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Board Members
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Gina Cousineau, Evan's Mom and Co-Founder
Gina has always been an overachiever in life, as a full time mom, volunteer, and fitness professional by trade. With her BS in Dietetics from CSU Long Beach, she has always had a passion for a healthy, moderate lifestyle. With Evan's sudden diagnosis, fight, and loss, everything she stood for was challenged. But instead of cowering down to the tremendous grief that she deals with daily with the loss of her vibrant son Evan, she has taken the bull by the horns and is embracing the concept of "giving HOPE to patients and families in need". For she understands that without Evan's cord blood and blood donors, Evan had NO hope and she intends to make sure EVERYONE has HOPE!!
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Shelley Baker, Co-Founder
Shelley is an account executive for the National Marrow Donor Program
Evan was Shelley's first patient and ran his donor drive in May of 2007. Together, Shelley and Gina brainstormed the "idea" of a foundation to honor Evan, and have walked hand in hand to "save lives" in honor of Evan. The Cousineau family is happy to include Shelley as part of their extended family. Shelley acts as the Liasion to the "Be The Match" marrow registry. |
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Mark Cousineau, Evan's Dad and Chairman
Mark has been heading up groups such as the Surfrider Foundation for years. Little did he know that his "Fight for Evan" would turn into a fight for every family in need. Mark embraces the dream his wife had to do "something amazing" because of their vibrant son Evan. He has the very important role of keeping this high energy group grounded and on task.
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Kristi Kamei, Creative Director
Kristi was placed in the Cousineau's laps by a family friend. She quickly "fell in love" with Evan and the cause, designing the BAHBAD logo in only a few attempts with Gina's thoughts guiding her. She took on the task of creating a flyer, which eventually led to her customizing everything and anything that BAHBAD needed, including this website. Kristi has been a gift from God and Evan, allowing the Be A Hero Become A Donor Foundation to have an edgy, yet clear message in its look, which we hope to be recognized by people nationwide in time.
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Kelly Lawson, Dom's Mom and Minnesota Liason
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Mary Angela Hammer, Administrative Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator
Mary comes to us with an extensive background in church Ministry. She was Coordinator of Youth Ministry for several different parishes in San Diego. Mary 'Angela' is the past Director of the Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of San Diego and worked with ministry on the national level. She brings her expertise in organization and computer skills to the work of BAHBAD. |
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Bernadine 'Bunny' Fraser
Bunny found Evan and Gina on Evan’s Caring Bridge site while visiting the Caring Bridge site of her sister-in-law, Shari, who was suffering from a cancer of unknown primary. When Shari lost her battle in only 6 short weeks on December 11, 2008, Bunny was compelled to create a legacy for Shari and her love for children.
Evan’s life, his illness, his passing and the sorrow that his family suffered at his loss deeply affected Bunny and she got involved with Gina, Evan and BAHBAD.
As an Executive Assistant at Mater Dei High School, the largest Catholic High School west of the Mississippi, Bunny is responsible for encouraging high schools to get their students involved in raising awareness of the need for organ donation.
Mater Dei High School has established, for the first time, a BAHBAD Club and the students are having donor drives, raising awareness within the Santa Ana community and supporting patients in need of transplants.
The plan is to reach out to other high schools in the area through Mater Dei students and increase the visibility of BAHBAD at the high school level. |
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Hardip Passananti
I was following Evan's Caring Bridge site from a friend whose son was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. I felt like I knew the entire Cousineau clan from following CB and deeply felt the anguish when Evan did not make it.
A chance meeting with Gina and Mary at my doctor's office about a month before I was to deliver our third baby led my here. They of course did not know me, but I felt a need to tell them how much Evan and their journey had touched my life.
The idea behind BAHBAD of increasing the number of qualified donors on the Be The Match Registry is a very personal one as my husband Robert is currently battling leukemia (chronic lymphocytic leukemia) and is being treated to get a good remission in order to receive a life-saving bone marrow transplant. We have 4 anonymous strangers that are "almost perfect" (9/10) matches who are willing and ready to save Robert's life.
So, I have a huge debt of gratitude to the Be The Match Registry and to the work that BAHBAD is doing in increasing awareness of donation in all capacities. Since my family hopes to be a direct beneficiary of the work done by BAHBAD, I see this role as coming full circle by helping to get more people onto the Registry so another patient and another family can have the same HOPE that we do.
I am an Intellectual Property attorney with the international law firm of Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe, LLP, in their Orange County (Irvine) office. BAHBAD is a pro-bono client of Orrick, and Orrick is honored to be able to help BAHBAD with both its corporate and intellectual property needs. |
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Debbie Ray
Debbie came to the Foundation via the USC Water Polo family.
She immediately embraced Evan, the Cousineau family and their Journey, and seized the opportunity “to give back.”
As Co-President of her own Entertainment Marketing Company, Debbie brings an extensive background in both the entertainment and advertising industries. Debbie’s function on the
Foundation's Board is to provide visibility within the Entertainment Community regarding BAHBAD’s efforts. |
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Suzanne Bragg-Coffin
I learned about Evan and the Cousineau family through my best friend of 25+ years, Felicita Giannavola. She is related to Gina and introduced us when my husband and I joined the registry at her birthday dinner in May 2008.
I did my first marrow drive in honor of Evan in August 2008 along with a blood drive at our family business. One week later my Dad was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia and admitted to City of Hope. We were confident that the chemotherapy would get him to transplant and it would be no time before he was back home and back to work.
When my Dad realized there was no match in the family and he had to search the registry he understood why I wanted to be involved in educating our community about the importance of being in the registry. At that point he asked that no matter what his outcome he wanted me to continue with my volunteer work. We found two potential matches for him in the registry so there was HOPE. He received four different forms of chemotherapy over the next six months. During those months and following we had sponsored many blood and marrow drives. We are grateful to the countless people that participated and continue to do so today. We had a tremendous amount of support from family, friends, employees and others associated in our industry.
Unfortunately, the chemotherapy was unsuccessful and he passed away the end of March 2009. To honor my Dad and Evan I will continue to educate our community about the importance of being a donor in every way possible.
I am married and am Mom to two beautiful girls (ages 4 and 11).
I work for our family crane rental and transportation business in Long Beach. |
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