David Thomas learned about Epic Experience through his wife, Rebecca “Giddy Up” Thomas, who is a Hodgkin's lymphoma and breast cancer survivor. She was a camper at one of the week-long Epic Experience camps and now volunteers regularly for the organization. In 2022, David attended the Epic Experience Hearts and Hope Gala and a regional meet up in the state of Maine, and quickly realized why Rebecca found the Epic Experience community extraordinary. He is excited to help Epic Experience with its mission and positively influence the lives of cancer survivors.

David has been with Consigli Construction Co., Inc. since 2004 and currently helps lead their Portland, Maine office. Consigli is one of the largest employee-owned construction managers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic with offices dotting the east coast from Maine to Washington DC. Consigli has been recognized in each of their regional offices as a Best Place to Work and nationally as a Best Employer by Forbes.

David and Rebecca enjoy the outdoors, travel, running, fishing, and spending time with their four-legged children.

Julie Uspal is an Emergency Medicine physician in Philadelphia and is honored to be part of the Epic Experience family. 

She is originally from Reading, Pennsylvania, and attended the University of Pittsburgh for her undergraduate studies and the Penn State College of Medicine for medical school. She completed her residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and then joined the faculty at Penn Medicine in 2016. She currently works as an Emergency Medicine Attending and serves as the Director of Quality and Safety in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Emergency Department. 

Julie is a breast cancer survivor who attended a winter camp with Epic Experience in 2018. She is grateful for the healing power of the Colorado mountains and the lifelong friendships she made through Epic Experience. Her experience at camp was so inspiring that she felt called to give back to the cancer community as a volunteer with Epic Experience. She has volunteered at multiple camps, is a member of the Medical Advisory Team, and now serves on the Board of Directors. She is honored to give back to an organization that does so much for the adult cancer community.

Julie enjoys travel, cooking, and adventures with her family. She lives in South Jersey with her wonderful husband, two amazing sons, and beloved pug. 

Cory Sly was introduced to Epic Experience by his good friend and McKesson mentor, the late Louis Chinn, aka “Stud”. Cory and a group of friends and co-workers came together to run a half marathon in San Leandro, CA and raise funds for Epic Experience in honor of Louis’ battle with cancer.  The group pivoted once COVID-19 lingered and ended up running the half marathon virtually and raising over $10,000.  

Cory is a midwesterner at heart, born and raised in the St. Louis/Southern Illinois area before spending 10 years in the suburbs of Chicago all while maintaining his love for the better of the baseball teams, the St. Louis Cardinals.  Cory attended Ball State University in Muncie, IN obtaining his Bachelor's degree in Sports Administration and Marketing.  A couple years after college, Cory had the opportunity to join McKesson and over the past 12 years has spent his time with the company working with Oncology Clinics and Manufacturers to ensure oncology practices and patients have the drugs they need, when they need it. Louis’ mentorship instilled a true patient first approach into Cory’s philosophy.  That approach tied with the ‘get the job done attitude’ he inherited from his parents have led to many successful problem solving drills in order to get the patient what they needed, when they needed it. 

Cory and his family call Indianapolis home, enjoying the full four seasons the Midwest offers.  Cory is a dedicated father, husband and son with an incredible support system.  When Cory is not spending time with his two daughters, wife, family or friends he enjoys running, golfing, traveling, catching up with friends and a glass of bourbon! When around the house his four legged best friend, Yadi, is not too far away.  

A multitude of family members and friends within Cory’s life have been impacted by cancer.  The opportunity to join the Epic Board of Directors was welcomed with open hands and excitement.  Cory looks forward to continuing to support and assist the amazing work and growth of Epic Experience. 

Michael was born in Sacramento and lived there  until he went off to attend Regis University in Denver, Colorado. He is a survivor of testicular cancer and a macro prolactinoma pituitary brain tumor, both of which were diagnosed in 2007. Michael has worked at Fortune 500 companies as well as smaller real estate SaaS start-ups. When Michael isn’t working, you can find him on the golf course, hanging with his dogs, and getting cocktails in Old Town Arvada with his fiancé.

