meet the staff
meet the board
Rosa Amelia Perez
Lesley Oslica
Hometown: Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Hometown: Little Rock, AR
Current Town: Brooklyn, NY
Current Town: Conway, AR
Education: Certificate in Banking from the American Institute of Banking. I am also a New York State Certified Notary Public. Work with the Foundation: I manage the office and try to reduce the staff’s stress level by assisting in any way needed. Favorite Experience with the Foundation: My favorite experience has been the growth I have seen in our research and our staff. Favorite Hobby: Dancing, listening to music, cooking, and reading **Rosa recently celebrated her ten year anniversary with the Children’s Tumor Foundation. Congratulations Rosa! Many thanks for your dedicated service to the Foundation and the NF community, it is much appreciated!
Education: BA in Theology, with emphasis in Sociology, from St. Gregory University Work with the Foundation: I have participated in NF Endurance events since 2001 including 12 marathons, 17 half marathons, several sprint triathlons, and the Race Across America bike ride in 2011. In addition, our family has been hosting the celebratory finishers’ tent for the NF Endurance team at the Little Rock Marathon since 2007. In 2005, I developed CTF’s Arkansas Chapter which led me to hold symposiums and support group meetings, to volunteer at the NF Clinic, and to organize fundraising events including our annual Red Carpet For Research – Dancing with Our Stars Gala. I am proud to report that this year’s event broke records in terms of attendance, over 350 guests, and funds raised, over $100,000. Also, after traveling to Indianapolis for the Brickyard 400 and cheering on the racecar with the Children’s Tumor Foundation logo, our family is excited to participate in the upcoming 2014 Racing4Research event – the Rolex 24 at Daytona. In addition, our family helps host two golf tournament fundraisers per year. Favorite Experience with the Foundation: My favorite experiences surround attending the NF Forum and NF Conference every year and learning about the progress made in NF research. Being a Board Member allows one to follow the research even more closely, and learning that an initial $25,000 grant can grow into a half million dollar grant, if a researcher continues their work through other sources, has been very inspiring. It motivates me a great deal to know that our fundraising can have a direct impact on research. I also really enjoy meeting so many wonderful families in the NF community. While none of us would choose to be in this “NF club,” having such remarkable people to share the journey with makes it a little more bearable. Favorite Hobby: I enjoy traveling, running marathons, riding bikes, and other endurance sports like triathlons and duathlons. Also, while I don’t consider it a hobby, my favorite thing to do is spend time with our adult children and extended family.
Day trips from camp included the Olympic Park in Park City with its mountain toboggan run, super zipline, miniature golf course, and other fun activities. The Hogle Zoo was a special treat this year with its new resident polar bear who demonstrated his swimming skills to the delight of our campers. And a day at the waterpark, always a favorite, was the perfect venue on a 100-degree summer day!
17th Annual NF Camp: Friends Old and New Almost 80 campers from more than 25 states across the U.S. and Canada gathered for fun and friendship at the 17th annual NF Camp at Camp Kostopulos in Emigration Canyon, Utah. Every day was filled with a variety of activities and challenging exercises emphasizing trust and teamwork. While at camp, which has a wonderful array of facilities in a beautiful natural setting, everyone had a chance to conquer the high ropes course and the rock climbing wall, experience the thrill of the zipline, ride horses in the state-ofthe-art riding ring, and enjoy the pool and the fishing pond.
The Children’s Tumor Foundation is grateful to the professional and caring staff at Camp Kostopulos, the dedicated and cheerful volunteers, and the generous NF Camp supporters who care deeply about this very important program. Because of their commitment, the NF Camp program continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and teens living with NF. Make plans to attend NF Camp 2014! Dates will be announced soon and scholarships will be available. For more information please visit www.ctf.org/camp, or contact Julie Pantoliano at jpantoliano@ctf.org.
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