About Us

Andrew is a 12-year leukemia survivor, pianist, frontman, and singer-songwriter. His most recent solo project is Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. His previous musical projects and bands include Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin.

This is a cause that means a great deal to Andrew. He is constantly working on opportunities to direct funding to Dear Jack Foundation (DJF) partners that fight on the front lines against adolescent and young adult cancer, provide resources to this underserved community via DJF programs, and advocate for all young adults in this fight through his music.

Why the mission of DJF is so important to Andrew: “When I was diagnosed, I learned quickly about the struggles facing young adults with cancer. Through your support, you can help us touch more lives and bring more awareness to this underserved community.”

Steve Mitzel is the Chief Executive Officer of Mspark, a direct mail and digital company reaching over 55 million consumers every month. Prior to Mspark, Steve spent 13 years at Valassis Communications in Livonia, Michigan, in various executive-level roles of increasing responsibility, culminating in the position of General Manager/Senior Vice President – Shared Mail. Earlier in his career, Steve served in finance and accounting roles at Dynamis Solutions in Farmington Hills, Michigan; SmithGroup in Detroit, Michigan; and PricewaterhouseCoopers in Detroit, Michigan. Steve is an avid Michigan Wolverine, as he holds both an M.B.A. and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from University of Michigan.

Steve is a passionate runner and cancer crusader who has raised nearly $300,000 for various charitable organizations through more than 15 marathons over the past 12 years. Steve loves to combine his experiences and passions to make a difference in the world.

Elisa is a Los Angeles native who started volunteering with the Dear Jack Foundation (DJF) via their partnership with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s annual Light The Night (LTN) Walks in 2006.

She currently serves as National Co-Captain with Mao Shiokura of the LTN DJF Teams. Elisa is a University of Southern California alumna and a Girl Scout Gold Award (equivalent to the Eagle Scout Award) recipient. Other organizations that Elisa enjoys volunteering with include The Pablove Foundation, VH1 Save The Music Foundation, and Share Our Strength.

She enjoys witnessing firsthand the outpouring of generosity and support for the AYA cancer community and building camaraderie among Andrew’s fans and friends. And, in Elisa’s spare time, she can be found in the kitchen baking the most delicious cookies anyone has ever tasted.

Justin King is a Managing Director and Market Team Lead at J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Denver. Justin and his team of advisors focus on helping successful business owners, executives and entrepreneurs define and realize their financial goals—and what impact they want to have on their families, their communities and the world.

Justin has 20 years of experience in financial services after graduating with a B.S. in Finance from Lake Forest College. He joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in 2014 as an advisor in Chicago, before being tapped to lead a team in Denver, Colorado. Justin welcomed the opportunity to move back home after 20 years in Chicago. He enjoys the region’s abundant sunshine and access to outdoor activities with his wife and three children.

Denisse Martinez is a three-time survivor of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) and a Dear Jack alumna of the Life List Program. She is the Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Program Administrator at the University of Chicago Medical Center- a collaborative program offering cancer care for young adults 15 – 39. Denisse is a licensed social worker and focuses primarily on providing patients and families with resources, knowledge, and psychosocial support for AYAs in their significant life transition.

Denisse earned her master’s degree from University of Chicago, where she studied trauma and resilience, several years after initially being diagnosed with ALL at the age of 25. Her experience as a patient is what led her to her unicorn job! She is passionate about closing the gap in services to young adults and believes Dear Jack programs are especially impactful after having her life list wish come true. Denisse is a certified yoga teacher, a huge music lover, enjoys traveling, and spending time with her pug named Faith.

Dr. Allison Rosenthal is originally from Chicago, Illinois, but has lived in Phoenix, Arizona, for many years. She attended Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona, for medical school, and then completed her Internal Medicine residency training at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. She went on to become board-certified in Hematology and Oncology after a fellowship at Mayo Clinic Arizona. She is currently on staff at Mayo Clinic Arizona as a Hematologist with a particular focus in lymphoma.

Her path towards becoming a hematologist began when she was diagnosed with leukemia during medical school at the age of 24. Her experiences as a patient led her to pursue a career in hematology with a particular interest in blood cancer and issues affecting the adolescent and young adult cancer population. And, as a cancer survivor, she is passionate about improving opportunities and support available to other survivors, particularly as they make the transition from being patients back into the real world.

Dr. Rosenthal brings a unique perspective to the Dear Jack Foundation board as a cancer survivor, cancer doctor, and clinical researcher.

Darren works in investment banking, and resides in CT. After several friends and colleagues were diagnosed with cancer, Darren began searching for charities to work with that supported initiatives directly benefiting adolescents and young adults (AYA) diagnosed with cancer. DJF and Andrew McMahon have brought awareness to the shortfalls in treatment, support, and research for this specific demographic. Darren is excited to help their efforts in raising money and awareness for the specific challenges the AYA community faces, during and post-treatment.

Jennifer has worked in media and marketing her entire career. Having started in traditional media, she partnered with radio stations to develop & market their online presence. About 14 years ago she moved to Google, focusing on strategic content partnerships for newly acquired YouTube. As she watched consumer behavior change she also shifted her focus to retail transformation and most recently, automotive marketing and shopping. She is currently head of industry for automotive at Google.

Jen is married with 2 children. She enjoys exercising outdoors regularly, is an avid chef and loves to entertain friends.

Steve is a partner/owner at J.W. Thomas Wines, a Napa Valley boutique winery and the former Executive Director of the Dear Jack Foundation. Steve has 17 years of experience in the music business, focusing on A&R, artist management, and strategic partnerships. He has worked with the likes of John Mayer, Train, Five for Fighting, Mat Kearney, Andrew McMahon, and The Fray.

Steve’s pivotal role in the successful launch of Verse & Chorus Napa Valley Red Wine fortified his knowledge and love of wine, and allowed him to bring to the wine industry his expertise in strategic brand development, relationship management, and partnership formation. Steve is also a member of The Co-op for Chicago Ideas Week, and is an Adjunct Professor at DePaul University.