Michael is excited to be a part of Epic Experience and looks forward to Epic’s future growth and continuing its mission of empowering cancer thrivers and survivors.

Ron Bye is a 49 year survivor of testicular cancer having been diagnosed in 1975 at the ripe old age of 20. At the time, such a diagnosis was a virtual death sentence with a mortality rate of 95%.  He beat incredible odds against him!

Ron attended the Epic camp in the summer of 2022 for TC survivors and was so impressed he simply had to get more involved. Ron serves on the Finance Committee, bringing his extensive business experience to help further the mission of Epic.

Ron has done public speaking on his cancer experience and survival as well as being a published author.

Ron has nearly 50 years business experience and more than a dozen BOD positions for various non-profits including numerous cancer advocacy organizations. He has held global leadership positions for both private and public companies and led a staff of over 400 professionals.

Tanya “Silver” Friesen learned about Epic Experience from a friend when she was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer in 2022. She was able to attend the week-long winter camp in 2025, and it was exactly what she needed. Tanya underwent several surgeries and will do targeted therapy for the rest of her life. Even though she was blessed to be supported throughout her journey by friends and family, she realised that she needed a safe place to heal her soul, and having a supportive cancer community was crucial. Once she returned, she wanted to pay it forward, so she began volunteering for Epic Experience in any way she could. Later in 2025, Tanya and her husband, Eric, attended a caregiver/camper experience in Maine. He, too, was able to see firsthand what a special organization Epic Experience is.

One of Tanya’s core beliefs is that growth and positive outcomes come out of adversity. Hence, she chose the name “Silver” to reflect life’s silver linings. One of her favorite sayings is “The best views come from the hardest climbs.”

Tanya is a fourth-generation Denver native and has spent much of her life climbing, skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, and exploring the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. In her free time, she also loves spending quality time with her friends and family, traveling, walking her dogs, and reading. Above all else, she adores her husband of 30 years and two adult daughters, April and Victoria. Tanya devoted her career to teaching. She held many roles, but found her calling as an upper elementary school teacher. After 30 years in education, she retired when she got sick and learned she would always need treatment. Nowadays, she works part-time as a supervisor at Five Wellbeing Day Spa and volunteers with Epic Experience.  

Melissa Grosboll, aka “Doc”, grew up a block from the Gulf of Mexico in Florida and has called Colorado her home for almost 30 years. A retired chiropractor, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023. Wanting to use her own experience to help others on their cancer journey, Melissa became a personal trainer, certifying as a cancer exercise specialist, helping cancer patients and survivors keep or regain their health and strength during and after treatment. She also loved hearing other people’ cancer stories so much that she launched a podcast “The Many Faces of Cancer”, sharing stories of hope and inspiration.

Melissa found Epic Experience in 2024 and went to camp in June of 2025. She was so transformed by her experience that she wanted to do all she could to help bring Epic to more people.  

Melissa and her husband Jon have been married over 30 years and their daughter Dani is currently studying to be an engineer. In her free time, Melissa loves reading, running, traveling, especially if there’s a beach involved, and spending quality time with family and friends. She loves the mountains, but the ocean will always be her happy place.

Board Member Emeritus

Dr Paul Maroni was unanimously elected to the Board of Director Emeritus for his founding support of Epic Experience. He has been an urologic and surgical oncologist at the University of Colorado Hospital since 2007. He tries to spend as much time as possible with his wife Nikki and children Samantha and AJ. He is an avid runner, occasional biker, and poor fisherman that believes family and relationships make life worthwhile. He is interested in helping survivors/caregivers overcome the frightening experience of “having cancer” and emerge as stronger, healthier individuals – a core goal of the EPIC experience. He brings organizational, educational, and medical experience to the board of directors.

David is from New England, growing up in Connecticut and living in Massachusetts for over two decades. He is a survivor of testicular cancer and was introduced to Epic Experience as a winter camper in 2017, where he has said his experience “changed his life.”  He has since volunteered at the 7W ranch during the winter of 2019.

