About us
Get to know more about TurningPoint,
our team and our mission.
TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation is a 501c3 non-profit organization that improves the quality of life for individuals impacted by breast cancer by providing and advocating for specialized, evidence-based rehabilitation while reducing socioeconomic, racial, cultural, and geographic barriers to care.
2021 Annual Report | 2021 Letter from the Board Chair and Executive Director
We are a TurningPoint
TurningPoint was created to address a gap in breast cancer rehabilitation services for both the physical and emotional aspects of recovery. It’s our mission to improve survivors’ quality of life, advocate for evidence-based rehabilitation and minimize various barriers to care. This means that TurningPoint can provide services regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. We’re deeply passionate about helping all breast cancer survivors thrive and get back to doing the things they enjoy.
Meet our Founder
Jill Binkley, PT, MSc, CLT, FAAOMPT
Founder, TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation
Jill is a physical therapist and breast cancer survivor who founded TurningPoint in 2003. Currently, Jill works as an Oncology Rehabilitation Consultant and Educator as well as Principal Member of the Global Access to Rehabilitation Community Partnership Initiative (GAP Initiative).
Jill has extensive experience as a consultant, clinician, and educator in the fields of breast cancer rehabilitation, orthopaedic physical therapy, and manual therapy. She is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy. She has over 25 peer-reviewed publications and has presented locally, nationally and internationally on outcome measurement in physical therapy and breast cancer rehabilitation. Jill is a passionate advocate for increased attention to the unmet physical and emotional side effects of cancer treatment, the role of rehabilitation and exercise in improving the quality of life of cancer survivors, and reducing disparity in cancer survivorship locally and globally. Jill is a member of the Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association and serves on the Editorial Board of Rehabilitation Oncology
How TurningPoint makes a difference
Meet our team
Our team is dedicated to supporting patients with breast cancer in a compassionate and caring environment. TurningPoint’s team is highly trained, experienced and understands the many difficulties that breast cancer survivors face. Some have even gone through breast cancer themselves. Others have walked alongside loved ones during their breast cancer journeys.
Leadership team
Tara Hall
Executive Director
Named Executive Director of TurningPoint in February of 2022, Tara is responsible for leading the strategic direction of the organization, including collaborative efforts and partnerships, program development, community relations, private and public-sector fundraising and resource development.
Tara has extensive non-profit experience including…
Carmelita White, BSHCM
Administrator
Carmelita is an experienced healthcare professional with over 16 years of experience in healthcare leadership and holds a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management. She attributes her strong work ethic and value of people to her Midwest upbringing as she is a native of…
Mallory Mark, PT, DPT, CLT, CES
Clinical Director
Mallory received her B.S. in Health Science from the University of Dayton in 2014 and is a 2016 graduate of Chatham University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Following graduation, Mallory worked in an inpatient rehabilitation setting with both the neurologic and oncology…
Lois Rusco, BBA, MBA
Development Director
Lois has been an entrepreneur for over 20 years. She has started, operated and sold 3 profitable businesses. Lois has always had a passion for charity work, volunteering & supporting various organizations over the years. She enjoys fundraising and creating lasting partnerships in the community. Lois has a BBA in Accounting and an MBA in Marketing / Management. Her background also…
Clinical team
Janae Finley, PT, DPT, CLT, CES
Assistant Clinical Director
Janae received a BS in Exercise Science from Georgia State University in 2008 and graduated with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Emory University in 2012. Following graduation, she worked as an orthopedic physical therapist for 6 years and came to TurningPoint Breast cancer…
Carrie Kozel, PT, DPT, CLT, CES
Senior Physical Therapist
Carrie holds a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sports Science from The University of Georgia and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from The University of North Georgia. Prior to joining TurningPoint, she was involved in research in women’s health and worked in…
Hannah Afify, PT, DPT, CLT, CES
Physical Therapist
Hannah obtained a BA in Exercise and Sport Science from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014 and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from The George Washington University in 2017. She started her PT career at an outpatient clinic in Decatur, GA where she…
Jessica Waterman, PT, DPT, CLT, CES
Physical Therapist
Jessica has more than twelve years of experience in the field of women’s health, oncology and orthopedics. Jessica graduated from Emory University with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. She then continued her education at Duke University…
Kathryn Olive, PT, DPT, CLT
Physical Therapist
Kathryn graduated with her B.S. in Health & Exercise Science from Wake Forest University in 2007 and went on to receive her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 2010. Prior to joining TurningPoint in 2021, Kathryn spent ten years working in a…
Allison Brazelton, PTA, BS, CLT, CES
Physical Therapist Assistant
Allison received her Bachelors of Science degree from Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky. Following her degree from Murray State Allison obtained her Physical Therapist Assistant degree from Daymar Institute in Clarksville, Tennessee. Following graduation Allison and her husband…
Jyoti Patel, PTA, CLT, CES
Physical Therapist Assistant
Jyoti has 14 years of experience as a Physical Therapist Assistant. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from College of Charleston, SC and then moved home to Florida and got her Associates degree in Physical Therapist Assistant from Broward Community College in 2008. She has…
Courtney Holmes
