Our team
Kendra Olvany
Co-Founder, President & Treasurer
Kendra has many friends and family members who have been affected by breast cancer. She likes to think of herself as a quarterback and a cheerleader at the same time—someone who helps them come up with a game plan, supports them along the way, and cheers them on to victory.
Five words to describe Kendra: Enthusiastic, inquisitive, chatty, driven, and spontaneous.
Favorite licorice: It’s a secret!
Katie Clarke
Co-Founder, Secretary
Katie was diagnosed with Stage 2 her2+ breast cancer in May 2011 at the age of 45. She had a bilateral mastectomy, followed by chemo and months of Herceptin treatments. Since then, she’s felt a new calling to mentor others who are on the breast cancer journey. She loves her new BC buddies!
Five words to describe Katie: Organized, talkative, energetic, loving, and caring.
Favorite licorice: Twizzlers
Beth Busch
Board Member
Beth found her lump 5 weeks after a clean mammogram. Because she’s a get-it-done person, she had it checked right away. She was triple-negative and had a lumpectomy followed by radiation. She feels grateful that she caught it early. She is a healthy person and never thought it would happen to her. Don’t ignore anything!
5 words to describe Beth: Caring, driven, active, organized, survivor
Favorite licorice: Classic Strawberry Twizzlers
Meg Metzler
Board Member
Meg was diagnosed stage 1 ER+ in 2016 at a routine mammogram and subsequent biopsy at age 54. There was no family history of any kind of cancer and like anyone receiving this diagnosis, she was shocked. Talk about slamming on the brakes in life! She underwent 3 lumpectomies and 38 whole breast radiation treatments. She felt lucky to have such supportive family and friends, to be in a place with such excellent doctors and to have discovered this amazing group of women in The Licorice Project. She took Tamoxifen for 9 months and then switched to Letrozole, which has been better for her.
Five words to describe Meg: friendly, positive, extrovert, artistic, fun loving
Favorite licorice: those little jimmies that are all different colors.
Colleen Campbell
Board Member
Colleen was diagnosed with Estrogen Positive Inter Ductal Carcinoma stage 2B breast cancer in October of 2009 at the age of 48 after a routine mammogram. She had a lumpectomy and 18 lymph nodes removed followed by chemo, radiation and 5 years of tamoxifen/hormone blockers treatment. Since then she has found so many wonderful silver linings to being a cancer survivor. She is passionate about helping others travel down this unknown path and helping them find their silver linings.
5 words to describe Colleen: Family, friends, faith, empathy, real
Favorite licorice: Classic Twizzlers and black jelly beans
Patricia Miller
Board Member
In March 2021 a routine annual physical found Patricia’s lump seven months after a normal mammogram. Patricia was diagnosed with DCIS and decided that a double mastectomy was the best surgical choice for her. The pathology report found that the lymph nodes and margins were clear and no additional treatment was necessary.
Five words to describe Patricia: Generous, fighter, determined, warmhearted, focused. Sebastian didn’t quite understand the concept on first pass and he offered up “Best mummy in the world” 🥰
Favorite licorice: Bassetts Licorice Allsorts
Heather Chamberlain
Board Member
Heather received word that she had breast cancer 5 days before taking her son to college for the start of his freshman year – August 2022. She was only 48 and the diagnosis came from a regularly scheduled mammogram (which she did every 2 years). The cancer was estrogen/progesterone positive HER 2- and she had 2 lymph nodes removed. After a double mastectomy, 4 rounds of chemo, breast reconstruction, and 28 wonderful days of radiation Heather can say she is feeling good and looks at life a little clearer.
Five words to describe Heather: loving, empathetic, active, funny, planner
Favorite licorice: original Twizzler