David is the CEO of Doc Wayne Youth Services, which is a Boston based award winning non-profit focused on working with youth with mental health challenges and victims of complex trauma through the power of sport. He is a former college soccer player and has been involved in the sport for social change space since 2008 as he is also the founder of Playing It Forward, a non-profit which provides sports equipment to thousands of underserved youth around the world. 

David earned his B.S. from Babson College and his MBA from the McCallum Graduate School of Business at Bentley University.

He and his wife, Lauren, have two daughters and two Doodles. He enjoys coaching, traveling and honing his Rummikub skills when he can. His goal is to help the organization grow so that more adult survivors are able to attend camp and experience how “game-changing” Epic Experience can be.

Chris grew up in Northern California before relocating to Los Angeles to attend UCLA.  He decided to stick around LA, where he owns a fitness training center, Sweat City Fitness.  His father Louis, aka "Stud," was a very beloved Epic Experience camper and Board member.  Louis' tremendous passion for Epic Experience led Chris to seek out ways he could provide value as well.  After Covid forced Sweat City to transition online to Zoom training classes, Chris realized there was finally an opportunity to offer his programs directly to Epic Experience.  And thus, Chris, aka "Burpee," became part of the Epic Experience family by way of health and fitness.

Denny “Stretch” Williams is from Louisville, KY. He was diagnosed in January 2022 with esophageal
cancer. After treatments and surgery, he is living life beyond cancer. Denny attended Epic Experience in
March 2023. After camp, he realized the need to pay it forward and became a camp volunteer to help
other cancers survivors. Stretch is an advocate for the mental health side of cancer and willing to share
his story to bring hope for others fighting this disease.

Denny is married with two boys. An avid sports fan, he cheers on the Cincinnati Reds and anything
University of Louisville athletics. He was a college baseball player at UofL and stands 6’8” tall. Hince the
nickname “Stretch”. Denny works as a high school athletic director.

Jay joined Team Epic as the resident Tech Specialist after attending an Epic Experience winter camp in 2015. Diagnosed with Philadelphia Positive Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in 2011, Jay saw firsthand how outdoor adventure camps can positively affect the lives of cancer survivors, and he wanted to give back. 

Jay gained a newfound passion for the outdoors, and loves volunteering at the Epic Experience camps. In his free time, Jay enjoys staying active in nature, learning about blockchain and Ethereum, and connecting with other cancer survivors at conferences and meet-ups. 

"For me, cancer has been a blessing in disguise. It has opened my eyes to a world I did not know existed, and has set me on a path of self discovery to find my true passion in life. "

Gail hosts the Epic Experience Campfires of Hope podcast. She is a uterine and ovarian cancer survivor who didn’t do support groups—until she attended a winter camp in 2016 and discovered the healing power of community, laughter, and the great outdoors. Soon after, she joined Team Epic and started volunteering at camps so other survivors could gain hope to live beyond cancer.

A California girl who spent twelve years in the Sunshine State, Gail is now thoroughly enjoying her new home in Colorado, mountain gazing and hiking as often as possible.    

Since starting Epic Experience in 2012,  Nancy loves each and every camp watching cancer survivors stretch beyond their usual comfort zone.   Her main role at camp is cooking and working with Wingman and the volunteers. 

Nancy love watching the impact of what a week of an Epic Experience has done for all of the cancer survivors that have attended from the first day they arrive to when they go home.

MD
Medical Oncologist
University of Colorado Cancer Center

I became involved because I have taken care of many cancer patients and found the idea of the EPIC Experience a way to give back for all they have taught me over the years. As a cancer survivor myself, I hope to be able to empathize and empower participants in our camps.

Retired Nurse
Epic Experience Cancer Thriver

I have been a pediatric nurse for over 30 years. Most of my experience was at The Children’s Hospital on a general medical/surgical unit and coordinating pediatric clinical trials, but I did dabble in biotech and adult oncology clinical trials for the last few years.

On March 5, 2014, my life changed forever; I was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. Being a non-smoker all my life, this came at quite a shock. I sought care for my cancer at the Anschutz Cancer Center at University of Colorado Hospital. I was introduced to Epic Experience through the social worker and the rest is history.

