Meet the Staff
Rev. Dr. Karen Greif, Co-founder and Board Chair,envisioned the idea of a cancer support network after receiving her own breast cancer diagnosis in 2000 and completing surgery and chemotherapy. After investigating existing programs, Karen chose to use an existing model, CanCare of Houston. She then left her position of 12 years as Associate Pastor at Hope Presbyterian Church in Austin in order to work full-time establishing the Cancer Connection (formerly known as CanCare Austin). In addition to being ordained in the Presbyterian Church, Karen has a BBA with a concentration in marketing from the University of Texas, an MBA with a specialty in Accounting from San Diego State University and both a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Karen matches the newly diagnosed with volunteers, works as a care-giving volunteer, conducts trainings, networks within the faith community, and is working to establish life-enhancing classes for our volunteers and the larger cancer community.
Bill Greif, MA, Co-founder and Board Vice-Chair, was the primary caregiver for Karen, his wife of 34 years, through her cancer experience. He enthusiastically endorsed Karen's choice of the model presented by CanCare of Houston because of its dual emphases on both the individual with cancer and the primary caregiver. Bill's career has included ten years as a professional baseball player with the Houston Astros, the San Diego Padres, and the St. Louis Cardinals. After retirement from baseball, Bill began a real estate career in the central Texas area and currently makes his living from real estate investments. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from the University of Texas with a BA in Psychology and has also earned a Masters in Education with a major in Counseling and Guidance from Texas State University. Bill has worked as a volunteer counselor at the Samaritan Center for Counseling and Pastoral Care in Austin and serves Cancer Connection as a volunteer caregiver, trainer, fiscal manager, fundraiser, and liaison to the corporate community.
Roni Kendall, Volunteer Director, has been personally inspired by the cancer experiences of her aunt and uncle. Both are long term survivors active with cancer support organizations. Roni’s career spans 25 years of working with social services that include: crisis intervention, mental health case management, professional legal guardianship and most recently as program coordinator for Support Source, a pre-Hospice program. In addition to bachelor degrees in Education and Social Work, she is also certified in Massage Therapy. Roni feels privileged to help individuals identify and locate supportive resources that significantly improve the quality of their lives. In her capacity working with volunteers, she seeks to help provide experiences that will be personally gratifying, intellectually stimulating, emotionally meaningful, and spiritually uplifting.
Connie McFarland, Client Services Director, is a cancer survivor of stage III colon cancer and one of Cancer Connection's first care-receivers. She was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from Cornell College with a BA in Economics & Business. After several years in the banking industry, Connie moved into the non-profit world as Financial Director of the Charlottesville Housing Improvement Program in Charlottesville, Virginia. Since moving to Texas in 2000, she has spent many hours volunteering through her church and in her daughters' elementary school. She and her husband are avid college basketball fans and enjoy "March Madness" each spring.
Iris Graebner, Community Outreach Director, was first affected by cancer when she was a teenager and her brother received a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Iris received her bachelor degree in social work with minors in psychology, sociology, and minority studies from Ball State University before moving to Texas in 1998. She brings with her 13 years of experience in program supervision and implementation. A strong advocate for volunteerism and the difference volunteers make in our community, she has been matched with a “Little Sister” since 2006 through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas.
Sara Patterson, Program Coordinator, is a survivor of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. In 1998, Sara received an allogenic bone marrow transplant from her brother. Sara holds a masters degree in Communications from Wake Forest University, where she studied the transition process of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors after ending active treatment. She also hold degrees and graduate certificates from the University of Georgia and Duke University. Sara previously served as the Wellness Coordinator at a regional cancer non-profit agency and has served on leadership boards for Relay for Life, Colleges Against Cancer, and the Young Adult Cancer Workgroup for the North Carolina Comprehensive Cancer Program. As a public speaker and advocate, Sara has shared her experiences and expertise with the United Way, state legislatures, and at national and regional conferences.