Meet Our Staff

Sue Weldon

CEO & Founder

Sue Weldon’s journey as a visionary leader, entrepreneur, and healthcare advocate began with her heartfelt mission to empower those facing breast and ovarian cancer. As the CEO and Founder of Unite for HER, she has devoted her life’s work to enhancing the lives of those impacted by the disease through a comprehensive, integrative approach to whole patient care and support.

Her own personal battle with breast cancer inspired Sue to create an organization that would make a genuine difference in her community. With an extraordinary staff and board, Unite for HER developed a national comprehensive Integrative Care Wellness Program, offering complementary therapies like medical acupuncture, oncology massage, yoga, whole food nutrition counseling, and mental health support.

Through the organization’s commitment to education, accessibility, and support, they have been able to fund and deliver integrative care services to an ever-growing number of individuals across the nation. The impact of their work has garnered recognition within the healthcare industry, earning Sue and Unite for HER numerous accolades and awards for her exceptional leadership and philanthropic contributions.

Unite for HER’s expansion has touched the lives of over 5300 individuals from diverse backgrounds and regions, transcending geographical boundaries to provide healing and support where needed most.

Sue’s ability to build collaborative relationships combined with a leadership style that is marked by inclusivity and authenticity, empowers her staff to thrive and make a meaningful impact in the breast and ovarian cancer community. By fostering a culture of empathy, trust, and innovation, she ensures the organization’s continued success in delivering integrative care services nationwide.

Through her unwavering dedication to inclusivity and accessibility, Sue Weldon has made Unite for HER a beacon of hope for those seeking comprehensive, whole-patient care during their cancer journey. Her commitment to improving lives and empowering individuals has left an indelible mark on the landscape of patient care and self-advocacy.

Gail Kelly

Vice President of Operations

Joining Unite for HER in July 2014, Gail is responsible for providing administrative and execution support for UFH’s staff and programs. She manages UFH’s overall operations and strategic initiatives. Prior to this, she spent 25 years in various business development and management positions in the chemical industry. Gail received a B.S. in Engineering from Drexel University and an MBA from Villanova University. She has two daughters and resides with her husband Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.

April Alarcon

Bookkeeper

April joined Unite for HER in 2023. As a member of the metastatic breast cancer community, when the opportunity to join the accounting team presented itself the only option was to jump on board and assist the organization that had already helped her so much.  April is a graduate of Delaware County Community College where she received her associate degree in accounting. She resides in Nottingham, PA with her husband and boys.

Deja Oliver

Development Associate

Deja is responsible for grant prospecting as a Development Associate here at Unite for HER. Her background is in researching and nonprofit program support. Deja graduated from Drexel University with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Psychology, certificate in Medical Humanities, and minors in Psychiatric Rehabilitation and History.

Joe Fratinardo

Financial Controller

Joe is a CPA and started his career in public accounting and has 30 years of finance experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Joe is currently retired and a board member and management volunteer at the West Chester Food Cupboard. Joe was the volunteer part time accountant at Unite for HER from January 2018 to June 2020. Joe joined the Unite for HER staff in October 2022 as their part time controller. Joe’s
wife Lori has metastatic breast cancer. Both Lori and Joe and utilize the incredible services, resources and knowledge provided by Unite for HER.

Cameron Cotrufello

Director of Special Events and Fundraising

Cameron is responsible for the special events of the organization. Her background developing and executing special events was just what Unite for HER needed as we continue to grow. Leading the Students Unite for HER program and coordinating the new events and fundraisers for the organization, Cameron is expanding Unite for HER’s awareness and markets. Cameron received a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from Drexel University. She currently lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Corianne Armstrong

Director of Communications

As Director of Communications, Corianne develops and manages marketing and communications for strategic initiatives, outreach programming, development, and annual fundraising. She also leads digital initiatives, including UX, web development, and UFH’s 2020 digital national expansion. Corianne is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University, where she received degrees in Public Relations, French, and a minor in psychology.

Erin Pellegrin RD, LDN

Director of Culinary Nutrition

Erin Pellegrin RD, LDN is Unite for HER’s Director of Culinary Nutrition. She joined as a full-time staff member in 2018 after working as a contributing dietitian for 5 years. As part of the Culinary Nutrition Team, she shares their nutrition mission and philosophy by educating and counseling breast and ovarian cancer patients through treatment and beyond as part of their Wellness Program.

