MRF Staff

Timothy (Tim) Turnham, Ph.D.
Executive Director
tturnham@melanoma.org

Tim Turnham became the Executive Director of the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) in January 2009. Tim shares the MRF’s commitment to supporting medical research to find more effective treatments and eventually a cure for melanoma and brings with him more than 30 years of experience in management, fundraising, communication, teaching and research.

Prior to joining the MRF, Tim served as the Chief Executive Officer for the Colon Cancer Alliance, as well as the Director of Development for the United Cerebral Palsy Associations.  He has also served as the Director of Development for the Whitman-Walker Clinic followed by a position at the Children’s Research Institute as the Director of Development.

Tim holds a B.A. in Microbiology from the University of Tennessee, a M. Div. from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Tim lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Phyllis. They have three adult children.

Jaclyn (Jackie) Cistaro
Fundraising Assistant
jhirschorn@melanoma.org

As the MRF’s Fundraising Assistant, Jaclyn Cistaro processes all donor gifts and ensures that all donors are thanked for their generosity by organizing the MRF’s database, managing tributes, notifying families when donations have been made in memory of their loved ones, creating mailing lists and generating reports.

Prior to joining the MRF in 2008, Jaclyn worked in an administrative position for the Mental Health Association of Westchester County, Inc. in New York. She began her career as an assistant editor for a trade magazine, but moved into the nonprofit world to find more purpose and fulfillment in her work. Jaclyn graduated from Rutgers University in 2004 with bachelor’s degrees in Anthropology and Journalism along with a minor in Religion.

Jaclyn lives in Roselle Park, N.J. with her husband Armand, and Tiffany, their fluffy, tuxedo cat.

Joanne Joseph
Senior Administrative Assistant
jjoseph@melanoma.org

As the Senior Administrative Assistant, Joanne Joseph supports the overall operations of the foundation, as well as to the MRF’s Board of Directors. Prior to joining the MRF, Joanne worked in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 20 years and gained experience in the areas of human resources, research and development, finance and event/trade show planning.

Joanne holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Seton Hall University and an associate’s degree in Paralegal Studies from Middlesex County College. She lives in central New Jersey where she spends her free time enjoying the outdoors and volunteers for two local organizations dedicated to breast cancer and horseback riding for individuals with disabilities. Along with her MRF colleague Mary Mendoza, Joanne has the unique talent of killing houseplants very quickly.

Sherice Koonce
Operations Director
skoonce@melanoma.org

Sherice joined the foundation in May 2007 and supervises the coordination and administration of the MRF’s business-related activities including financial accounting and analysis, human resources, contractual agreements and facility management. She also oversees management of the MRF’s educational and grant programs, Web site development and the constituent database.

Prior to joining the MRF, Sherice worked in the consumer packaged goods and pharmaceutical industries, developing her talents in relationship management, financial analysis, forecasting, budget planning and market research.

Sherice became aware of the work and mission of the MRF through a friend who is a stage III melanoma survivor. “I saw the impact that dealing with the diseases had on my friend and her family and wanted to use my talents to join the cause to make a difference”.

Sherice received a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She lives in central New Jersey with her dog, Sunny. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, party planning and spending time with family and friends.

Mary Mendoza
Manager, Community Engagement
mmendoza@melanoma.org

As the Manager of Community Engagement, Mary Mendoza develops, implements, and oversees the day-to-day details of the volunteer and advocacy program for the MRF, including the Melanoma Messengers, and many of its grassroots fundraising events.

Passionate about volunteerism and activism, Mary managed the volunteer program for a large, regional healthcare center before joining the MRF in 2009. She has previous work experience as a community organizer, campaign manager, and is a CDC certified trainer. After going to college for a very “useful” creative writing degree, she finally did something practical in 2003 and received a certificate in nonprofit management from Arizona State University.

Mary’s lifelong friend, Adam, lost his battle with melanoma just weeks before she began at MRF. Along with her insight and experience, she now brings a personal sense of compassion and a desire to affect change to her work in the melanoma community.

She lives in Washington, D.C., and in her free time volunteers as an advocate for a domestic violence intake center. Despite her nurturing personality, she is a notorious killer of houseplants (a trait she shares with her MRF colleague Joanne Joseph), and she has been known to buy wine based solely on the design of the label.

Karen Osif
Program & Events Coordinator
kosif@melanoma.org

Karen Osif coordinates and implements the educational and research grant programs for the MRF. Although she was a “novice about melanoma” when she started in 2007, Karen has gained so much knowledge about this disease that she is the MRF’s “internal” source for answering calls from patients, caregivers and their families about melanoma.

She manages the registration, pre-planning and post event evaluation work for educational programs. She also oversees and administers every stage of the MRF’s research grant programs, from the submission stage to overseeing the past and present grant awardees.

Karen lives in central New Jersey with her Maine Coon cat, Montana. She enjoys music, sewing and crafting.