Leadership Team

Michael (Mike) Weiner is Marcia's oldest brother and has made her mission his mission. He is drawn to her cause as he watched his sister's courageous fight, and has learned two things about cancer: one, it touches all of us; two, we all have ways to give of ourselves to support a family member, friend, or colleague in a way that is uniquely us.

Mike holds an MBA from Rensselaer and a BA from the University of Maryland. His expertise is in healthcare products and market development. He brings to Marcia Courage an optimistic outlook and a personal touch to the battles fought every day.

I am many things, but the thing I am most proud of is being married to Marcia, my best friend and love of my life, and being a Dad to our 3 wonderful daughters. I have learned many lessons but none that will prepare you for that moment when the doctor takes you from the exam room to his office, closes the door, and says those three words: "You have cancer."

As a former Division 1 athlete and 4x Ironman, one of the many things I have learned is that it's a long race where things will go wrong, and a big part of your success is how you handle them. This is a lot like life and cancer. We have all learned from Marcia that attitude is key. She exemplified Courage In Action every day and was probably the toughest person I know, both mentally and physically.

Our goal is to share our experience and provide resources to make a difference in the fight against cancer.

Tomi is the resident Social Worker and Best Friend. As a Clinical Social Worker, Tomi works to help others enhance their lives, and in keeping with that ideal, she joined Marcia Courage to help those battling cancer.

When Marcia was diagnosed, she asked Tomi to join her in the fight by remaining positive and upbeat. That was not as hard as it seems, because Marcia was an inspiration with her incredible strength, optimism, and seemingly endless energy, donating many Courage Bags to hospitals for other patients even while working full time and going through treatment herself.

Patients' self-care and comfort are so important, and Courage Bags give that at a time when it is needed most.

In the midst of watching a close friend battle breast cancer, Michael Giuffrida received the call from his best friend Mike Weiner about "our sister" Marcia and the battle she had ahead of her (Marcia called Michael her "brother from another brother"). Michael brings an optimistic viewpoint to every situation, including the outlook of Marcia's battle and the success of Marcia Courage.

Michael has been building and growing organizations since 1997, holds an Executive MBA from the University of Connecticut, and has served on multiple nonprofit boards. While battling cancer is different than battling cyber-attacks, both require creativity, persistence, and tenacity, and Michael brings those experiences to this mission.

Erica, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC, CPN, is Marcia's niece, though the relationship goes so much deeper. Marcia was part of Erica's life since the day she was born. She held her, loved her, and counseled her, and never stopped. When Erica moved to Washington, DC to begin her nursing career, their relationship grew even stronger, and Marcia's home was Erica's respite from city life.

Erica believes everyone should have an Aunt Marcia in their life. As a healthcare provider, she is on the front line of diagnosing, caring, and curing. She is a case manager at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, and earned her MSN from Maryville University and BSN from Appalachian State University. Marcia's memory continues to guide how Erica shows up for her patients and their families every day.