Board Of Directors

Director

Joan White is the founder of the Lighthouse Lymphedema Network. Ms. White attended Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. She has Lymphedema in her left leg, ankle, foot, and abdomen. Joan is a member of the Lymph Science Advocacy Program (LSAP) through the National Lymphedema Network. Her hobbies include bridge, knitting, gardening and riding her wave runner.

PT, CWS, FACCWS, CLT-LANA, ALM, AWCC, MAPWCA

Frank is the Wound Care Clinical Coordinator at Natchitoches Regional Medical Center (NRMC) overseeing and assisting with wound care practices across the continuum of care and the Director of Lymphatic and Wound Healing Services at Hyperbaric Physicians of Georgia. He has over 32 years of wound care experience and serves in multiple roles as a physical therapist, wound and lymphedema specialist, hyperbaric technician, consultant, and educator.

Frank is also involved with Louisiana Extended Care Hospital Natchitoches, LHC group, Cane River Therapy Services, industry, Virtual Wound Rounds and Wound Healing Roundtables.

Frank lectures at the academic, national, and international level. He consults for industry, helps with program development, serves on various advisory boards, and is on the speaker bureau for multiple companies as he educates on wound care, lymphedema, and being a patient advocate.

Website, Event Registration, Medical Conference

Billie Barron is the Insurance and Claims Analyst at Kennesaw State University in the Insurance & Risk Management Department. Billie serves on the board of Lighthouse Lymphedema Network as our Event Registration Administrator and on the Conference Committee. She is also the Website Assistant. Billie is a Crisis Coordinator at Kennesaw State University and is also a CERT volunteer in Kennesaw. Billie is also on the Board of Directors for the Southern Loss Association. She volunteers in her community through her church, Oak Leaf Church in Canton, Georgia. Billie is an advocate for teen and single mothers in need, and through her church she heads a community outreach program that provides baby showers for these mothers. Billie is very passionate about her volunteering, her church and her family. Her hobbies include crafting with her granddaughter.

Medical Conference

Dr. Dolores Bradley is Associate Professor and Vice-Chair, Psychology Director, RISE Program, Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia. She is a Research Associate Professor, Division of Sensory-Motor Systems, Yerkes National Primate Research Center of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Bradley has primary lymphedema in both legs.

Fund Development, Medical Conference, Health and Wellness Fairs

Samantha Cannon-Martin is a graduate, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia. She also holds an OT Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy, Belmont University. She obtained a certification in Complex Decongestive Therapy for Lymphedema management, Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy. Mrs Cannon-Martin serves on Gwinnett Medical Center’s Cancer Committee, Community Outreach Committee and Breast Cancer Leadership for Northside Hospital, Cumming/Forsyth, Georgia. She consults with physicians on a regular basis to educate them on the diagnosis of Lymphedema and swelling complications. She is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist independently serving patients in the Gwinnett, Forsythe, and Hall county areas.

Fund Development

Deb Cozzone is a graduate of Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania with a BS in Mathematics and German. She has been married to Mike for 20+ years. After 13 years as a technical and business analyst for EDS, Ms. Cozzone changed careers to become a stay at home mom. Now that her children are off to college, she is working as an assistant archivist for the Computer Museum of America, Roswell, GA.

Latora is a graduate of Florida A&M University and Polk State College. She is a 2008 Certified Lymphedema Therapist through ACOLS and 2021 Certified Wound Therapist through ILWTI. She also holds Certification in Phlebotomy and EKG.

Over the past 17 years, Latora has worked clinically and postoperatively in a variety of rehabilitative settings for orthopedics, cardiovascular, neurology, pediatrics, acute care, critical care, level 1 trauma, and home health care. She is currently a full-time lymphedema therapist in the outpatient dept at Piedmont Hospital Atlanta

Latora is also the owner of FLOW Therapeutic Solutions, LLC, a wellness and aesthetics company in East Point, GA. She is a leader in the emerging body altering aesthetics community by educating, promoting client safety, and advocating for state and federal regulation as a state board director for CSL Therapy Non-Profit Organization and a trainer for students and plastic surgeons for Taime Out Sculpting Institute (TOSI).

