Brent’s love for nonprofits started at an early age when he watched both his parents give their time to organizations and causes. In college, Brent focused part of his studies on child life psychology, and spent his summers as a camp counselor at Peaceable Kingdom, a camp for children with chronic illnesses and special needs. As a native Austinite, he has seen the city grow, and with it, an increasing number of young families have moved here. As a result, the number of children who must cope with parents facing serious illnesses is increasing too. Brent joined the Wonders & Worries Board to make sure every child who has a sick parent can benefit from the services provided by Wonders & Worries. He is thankful this organization exists and looks forward to the day when it expands nationwide.

Lindsey Boyd is a Brand Marketing Manager at Khoros, where she oversees the customer marketing and advocacy programs.  She has over ten years of experience in marketing, fundraising, strategic planning and program management.  Prior to joining Khoros, Lindsey spent the first part of her career in nonprofits, previously serving as the Development Director of Wonders & Worries.  The organization’s mission and vision remain close to her heart and she’s excited to stay involved.  A native Texan, Lindsey attended the University of Texas (hook ’em!) and lives in Georgetown with her husband and five pets.  In her spare time, you can find her reading a good book or traveling the world in search of great food.

Ross specializes in strategic tax planning, mergers & acquisitions, business sales, business purchases, real estate, ongoing business and individuals. Ross grew up in Austin. After graduating from Westlake High School, he attended Auburn University on a diving scholarship, where he earned a BS in accounting and became a three-time Academic All-American. Following graduation, Ross moved back home to Austin, Texas, and began his tax and accounting career in 1992.  He has served on the Wonders & Worries Finance Committee for several years.

Anurekha (Anu) Chadha, MD, is the Director of Clinical Research at Austin Regional Clinic and has a clinical practice there, specializing in rheumatology. She is board certified in rheumatology and internal medicine. Dr. Chadha has extensive experience in research and has managed a multitude of clinical trials. She is married to Punit Chadha, MD, an oncologist, and they have young children. Anu enjoys traveling and supporting local charities.

Kristen and her family have been involved with Wonders & Worries since Kristen was diagnosed with leukemia more than a decade ago. Her husband, Trek, previously served on the Board, and their son, Cason, participates in Wonders & Worries’ Teen Council. Kristen serves as Deputy Executive Officer and General Counsel for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, at the University of Texas.

Watch her story in this video, and hear about the impact of Wonders & Worries from her husband and son in this video.

Helen Dinkelspiel Eshed, MD is a board-certified Gynecologic Oncologist at Texas Oncology where she serves on the executive committee. She has extensive experience in minimally invasive surgery including laparoscopic and da Vinci robotic surgery, complex pelvic surgery, and radical surgery for advanced cancers, as well as chemotherapeutic and novel treatments for gynecologic cancers. Dr. Eshed is actively involved in clinical trials to individualize patient care and improve patients’ outcomes and quality of life.

Through her gynecologic oncology patients, Dr. Eshed understands first-hand the importance of the services Wonders & Worries provides with professional support for children and teenagers navigating the challenges of a parent with a serious illness such as cancer. Wonders & Worries has played a pivotal role in supporting her patients and their families, making a profound impact on their lives.

Dr. Eshed also serves on the board of the Flatwater Foundation, which provides cancer patients and their families with access to mental health services. She lives in Austin with her husband Haggai, son Hudson, daughter Harper, and their dog Mia the Vizsla. They enjoy hiking, skiing, and running and have participated in multiple marathons and Ironman triathlons.

Dr. John Gillis, Jr. engages, immerses and develops global executives through facilitation of experiential leadership by leveraging a next-generation, digital and high-fidelity business simulation!  His clients have included American Express, AMD, Best Buy, Dell Technologies, DuPont, Liberty Mutual, McKinsey, Medtronic, Paypal, Stryker, USAA, Verizon, and many other blue chip companies.  Dr. Gillis is also co-author (with Kristine LIlly of US Women’s National Soccer team fame) of the bestselling book, Powerhouse: 13 Teamwork Tactics That Build Excellence and Unrivaled Success.  Prior to founding LeadershipX, Dr. Gillis worked for numerous companies globally as a management consultant.  His doctoral degree is from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education and Wharton Business School (dissertation on Global Leadership Development).  John enjoys giving back to the community.  He is a Scout Cub Master, coaches numerous sports team, and is the founder and president of non-profit CampLIFE!  He lives in Austin with his wife Lynette and their four children: Jack, Rylan, Caroline, and Mary Claire.

Steve has been an active member of Austin’s tech community for 21 years and counting.  As a proud husband and father to 4 kids, Steve and his wife Kristen Patton relied on the amazing services provided by Wonders and Worries during Kristen’s heart attacks and subsequent transplant in 2016. Steve and Kristen served as co-chairs for the 2019 W&W Unmasked Gala and have seen first hand the enormous benefits W&W provides to families and the Central Texas community. As a Board member, Steve is excited to help advance Wonders & Worries’ vision to serve Texas families and beyond.

