Meet the Board
Tamara Weston is excited to join SCMA as chair of the board of directors as we work together to scale SCMA for increasing success. Tamara is a strategic and enthusiastic marketing leader with a proven track record in brand management and marketing partnerships. With over 20 years of experience in consumer and non-profit marketing, Tamara is committed to leveraging innovative marketing strategies to enhance engagement and drive actionable results. With a strong alignment to SCMA’s mission of transforming Sickle Cell patient care, she is eager to apply her extensive expertise in project management, media strategies, and event planning to strengthen the organization’s core areas and advance SCMA’s objectives.
Tamara currently works as a National Marketing Executive at NMDP, formerly known as "Be The Match," based in Minneapolis, MN. She is a devoted mother of two daughters, and she also hosts NMDP's podcast, "Black Blood Heals," now in its fourth season.
Sarah Moss Webb is our elected vice president of the SCMA board of directors.
She holds a masters in business administration and worked at General Motors for 38 years, leading in business transformation with a proven track record of successfully implementing processes to gain efficiency, reduce cost and increase organizational agility. Sara brings to the board her skills in fostering, collaborative partnerships, something we wish to excel in at SCMA.
Sara also has a personal connection with Sickle Cell disease as it runs in her family. She wishes to create a better environment for Sickle Cell patients, a resource that her family members who passed with Sickle Cell did not have.
Sara Moss Webb is happily married with two daughters.
Debi Sabotin is treasurer of the SCMA board of directors. She obtained Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 1983 at Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis and has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1986. She is currently retired. Her compassion for those living with Sickle Cell disease stems from watching her dear friends who struggle throughout their lives with this disease. She accepted a board position to raise awareness and fundraise for SCMA to support the programs that she is convinced will increase access to healthcare for this community and improve quality of life. Debi brings to board her skills at analyzing complex problems and implementing practical solutions. She is committed to fostering a culture of responsibility and accountability at SCMA.
Rita Hoyt is a retired certified nutritionist with over four decades of experience. She brings this knowledge as well as her strengths in fundraising and social connection to the organization. She currently resides in Virginia with her family.
Kara O’Connor is on the board of directors, lending her experience of sitting on other boards, including her local YMCA. She has also been in the financial services industry for 30 years. She currently owns a financial advisory practice in Nebraska.
​
​She received her Organizational Communications degree from Creighton University. She says “I am passionate about community, diversity and equity”. She's married with three teenage sons and an adopted son who lives with Sickle Cell disease.
Donna Benjamin-Lucas joined the Sickle Cell Medical Advocacy Board in January 2026. She has over 35 years as an educator. Witnessing the daily resilience of students affected by sickle cell disease drives her dedication to this work. She says, “I have always been passionate about health equality and community wellness.” Sickle Cell Disease requires urgent, dedicated advocacy, better medical education, and comprehensive patient support. Donna looks forward to working alongside SCMA to drive meaningful progress and elevate the standard of care for everyone impacted by Sickle Cell Disease.
Chandelic M. J. Melton, Esq. has joined the SCMA board of directors as a liaison between SCMA and the consulting legal team at Florida A&M Law School legal clinic providing support for SCMA. She is a graduate of FAMU Law School, currently residing in North Florida and working with Epiq Global, a private legal company. Combined with the fact that the Sickle Cell trait runs in her extended family, she has had an interest in doing nonprofit work and has followed the progress of SCMA since it’s inception. Barrister Melton is married with three children.
Advisory Board
Annette Gantt started as the first president of the board at Sickle Cell Medical Advocacy Inc., and has now graciously agreed to be on our advisory board. She has thirty-three (33) years of board experience!
She has primarily worked in the nonprofit sector, and currently holds a leadership position with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (or NAMI). She also carries the badge of being a caregiver to a daughter living with Sickle Cell disease.
Dale Hardaway is in healthcare administration at Advent Health in Orlando, Florida. He has followed our SCMA cause since its inception and is excited to be a part of the advisory board. His compassion for people living with Sickle Cell disease stems from being like family to Simone and Aniekan Uwan, the co-founders of SCMA. He has had a front row seat to their journey with this disease and heard the stories of poor care for Sickle Cell patients. He is committed to fundraising and raising awareness of SCD barriers in healthcare among new demographics in Orlando. Mr. Hardaway earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at East Carolina University and a Master of Science in Health Services Administration at the University of Central Florida. He is married with three adult children.
Garth Oliver MD is a board certified Internal Medicine physician in West Haven, Connecticut who has practiced medicine for over 30 years. He attended Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons for medical school, and did his residency at New York University (NYU)
Grossman School of Medicine from 1993 to 1996. He is affiliated with Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he mentors residents interested in General Internal Medicine, primary care. He is married with two adult children.
Dr. Oliver is on the Advisory Board of Directors at Sickle Cell Medical Advocacy Inc. to contribute in a meaningful way to the Sickle Cell disease community.
Jennifer Ortiz Valentin has served as an Emergency Department nurse for nine years and currently works as the Charge Nurse in the Emergency Room at a hospital in Oviedo, Florida. Throughout her nursing career, she has been a dedicated advocate for healthcare equity for individuals living with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
Jennifer is committed to improving the quality of care for patients with SCD by promoting the inclusion of Sickle Cell Disease management and culturally responsive care training in nursing education programs. She has developed and led educational projects and in-service trainings for fellow nurses focused on evidence-based SCD care, cultural sensitivity, and reducing barriers to treatment. Her goal is to foster a more compassionate and supportive emergency care environment for patients experiencing a Sickle Cell crisis.
In addition to educating healthcare professionals, Jennifer connects patients and families with valuable resources, including the programs and services offered through Sickle Cell Medical Advocacy Inc. (SCMA).
Jennifer is married to a firefighter-paramedic, and together they are the proud parents of four children. As part of our advisory board, she continues her commitment to advancing equitable, patient-centered care for the Sickle Cell community.