Leadership Committee

Samantha D’Annunzio is a lifelong New Yorker who has been a practicing Pulmonary Critical Care physician for the past five years. She completed all of her medical training at New York University and fell in love with the field of pulmonary medicine. After completing fellowship, she joined the Westmed Medical Group as an outpatient Pulmonologist, as well as a Critical Care physician at Greenwich Hospital. She finds joy in meeting patients in the outpatient setting and navigating various diagnoses and diseases from asthma to lung cancer. Most importantly, she takes great privilege in her role as a bronchoscopist, when she often must secure a diagnosis for those patients at a very stressful and anxious time of their lives. In all these various roles, Samantha continues to be her patient’s strongest advocate and a friendly face in difficult and scary times. Outside of Westmed, Samantha volunteers her efforts with the American Association of Chest Physicians, where she is involved in various patient education endeavors. Samantha lives in West Harrison, New York with her husband Mike and three children.

Susan became a Respiratory Therapist after seeing her grandfather succumb to COPD, and years later, her father die from lung cancer. Currently, Susan is the Director of Respiratory Care, Pulmonary Lab and Sleep Center at Phelps Hospital, Northwell Health in Sleepy Hollow where she has been employed as a Registered Respiratory Therapist for 40 years.

She developed and initiated a comprehensive Pulmonary Rehab program that has supported over 1200 people suffering from chronic progressing lung diseases. While working in the Pulmonary Lab, Sue saw a how important a support group would be for those with lung disease and their caregivers. She became an American Lung Association Better Breathers Support Group Coordinator in 2014.

Susan joined the Lung Force Committee in 2018 to increase her advocacy for lung disease education. The sooner people are diagnosed with lung disease, the better the results of their treatment. She feels the vital resources that the American Lung Association provides is invaluable to the patients and she treats.

I’m Nancy Guttormsen, and I began walking in the LUNG FORCE Walk Hudson Valley with my best friend Mariann Casagrande, on her team Bighouse Warriors in 2016. Mariann had turned to Lung Force as a source of support after her diagnosis with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer. She was a committee member and spoke at each walk up until her passing last April 2023 so joining the committee alongside Mariann just felt right after witnessing the strength, hope, and camaraderie that LF gave Mariann along the way. She truly believed the donations, resulting research, and new treatments added several quality years to her life, and was so thankful. My goal is to keep her team alive.

Lung diseases don’t discriminate and Lung Force continues to get the message out to the community that early detection can save lives. Besides this 9th year of the Hudson Valley Walk, LF continues to make positive strides in donations, advocacy and awareness speaking to legislators, joining forces in the community as with the Hudson Valley Renegades LF Day, and creating Advocacy Day videos to name a few… it was an honor to have been a part of some of these efforts with my friend over the years and I want to continue to help where I can.

My name is David Katz. I spent 10 years in the Bronx getting my medical degree at Einstein College of Medicine and completing a medical residency as well as a pulmonary and critical care fellowship in the Montefiore medical system. Over the last 30 years, I have focused my practice on caring for patients with pulmonary disease in the hospital setting. I am just finishing my first year at White Plains Hospital where I continue to strive to improve the lives of patients with advanced lung diseases including COPD/emphysema, lung cancer and interstitial lung disease. I have joined the Lung Force this year in hopes of raising funds for research to better treat patients with severe lung disease. I am especially focused on raising awareness about early detection of lung disease such as CT scan screening for lung cancer and prevention of lung disease including smoking cessation.

Victoria Leahy is a dedicated physical therapist specializing in pulmonary rehabilitation at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital. With a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Mercy College and extensive experience since starting as a Physical Therapist Assistant in 2006, Victoria brings a wealth of expertise to her practice.

While she has worked across various patient populations, including geriatrics, pediatrics, neurological, and orthopedics, it is within the pulmonary domain that Victoria has found her true passion.

