Every generation has the power to change the future.
At the St. Baldrick’s Childhood Cancer Research Foundation, we’ve seen firsthand what happens when passionate people step up to make a difference. From volunteers who shave their heads in solidarity to corporate partners, researchers, and generous donors, every person plays a role in funding lifesaving childhood cancer research.
Now, we’re looking ahead to the next generation of changemakers.
To inspire new ideas, expand our reach, and engage the next generation of philanthropic leaders, we launched the inaugural St. Baldrick’s Next-Gen Council. This group of young professionals brings together leaders from a variety of industries who share one goal: accelerating progress against childhood cancer.
As advocates and innovators, these founding members will help introduce St. Baldrick’s to new audiences, build meaningful partnerships, and create fresh fundraising opportunities that support our mission. Their leadership will help shape how the next generation gives back – and, ultimately, help fund more research that gives kids with cancer the chance to grow up.
We’re proud to introduce the founding members of the St. Baldrick’s Next-Gen Council! Each founding member brings a unique perspective, professional expertise, and personal connection to the mission, but they all share one thing in common: a commitment to helping children with cancer have brighter futures.
Shannon Bender
Shannon has been part of the St. Baldrick’s community for as long as she can remember. From selling merchandise to serving as a co-organizer, ponytail donor, and student club coordinator for the Rockville Centre St. Agnes Event, she has helped advance the mission in many ways. Today, she organizes the annual (Re)Insurance Industry Event at Killarney Rose and leads charitable initiatives for ReUnder40. Shannon’s inspiration comes from the many children with childhood cancer she has met throughout her journey, including those who did not survive. She remains committed to fundraising for childhood cancer research until every child has a cure. As a founding member of St. Baldrick’s Next-Gen Council, she is proud to help carry on the (re)insurance industry’s long-standing tradition of supporting childhood cancer research.
Bodie Centore
Bodie is a senior at Penn State University studying aerospace engineering. Originally from Syracuse, New York, he first became involved with St. Baldrick’s by shaving his head at the Kitty Hoynes head-shaving event for 8 years. Today, he channels that same passion into organizing Buckets for Baldrick’s, a 3-on-3 youth basketball tournament that has collectively raised over $300,000, and is excited to help St. Baldrick’s reach even more young supporters by serving on the Next-Gen Council!
Alyssa Torkelsen
Alyssa’s passion for funding lifesaving childhood cancer research is deeply personal. After watching her mom battle stage 3 melanoma, she experienced firsthand the critical role that medical research plays in creating better outcomes and more hope for families facing cancer. She’s proud to support St. Baldrick’s and help inspire the next generation of philanthropists to invest in breakthroughs that can save children’s lives.
Pietro Pellerito
Pietro has been involved with St. Baldrick’s since 2011, when he was diagnosed with childhood cancer and began his own fight against the disease. Now, more than 15 years in remission, he continues to raise awareness of the need for childhood cancer research by sharing his story and showing what these lifesaving cures can make possible.
Christian Theoharides
Christian has been involved with St. Baldrick’s since 2015. What started as a gesture to support his sister, Lyla, who was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma at a young age, turned into a passion for raising money and awareness for childhood cancer over the years. He founded and grew the St. Baldrick’s club at Franklin & Marshall College in 2022 and continues to host fundraising events in his professional career in New York City.
Spencer Podoloski
Having spent his career at the intersection of healthcare and patient advocacy—from serving as a Certified Oncology Lay Navigator to his current role in the healthcare field—Spencer has seen firsthand how research can transform hope into better outcomes for families facing the unthinkable. Funding childhood cancer research is deeply personal to him because he believes no child should have their future limited by a lack of resources or attention. As a founding member of the Next-Gen Council, Spencer is honored to help inspire the next generation of philanthropists to invest in the breakthroughs that will save young lives.
St. Baldrick’s Next-Gen Council is just getting started and we’re excited to see how these founding members help shape the future of the Foundation. Through fresh ideas, new partnerships, and a shared commitment to funding lifesaving research, they’re helping ensure that the next generation of children diagnosed with cancer has access to better treatments and brighter futures.
Help us welcome the next generation fighting childhood cancers by supporting one or all of our founding members’ fundraisers.
