Meet Your
LUNG FORCE Walk
Leadership Committee

The Leadership Committee is an elite that is highly committed and dedicated to driving the nation’s largest lung health movement, LUNG FORCE, and reversing the course of lung cancer and other lung diseases.

By banding together as one FORCE, we will defeat lung disease, improve the lung health of millions and ultimately, save lives.

If you are interested in becoming a Leadership Committee Member, please contact Emily Amitin at 917-210-5649 or NYCWalk@Lung.org.

Nicole Yehezkel, Chair

Nicole Yehezkel is passionate about the LUNG FORCE Walk New York City due to the loss of her mother to lung cancer in January 2020. Nicole is a speech-language pathologist clinical fellow, specializing in AAC and pediatric feeding disorders, and a Hebrew and Jewish Traditions teacher. She holds a Master's degree from New York University and enjoys traveling and hiking.

 

Shavon Anderson, Vice-Chair

Shavon Anderson has been a Residential Property Manager for Time Equities, Inc. for the past 18 years. She earned her Bachelor of Science from Lincoln University of Pennsylvania. Shavon is a Brooklyn girl to the heart where she was born and raised and currently lives with her two cats, Autumn, and Spice. Shavon loves to travel and spend time with her family and friends. She also is truly excited on her new journey as a member of the Metro NY Leadership Board and this year she will serve as the Vice Chair of LUNG FORCE Walk NYC!

 

Dalia Cruz

For over five years, Dalia Cruz has participated in the LUNG FORCE Walk in NYC. She joined the Annual LUNG FORCE Walk as another way to advocate for patients with respiratory ailments—and members of her family who have dealt with respiratory diseases such as lung cancer, asthma, and COPD.

Dalia has been in the pharmaceutical industry since 2007 and currently works as a field reimbursement manager and patient advocate. Previously, she was the editor of Hispanic teen magazine Latingirl and Urban Latino Magazine and a junior high school teacher.

Dalia is excited to be a part of the LUNG FORCE Walk NYC Leadership Committee for the ninth annual walk!

 

Joanne Duckman

Joanne is participating in the 2023 LUNG FORCE Walk New York City as captain of her team, Jersey Loves NYC. She is passionate about lung health and is committed to making a change which has driven her to be a part of this important work. Joanne is the Global Systems Solutions Director for McCann Health and has worked for the company for almost 20 years. She has a BA from Michigan State University and holds several certifications in group cycling. She has sat on committees at the American Cancer Society and started a non-profit charity event in honor of a close friend. Joanne is excited to be a part of this team.

 

Elaine Duff

Elaine Duff is a Senior Vice President and Head of FIS Impact Ventures. She is responsible for early stage fintech investments, inorganic business building, fintech enablement and strategic partnerships. Her team works closely with early stage fintechs to evaluate investment opportunities and then helps them cultivate strategic cross functional relationships to successfully integrate into the FIS ecosystem and distribution networks.

She also leads FIS accelerator efforts at the Venture Center in Little Rock, Arkansas as well as accelerator expansion opportunities in the Merchant segment. On Strategic Partnerships, Elaine spearheads co-innovation opportunities with our most significant partners in the financial technology ecosystem.

Prior to working in the Impact Ventures division, Elaine ran Strategic Initiatives and Business Operations for FIS’ Global Banking & Digital Channel as well as Chief Administrative Officer for Capital Markets & International Banking & Payments. Before joining FIS in 2017, Elaine spent fifteen years at J.P.Morgan leading global product management for Derivatives and Collateral Management. Elaine Duff graduated from Vanderbilt University with a BS in Economics and Human & Organizational Development.

When Elaine’s sister passed from lung cancer in December 2021, she decided to organize a team to support the LUNG FORCE Walk New York City in May of 2022. This is her second year supporting the organization and is excited to join the leadership committee to bring more awareness and funding for lung cancer research, early detection and treatment.

 

Ashley Holt

This is Ashley’s second year as a NYC Committee member. Ashley joined the LUNG FORCE Walk with her mother Maria Ramos & their team Maria’s Goonies in 2015. They joined to help raise awareness for lung disease patients as Maria lived with Interstitial Lung Disease. Maria sadly passed away June 27th,2021 during the lung transplant evaluation process at the age of 56. Ashley is now the team’s leader & passionately advocates for lung disease patients in her mother’s memory. She graduated from The College of Staten Island with an Associate’s degree. Ashley works as a supervisor for a state agency. She is a Sjogren’s Ambassador through the Sjogren’s Foundation, a volunteer for the Sjogren’s Annual Virtual walk committee & a volunteer for the Lung Transplant Foundation. Ashley enjoys indulging in decadent desserts, is a horror movie junkie, collects crystals as a hobby and loves to spend time with her family.

Janine Howe

Janine joined LUNG FORCE as captain of Team Walking for Camille in 2015 after losing her mother to Lung Cancer in Feb 2015. Janine works in the food industry as the CFO for E.A.T. is owned by Eli Zabar, Inc (and affiliates), bringing gourmet food and drink to the Upper East Side of Manhattan and beyond. She graduated from Hofstra University with a BBA in Accounting. Janine is passionate about giving back to her community. In the past she has sat on the board for the Long Island division of the IMA (Institute of Management Accountants) and the Massapequa Soccer Club. She enjoys sports, reading, traveling, theatre, art, and volunteering.

Amy Katzenback

This is Amy’s second year on the LUNG FORCE Walk NYC Committee and is walking as the Team Captain for her team, The Wolfpack. Amy became involved with the LUNG FORCE Walk after losing her Dad to Lung Cancer in October 2021 and wanting to “turn her pain into action”. She was Born and raised in Massachusetts, received her Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts from the University of Hartford and has lived in the NYC area for seven years.

Amy works at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ as the Assistant Director for the Center for Student Success in the School of Business. Amy is passionate about helping others and making a positive impact, the American Lung Association has given her the space to do just that!

 

Jon Rosen

Jon is founder and president of Impact Communications, the presentation and media training practice serving senior executives and sales professionals since 1980. Before forming Impact Communications, he was an award-winning television news journalist at WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, WABC-TV in New York and ABC’s “Good Morning America.” He’s been recognized by his fellow journalists with an Emmy nomination, the New York Press Club Feature Award and the International Television Festival of New York Gold Medal.

Jon became a volunteer leader of the American Lung Association at the national, regional and local levels following his father’s death from emphysema in 1980. He served as Board Chair at the American Lung Association of Hudson Valley, NY and the American Lung Association of the Northeast. He received the Volunteer Excellence Award from the nationwide organization and is serving his fifth term as a member of the National Board of Directors, where his primary focus continues to be on fundraising, marketing, media relations and advocacy.

Jon played a pivotal role in the launch of the LUNG Force initiative to defeat lung cancer and has raised more than $50K over the past seven years as Team Board Walkers’ captain. He’s an honors graduate of NYU’s University College of Arts & Science and lives in Wilton, CT.

Emily Yehezkel

Emily Yehezkel is the Experientia Education Director at Creating Connected Communities. She recently relocated to Atlanta but is back and forth between New York and Atlanta. She holds a Master of Arts in Human Development and Family Studies and Experiential Israel and Jewish Education from The George Washington University and bachelor’s degree in American Sign Language/English Interpreting from Kent State University. Outside of work, Emily loves to travel, take photos, learn new languages, and be outside. Since Emily and her sister, Nicole, lost their mother, Jaynee, to lung cancer in January 2020, they have been dedicated to defeating lung cancer and hopeful to one day live in a world free of lung disease. Emily has been the co-captain of her team Jaynee's Angels since July 2020.