Kevin Hines is an account manager at Republic National Distribution Company. He is responsible developing relationships with international and domestic wine suppliers, and generating revenue. He has a Bachelors Degree in Accounting and over 20 years of sales experience in the IT industry. Kevin became involved with Wonders & Wonders 2 years ago when his daughter lost her mother to breast cancer. The team he and his daughter worked with in navigating the communication and digestion of her mother’s diagnosis and treatment was outstanding. Kevin is truly grateful for the support his daughter received during this difficult time. Although Kevin believes he can never repay the valuable information and support Wonders & Worries has provided him, he is excited to join the Board of Directors to make sure he helps Wonders & Worries grow and achieve their goals in any way possible.

When Kevin is not spending time with family, he enjoys cycling, country dancing and CrossFit.

Nicole was introduced to Wonders & Worries through its work with four separate families she holds dear. After witnessing both the need for Wonders & Worries services and the profoundly positive impact they have, she felt called to help further the mission. Nicole graduated from Tulane University with a degree in economics before embarking on a career in hospitality. She owned and operated hotels and lodges in Arizona and Alaska prior to moving to Austin and building a family with her husband Brian. They have two incredible kids and one crazy dog. Nicole is an active member of her community and has served on the Board of the Rollingwood Women’s Club and Trinity Episcopal School’s Parent Council. She loves traveling, live music, walks around the lake and family movie nights at home.

Most recently, John served as vice president, distribution and logistics at Stryker. Prior to Stryker, John held various supply chain positions at Dell, Texas Instruments and Nortel. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from Bentley University, and a master’s degree in business administration from St. Edwards University in Austin. He has been a keynote speaker at such events as the Gartner Global Supply Chain Symposium and the University of Tennessee Supply Chain Symposium.  John lives in Georgetown, Texas, is married to Denise, and has one son, Michael. He has been involved with many community organizations including serving on the board of the Williamson County United Way. His hobbies include walking, Tai Chi, golf and gardening.

Meaghan Mooney, RN, BSN, OCN is an oncology certified registered nurse. She currently works at Ascension Seton as a nurse navigator in the Quality and Patient Safety department with Ascension Medical Group. Meaghan obtained her bachelor degree in nursing at Fairfield University in Connecticut. She has previously worked at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, Seton Medical Center Austin and Texas Oncology. Through her clinical experience, Meaghan understands how a serious illness can impact the entire family. Having grown up in Austin, she is excited to support children and families through Wonders and Worries.

Melissa’s connection to Wonders & Worries began when she was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2010. Wonders & Worries became a place where her two young sons could share their feelings through art and play. Melissa and her husband, Richard, are forever grateful for the support that Wonders & Worries provided to her family.

Melissa advises business entities on complex commercial transactions, corporate governance and financial transactions. In the area of electric energy, Melissa has more than 20 years of experience representing electric cooperatives and municipally owned utilities. Melissa is the chair of the electric energy practice group at McGinnis Lochridge and serves on the firm’s management committee.

In 2015, Liz moved to Austin from Massachusetts, in search of warm weather, a thriving economy, friendly people, and a memorable family adventure. She has felt welcome here since day one. Although it has been hard at times to be away from her wonderful family and friends on the East Coast, she believes her move has been a very enriching experience. In addition to the urban energy, Liz loves the food, the music, the art, and the beautiful surrounding hill country. Five years later, Liz has great new friends, colleagues she am proud to work with, a degree from the University of Texas Graduate School of Nursing, and a house she loves to come home to.

Liz first became aware of Wonders & Worries as a staff nurse on the South Austin Medical Center oncology unit and was immediately impressed and grateful to know that this resource existed. Working in an acute care setting, it was a huge relief to be given an option to extend support and excellent care to those in need by referring to Wonders & Worries. As an advanced practice nurse, Liz sees firsthand the long-term impact under-supported grief can have on a person who experienced childhood loss or trauma. To be able to offer children and families the resources they need to bring them some ease, aligns with her commitment to the health and wellness of our community. Now that Austin truly feels like home, Liz is honored to be given the opportunity to offer her support as a board member to this most incredible organization that serves it – and beyond.

With over 20 years of executive experience in finance and operations, Jim recently made a lifestyle change to work part-time to devote more time to his family. This has also allowed him more time to help others achieve their own dreams. Whether it’s through building financial models for a startup business or helping friends with retirement planning, Jim enjoys being able to lend his expertise to help others. Jim and his wife, Laurie, love to volunteer for all kinds of organizations and are working hard to instill that spirit in their children. He also recently discovered his love of dogs when Brownie, a Labradoodle, joined the family! Jim is excited to share his passion for helping organizations thrive with Wonders & Worries. Jim serves as treasurer of the board.