Prior to joining Unite for HER, she worked as a clinical dietitian at a Philadelphia Hospital where she focused primarily on the inpatient and outpatient oncology population. She received her nutrition degree from LaSalle University in Philadelphia and has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication/Journalism from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York. She currently lives in Philadelphia.

Nina Ritrovato

Wellness Day Program Senior Manager

After volunteering with Unite for HER, Nina started her full time career with Unite for HER in 2019 as the Wellness Day Program Manager. She coordinates with our hospital partners and internal staff to deliver the Wellness Day program and events to the women in our program. She received her Master in Public Health with a concentration in Integrative Health from West Chester University in 2013 and lives in Avondale, PA with her husband and children.

Melissa Christie

Wellness Day Program Senior Manager

Melissa joined Unite for HER in 2021, after being in the in the Health and Wellness field for the over 10 years, where she served as the Director of Member Experience and Retention at Fitness and Lifestyle Club that was a Fitness Provider for Unite for HER Wellness Programs. She is the Sr. Wellness Program Manager, and is responsible for coordinating with hospital partners and staff, local communities and through strategic events to successfully administer Wellness Programs to women and men who are need of services.

Melissa holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Mathematics from Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY. She lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and she and her husband have 3 wonderful children.

Cathy Brosnan

Senior Accounting Manager

Cathy manages the accounting team and is responsible for maintaining the financial records and ensuring adherence to internal controls. She originally learned about UFH as a parent volunteer for student program fundraisers at her children’s schools. Due to a family history of breast cancer, she appreciated the need for, and the healing value of, the services UFH offers to breast cancer patients. Prior to joining UFH, Cathy worked in various auditing, accounting and project management roles. Cathy received a B.S. in Accounting from Fordham University in New York.

Michele DiCristofaro MS, RD, LDN

Culinary Dietitian, Senior Nutrition Associate

Michele DiCristofaro MS, RD, LDN is a Senior Culinary Dietitian at Unite for HER.  She received a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from York College of Pennsylvania and obtained her Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from Immaculata University in Malvern, PA. As a Culinary Dietitian and Senior Nutrition Associate, she supports Unite for HER’s nutrition mission by providing nutrition consultations, hosting virtual cooking demonstrations, and contributing to Unite for HER’s growing library of nutrition education. She currently resides in West Norriton, PA with her husband and son. 

Peyton Pflug

Communications Manager

As Communications Manager, Peyton Pflug is involved in digital marketing, online fundraising, and creative projects at Unite for HER. She manages creative design work for Unite for HER’s signature events as well as team fundraising, social media and digital communications for the Pink Invitational. Peyton graduated from Temple University after studying communications, public relations and Spanish. Shortly after, she joined Unite for HER in 2019. She currently lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Carol Nowrey

Volunteer Program Manager

Carol joined Unite for HER in 2018 as a volunteer and subsequently as a part-time staff member. She is responsible for managing the Volunteer program which consists of scheduling and coordinating individual or group/corporate volunteer efforts. Volunteer efforts enable the weekly preparation and shipment of Wellness Program materials (HER care box and education materials). The coordination of volunteer efforts also allows the staffing of UFH events and special projects. Carol is a retired Human Resource professional with over 35 years’ HR experience in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry. She also spent 4 years as Sr. Director for a Finance Shared Services team during a period of business acquisitions and functional integration. Carol obtained her bachelor’s in business from Wharton School and holds an MBA from Temple University. Carol resides in West Chester with her husband.

Colleen Connor

National Development Volunteer

Colleen began volunteering for Unite for HER after having gone through our Wellness Program due to her own breast cancer diagnosis. With a complicated medical history, she attributes her ability to complete her therapy despite the terrible side effects, to the integrative care she received through our program. She supports National Partnerships as a volunteer and is passionate about helping other patients. She lives in West Chester, PA

Jessica Palmer

Bookkeeping Data Specialist Associate

Jess joined Unite for HER in May 2022 as the Bookkeeping and Data Specialist Associate. In this role she works closely with the finance and wellness teams to support data maintenance and analysis for UFH’s abundant integrative offerings.

Before joining Unite for HER, Jess worked as a non-profit program coordinator and cancer researcher, including serving as a Research Assistant in Radiation Oncology at University of Pennsylvania. Throughout her career, she has supported grant reporting and budget oversight, data collection and organization, and non-profit program database creation and maintenance. Jess holds a B.S in Cell and Molecular Biology from West Chester University. Her favorite part about Unite for HER is seeing the positive impact the integrative therapies provide to those diagnosed with breast and ovarian cancer – including yoga, massage, nutrition, acupuncture, reiki, and counseling – to name a few!

