/31
7/31
7/31
7/31
8/1
8/1
8/1
8/2
8/3
8/3
8/3
8/3
8/7
8/7
8/7
11-2:30PM
12-3:30PM
3-6:30 PM
12-3:30 PM
11-2:30 PM
4-7:30PM
2-5:30 PM
7-10:30AM
11-3PM
11-2:30PM
9-12:30PM
10-1:30 PM
3-6:30PM
10-1:30 PM
4-7:30 PM
4-7:30PM
11-2:30 PM
8-11:30AM
13-3:30 PM
2-5:30PM
10-1:30 PM
10-1:30 PM
9-12:30PM
9-12:30 PM
9-12:30PM
8-11:30AM
9-12:30 PM
8-11:30 AM
2-5:30PM
12-3:30PM
Burlingame
San Jose
San Rafael
Livermore
Redwood City
San Francisco
San Jose
San Francisco
Napa
Oakland
Redwood City
San Jose
San Jose
San Mateo
San Rafael
Oakland
Redwood City
San Francisco
San Jose
Campbell
San Francisco
San Rafael
Mill Valley
Berkeley
Campbell
San Francisco
San Mateo
Corte Madera
East Palo Alto
San Jose
8/8
8/8
8/8
8/10
8/10
8/10
8/10
8/17
2-5:30PM
2:30-6:00PM
3-6:30PM
9-12:30PM
9-12:30PM
10-1:30PM
9-12:30 PM
12-4PM
Burlingame
San Francisco
San Jose
East Palo Alto
Palo Alto
San Francisco
San Mateo
San Diego
Vanura Homehealth Services
RFL Campbell
River of Life Foundation (Fellowship Hall)
San Francisco LGBT Community Center
Bay Area Chinese Bible Church
Office of Fremont Chinese School
Sobranto Community Conference Room (Building5-Room 1)
Church by the Side of the Road
Palo Alto Medical Mills Foundation - Peninsula Division ( The Burlingame Center, 2nd
Floor Clinic Area)
Sobranto Community Conference Center (Room Cupertino A)
Osher Marin Jewish Community Center
Valley Care Health Systems
Sobrato Center for Nonprofits (Bay Rooms A&B)
San Francisco LGBT Community Center
Good Samaritan Hospital (Basement Auditorium Lobby)
Embarcadero YMCA (Exercise Room)
RFL Napa
Brookins AME Church
Stanford Medical Outpatient Center (2nd Floor Conference Room)
Tzu Chi Foundation
East Valley Pentecostal Church
Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center (Social Hall A)
LGBT Center at ACS office (Tamalpais Conference Room)
Hiram Hall/ Judah the Fathering Place
Sobrato Center for Nonprofits (Bay Rooms A&B)
Saint Francis Memorial Hospital (Conference Rooms B + C)
Central Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus
St. Lucy's Church
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center ( Hellman Conference Room)
Autodesk
Mill Valley Community Center (Cascade Room)
Church by the Side of the Road
St. Lucy's Church
Stonestoown Family YMCA Annex
Peninsula Chinese Alliance Church (2nd Floor Recreation Room)
Bay Club Marin (Gymnasium)
East Palo Alto Apostolic Assembly of the Faith of Christ Jesus
Sobranto Community Conference Center (Room Cupertino A)
Palo Alto Medical Mills Foundation - Peninsula Division ( The Burlingame Center, 2nd
Floor Clinic Area)
St. Mary's Medical Center (Morrissey Hall- Cancer Center)
Central Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus
East Palo Alto Apostolic Assembly of the Faith of Christ Jesus
Palo Alto Medical Foundation (Outpatient Clinic- Jamplis Building)
Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center (4th Floor Conference Room)
Peninsula Chinese Alliance Church (2nd Floor Recreation Room)
RFL Downtown San Diego
www.cancer.org/cps3
Volume 4, Issue 3
Page 7
2013 California Tobacco Tax
This opinion editorial appeared in
the Sonoma News
(http://www.sonomanews.com/New
s-2013/A-long-overdue-cigarettetax-increase/)
California currently imposes a 87cent tax on every pack of cigarettes
sold in the state. That tax rate has
not increased since 1998 and is exceeded by the rates in 32 states.
On Wednesday, May 8, California
Senate Bill 768 was approved by
both the State Senate’s Governance
and Finance Committee and its
Health Committee. The bill has now
been submitted to the Senate’s Appropriations Committee.
If it survives the rest of its time in
committees, is approved by twothirds of all members in both the
state Senate and Assembly, and is
then signed into law by the Governor, each pack of cigarettes sold in
our state will be subject to an additional $2 in taxes.
Since 2000, 47 states and the District of Columbia have passed more
than 105 cigarette tax increases,
and many states are currently considering further increases. California
is joined by Missouri and North Dakota as the only states that have
had no increase during the last dozen years. New York state’s cigarette
tax is the highest, at $4.35 per pack,
and New York City residents pay an
additional $1.50 per pack local tax.
