Executive Board of Directors
Mary Ann Wasil Nilan, Executive Director, Co-Founder & Past President
Karen Moran McAndrew, President
Suzanne Cahill-Manning, Vice-President
John Vesia, Secretary
Board of Directors
Christopher Capozziello
Amy DiSabella
Elizabeth Nilan
Mary Nilan
Edward Nilan
Zinelle Peterson
Reverend Thomas E. Ptaszynski
Jody Ramik
Caryn Sullivan
Consulting Board
Karen Laugel, MD
Kelly Ann Harkins, MD
Carol Mack
Andrea Silber, MD
Barbara Ward, MD
Marsha Schultz, RN
Tom Laidlaw
Anna Rubino
Mary Ann Wasil Nilan, Executive Director, Co-Founder & Past President
Mary Ann is a Breast Cancer Survivor, and Founder and President of the “Get In Touch Foundation”, a non-profit organization whose mission is “to encourage gals of all ages to “Get In Touch” with their bodies, information, and each other in our crusade against breast cancer.”
On February 4, 2004, Mary Ann was diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer and began a grueling life saving protocol of dose dense chemotherapy, followed by a bi-lateral mastectomy. During this time, Mary Ann and writer-friend, Susan Patrick, along with photojournalist-friend, Christopher Capozziello, began documenting her journey of mastectomy and reconstruction, having been unable to find a resource that provided the powerful imagery she sought to help her through this difficult time. Creating this groundbreaking book of images, along with contributions from her oncologist and surgeons, will help educate, comfort, and ultimately, empower women diagnosed with cancer. (This book is currently in the editing stages.)
Mary Ann, a former midnight shift police officer in CT, is also an actress and model, having worked for ten years on the ABC soap opera, “All My Children”, as well as on numerous independent films, commercials and voice-overs. She has hosted the quarterly video newsmagazine, “Aetna In Action” since 2002, and is a public speaker promoting Breast Cancer Awareness & Education. Mary Ann has been a public speaker in the area of Elementary School Advancement for the National Catholic Educational Association, and in January 2007 was the recipient of the Milford Chamber of Commerce Human Services Award for "unselfish service, care and concern for people in need." Mary Ann spent nearly six years as Director of Advancement & Enthusiasm for Saint Ann Church and School in Milford, before taking the helm as full-time Executive Director of Get In Touch in June 2008.
In 2007 Mary Ann received an Official Citation from the State of Connecticut General Assembly in honor and recognition of her “Dedication and Extraordinary Service in Creating Awareness Toward the Treatment and Prevention of Breast Cancer.”
Mary Ann’s enthusiasm and passion are born from her genuine love of people and relationships. She values her faith, her family and her friends. She enjoys working with other dynamic, high energy people committed to the greater good and has found the Get In Touch Board of Directors to fit this bill to a “T!”
Mary Ann resides in Milford with her three children, Betsy, Mary and Eddy, all students at Saint Joseph High School in Trumbull. Mary Ann thanks God every day for the blessings He continues to bestow on her, promising always to find new ways of reaching out to those in need.
Karen Moran McAndrew, President
Karen Moran McAndrew is a life-long Milford, Connecticut resident, with the exception of the two years she lived in Ireland with her family, during high school. She graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and Sociology. She is currently employed as Director of Human Resources at GHP, a large full service printing company located in West Haven, Connecticut, a job she loves.
She is an active parish member at her church, Our Lady of Victory, as a choir member, recently traveling to Rome to perform with the music ministry and as a Eucharistic Minister, two ministries she enjoys very much.
A “Making Strides for Breast Cancer” volunteer for the past five years, Karen is very happy to be on the Executive Board of The Get In Touch Foundation. She truly believes that education is one of the key components in helping detect breast cancer early. She resides in Milford with her husband Bill and her teenaged daughter Maggie.Suzanne Cahill-Manning, Vice-President
Suzanne is the President of Red Mat Publishing. Throughout her career in publishing Suzanne has been responsible for the development and supervision of a number of successful publication, book and Internet product launches. In addition to her professional experience Suzanne currently serves on the boards of The United Way of Milford, The Get in Touch Foundation, The Network of Executive Women, and serves on the Board of Aldermen for the City of Milford. She is a member of a number of civic and community-based organizations including The Milford Chamber of Commerce, Milford Hospital Auxiliary, and The Milford Historical Society. Suzanne received her B. S. in Philosophy at Sacred Heart University and has received many business awards within the business community including: The Business Times 40 under 40 and Milford Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year. In addition Suzanne holds two citations from the State of Connecticut for Business Expertise and Community Development. Suzanne resides in Milford, CT with husband Jim and their children, Todd and Maryalice.
John Vesia, Secretary
John’s background is in graphic arts and commercial printing. For the past 22 years, he has held positions of increasing responsibility in commercial printing. He started his career as a press operator for a firm in New Jersey. John’s move to Connecticut in 1988 marked his transition to management, first at Allied Printing in Manchester, where he worked for 8 years, and then at W.E. Andrews. Since 2006, he has served as the Vice President of Manufacturing at GHP in West Haven, a position that draws upon both his manufacturing and people management skills. John was born in New York City and has two daughters, who attend George Mason University and Northeastern University.
Christopher Capozziello
Christopher Capozziello grew up in Milford, Connecticut. He moved to Rochester, New York, in 1999, where he earned a degree in photojournalism. After graduation he moved to Dallas, Texas, where he interned at the Dallas Morning News.
