Meet Our Team
Susan K. Stewart
Executive Director
As Executive Director and founder of BMT InfoNet, Sue is responsible for overseeing all operations of BMT InfoNet. A transplant survivor herself, she brings great insight and perspective to her work and is widely considered a vital resource to the entire transplant community. Sue authored Bone Marrow and Blood Stem Cell Transplants: A Guide for Patients and AutologousTaken from an individual's own tissues, cells, or DNA. Stem Cell Transplants: A Handbook for Patients. She graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Sociology/Urban Affairs.
Janie Weisenberg
Director of Development
In her role as Director of Development, Janie oversees all funding development for BMT InfoNet and is a key member of the program planning team. Prior to joining BMT InfoNet, she was Executive Director of the Leukemia Research Foundation. A passionate believer that advocacy and knowledge exchange are vital tools for transplant patients and survivors, Janie drives funding for BMT InfoNet and BMT InfoNet events. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Journalism.
Marla O'Keefe
Special Projects Manager
Marla is BMT InfoNet's senior project manager coordinating, among other projects, the production of the Celebrating Life Calendar and the online Transplant Center Directory. She also helps coordinate the national Celebrating a Second Chance at Life Survivorship Symposiums. She has a BA in Marketing from Indiana University. Marla was also a stem cell donor for an unrelated patient, an experience she describes as very humbling.
Kathy German
Office Administrator
Kathy manages the BMT InfoNet office where she processes book orders and keeps things moving smoothly. Prior to coming to BMT InfoNet, she acquired a wide range of office management skills at a number of major corporations in the Chicago area. Outside her work for BMT InfoNet, Kathy is also a professional clown skilled at balloon art, face painting and party decorations.
Suzanne German
Caring Connections Program Manager
Suzanne oversees BMT's Caring Connections program where transplant survivors and their loved ones share their stories and provide emotional support to newly diagnosed patients and their families. Suzanne is a graduate of Oshkosh University where she majored in Art.
Patty O'Machel
Event Coordinator
In her role as event coordinator, Patty is responsible facilitating BMT's regional meetings, webcasts and webinars. She also coordinates BMT InfoNet's online newsletter. She graduated from Loyola Chicago with a Bachelors Degree in Social Work and earned a Masters Degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago.
Jo August Hills
Survivorship Symposium Coordinator Consultant
Jo has served as consultant on BMT’s last two Celebrating a Second Chance at Life survivorship symposiums. In that role she has helped organize speakers, helped set the symposium agenda and helped secure contracts for guests and speakers.