According to a 2011 report from the
National Institutes of Health, “[o]n
average, a price increase of 10 percent
on a pack of cigarettes would reduce
demand for cigarettes by about 4 percent for the general adult population.”
Perhaps even more convincing are the
words of industry insiders themselves.
society.
A 1985 Philip Morris internal document
asserted that, “[o]f all the concerns,
there is one – taxation – that alarms us
the most. While marketing restrictions
and public and passive smoking
[restrictions] do depress volume, in our
experience, taxation depresses it much
more severely.”
Also, SB 768’s passage would add
an estimated $1.5 billion in annual
revenues that would be used to
fund tobacco prevention and cessation programs and to provide improved access to healthcare for lowincome families.
According to California Cancer Facts &
Figures 2013, “Exposure to tobacco
smoke … is associated with an estimated 30 percent of all cancers, including
80 percent of all lung cancers.”
Most Californians have been directly
affected in some way by cancer. According to a 2011 publication, “Saving
Lives, Saving Money: A State-by-State
Report on the Health and Economic
Benefits of Tobacco Taxes,” that was
commissioned by the American Cancer
Society Cancer Action Network (ACS
CAN), a mere $1 increase per pack in
California’s tobacco tax would save an
estimated 121,000 lives.
The 2011 ACS
CAN study also determined that every
pack of cigarettes sold results in $10.28
in health and economic costs to our
On top of all of the human benefits
that will come from reduced tobacco consumption in California, many
millions of dollars will be saved every year in healthcare costs in our
already overburdened healthcare
system.
In June 2012, Proposition 29, which
would have raised the cigarette tax
by $1 a pack, nearly passed, but
tobacco companies spent $47 million to defeat it. An increase in California’s cigarette tax is long overdue. The passage of Senate Bill 768
would be a decision that puts the
interests of Californians above
those of big tobacco.
•••
Rob Elders is a Sonoma Valley resident, and is an attorney practicing
in the healthcare field.
Legislative Day Photographs courtesy of Terry Gunter
Submitted by:
Rob Elders,
ACT! #10 Ambassador
Page 8
California Ambassador News
ACS CAN California Ambassadors Promote CPS-3
Marcia Bundalian-Stephen and Lynne Mushegain represented ACS CAN at the Relay For Life of Fontana on May 18 to
promote Cancer Prevention Study-3. The twosome walked the entire track, encouraging participants to join the study,
and together they recruited 23 new enrollees. Of course, they promoted ACS CAN as well, and spread the word that
legislative advocacy is a fabulous way to fight cancer!
Submitted by: Beckie Moore-Flati
Meet ACS CAN Intern: Alaine Cantiller
Hello! My name is Alaine
Joy Cantiller and I am a
Legislative Advocacy Intern at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action
Network office in Sacramento. I was born and
raised in the Philippines
and immigrated in the
United States when I was
10 years old. I grew up in
the bay area and decided
to go to college at CSU
Sacramento. I will be
graduating on May 25th
with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science
concentrating in
Healthcare Administration and a minor in General Business Administration. I plan to work on
my Masters in Business
Administration concentrating on Healthcare
Administration in about
a year because I aspire to
be a Healthcare Administrator of United
Healthcare Group, Kaiser
Permanente, or Blue
Shield of California!
I have been interning at
ACS CAN for about four
months now and I completely love the experience so far—I am even
thinking about being a
Volunteer Legislative
Ambassador! Additionally, I am an active member of an international
co-ed fraternity Alpha
Phi Omega where we
focus on friendship,
leadership, and service.
Through Alpha Phi Omega, I have volunteered
for several organizations
including the American
Diabetes Association,
American Cancer Society,
and Girl Scouts of America.
When I am not in school,
working, or interning, I
love spending quality time
with family, friends, and
boyfriend. I also love cooking! I love concocting Italian dishes, especially pasta
and pizza. And for the
past three years, I have
grown a passion for running. I successfully finished
about 8 races (5Ks & 10Ks)
and the Nike Women’s Half
Marathon benefiting the
Leukemia and Lymphoma
Society last year. I am currently registered to do two
10ks and will be doing Nike Women’s Half Marathon again this year.
Meet ACS CAN Intern: Reena Rallanka
Hi! My name is Reena
Rallanka and I am a Legislative Advocacy Intern at the
American Cancer Society
Cancer Action Network
office in Sacramento. I was
born and raised in Sacramento, which means I love
to eat fresh fruit and I love
the warm summer weather.