Christopher currently works as a freelance photojournalist based in Hamden, Connecticut. He focuses on documenting social issues in order to facilitate awareness and conversation about different facets of life. From 2004 through 2005, Christopher photographed Mary Ann Nilan's journey through breast cancer. The pictures are a crucible that mean to express her feelings and experiences, the things she cares about, the things she was afraid of, and the things she hopes for. The images were subsequently published in TIME Magazine, and were given honor at World Press Photo, the Golden Light Awards, the National Headliner Awards, and the China International Press Photo Contest.
His work has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, Newsweek, The Dallas Morning News, L'Express, among others, and has worked for non-profits like the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and Samaritan's Purse.
Christopher's images of Mary Ann are now in exhibition form, traveling the country to colleges and universities, where he and Mary Ann are speaking about her experience, and the importance of girls and women to get in touch with their bodies.
Amy DiSabella
Amy DiSabella earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Fordham University. After receiving her degree, Amy worked as a writer and producer in New York City and Los Angeles, CA for such television production companies as Dick Clark Productions, Montel Williams, King World Productions and News 12. Her writing skills have earned her several prestigious awards including the Excellence in Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Currently, Amy is the 7th & 8th grade teacher at Saint Ann School in Milford, Connecticut. She also teaches television production at The Connecticut School of Broadcasting.Zinelle Peterson
Zinelle Peterson grew up in “the quiet corner” of Connecticut and moved to Milford in 1991 when she got married. She has worked in a marketing capacity for major corporations across many industries including insurance, television and web hosting. Zinelle is currently the owner of Z1 Design, LLC, a graphic design and web development firm in Milford that she started in 2001. She has had quite a few non-profit clients and enjoys volunteering whenever possible. She loves what she does and loves her clients.
In 2006, Zinelle researched, planned and traveled on her own to Africa for 6 weeks to volunteer at a nature reserve in Bostwana. She lived within the walls of the reserve with a wonderful family that founded the park. In exchange for living there, she provided web design for their business – an African crafts exporting company. During her stay there, she was able to experience the camps at the Education Center. The Center was the site of 4 week-long camps for kids, mostly orphans, whose families had been afflicted with AIDS. The Center that was started as a Whole in the Wall Gang Camp – the camps that Paul Newman founded – and was mostly run by volunteers from area colleges and religious organizations. It was an experience she will never forget with the lasting impression of how rich and full of excess our American lives are and how grateful we should be for every healthy breath we take.
The Get in Touch Foundation has special meaning to Zinelle as her grandmother had breast cancer and a double mastectomy. The GIT web site was designed by Zinelle and she is thrilled to be a part of the Board of the Get In Touch Foundation to add her world experiences, her far reaching connections and her internet knowledge to the group.
Reverend Thomas Edward Ptaszynski, D. Min
Ordained a Roman Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of Hartford in 1973, Thomas Edward Ptaszynski has served in parishes in Cheshire, Hartford, Milford, New Milford and West Hartford. Tom was the founding pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes in New Milford before his appointment to Saint Ann Parish in Milford, where he pioneered Inter-Generational Religious Education for the parish, which also included an elementary school. He is a member of the National Association of Church Personnel Administrators and the National Catholic Educational Association, as well as a former Board Member of the Hartford Chapter of the American Cancer Society. Tom is especially proud to be an original Board Member of The Get In Touch Foundation and currently acts as Spiritual Director for the Board.
Jody Ramik
Jody Ramik is a successful Professional Sales Woman who possesses eighteen years of experience in all aspects of sales and marketing in the clinical and industrial marketplace. Jody has held several positions over the years including Sales Specialist in Female Health Care, Technical Sales Manager, Product Manager, and National Sales Manager. After many years of international and domestic travel, Jody now continues her sales career in Connecticut working in the Pharmaceutical Industry as a Territory Sales Manager.
Jody is one of four siblings and has seen the face of cancer in her own family. Having a brother who passed away from Leukemia at a young age, she understands the need for families to have access to information and a supportive network of people to turn to. A personal friend of Founder, Mary Ann Wasil Nilan for over 30 years, Jody is determined and committed to utilize her experience and help The Get in Touch Foundation in its efforts to raise awareness and help women of all ages find hope in their journey towards survival.
Caryn Fine Sullivan
Caryn Fine Sullivan has attributed her Midwest upbringing to her positive outlook enjoying and appreciating the little things in life. When diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2004 (invasive ductal carcinoma stage 2,) it wasn’t a surprise that the 31-year old attacked her illness and treatments with enthusiasm. After reconstructive surgeries, an aggressive chemotherapy regimen and two years on Tamoxifen, Caryn has been able to get pregnant and is expecting her first child in December 2008.
Caryn has spent more than 13 years in the sports-and-entertainment industry. She currently works for Disney and ESPN Media Networks where she is responsible for business development; affiliate sales and marketing throughout New England. Prior to Disney and ESPN Media Networks, Caryn’s resume spans more than a decade of marketing and sales experience in the event-based Arena world. In various roles she was responsible for promotions and marketing at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), sales and sponsorship for Arena at Harbor Yard (Conn.) and marketing and public relations for Minnesota Timberwolves/Lynx/Target Center Arena (Minn.).
Mrs. Sullivan holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Miami (OH) University. She lives in Milford, Connecticut with her husband, Kevin.