Event Chair, Medical Conference

Vicky Day received her BA from Auburn University thereafter receiving her Master of Speech Communication also from Auburn. Ms. Day is a member of the National Charity League (mother/daughter philanthropic organization). She is affiliated with the Wesleyan School – Grade Parent Representative. She is a Life-on-Life Disciple Leader – Perimeter Church. Ms. Day is the mother of Courtney Blaire Day who has been diagnosed with primary lymphedema. Courtney and her certified lymphedema therapist, Emily A. Smith-Francis, have written a book entitled “A Leg Up on Lymphedema”. The book is a personal account of the experiences of a teenager with primary Lymphedema.

Grant and Fund Development, Medical Conference, Speaker Committee

Shelley Smith Dicecco is a graduate of Clemson University with a BA in Special Education. Dr. Dicecco holds a Master of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine. She completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Physical Therapy from Texas Woman’s University with her dissertation emphasis on Female Genital Lymphedema. Dr. DiCecco is a CLT-LANA certified lymphedema therapist and a certified Casley-Smith International Lymphoedema Instructor. Dr. DiCecco is an Assistant Professor in the Physical Therapy Department at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia’s campus. She is the Program Director for outpatient pelvic floor and lymphedema services in Atlanta Georgia with the Sports Rehabilitation Center. She is the owner of the lymphedema education company, LymphEd, LLC.

Sandra is a graduate of Kennesaw State University with a BS in Psychology. She completed a Masters in Physical Therapy at Nova Southeastern University. She is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist through Academy of Lymphatic Studies. Ms. Dupree is a Multi-Site Manager with Wellstar Outpatient Rehab. She volunteers with Brylan's Feat Foundation as a regular attendee at Camp Watchme and provides consultations to children with lymphedema and their families worldwide. Ms. Dupree has a diagnosis of lipedema and lymphedema and has a daughter with lymphedema.

Health & Wellness – Conference

Jacqueline is a graduate of Texas Woman’s University with a B.S. in Occupational Therapy, Minor in Social Works and Psychology. She has worked in various settings Acute Care, Outpatient, Home Health, Skilled Nursing Facility and Shepherd Center. Jacqueline is employed at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital in Outpatient Lymphedema Therapy. She is certified in Casley-Smith Lymphedema Therapy since 2005.

Ellen graduated from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio with a degree in psychology. After having 3 children she worked in the insurance industry as a claims adjuster for 30 years. When Ellen retired she began a career as a volunteer. She presently works many hours with The Assistance League of Atlanta.. Ellen developed lymphedema in the left leg in May 2019, cause unknown.

Co-Administrator Bandages & Garment Fund – Fund Development – LTA Committee

Rebecca Hammad is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a B.S.Ed. in Health Promotion and Education. She earned her Master of Health Science in Occupational Therapy from the Medical College of Georgia. Ms. Hammad is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist with the Casley-Smith school. She works at the Shepherd Center serving individuals after spinal cord injury, brain injury, and other neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis. Rebecca started a lymphedema program at the Shepherd Center to offer complete decongestive therapy interventions to individuals experiencing acute and chronic edema after injury or illness. Personally, Ms. Hammad has primary lymphedema and serves on the Board of the LLN to be an advocate and offer support.

Insurance Advisor, Health & Wellness

Laura Hoffman is a graduate of Hope College, Holland, Michigan with a BA in Psychology and Sociology and a Minor in Dance. Ms. Hoffman is certified in Compression Fitting and is a Insurance Specialist. She is Coordinator of Compression Therapy at Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia.

Secretary, Parent Networking, Medical Conference

Debbie Labarthe received her BA degree in Secondary Business Education from the University of Central Florida in 1984 and her M.Ed degree in Inclusive Education from Kennesaw State University in 2011. She has over 25 years of teaching experience, primarily at the middle school level.

In 2003 her grandson, Carson Sollenberger, was born with primary lymphedema in his right leg and pelvis. She was instrumental in having his case reviewed and diagnosed by the Vascular Anomalies Center at the Children’s Hospital of Boston. She joined the LLN Board of Directors in 2004, has served as Secretary since 2006, and is also the LLN’s primary representative for Parent Networking.