I became an Epic camper in June 2014. The experience was life changing and it will forever remind me that there is, indeed, life after you have been told, “You have cancer”. Epic allowed me to push past those scary limits I set for myself and let me have fun doing it. On the days when I begin to feel sorry for myself, I think of all the brave cancer fighters and survivors from camp who are either walking a much more challenging journey than I can ever imagine or have walked the walk before me and have come out the other side stronger and more hopeful than ever.

Although I have Stage IV lung cancer, my treatment has allowed me to continue doing the things in my life I truly enjoy like running, skiing, hiking and being with my friends and family. Because of today’s cutting edge research and current treatment options, I plan on being around for a long time!

Everyone is so busy with life, but when the majority of the Epic Experience camp volunteers are previous campers themselves, it says a lot about the program. The urge to “pay it forward” is strong and this is why I want to volunteer my time and experience for such a great organization

RN, BSN, OCN
Calloway Young Cancer Center

I’ve been an Oncology nurse for 8 years. I work at the Calaway Young Cancer Center in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. I’m passionate about helping my oncology patients. I joined The EPIC Experience family  because I wanted to continue to give back. I’ve spent much of my nursing career focused on oncology treatment. I’ve come to learn the Survivorship is where the continued healing happens!
Since moving to CO in 2010, the mountains of Colorado have been my playground. I love trail running, rafting, and my Berner pup Finnley.

Cyndi currently lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin with her husband and therapy dog, Jax. She works full-time as a nurse practitioner. She was diagnosed at the age of 26 with Ewing Sarcoma and Stage 3 breast cancer in 2016. 

Cyndi found Epic Experience while looking for ways to help her get back to a normal life after her cancer treatment. She attended summer camp in June of 2018. Cyndi’s experience at camp was truely life changing. She felt she was stuck in a world where she wasn’t able to see past her cancer diagnosis and Epic Experience provided her the opportunity to see that it was okay to plan a life after cancer. She found a whole new support sytem and family that helped her thrive.

Cyndi returned to the 7W Ranch in October 2023, with Epic’s first ever alumni week fundraiser. She brought her husband, Brian with so he could see the place that impacted her life so much. 

Cyndi continues to pay if forward by helping with the Epic Alumni & Epic Medical teams. She also gives back by volunteering as the medical personnel at weekly camps.

Jill of all Trades
New Jersey

Bee (Sabine Schwab as she is known in the real world) attended an Epic Experience camp in May 2016. It was her first time in the beautiful state of Colorado – and she "absolutely fell in love”. Right after camp, Bee joined the Alumni team, and has been back to the ranch as a volunteer every year since.

Sabine is a primary brain tumor survivor, Ph.D., German emigrant to the U.S., mom to a little girl, avid yogi and rock climber. She loves traveling and photography as much as volunteering for Epic. Being a a strong believer in the healing power of nature and togetherness, Bee aims is to to connect other cancer survivors to live up to the quote:

“When “I” is replaced by “We”, Illness becomes Wellness!” (Malcolm X).

Jordan Adams, aka “Specs”, is an outdoorsman, partner dancer, eyewear enthusiast, cat whisperer, board game maestro and ultimate frisbee player from Sacramento, CA. He was diagnosed with Uveal Melanoma, a rare eye cancer that forced the removal of his right eye in September 2016. He now wears a prosthetic eye, which he considers a monument to his cancers demise.  

Jordan attended camp in the summer of 2017, during a low point in his post-cancer life. Being a part of EPIC was instrumental in giving him an opportunity to relive all the outdoorsy fun he loved so much prior to his diagnosis, and prove to himself that he didn’t have to stop doing what brings him joy because of cancer! It also demonstrated to him the value of empathy and community among survivors, and he hopes to bring that sense of community and support to others through the alumni team.

