CLL Society Staff
The CLL Society team is a small group of dedicated individuals, including healthcare professionals, experienced business executives, educators, nonprofit professionals, patients, caregivers, and more. They are driven by a commitment to make certain that CLL Society is creative, responsive, inclusive, and equitable in meeting the unmet needs of those whose lives have been touched by CLL / SLL.
Learn about them here.
Brian Koffman, MDCM (retired), DCFP, FCFP, DABFP, MSEd
Co-Founder
Executive Vice President
Chief Medical Officer
Board Member at Large
Dr. Koffman, a well-known doctor, educator, and clinical professor turned patient has dedicated himself to teaching and helping the CLL community since his diagnosis in 2005. Dr. Koffman believes that his dual status as a physician and patient provides a unique experience and understanding which allows him to provide clear explanations of complex issues and to advocate for his fellow patients and inform his fellow healthcare providers. This is especially important in view of the rapidly changing therapeutic landscape. Besides his medical degree, Dr. Koffman has a Master of Science in Medical Education. Dr. Koffman is also a family doctor, board certified in Canada and USA, a retired clinical professor in family medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, USC, and the former medical director of the nonprofit medical educational organization, Primary Care Network. Dr. Koffman co-founded and serves as the Chief Medical Officer and EVP of CLL Society Inc.
Liza Avruch, MPA
Program Director
Liza brings over 10 years of program management experience in nonprofit organizations to CLL Society. She has directed nonprofit programming at the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Independent Sector, and the Women Presidents’ Educational Organization. She has experience managing large, complex programs with strict deadlines, as well as conference and meeting planning. Liza has a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from George Mason University, and a BA in Sociology from Mary Washington University.
Liza has devoted her career to mission-driven organizations and brings this dedication to CLL Society in support of patients and caregivers affected by CLL. She is a proud mother of two and spends her free time finding local museums, playgrounds, and children’s activities in the DC metro area.
Brad Hedrick, MSCIS
Information Technology Director
Brad received his Master of Science in Computer Information Systems from Missouri State University. He has over 38 years’ experience in I.T. with 26 of those years spent in the continuing medical education (CME) industry. His experience includes the development of data collection software technology and custom database-driven applications specializing in online event management and learning management systems. In addition, he has been the lead application developer on a number of interactive projects that include dozens of commercial websites, CDROMs, corporate videos, DVDs, shared decision-making tools, and other award-winning interactive projects.
Brad also serves as a Live Conference Technical Director responsible for overseeing content creation, and audio-visual execution of live and online CME programs. Live content capture, video streaming, and audience response systems are all a part of Brad’s toolbox – ensuring a successful educational experience before, during, and after a live meeting event.
In his free time, Brad enjoys outdoor activities including hiking, backpacking, spelunking, kayaking, and beekeeping. On any given evening he enjoys grilling on his Big Green Egg.
Michael Rosenthal
National Strategic Partnerships Manager
Michael enjoys a 32-year history of non-profit leadership, serving medically fragile and economically displaced communities locally, nationally and internationally. His passion is to improve health and quality of life by engaging partners in support of programs and services with meaningful outcomes.
He’s served as the Executive Director of the Arizona Hemophilia Association, the National Director of the World Federation of Hemophilia USA, and most recently was the Sr. Director of Fund Development and Philanthropy at Native American Connections in Phoenix.
Michael is a former summer camp director with expertise in serving children with chronic bleeding disorders, cancer, HIV, or children experiencing economic hardship. He has served as a volunteer on various non-profit Boards including the Chicks with Picks Foundation, Whispering Hope Ranch, the Florida Bleeding Disorders Association, and Unbridled Pathways.
He is a graduate of the Arizona State University College of Business and is a native Arizonan, plays guitar, drums and bass, and did spend a few years as a food critic for a magazine.
Ron Katz
Development Director
Ron has dedicated his career to helping important nonprofit organizations raise funds to carry out their missions, whether in healthcare, social services or education. Through his leadership roles in development, and as a consultant, he has helped organizations raise over $100 million in the past 30 years. As a member of the online faculty, Ron has also taught fundraising and nonprofit leadership courses to graduate students at BayPath University. Ron began his career as a policy researcher and advisor at the CT State Senate, but has since found that helping people through nonprofit work is not only more challenging, but also far more gratifying.
Following a 2022 CLL diagnosis, Ron recognized the opportunity to put his experience to work for the CLL Society, raising money to help improve the quality of life for many more CLL / SLL patients and hopefully help find a cure.
Ron is a New York/New England native who recently transplanted to Florida with his wife and dog Juno. When not working, you can find Ron on the tennis or pickleball court, on a fishing boat, or somewhere close to the beach.
Sarah Castro
Administrative Coordinator, Scientific Affairs & Research
Sarah’s career journey has spanned various industries, where she led global teams in strategically planning, implementing, and scaling human resource (HR) programs and operations. Her focus was always on creating a positive impact and enhancing the workforce experience within organizations. But there’s more to Sarah than her professional accomplishments.
As a CLL patient, Sarah’s passion for collaboration, teamwork, and helping others took on a new dimension. She found herself drawn to the CLL Society, an organization dedicated to supporting those affected by CLL and SLL. Sarah now contributes her expertise to the Scientific Affairs & Research Team, advocating for better treatments and outcomes.
In 2019, Sarah received her CLL diagnosis. After a year and a half of active surveillance, she underwent front-line therapy. The treatment was successful, and since completing therapy in November 2021, her CLL has remained undetectable. When she’s not immersed in the world of CLL, Sarah enjoys the natural beauty of her home in Gig Harbor, WA, nestled along the shores of Puget Sound. Whether exploring the outdoors, entertaining friends, or spending quality time with her husband and rescue bulldog named Hunny, Sarah embraces life with zest and purpose.
Saira Sultan, JD
Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy
Saira has represented corporate, nonprofit, and government interests in the legislative and regulatory health policy arena for more than 20 years in Washington, D.C. She has had repeated success identifying and creating advocacy opportunities and translating them into strategic legislative and regulatory results. Focusing in areas such as oncology, rare and extremely rare therapies, vaccines, and specialty products in sickle cell, pain, addiction, cell, gene therapy, and more.
Saira has worked extensively with government agencies including CMS and the FDA and elected officials on Capitol Hill. She also brings her experience from working with Capitol Hill with both the House and Senate, including her previous work on the Ways and Means Committee and her role as senior legislative counsel for Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Chief Counsel to one of the Senate Healthcare Subcommittees. Saira handled all healthcare issues under the Senate HELP Committee’s jurisdiction, including extensive negotiations with the FDA and industry on the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and the first reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act.
Saira’s leadership at the Association of Community Cancer Centers allowed her to build strong relationships with the oncology community and gain insights into the evolution of oncology care. She continues to work closely with many oncology organizations, identifying emerging trends that have led to repeated success in tackling coverage, coding, and payment of marketed and pipeline Medicare Part B and D products. Saira is also a nationally sought-after speaker on oncologic advocacy and policy issues.