Sarah Murphy, LPC

Staff Counselor

Sarah Murphy is a Licensed Professional Counselor at Unite for HER. She joined the staff in 2021 after serving as a provider since 2013. Sarah uses a holistic, mind-body-spirit approach in her therapy work, drawing on mindfulness, meditation, energy psychology. In addition to individual client work, Sarah leads counseling talks at Unite for HER wellness days and moderates support groups. She leads weekly online meditations for Unite for HER, and regularly contributes to the Unite for HER blog. Sarah serves on the board of the Association of Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP). She received her counseling degree from Immaculata University and her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Alex Scipione

Care Box Administrative Assistant

Alex Scipione joined Unite for Her in 2021 after 17 years as an Activities Director.
Alex was looking for a position that would help others and give back after losing her mother to metastatic Breast Cancer in 2020.

Contributing to the community has always been an integral part of their family’s lives.
Alex enjoys, gardening, cooking, baking, volunteering, reading, and spending time with friends and family. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Hospitality Management with a minor in Business Administration from Drexel University.

Alex resides in Newtown Square, PA with her husband, daughter, and fur babies.

Katheryne Romero, RD, LDN

Bilingual Culinary Dietitian, Latino Liaison

Katheryne Romero RDN, LDN was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. She completed her B.S in Dietetics and Nutrition at Florida International University. After her experience working as an inpatient/outpatient dietitian in the clinical setting and as a nutrition manager for a food bank in South Florida, she now serves as our Bilingual Culinary Dietitian and Nutrition Associate. Aside from providing individual nutrition counseling and grocery gift card appointments, she serves as a contact person for our Hispanic participants.

Rachael Petersen

Digital Content Manager

As Digital Content Manager, Rachael develops and produces digital content to support educational and outreach initiatives at Unite for HER. Rachael graduated from Temple University with a major in Media Production and a minor in Public Relations. She currently lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Aubrey Redd, MS RD, LDN

Culinary Dietitian, Senior Nutrition Associate

Aubrey Redd, MS, RDN, LDN joined the Unite for HER team as a Senior Culinary Dietitian after her experience working in outpatient nutrition counseling, and as a community nutrition educator. She is a seasoned West Chester University alumna – attending the university for her Bachelor of Science in nutrition & dietetics, Master of Science in community nutrition, and supervised dietetic internship practice. As a Senior Culinary Dietitian, she assists participants 1:1 with their nutrition needs, hosts group cooking demonstrations, and supports creative and culinary endeavors with the rest of the Unite for HER team. She currently resides in King of Prussia, PA.

Jan Nowell

Administrative Assistant

Jan is an administrative assistant for the UFH office. She was on the Unite for Her Board for 6 years as the secretary, as well as a volunteer. Her term of office was over in June and she joined the staff in July. In 2015, she retired from Chichester Middle School where she taught for 38 years as a math teacher. Jan met Sue in 2007, where both sons were playing lacrosse at Rustin. Jan graduated from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania with a BS in mathematics and earned a Masters of Education from West Chester University. She is the mother of four boys and resides in Thornton with her husband Tim and their dog Ravin.

Jessie Meakim

Development Manager

Jessie assists with our signature events and development of the organization. She assists with the Students Unite for HER Program, outside special events, and fundraising areas for the organization. She is also on the grants & development team assisting in grant writing, box builds, and development opportunities. Jessie was a gymnast at West Chester University where she received her Master’s in Public Administration with a Nonprofit Administration Concentration and her Bachelor of Science in Business Management and International Business with a minor in Spanish. 

Amy Molnar

Data Entry Specialist

Amy joined UFH in 2021 working part-time to assist accounting and operations with data management and process improvement. Prior to this, she spent over 20 years in various operations and finance roles at financial technology firms and in global finance for research and development in the pharmaceutical industry. She obtained her B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in International Business and a Russian language minor from Villanova University and holds an MBA in Finance from Seton Hall University.

Kristin Vernisi

Wellness Program Administrator

Kristin is the Wellness Program Administrator at Unite for HER. In this role, Kristin works closely with our Unite for Her members to educate, guide, and support them through the Wellness Program. Prior to joining Unite for HER, Kristin spent over 15 years working in community health and corporate wellness as a health educator and worksite wellness consultant. Additionally, she has worked in the medical aesthetics industry as a licensed esthetician. Kristin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biobehavioral Health from Penn State University. She resides in Audubon, PA with her husband and children.