Meet the Navigating Cancer Team

Navigating Cancer was founded and developed by accomplished professionals from the worlds of healthcare and technology, including:

Gena

Gena Cook, Co-Founder and CEO

Gena has over 18 years of healthcare experience with 16 years directly in the cancer field. She was most recently VP, Sales and Marketing for McKesson. Prior to that she was the VP, Sales and Marketing for OTN and a part of the management team that spun OTN out of Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2005 and subsequently sold the company to McKesson in 2007. At OTN and McKesson, Gena was responsible for the $3.5B physician services organization that sold technology, distribution, group purchasing and financial services into oncology and rheumatology physician offices. Previously, she held a variety of leadership positions with Bristol-Myers Squibb in her 12-year tenure. Gena received her B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Washington.

Michael

Michael Graff, VP of Product

Michael has managed many software development projects and teams over his 20-year career in technology. He was most recently an SVP & General Manager at Ancestry.com, where he was responsible for rebuilding the myfamily.com family networking business. Previously, Michael spent 14 years in a variety of roles at Microsoft, including GM for Windows Mobile Applications and GM for the Microsoft MapPoint business. Michael earned his Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems from the University of Idaho.

Steve

Steve Fenigstein, Senior Architect and Software Engineer

Steve was the first engineer at Navigating Cancer and has been the primary architect and lead software engineer in building Navigating Cancer. Steve has extensive start up experience and previously was the Founder of Coopalot, a website to share resources throughout neighborhoods and communities, and the Software Architect at Planetary Fuels and the Lead Application Developer at Singlestep. Previously, he also worked for Qwest and was a researcher and programmer for Kenyon College. Steve earned his B.A. in Computer Science at Grinnell College.

Emmanuel

Emmanuel Gomez, Software Engineer

Emmanuel is a web applications developer who is responsible for building both back-end and front-end applications at Navigating Cancer and was pivotal in building the first version of Navigating Cancer. Previously, Emmanuel was responsible for front-end & browser development at Trusera, a health information social network start up. Prior to that, he was a Senior Developer at ER Solutions. Emmanuel earned his Bachelor’s in Comparative History of Ideas (CHID) and International Studies at the University of Washington.

Jon

Jon Connolly, Software Engineer

Jon is a back end software engineer for Navigating Cancer. Previously, Jon worked as a software engineer at Dimax where he helped develop Bluyah, a SAS reporting web application. Before Dimax, he worked for the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network as a researcher. Jon received his B.S. in Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington.

Gray

Paul Payne, Product & User Experience Design (UXD)

Paul brings 16 years of web development and Internet entrepreneurial experience. Paul has developed numerous successful Internet services including MinistryHome.org which he sold in 2007. Paul provides web consulting and development services to a range of clients, from large international non-profit agencies to Web2.0 startups, through his independent firm, iVersant. Previous to iVersant, Paul served as CTO and Interim CEO of the Innovation Center for Technology, a partnership venture between Campus Crusade for Christ International and Silicon Valley technology organizations.

Dagan

Dagan Durdik, Software Design Engineer in Test

Dagan is a budding Software Design Engineer in Test at Navigating Cancer and comes to Navigating Cancer right out of college. Dagan graduated from Full Sail University with a degree in Game Development.

Lori

Lori Hawk, Controller

Lori is finance professional with over ten years of experience covering a broad spectrum, including meeting the rigor of public company reporting requirements, managing system implementation and consulting projects as well as the financial set-up and administration for small companies and start-ups. Prior to her recent work with start-ups, Lori held several finance positions over an eight-year period at Onyx Software Corporation (today Consona), a worldwide leader in Customer Relationship Management (CRM).