St. Jude and ALSAC welcome new board members whose diverse experience will help advance research, treatment, and global impact.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® and ALSAC—the organization dedicated to fundraising and awareness for St. Jude—have announced the appointment of several new members to the ALSAC/St. Jude Boards of Directors and Governors. These additions come as the institution advances its ambitious $12.9 billion strategic plan and marks 63 years of the St. Jude mission: Finding cures. Saving children.® The newly appointed members began their service during the last fiscal year, bringing extensive experience in business, finance, global development, healthcare, and leadership to support St. Jude’s lifesaving work.
Among the new members joining the Board is Khalil Barrage, managing director at The Invus Group, LLC, and chief investment officer of Invus Public Equities. Since joining Invus in 2003, Barrage has overseen investment teams across New York, Paris, and Hong Kong, establishing a prominent reputation in biotechnology investing. He also co-founded the Biosciences Lebanese International Network (Biolink.org), a global platform created to connect life science professionals of Lebanese heritage. Barrage holds a bachelor’s degree from the American University of Beirut.
Also newly joining the Board is Mike Hamra, chairman and CEO of Springfield, Missouri–based Hamra Enterprises, a multibrand franchise operator overseeing nearly 200 restaurants under the Wendy’s, Panera Bread, Noodles & Company, and Caribou Coffee banners. A business leader with a strong sense of civic commitment, Hamra holds both a juris doctorate from the University of Missouri and an MBA from Kennesaw State University. His appointment continues a long-standing family connection to St. Jude—his late father, Sam Hamra, previously served on the Board and supported the institution’s mission for decades.
In addition to the two newest appointees, seven more members were elected to the Board in 2023 and 2024, each bringing exceptional professional accomplishments and diverse expertise.
John D. Farina Jr. joined the Board after previously serving on the National Committee from 2022 to 2024. Farina retired as the managing partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s Northeast Region, where he led 3,500 partners and staff advising multinational companies on complex financial, accounting, and regulatory issues. With more than 35 years of experience in corporate finance and leadership, his insight will strengthen St. Jude’s governance and long-range financial planning.
Carla Z. Hassan serves as the chief marketing officer of JPMorgan Chase, where she oversees all aspects of marketing across the firm’s major brands—Chase, JPMorgan, and the parent corporate brand. Hassan is recognized for her deep experience in brand strategy, consumer insights, market positioning, and portfolio management, expertise that will help advance St. Jude’s global brand and donor engagement efforts.
Another recent appointee is Katherine N. Lapp, who served on the National Committee from 2023 to 2024 before joining the Board. She previously spent more than a decade at Harvard University, where she served as chief administrative officer and oversaw the university’s financial, operational, and administrative strategy. Lapp, who earned her Juris Doctor from Hofstra University, brings a wealth of experience managing complex institutions.
Samia Melhem, a global digital development leader, is also among the newly elected Board members. As a lead digital development specialist at the World Bank’s Digital Transformation Vice Presidency, Melhem has spent 30 years advancing digital infrastructure and innovation across more than 50 countries. Her work spans multiple sectors, including healthcare, education, and public services. She holds an MS in Computer Science and an MBA in Finance from George Washington University.
Joining the Board with a strong record in global retail, beauty, and healthcare is Neela Montgomery, who most recently served as CEO of Orveon Global, home to several premium beauty brands. Previously, she served as CEO and Executive Chairwoman of Crate and Barrel and held senior leadership roles at CVS Health, including President of CVS Pharmacy. Montgomery earned her undergraduate degree in English Literature from Oxford University and an MBA from INSEAD.
Kathryne Reeves brings more than 25 years of leadership experience across healthcare, technology, and consumer products. Her background in marketing, general management, and organizational leadership contributes valuable insights to St. Jude’s future planning. Reeves holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Finally, Aarti S. Shah, PhD, former senior vice president and chief information and digital officer at Eli Lilly and Company, was also elected to the Board. Over her multi-decade career at Lilly, she held numerous leadership positions, including roles in biometrics, global brand development, and research. Dr. Shah earned her PhD in applied statistics from the University of California, Riverside, and has been widely recognized for her leadership in digital transformation within the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries.
The ALSAC/St. Jude Boards of Directors and Governors serve as volunteer leadership bodies, providing essential governance, strategy, and oversight to advance the mission established by founder Danny Thomas. Members serve without compensation, driven by a shared commitment to improving outcomes for children battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
Judy A. Habib, Chair of the St. Jude Board of Governors, emphasized the importance of these leadership additions. “These are truly exceptional individuals, and I know our mission will benefit from their expertise, leadership, and dedication,” Habib said. “These new members represent an intentional evolution of our Board, as we combine the strategic sophistication of the best for-profit boards, the unwavering mission focus of a nonprofit, and the heartfelt passion of a family foundation.”
ALSAC Board of Directors Chair Frederick M. Azar, M.D., echoed this sentiment, noting the depth and diversity of experience among the new members. “Their global vision and deep commitment will strengthen our ability to dream bigger and reach farther—making an even greater difference in the lives of children and families across the globe,” Azar said. “Together, we continue to build on a legacy of hope, compassion, and healing.”
The appointments come as St. Jude advances the most ambitious strategic plan in its history. In 2022, the St. Jude Board of Governors approved a $1.4 billion expansion to the 2022–2027 plan, bringing the total to $12.9 billion. This plan—now in its fifth year—focuses on expanding patient care and accelerating research in pediatric cancer, blood disorders, neurological diseases, and infectious diseases. It also includes the creation of 2,300 new jobs and the construction of two 15-story towers dedicated to clinical care and research.
St. Jude’s ability to grow and innovate is made possible by the generosity of 11 million active donors, allowing the institution to uphold its defining promise: no family receives a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food, ensuring families can focus solely on helping their child survive.
About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was largely considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80% in the United States, and it won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes to help doctors and researchers at local hospitals and cancer centers around the world improve the quality of treatment and care for even more children. Because of generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness
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