I am a senior at CSU Sacramento and am graduating
this spring semester with a
B.S. in Health Science concentrating in Health Care
Administration. Currently, I
am working as a student
assistant at the California
Secretary of State Office in
Sacramento. I am also an
active member of Alpha Phi
Omega, a co-ed national
service fraternity. Previously, I volunteered at
UC Davis Medical Center
as well as at Sutter Capitol Pavilion Surgery Center. After graduation, I
hope to find a full-time
job in the health care
industry and to do a lot
of travelling.
I have been interning at
the ACS CAN office for
about four months now
and I have learned a lot
from this experience. I
was interested in being
part of ACS CAN because
many of my relatives
died from cancer. Seeing
how ACS CAN works and
the mission of the organ-
ACS CAN CA Intern,
Alaine Cantiller
ization drives me to continue learning about how
to make an impact on
health issues today. Taking
part at Legislative Day, I
was able to see firsthand
how advocating to legislative officials is an important part of making
change in the health system. I am grateful to be a
part of ACS CAN and to
also gain valuable experiences throughout my internship.
When I’m not interning,
going to class, or working,
I love to play basketball,
work out, travel, hang out
with friends, eat good
food, and dance the night
away.
ACS CAN CA Intern,
Reena Rallanka
Volume 4, Issue 3
Page 9
2013 City of West Covina Woman of the Year
Award: Grace Pugh
A volunteer for the American Cancer Society and a part of the Los Angeles
ACS Leadership team. Grace is a four time cancer survivor and longtime
advocate for patients and caregivers. Grace has served in many leadership
roles, including Chair of the Los Angeles Region Reach to Recovery Project,
conducting many reach to recovery trainings. Grace lends her volunteerism
to the West Covina and Baldwin Park Relays for Life. Grace knows no
boundaries when it comes to giving her time, sharing her story and providing support to those that are in need.
Congratulations Grace!
Submitted by: Janice Chow-Ng
Ambassador Grace Pugh with
Assemblymember Roger
Hernandez
Meet ACS CAN CA Staff: Maggie Acuña
Maggie Acuña joined the American Cancer Society, California Division in 2006 when
she started working as a Community Mobilization Manager for the Orange County
Region. In September 2008 she joined the Government Relations Office and is currently working as a Field Advocacy Director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action
Network leading efforts in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties as well as
parts of Los Angeles County.
ACS CAN CA Field
Advocacy Director,
Maggie Acuña
Prior to joining the American Cancer Society, California Division, Maggie worked at
Latino Health Access (LHA), where she worked with Community Health Workers outreaching to low-income Latinos in Orange County. She worked with LHA’s Diabetes,
Nutrition, Asthma, and Cervical programs coordinating community outreach and education. Maggie holds a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Long Beach.
In her spare time Maggie likes to spend time with her horse Lady Penelope, and perfect her riding skills.
Maggie resides in Brea, California
Meet ACS CAN CA Staff: Cassie Ray
Cassie Ray is the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Field Advocacy Director for the Greater Bay-Redwood Region and the northern Silicon Coastal Region.
Cassie joined the Government Relations team in July, 2010, after six years as the Community Services Director in the Solano Field Office. Prior to coming to the American
Cancer Society, California Division and ACS CAN, Cassie had worked as a Research
Assistant, an Office Manager, and helped run a small business for nearly twenty
years.
Cassie holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Dietetics from U.C. Davis and a Master’s
Degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University. She resides in California with her husband, Gerry and their Golden Retriever. She is the proud mom of
two grown children, and when she can get away from work she likes to travel with
her family. Cassie also volunteers as a member of the Board of Directors for Solano
County Meals on Wheels.
ACS CAN CA Field
Advocacy Director,
Cassie Ray
http://action.acscan.org/caambassador
California Office
980 9th Street, Suite 2200
Sacramento, CA 95814-2742
(916) 448-0500
(916) 447-6931 fax
Be sure to mark your calendars
for these upcoming events!!!
New CA Volunteer
Legislative Ambassador
Orientation Calls
California All Volunteer
Legislative Ambassador
Quarterly Conference Call
Next California Volunteer
Legislative Ambassador
Newsletter (June/July)
Articles Deadline:
Tuesday, June 11th
6:00-7:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 18th
Tuesday, August 27th
6:30-7:30 p.m.
Contact your ACT! Lead for
pre/post gathering
Friday, July 26th
Sue Mudd
[email protected]
6:00-7:00 p.m.
details
Upcoming Advocacy Buzz
Conference Calls
Don’t Forget:
ACT! Coordinators
Conference Calls
Thursday June 20th
@ 6 p.m.
ACS Membership
Recruitment
Federal In-District
Meetings
(all calls at 6:30 p.m.)
ACS CAN Lights of Hope
Integration-August 15th
Tuesday July 9th
@ 12 p.m.
Local Advocacy
Ambassador Recruitment
ACS CAN-July 10th
Media-October 8th
Local-November 7th