Emeritus Directors

In 2011, ASCF established the retired board position, Emeritus Directors. In addition to being past board members, these individuals have made extraordinary service contributions to ASCF. Emeritus Directors continue to play a valuable role within our organization, & because of their experience, they help to maintain continuity over time with the leadership team.
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Danetta Beaushaw
Danetta's service on the emeritus board is fueled by the memory of her mother-in-law, Reverend Carolyn Nave Pratt, who valiantly fought leiomyosarcoma. Danetta explains that while Carolyn faced many challenges, she knows that these challenges were eased somewhat by the fact that they lived in Houston. 

​Danetta attended Mount Holyoke College & Dartmouth College. She received her law degree from the University of Michigan. Most recently, Danetta served as Senior Counsel for Power Plant Operations at Calpine, Inc. She & her husband Andy enjoy sprinting after their twins, Brooke & Ripley, who have inherited all of their Nana’s fearlessness & aplomb.
Gretchen Ferguson Brice
As co-owner of The PR Boutique, a full-service public relations firm, Gretchen Ferguson Brice's specialization in national, regional & local media relations, along with her expertise in developing community partnerships, has proven valuable for ASCF as well as for her many clients. 

Gretchen has given countless hours to further the ASCF mission. She was a founding member of the Catwalk gala team. In addition to donating her time to ASCF, Ms. Brice has contributed her talents to Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Bayou Buddies. Young Texans Against Cancer & Women of Wardrobe. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Texas and lives in Austin with her family
​Margaret Ling
Margaret Ling joined the ASCF Board in August 2005 as a breast cancer survivor & a bereaved parent (having lost her son Ben to chondrosarcoma in 2001). She & her late husband Richard established a fund in honor of their son to support chondrosarcoma research at the University of Iowa. She has spoken with members of Congress about the importance of sarcoma research funding, and has been involved in counseling patients & families at M.D. Anderson.

Ms. Ling graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a bachelor of music degree & received her law degree from South Texas College of Law. She was previously an Assistant Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Texas. In addition to volunteering, Margaret enjoys playing her violin, horseback riding & spending time with her children & grandchildren.
Lisa Oren
Lisa Oren has been a longtime supporter of ASCF, but it was following a dear friend’s sarcoma diagnosis that she began serving as an ambassador for ASCF & was recruited to co-chair the organization’s Catwalk gala with her husband Josh in 2015. That year, along with their co-chairs, the couple raised a record amount for the organization.

​Lisa is a member of National Charity League, St. Luke’s Methodist Church & YPO.  She is also a graduate of SMU with a degree in Communication & Public Relations. Lisa & husband Josh have four children: Lilly, Jack, Jeb & Stella.  ​
Tom Palmisano
A native Houstonian & a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Tom Palmisano has been a supporter of ASCF since its inception. Specializing in Tax Accounting as a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mr. Palmisano has a very personal connection to ASCF, he & the organization's founder Tom Amschwand had a friendship that began in childhood & carried into college at the University of Texas at Austin. Mr. Palmisano’s commitment to ASCF began as a founding member of the ASCF board, serving as its first treasurer.

Today, Tom and his wife Amy continue to offer support to ASCF.  They live in Houston with their three sons.​
​​Steph Veigel
Steph Veigel & his wife Joanna have experienced the true challenge of cancerʼs recovery. Joanna was diagnosed twice with osteosarcoma over the span of twelve years. As a support partner to his wifeʼs recovery, Steph joined ASCF wanting to help ensure other families have the resources they needed for their journey.

Steph holds advanced degrees in Economics & Financial Mathematics having studied at Trinity College, Texas Tech University & Yale University. He has vast experience helping large corporations define, implement & achieve strategic financial objectives. Currently Steph is the Vice President of Global Solutions for Dresser-Rand (a Siemens Business).  He & his wife have two children Kennedy & Cooper.
Leigh Williams
As owner of Leigh Williams Lifestyle Management, Ms. Williams plots, plans, advises & organizes the lives of her busy clients. . Although special event planning continues to be the focus of her business, the services she offers her clients are limited only by their imagination.

This Houston native continues to use her skills to serve her community as a volunteer. Leigh gave many years of service to ASCF  (including co-chairing the organization's 2007 Catwalk gala). In addition to ASCF, Ms. Williams lends her support to organizations such as Family Services of Greater Houston, The Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation, Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance & Contemporary Arts Museum.  Leigh is a proud graduate of Ole Miss.