Carly (Tater Tot) Weingart lives in Minneapolis, MN. She is a senior at the University of Minnesota where she is majoring in Sociology of Law, Criminology and Deviance and minoring in Psychology. With her degree, she wants to work in the criminal justice field and hopes to help people in the system, and bridge the gap of inequality when it comes to criminal justice issues. She enjoys being outside, hanging with friends and family and loves to watch crime shows. She is a devoted cat mom. Right before her sophomore year of college, she was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma of the spine. Carly says she learned a lot about herself and her strength throughout her journey with cancer. As of May 2020, she is 2 years cancer free!!

Tater Tot attended camp in July of 2019 and her experience at camp taught her that she can push her body to its limits and still enjoy every minute of every day. She really enjoyed meeting new people and being able to discuss her journey with other cancer survivors.

Rebecca “Giddy Up” Thomas attended an Epic Experience camp in August of 2019. Her love of Colorado started many years prior when she went to a dude ranch and fell in love with horses which is where the name Giddy Up came from. She has two beautiful horses, three dogs, and two cats. She returned as a volunteer in February of 2020 and joined the Alumni team in 2021. She works as a medical assistant and offers therapeutic horse back riding lessons. She lives on Little Sebago Lake in Maine, where she and her husband enjoy fishing, various outdoor activities, and travel. 

Rebecca is a survivor of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and breast cancer. Camp allowed her to connect with other survivors in a way that was truly healing. Cancer brings an array of emotions both during and after treatment. Being able to embrace the beauty of camp, participate in amazing activities, and have true and honest discussions with others was eye opening and needed. She felt like she gained a whole new family and looks forward to others with to survive and thrive beyond cancer.

Jason Gallman is honored to be a part of the Epic Experience Alumni team! In May of 2022, Jason attended the first men's camp at the 7W Ranch. In 2018, he was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer and genetic testing revealed he had Lynch Syndrome. Through the goodness of God and an amazing team of doctors, Jason had his first clear scan in May of 2019! 

Any cancer survivor knows that even a good scan doesn’t erase cancer from your life as follow up monitoring never ends. So Jason was thankful that along the way, he was introduced to Epic Experience and attended the week-long camp in Colorado. Jason was inspired to see men of all ages and fitness levels, in different stages of their cancer journey come together for a week of adventure. 

Jason lives close to Louisville, Kentucky with his wife, two daughters, and three dogs. Jason is an active person who prioritizes fitness. He has served as an Indiana Gaming Agent for over 15 years and is active in his church, Eastside Christian.

Cyndi currently lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin with her husband and therapy dog, Jax. She works full-time as a nurse practitioner. She was diagnosed at the age of 26 with Ewing Sarcoma and Stage 3 breast cancer in 2016. 

Cyndi found Epic Experience while looking for ways to help her get back to a normal life after her cancer treatment. She attended summer camp in June of 2018. Cyndi’s experience at camp was truely life changing. She felt she was stuck in a world where she wasn’t able to see past her cancer diagnosis and Epic Experience provided her the opportunity to see that it was okay to plan a life after cancer. She found a whole new support sytem and family that helped her thrive.

Cyndi returned to the 7W Ranch in October 2023, with Epic’s first ever alumni week fundraiser. She brought her husband, Brian with so he could see the place that impacted her life so much. 

Cyndi continues to pay if forward by helping with the Epic Alumni & Epic Medical teams. She also gives back by volunteering as the medical personnel at weekly camps.

Heather “Birdie” Finlay, of Point Pleasant Borough, NJ, was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2019. After undergoing several surgeries and treatments, she began living beyond cancer in 2021—with a renewed strength and vibrant spirit.

Epic Experience reignited Heather’s confidence in her resilience and reminded her how much she loves being physically challenged. She attended winter camp in March 2023, followed by a return to 7W Ranch in October for Epic’s first-ever Alumni Week fundraiser. She's participated in multiple regional events and cohosted a Pilates-based gathering in Spring 2025.

Heather found the volunteers and participants at Epic to be incredible individuals—people she's proud to now call her friends. She’s especially honored and overjoyed to have been asked to join the Epic alumni team, continuing the mission that helped her reclaim her strength.

Heather works in a legislative office and teaches Pilates. At home, she’s surrounded by her two Labradors and three birds—living each day with joy, purpose, and resilience.