Mountain Region Rejuvenate

Dr. Meredith Mitstifer is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Prior to her 13 years with the Bureau, she was a psychologist for the Arizona Department of Corrections Death Row & Special Management Units. Meredith was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 30, when she was four months pregnant. This year she celebrates 18 years of survivorship with her son. Meredith serves as NOCC's Chairman of the Board of Directors and has since 2018. She has presented and published research on perceived partner adaptation during a cancer diagnosis. She is a public speaker on vicarious trauma, transformational leadership and living both authentically and fearlessly after an ovarian cancer diagnosis. Meredith enjoys traveling with her son as they raise their voices together against this disease that whispers.

Sandra Marinella is an award-winning teacher and author. For thirty years she immersed herself in teaching writing to students and educators. In 2012 When she faced and survived breast cancer, she turned to her personal writing as a way to heal and change. She began volunteering with veterans and cancer patients. She then over a two-year period worked with patients at Mayo Clinic to determine the benefits of Narrative Medicine for healing and clinical outcomes. As she watched writing help them to transform their lives, she discovered her new passion—helping individuals find their voice, learn the power of writing to edit their "life stories”, leading to fuller and better ways of living.

Kristina Butler, M.D. M.S. is a Gynecologic Oncologist at Mayo Clinic Arizona. She
is triple board certified in Gynecologic Oncology, Urogynecology, and ObGyn.
Her medical school training began at Texas Tech University, then residency at
Medical College of Georgia, and subsequent 5 years of Fellowship with Mayo
Clinic Arizona & Rochester. Her research includes malignant and benign
gynecologic conditions, and she received a Master’s in Biomedical Sciences from
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. She co-chairs the Mayo Clinic Enterprise
Gynecologic Cancer disease group, whereby clinical practice, education, and
research are converged and optimized for the institution. She is the Fellowship
Program Director for the Gynecology Research program. She serves with the
MCA Disease Working Group, where her group's efforts aim to provide an
excellent clinical trial portfolio for women.
In recent years, her team has successfully enrolled >170 women on cancer driven
studies. Current projects at MCA focus on gynecologic cancer detection with a self-
inserted vaginal tampon to detect endometrial, ovarian, and cervical cancers (ECHO,
Bakkum-Gamez MCR) using methylated DNA markers – the goal for the future allowing
women to self-detect in the comfort of their home. A Phase 3 Multicenter Study of
Gleolan to Enhance Visualization of Tumor in Patients with Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
undergoing surgery (NXDC-OVA-302) opens soon where Dr. Butler is a national
PI. Other contributions have resulted in FDA approval (OTL38, Study 006), publication
in JCO, and updates shared at the SGO 2024 meeting in San Diego.

Dr. Wingo earned her medical degree at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where she also completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology, serving as chief resident and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology. Before City of Hope, she was a gynecologic oncologist at Cancer & Blood Specialists of Arizona. She continues to serve as a clinical assistant professor at the University of Arizona/Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, where she’s involved in resident and fellow education. Dr. Wingo has published several studies in peer-reviewed biomedical journals and given more than a dozen lectures covering health disparities, robotic surgery protocols, cancer genetics, and molecular mechanisms that underlie gynecologic cancers.

For over 20 years, Jennifer has poured her heart and soul into educating, supporting, and empowering patients and families with the knowledge they need to make informed and confident healthcare decisions. She finds fulfillment in being able to break down hard-to-understand medical concepts and terminology into plain language using a variety of learning principles, including adult learning and behavioral change theories. She also thrives in the area of community health programming and training, utilizing her influential communication skills. She uses her knowledge and skills across a variety of public health arenas that result in efficient, effective, and accountable outcomes. Jennifer is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a bachelors degree in Community Health.

Dr. Rubin is the Medical Director of Naturopathic Specialists, LLC in Scottsdale, Arizona. His naturopathic oncology practice has been integral to the Phoenix metropolitan medical community for the past 16 years. In 2004, he became the Founding President of the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians (OncANP). The OncANP represented a revolution in the field of naturopathic oncology, providing, for the first time, definition, validation, and standardization of the field of naturopathic oncology; an international movement was launched. OncANP then created the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology, the board certification arm, which began certifying physicians to become naturopathic oncologists in 2006.

At present, Naturopathic Specialists have served the clinical and logistical oncology needs of people from all 50 United States as well as 16 countries. Dr. Rubin has been a central figure in the invention and development of the concept of the naturopathic oncologist and its subsequent positioning in the global medical space. He is further honored to be viewed as an expert in the integration of traditional and naturopathic medicine for people with cancer, providing services for both the adult and pediatric populations. His selected positions include those from the regulatory, education, advisory, and community sectors, and his main philanthropic interests are focused on children with cancer as well as post-graduate education.

In addition to creating jewelry, Leah has worked in live sports television for the past 25 years. She graduated from ASU with a broadcasting degree. Her Ruby Mae Jewelry business is named after her Mother, who she lost to ovarian cancer. In honor of her mom, she shares information on ovarian cancer awareness on the back of her business cards.

Corry is an Army Veteran and DTC Operations Specialist at Rastellis and a DoTerra Owner/Operator. She attended the United States Academy at West Point, where she earned a BA in International History and was a former Army officer. She is a mom to 3 active boys and a sweet Saint Bernard (Stella!). She has been using doTERRA oils for over seven years and reaches for her oils first when the need arises. Her passion is sharing how oils have helped to improve her overall health and emotional well-being and teaching others how to do the same. She is described as down-to-earth, warm-hearted, compassionate and inspiring.

Barbara holds a Doctorate in Education. She teaches at the Glendale Adult Center and has a YouTube channel called Chair Yoga with Barbara where she shares a variety of fitness classes with accessibility options. She’s the creator of the only coloring book specifically designed for ovarian cancer survivors and patients, to which she is donating all of the proceeds to NOCC.

Barbara was her mother’s caregiver, who passed in 2017 from ovarian cancer. Her grandmother also had gynecological cancer, and Barbara herself had a full hysterectomy because of problems with both her uterus and ovaries.

Her motto: “It’s not about perfection, it’s about being healthy and happy.”