Learn How to Volunteer at HealthTree
Join the community team to learn about the many ways to get involved and volunteer your time with HealthTree. This meeting is for anyone interested in giving back to the blood cancer community.
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Cure Teams: Taryn Placko — taryn@healthtree.org
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Coach Program: Maria Sahagun — maria@healthtree.org
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Black Health: Valarie Traynham — valarie@healthtree.org
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Financial Advocacy: Diahanna Vallentine — diahanna@healthtree.org
We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to the HealthTree volunteer community!
Come with your questions and we will answer them!
Rozalynn Hite
Rozalynn Hite is the Patient Community Director and leads the HealthTree Coach program. She is also a myeloma caregiver to her husband Richard, and mother to three children. Rozalynn is passionate about providing support, education, and resources to help others live full and meaningful lives.
Taryn Placko
Taryn is the Community Engagement Manager at HealthTree Foundation and leads the HealthTree Regional Cure Teams. Her passion for fundraising and community engagement is driven by the joy in building lasting relationships with community supporters and connecting patients and volunteers to their purpose.
Diahanna Vallentine
Diahanna is the Financial Program Manager for the HealthTree Foundation. She specializes in providing financial help, resources and education for multiple myeloma patients. As a professional financial consultant and former caregiver of her husband who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, Diahanna perfectly understands the financial issues facing myeloma patients.
Valarie Traynham
Valarie embarked on her myeloma journey back in 2015, and ever since she's been on a mission. As a resilient myeloma thriver, her passion lies in not just navigating her own path but also in illuminating the journey for others. With a steadfast commitment to understanding the intricacies of the disease, she champions education, shedding light on health inequities that often lurk in the shadows. Driven by a profound belief in fairness, Valarie tirelessly advocates for equitable access to top-tier healthcare, clinical trials, and tailored treatments. Her journey as a beacon of knowledge and support began when she assumed the role of a support group leader. Today, she continues to extend her hand as a myeloma coach, mentor angel, and the guiding force behind the Black Myeloma Health Community. Valarie's voice echoes far and wide as she fearlessly confronts the disparities faced by myeloma patients. Through collaborative efforts with healthcare providers, she strives to forge pathways to solutions, ensuring that every individual receives the care they deserve. Join Valarie on her journey of empowerment and advocacy as she lights the way toward a brighter, more equitable future in myeloma care.
Todd Foster
Todd Foster is the Director of Digital Patient Engagement at HealthTree. He worked at MD Anderson Cancer Center for 12 years before helping myeloma patient, Jenny Ahlstrom, start up HealthTree. He specializes in patient experience, helping patients understand their options, and becoming decision makers with their care teams. Prior experience includes IT development projects at Intermountain HealthCare and UnitedHealthcare. Todd has a passion for using technology that can help patients have a better life, and along the way, help to further research for a cure.
Maria Sahagún
Maria is the Coach Program Coordinator at HealthTree, where she has been part of the team since 2020. She holds a Master’s in Neurolinguistic Programming from the European Business School, CEUPE. Passionate about helping patients find the right resources, she values hearing their stories and supporting them along their journey. Outside of work, Maria loves dogs and nature, enjoys reading psychology research papers, and is always exploring new ways to prepare coffee.