Beth Dexter, Fundraising & Grant Advisor

Bio and photo coming soon!

Gilbert De La Garza, Legal Advisor

My wife Monica and I met April in Corpus Christi, Texas when we used to go watch her drum for Metal Shop every third Saturday of the month. As huge music lovers ourselves, it didn't take us very long to take to her and to see her passion for music and incredible zest for life. She was just contagious. As we got to know her and chat with her more often, we soon also realized her passion in fighting against breast cancer and all of the things she was doing and had planned for her organization. Around that time, my own mother had just finished her year plus long battle with breast cancer and had very recently gone into remission (and is cancer-free to this day!) This common thread, along with our affinity for April, led us to extend our help to her and Breast Cancer Can Stick It! every chance we could. When she had her fundraisers down in South Texas, it was always a blast and we had such a great time volunteering those weekends (I may or may not have hung many bras around the stage).

Fast forward a couple of years, to when my family and I moved to the DFW area, and by coincidence, ended up in the North Dallas area where April is headquartered and has many of her volunteer opportunities. Our relationship with her and Breast Cancer Can Stick It! grew from there through volunteering and getting to know her organizational mission and extraordinary goals. At the same time, being that I am an attorney, over the next couple of years, April reached out to me in confidence many times for legal guidance on a variety of issues regarding her organization. I was always more than happy to guide her, respond to her legal questions, review and draft legal items for her and Breast Cancer Can Stick It!, and generally offer my legal knowledge to help her and her organization, and continue to do so to this day. Being as such, she graciously asked me to join the Board of Directors as her legal advisor, and I was honored to do so! Being a part of Breast Cancer Can Stick It!, it is my sincere hope that through volunteering, I can benefit April and her organization by working closely with her on all legal related items, and at the same time, and most importantly, help save lives with her!!

Josie Divers, Medical Advisor / RN BSN CNBC

I was born and raised in Canada. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a nurse. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at 42 years old. I remember watching her go through her radiation treatments. She was strong and kept a positive outlook while taking care of us. I admired her, and knew nursing was my calling. My mom is now 80 and very healthy.

I went into nursing knowing that I would be an oncology nurse. I moved to Dallas in 1997 to explore nursing opportunities and worked at Presbyterian Hospital for several years in the oncology outpatient setting, then went on to become a clinical manager at Texas Cancer Associates. I later went on to become a breast cancer nurse specialist at Texas Oncology where I became Dr. Joyce O' Shaughnessy's clinic nurse. This is when I met April. Ten years later I wanted to volunteer my services to Breast Cancer Can Stick It! Foundation, Inc. I feel blessed to be part of such an important support group. It has helped so many people and has made an impact in the oncology community. I am looking forward to becoming a bigger part of the group. I continue to work with Dr O' Shaughnessy while I pursue my master's in nursing education. Life is good!!!!

Michelle Graves, Consultant

I grew up in a small town in West Texas and developed a love for music at a very early age. By the time I was 12 years old, I knew I wanted to be a drummer! I was very involved in my school music program and was the drumline captain. During my Senior year, I became involved with a band that recorded EP's in a Memphis recording studio and later recorded in Nashville with Grammy Award winning producers. I was 17 years old when I made the decision to move to Nashville, Tennessee. As I matured, my love for music grew into the business side of the entertainment industry. I found myself enjoying the concept of advertising, marketing and coordinating events rather performing at them. I then earned my business degree with a focus on marketing in the entertainment industry. Eventually, I made Dallas my home and started working for the Dallas Observer and Houston Press where I focus on marketing and sponsorship campaigns for companies.

When I met April Samuels, I immediately felt called to use my abilities to help grow and promote Breast Cancer Can Stick It! I started volunteering in 2016 to help plan Drummathon. When I look back on all the projects I've been involved in, I have never found something more fulfilling then being Director of Operations for Drummathon 2016. I have a deep connection to breast cancer as my great-grandmother, who I am named after, was a breast cancer survivor. I was very close to my great-grandmother, who was a true inspiration to not let anything in life keep you from your dreams, potential and life calling. I am deeply honored to be able to serve on the Advisory Board for Breast Cancer Can Stick It!

Michelle is our former Vice President, former Director of Operations for Drummathon, and former Chair of the Drummathon Committee.