Michelle founded Compass to Care in honor of the emotional and financial struggles her parents faced while traveling to get her the best treatment when she battled cancer as a child.

“I realized that parents today still struggle the same way my parents did when we traveled over 200 miles to the hospital for my cancer treatment.  So I decided to create Compass to Care to offer compassionate relief for a financial challenges far too many parents face when helping their children fight cancer.”

Prior to launching Compass to Care, Michelle served as the vice president of marketing for IBA Molecular, a global manufacturer of radioactive pharmaceuticals used for the diagnosis of cancer and diseases of the heart.

During her 10-year tenure at IBA, Michelle led a cross-functional team in strategic market planning and implementation, product promotion, clinical education, public relations, and corporate communication. She was involved with leading the North America corporate re-branding of IBA into a global, pharmaceutical-focused brand.

Michelle served as a Faculty Member at the Society of Nuclear Medicine Learning Center and a member of the Education Working Group for the Academy of Molecular Imaging and Institute for Molecular Technologies during her time in the molecular industry.

Michelle received her Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Medicine from the Medical College of Georgia and her MBA from Northeastern Illinois University. She also completed executive continuing education at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business for strategic marketing management.

She has been recognized by News On Women as one of their Successful Women in Philanthropy and on WLIT-FM Chicago as the Woman of the Week, and recently joined the rank of prestigious speakers chosen to give a TED talk. In July 2014, Michelle was honored as one of the 100 Women of Inspiration in Today’s Chicago Woman Magazine. In January 2016, Michelle was named as one of The Chicago Business Journal’s 50 honorees for its 2016 class of Women of Influence. The program recognizes women business leaders in the Chicago area who innovate, succeed, and “pay it forward.”

She is excited for what the next ten years will bring to Compass to Care.

Marla Gamze joins our team as Development Director to focus on advancing the organization’s mission to help children and families navigate cancer treatment by removing barriers to care and mobilizing community support.

Drawing on a positive record of designing and delivering high-performing development programs, Gamze will lead donor engagement, grants strategy, and cross-sector partnerships. She has built sustainable revenue pipelines across major gifts, grants, and events; and strengthened community relationships through stewardship that prioritizes trust and transparency. That experience directly supports Compass to Care’s goals: clear storytelling, credible impact reporting, and enduring relationships that help more families receive transportation to treatments.

“Children and their loving families facing childhood cancers deserve support along their journey, clear information, and financial assistance when they are in peril,” said Gamze. “My focus is to connect generous people and giving partners to meaningful actions so more children can get to treatments and clinical trials … to live to their fullest potential.”

Danielle joins the Compass to Care team with training and experience in education, marketing, and event planning. Danielle received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and her Master’s Degree in Secondary Education– both from the University of Dayton.

After about 8 years teaching English Literature to middle school and high school students in the United States and abroad, Danielle began working for a non-profit in Chicago, gaining experience in fundraising and event planning.

After the birth of her second child, Danielle took some time off to focus on family and determine the next steps of her career, ultimately landing her at Compass to Care in the summer of 2022. What drew Danielle into Compass to Care was its incredible mission.

An educator at heart, Danielle’s priority and passion is supporting children and families in need. It’s a privilege to work with motivational, perseverant, and heroic children and their families, and Danielle is honored to have the job of planning events to help in their fight against cancer.