As the Coordinator of the Outpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department, Victoria not only designs tailored treatment plans but also infuses creativity and enthusiasm into each session, making pulmonary rehabilitation enjoyable and uplifting. She firmly believes in the transformative power of physical activity and advocates for its incorporation into daily life to foster a better quality of life.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Victoria finds joy and fulfillment as a mother to two young boys, balancing the demands of parenthood with a thriving career. She embodies resilience, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to making a positive impact on the world around her.

Lauren Nachstein is the Head of Audience Insights and Research at RICS, a global professional body promoting and enforcing the highest international standards in the valuation, management and development of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure. She got involved with Lung Force back in June 2018, just a few weeks after her husband Andrew was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic lung cancer at the age of 35. Feeling lost and hopeless about Andrew’s diagnosis, she joined Lung Force to find hope, to help find a cure for her husband, and also as a way to rally the troops and cheer him on through his battle. Sadly, despite Andrew’s fierce determination to live, he passed away on October 16, 2019, just 17 months after his diagnosis. She stays involved in Lung Force to raise funds in her husband’s memory in hopes she can help find a cure for someone else so that no other family has to face the unimaginable pain her family experiences on a daily basis. She continues to walk and raise funds and awareness because she knows how important education and early detection are to beating this disease. She also hopes for the advancements of treatments so that they result in fewer side effects, something her husband faced on a daily basis. Most importantly though, she stays involved in hopes that she is making Andrew proud of what she is accomplishing in his name.

In addition to her work at RICS and involvement with Lung Force, Lauren is also an assistant Girl Scout troop leader for an energetic group of Brownies.

My name is Kathy Massi and I currently work at the Greenwich Hospital Volunteer Department. My decision to be part of the Lung Force Walk committee is pretty simple, my daughter was diagnosed in 2022 with Lung Cancer and it truly rocked our world!! Today she is cancer free, so being part of this committee is very important to me because everyone should realize that Lung Cancer doesn't care who you are or how old you are, it just attacks, and we need to make everyone aware of what we as a community can do to stop this deadly disease. So please join us and donate today to this worthy cause.

Kristin Ohnmacht has been the Director of Marketing for Bilotta Kitchens for 19 years. She became involved in Lung Force as a team member on Love Your Lungs in 2018, just after her brother-in-law, Andrew Nachstein, was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic lung cancer at the age of 35. Sadly, in 2019, Andrew lost his courageous battle against lung cancer leaving his family in incredible pain with a hole that will never be filled. In 2021, Kristin decided to join the Lung Force Westchester committee as a way to honor Andrew and support her sister, Lauren Nachstein, who was already a committee member working to promote and educate despite her own unimaginable grief.

My name is Peggy and LUNG FORCE is a particular mission for me. My mother-in- law passed away in 1992 and my mom in 1993, both from lung cancer. In 2019 we lost our son-in-law after a heroic struggle, also with lung cancer. But my story doesn't end there. My brother-in-law passed away in 2021 from pulmonary fibrosis. My brother continues to recover from one of the worst cases of Covid one could have and survive, but after 15 months he remains on oxygen and is dependent on others for help with all daily activities. He was healthy and active when he contracted Covid, likely at a yoga class. He will never be the same. Then there is me- recently diagnosed with ILD or idiopathic lung disease. Not sure what my future holds, but I am counting on science to find treatment.

I am counting on lung research to find treatment and cures, and will do my part in making it happen

My name is Michelle Tighe and in April of 2022 I was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. I decided to get involved with the American Lung Association after attending the Lung Force walk for the first time in 2023. My hope is to raise awareness of Lung Disease and the importance of early detection as this likely saved my life.

Prior to my diagnosis I considered myself to be an active, healthy, mother of 2, wife and daughter. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, and spinning on my peloton. I didn’t think I fit the mold of a lung cancer patient, and this is where awareness and having a good support team both at home and in the medical field intersect. In recent years, lung disease has become more prevalent in my life and family, my stepfather lost his battle to COPD, and I have cousins who have also been impacted by lung cancer.

I've formed team Lungevity and joined this committee to create conversation, community and garner support around this important cause with the hopes of helping others.