Creating options together
Michael Wiggins is the father of Cannon Wiggins and a founding member of the Foundation. Michael grew up and attended high school in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania. He went on to graduate from the University of Alabama with Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctorate degrees. He is a founding partner in the law firm of McDonald, Toole, Wiggins, P.A. and has practiced law for the past 30 years in Orlando, Florida as a civil trial lawyer, representing Fortune 500 companies in catastrophic injury cases. He has also served as a board member for the Central Florida YMCA and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies. Michael has been a featured speaker throughout the country and in the United Kingdom on his experience as a parent of a child diagnosed with cancer, and the need for pediatric cancer research funding. He is married to Melissa and they have five children: Olivia, Cannon, twin boys, Gray and Arran, and Charlie. Their family resides in Orlando, Florida.
What’s the one thing you wish people understood about pediatric cancer?
“I work constantly to make the world understand that children are largely diagnosed with cancers unique to kids and that they don’t get adult forms of cancer, but yet they are treated with adult cancer chemotherapies and other adult cancer therapies. The result is largely harmful even if the child survives.”
Brian is a corporate attorney at Holland & Knight LLP with a practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructurings, strategic transactions, and corporate governance. He represents private and public companies engaged in a diverse range of industries, including health care, private equity, technology, real estate, infrastructure, and energy. Brian grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in accounting and received his law degree from Stetson University College of Law. He lives in Orlando, Florida with his wife, Sarah, and their four children – Patrick, Grace, Connor, and Caroline.
John is Senior Manager of Business Development for the Philadelphia Business Unit of Gilbane Building Company. GBC is a global integrated construction and facility management services firm. John is responsible for overseeing all business development initiatives that lead to continued growth of market share and profitability. His responsibilities include leading cross-functional teams and motivating them to focus on effectively delivering on key pursuits and overall business unit goals. John has a proven track record of providing leadership to develop, implement and monitor short-term and long-term strategies that impact the overall performance of the business unit. Developing strategic business and pursuit plans with innovation as the core theme is my specialty. He has a solid understanding of the real estate and construction markets and demonstrated ability of deploying strategies that encompass emerging markets, macro trends, current customer needs and competitor behavior. He has developed a strong network of customer relationships by harnessing his innate ability to create positive, meaningful and trust building interactions.
Bruce graduated with Honors from Johns Hopkins University where he played lacrosse and football. He was captain of the football team his senior year. Bruce graduated first in his law school class. He joined Semmes, Bowen & Semmes and became a partner. He left to create a new firm, Goodell, DeVries Leech & Gray. After working there for 13 years, Bruce joined Venable, LLP as a partner. Bruce was President of the Maryland Defense Counsel Association and the International Association of Defense Counsel. He also served on the Boards of the Lawyers for Civil Service and the Defense Research Institute (DRI). He is a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. Bruce has served on civic boards including Roland Park Place and Manna House. He has served several terms as President of First English Evangelical Lutheran Church. In July of 2022, Bruce will celebrate 45 years of marriage with his wife Clare. Together, they have two adult married children, Zach and Jessica and five grandchildren.
Why do you serve on CKc’s board?
“To help raise awareness of the disparity in research funding and to support the development of innovative therapies.”
Kay Rawlins is a Founder of Orlando City Soccer Club and serves as the Senior VP of Community Relations and President of the Foundation.
Kay’s role includes speaking engagements on behalf of the Club, community outreach, sending players to schools and youth groups and encouraging staff and fans to join community projects. Kay heads up the Orlando City Foundation and is a board member for Cannonball Kids cancer, Central Florida Foundation, 4 Rivers Foundation, Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, Florida Sports Foundation, WISE Greater Orlando, All Women Empowered (part of OEP) and is on the Advisory Committee of the US Global Leadership Coalition. Kay gave a talk at TEDx Orlando 2017 and was awarded 2016 Businesswoman of the Year by the Orlando Business Journal, Corporate Ally of the Year 2019 by the Pride Chamber, GO Sports Commission Women in Leadership Award 2021 and included in Florida Trend 500 Most Influential Business Leaders in 2020 and 2021.