Physical Therapist Assistant
Courtney received her Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from Georgia Southern University in 2016. She then went on to obtain her Physical Therapist Assistant degree from South University in Savannah in 2019. The last three years, she has spent working …
Meera Solomon, LMT, CLT, CES
Oncology Massage Therapist
Meera has been a licensed massage therapist since 2007. She combines her experience working in both spas and clinical settings to provide an experience that blends the best of both worlds, relaxing and therapeutic, safe and effective. Prior to joining the staff at TurningPoint in 2014, Meera provided…
Lisa Barker, LMT
Oncology Massage Therapist
Lisa left the corporate finance world to pursue a vocation that would positively impact the lives of those around her. She is passionate about helping others create a healthy balance in their lives by relieving pain, stress, or providing healing restorative massage. In addition to…
Naynette Kennett, BS, MSW, PHD, LCSW
Counselor
Naynette is a Lecturer at Kennesaw State University in the Department of Social Work and Human Services. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology from California State University, Fullerton, a Masters of Social Work from California State University…
Lisa Hubbard, RD, LD
Dietitian
Lisa is a registered and licensed dietitian who has been working with TurningPoint since 2011. Originally from Northwest Indiana, Lisa moved to Georgia in 1993 and called it home 26 years. Lisa is a graduate of Purdue University and has been a dietitian for 28 years with 23 of those…
Administrative & Community Events team
Emily Schwenk, BHS
Oncology Rehab Patient Navigator
Emily is a graduate of the University of Kentucky where she received her Bachelor of Health Sciences in Clinical Leadership & Management. Through her education she learned how to be a competent, effective leader working to enact change in health care management and…
Genesis Molina, AD
Administrative Assistant
Genesis has nearly 15 years in the medical field focusing on patient care and various roles as a medical assistant. She is fluent in Spanish and is passionate about the patient care experience…
Marlena Murphy, BBA
Community Advocate
Marlena is a graduate of Jackson State University, where she received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance. She was born and raised in Washington, DC. Marlena’s experience in advocacy began in 2019 while undergoing treatment for triple-negative breast cancer. This was also…
Melody Willis
Office Manager
Melody has over 10 years in the medical field in insurance verification, billing and financial assistance for patients. Melody also has over 12 years of experience in accounting and finance. She is the founder of the…
Meet our board
Mike Kozel
Board Chair
Mike serves on TurningPoint’s Marketing and Development and Executive Committee. TurningPoint has been dear to Mike for many years. For 13 years, Mike has chaired golf tournaments to benefit TurningPoint and has raised over $275,000. Volunteering for…
Mani Young
Board Vice Chair
Mani is Vice President of Product Management at LexisNexis Risk Solutions. She has over 25 years of technical and product expertise in managing complex and high revenue solutions. Her technical proficiencies allow her to look at products in an innovative manner that…
Jason Bernstein
Governance Chair
Jason is a partner and co-chair of the Data Security and Privacy group at the law firm of Barnes & Thornburg LLP. His practice focuses on data privacy, technology transactions, and intellectual property. He has an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Vanderbilt University and his…
Thomas Diasio, CPA
Treasurer
Thomas is a retired Partner of EY for 40 years. He specialized in information systems controls, auditing and security. He is also a CPA. Currently, he is a consultant for EY working internationally. His former clients included many multinational and international companies. Tom…
Thomas P. Smith, BS, MS
Board Secretary
Thomas serves on the Executive and The Pink Affair Committee. Thomas P. Smith is a seasoned public relations and communications practitioner, having worked across multiple industry sectors for more than two decades. Currently he advises entrepreneurs, along with…
Anne Arwood, MBA, MPH
Finance Committee
Anne Arwood is an experienced business consultant with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry as well as in healthcare settings. She is currently working as an early-stage entrepreneur focused on healthcare and retail industries…
Bob Bachrach, BBA
Governance Vice Chair
Bob serves on the Executive Committee. Bob received his Bachelor of Business Communications from Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. As a member of the Atlanta community for more than 35 years, Bob has been active in several organizations…
Marlene DeSimone, BS
Development and Marketing Committee
Marlene is the President of MMD Healthcare Consulting. As a healthcare consultant, she primarily focuses on commercialization, marketing, patient adherence, engagement and advocacy strategies with biopharmaceutical and medical device companies. Marlene has…
Dr. Kim Lipscomb, MD
The Pink Affair Committee
Kim, a native of Jacksonville, AL, is a board-certified OB/GYN and Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist in private practice at Northside Maternal-Fetal Specialists, an affiliate of Obstetrix Medical Group, Inc. in Atlanta, GA. She specializes in the care of women with high…
Amena Mitchell, MBA, CSM, CSPO
Marketing and Development Committee
Amena is a Management Consultant specializing in Information Technology. She is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, who has resided in the metropolitan Atlanta area for over twenty years. Amena received a BBA from Mercer University, and an MBA from Kennesaw State University…
Pat J. Royak, BS
Finance and Governance
Patricia, CEO of Atlanta-based Royak Consulting, has worked as an innovative global executive for more than 30 years. She collaborates to transform the human capital and platforms of public and private equity owned middle market firms. She has achieved success by recruiting…
Kathy Smith, BS
Chair of The Pink Affair Committee
Kathy was a founder and former Executive Director of the Leadership Johns Creek program for adult leaders living or working in Johns Creek. Prior to taking on this part-time position in 2009, Kathy worked in the corporate world of technology for 20+ years. When her…
Patient stories