Medical Conference - Special Events

Peggy received her BS in Education from the University of Georgia and a Master of Education from the University of West georgia. She taught for over forty years for the Cobb County School District where she received numerous honors including Teacher of the Year and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award (most recently). Ms. Meyer is currently an active member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an honorary sorority for educators, and a past member of the Cobb County Senior Council Executive Board, an advocacy group for seniors. Peggy is a supporter of United in Pink, a breast cancer advocacy group in Macon, Georgia

Dr. Keith Moore is a Dabvlm, RPI, RVS, RVT, RPHS, CLT-LANA, WCC with Vein Atlanta which is part of Center for Vein Restoration - Camp Creek Center. Dr. Moore is medical director and Phlebologist at the Center for Vein Restoration, Atlanta, GA.

Dr. Moore has practiced general surgery for 20 years and has a background as a trama surgeon. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a Diplomat of the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine (ABLVM), A member of the American College of Phlebology, the Surgical Laparoscopic Society, and the National Medical Association. He is a Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretion (RPVI), a Registered Phlebology Sonographer (RPhS), a Registered Vascular Specialist (RVS), and a Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT).

Dr. Moore is certified by the Lymphology Association of North American (CLT-LANA) and is wound care certified (WCC).

Eager to keep learning after completing his undergraduate studies in biology at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, Dr. Moore earned his medical degree at UMKC School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO. He volunteered at Kansas City Free Health Clinic during his medical training and was awarded the Hedgepath Medical School Scholarship. He also performed a clinical rotation at the Bristol Royal Infirmary in Bristol, England.

After medical school, Dr. Moore conducted microvascular surgery research at Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY.

Health & Wellness – Conference

Stacy Saraydar graduated from St. Petersburg Junior College, St. Petersburg, Florida with a BS in PT Assistant. She graduated from Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida with a Major in Psychology and Minors in Art History and Humanities. She is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist through the Academy of Lymphatic Studies and Casley-Smith School. Ms. Saraydar is a Physical Therapy Assistant and Certified Lymphedema Therapist at Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia.

Francine Schwartz Schuler is a Lipedema and Lipolymphedema patient. She has a BS in Economics, with a Double Major in Political Science and a Minor in Theater from The University of Tampa.

Francine has struggled with weight since before Kindergarten and rose to over 425lbs in adulthood. She was always misdiagnosed as only having Obesity and constantly told she was non-compliant because she could never lose enough weight, especially from the bottom half of her body. When she started her Lipedema surgery journey she was immobile and needed a walker then wheelchair. After having 5 surgeries on her legs, and following the modalities of CDT, she is able to walk without assistance.

Francine's new passion in life is to raise awareness of Lipedema. She is also a Moderator on the Facebook group “Liposuction for Lipedema” with over 8k members now. Francine has done a lot of research and is able to educate others on ways to fight this horrible debilitating and disfiguring disease.

Website – Blog Writer/Contributor – Newsletter

Sharon Shepard recently joined our board to assist with communication and education efforts. She received her English degree from Davidson College and a Master's in Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has been a teacher, writing tutor, newsletter editor, and education advocate­— serving on PTA boards for over a decade. She has also published several newspaper articles and a novel. In 2017, Sharon was diagnosed with bilateral early-stage breast cancer in the middle of a move from Greensboro, NC to Kennesaw, GA, so she’s had the opportunity to experience lymphedema education and frustrations in two states. She has Stage 1 lymphedema in her left arm and is developing a bilateral prevention protocol for herself as well as other bilateral BC patients. Sharon loves to travel and hike with her family.

Medical Conference, Co-Administrator Bandages and Garment Fund

Janie Smith is a graduate of Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia with a BS in Physical Therapy. She holds a Certification for Lymphedema through the Academy of Lymphatic Studies, Sebastian, Florida. Ms. Smith is a United Way volunteer. She is a retired Certified Lymphedema Therapist from Northside Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia.

Publicity, Medical Conference, Health and Wellness Expos, Fund Development

Beverly Thompson is a graduate of Georgia State College for Women, Milledgeville, Georgia. Ms. Thompson holds a Masters in Educational Administration from the University of Georgia, Athens. She is a member of the Joy Council and Kitchen Angel for the Johns Creek United Methodist Church. Formerly, Ms. Thompson was a classroom teacher, studio teacher and principal for Fulton County Schools in Atlanta. “The LLN is an impressive organization. I feel honored to be a part of helping them to educate and create awareness about lymphedema.”