Why do you serve on CKc’s board?
“I believe wholeheartedly in the mission and believe we are truly making a difference in the fight against pediatric cancer.”
Whitney has a Bachelor’s degree in Education and Masters in Instructional Psychology from the University of Oklahoma. Whitney works as the marketing director and patient care coordinator at Dentistry of Old Town Scottsdale.
Whitney has served on a local women’s board PANDA (People Acting Now Discover Answers), whose children’s fashion show supported the Steele Children’s Research Center at the University of Arizona. For several years PANDA funded pediatric cancer research and worked directly with doctors at the Steele Center to fund better treatment options for kids battling cancer. In addition to her role as a board member for PANDA, Whitney has also worked as a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Golden Gate Guild, her sons’ school’s PTO, and the Arizona Foster Care Review board. Whitney, along with her husband, Brad, live in Scottsdale, Arizona with their twin boys Baxter and Benjamin.
What made you get involved with CKc?
“I was moved to tears daily as I read the realities of childhood cancer that Michael and Melissa Wiggins shared. It was in hearing Cannon’s story that I decided I couldn’t turn away and I had to somehow help.”
Bio Coming Soon!
Bio Coming Soon!
CKc Board Member | Treasurer
Bio Coming Soon!
Joshua Kestler has more than 21 years of experience in the financial services industry and is currently Global Head of HedgeMark, a BNY Mellon company that specializes in developing and operating private hedge fund dedicated managed account platforms for institutional investors. Mr. Kestler is responsible for overall management of the business including development and implementation of business strategy and oversight of the structuring, onboarding, accounting, operations, risk analytics and business development teams. Mr. Kestler has helped build HedgeMark from an idea into a $40+ billion platform. Prior to joining HedgeMark in 2012, Mr. Kestler was Head of Managed Account Platform Operations for Deutsche Bank’s X-Markets Hedge Fund Platform in the United States. Mr. Kestler was responsible for fund structuring, manager onboarding, operations and managing counterparty relationships.
Josh is Co-President of Trial Blazers for Kids along with his wife, Gallite, who together established the organization in honor of their son, Jake, to raise money to fund innovative clinical trials for pediatric cancers. Josh fought vigorously for Jake to receive the best possible care (including access to a clinical trial and other cutting edge treatments) during his 2 year and 4 month battle with Glioblastoma. Josh serves on CKc’s board to honor Jake, who we lost to brain cancer in 2019 and to help other children like Jake get access to better, more innovative treatment options. Jake participated in a CKc-funded trial which extended his life and allowed the Kestlers more time to make many amazing family memories.
What made you get involved with CKc?
“I hope to play a small part in giving other families the hope that CKc gave us.”
CKc Board Member | Legislative Advisor
Greg Gill is a partner at Venable LLC where he counsels clients on legislative and regulatory matters across a broad range of public policy issues, including defense, health care, foreign relations, transportation, higher education, and biomedical research. As a former House Appropriations Committee staff member and legislative director, Greg has extensive legislative experience on funding and policy matters.
As a part of his work, Greg maintains strong relationships with key House and Senate members, and their staff. He responds to congressional and agency actions and provides strategic advice to his clients on appropriations and policy matters. Greg’s diverse clientele has included corporations, businesses, foreign governments, and nonprofit organizations.
During his tenure on Capitol Hill, Greg served as Legislative Director to current House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and as a staff member on the House Appropriations Committee. Prior to joining Venable, Greg served as a lobbyist and general counsel at one of Washington’s leading government affairs firms.
Why did you decide to become a CKc board member?
“I was approached about joining the board and after a years of working with the board and staff on pediatric cancer issues there was only one answer I could give… yes I will serve.”
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