jennifer@lynchsyndromeawareness.com

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Jennifer Mercer was born and raised in the metro Atlanta area. Due to unforeseen life circumstances, she began her professional career at an early age, gaining experience across a variety of fields, including accounting, management, sales, customer service, and nonprofit volunteer work. These experiences helped shape the leadership, determination, and compassion she would later bring to her work as a patient advocate and nonprofit founder.

Jennifer is also the proud mother of two, a role she considers the most meaningful of her life.

In 2016, Jennifer learned that her biological father had been diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome caused by an MSH2 Boland inversion, along with Muir-Torre syndrome. He had been battling cancer since the age of 35 and, over the course of his life, faced eight organ cancers and more than 100 skin cancers. At the time, genetic testing was considerably more expensive, and Jennifer admits that fear played a role in delaying her own testing. Although she tried to put the possibility out of her mind, watching her father’s repeated battles with cancer left a lasting impact.

Following her father’s passing in February 2023, Jennifer decided she could no longer avoid knowing her own genetic status. She met with a genetic counselor and underwent testing, learning that she too carries the MSH2 Boland inversion associated with Lynch Syndrome.

Rather than allowing the diagnosis to be defined by fear, Jennifer immersed herself in learning everything she could about Lynch Syndrome and became proactive about her own health. She describes the knowledge of her diagnosis as empowering:

"I have been given a flashlight—the knowledge—and I will follow the map—the recommended screenings and testing—throughout my Lynch Syndrome journey."

Approximately 14 months later, Jennifer learned that she had two half-siblings through her late father. Her half-sister, Thrisha, was the first to discover their connection through Ancestry.com, and the nonprofit DNA Angels ultimately helped connect all three siblings. After they connected, Jennifer shared her Lynch Syndrome diagnosis and family mutation with them. She was stunned to learn that her sister had already faced two cancers by the age of 36. Their family experience strengthened Jennifer’s determination to better understand hereditary cancer and help other families recognize the importance of knowing and sharing their medical history.

During a visit with her Lynch Syndrome care team at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Jennifer asked her physicians what she could do to make a difference. Their answer was simple: help spread awareness.

Jennifer had already begun to recognize a significant gap in knowledge surrounding Lynch Syndrome—not only among the general public, but also within parts of the healthcare community. That realization became the driving force behind the creation of Lynch Syndrome Awareness and Education, Inc.

As Founder and CEO, Jennifer is committed to increasing awareness of Lynch Syndrome, helping individuals become informed advocates for their own health, encouraging genetic testing and appropriate cancer screening, and empowering families to openly share their hereditary cancer history. LSAE also focuses on more education in within the medical professionals.  Her hope is that greater awareness and earlier identification can help prevent future generations from facing cancers that might otherwise be detected too late.

Jennifer brings a deeply personal perspective to the organization, combining her experience as a Lynch Syndrome carrier, daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, advocate, and nonprofit leader to advance a mission centered on education, awareness, prevention, and hope.

Outside of her advocacy work, Jennifer treasures spending time with her family and friends and enjoys life with her two dogs.

Born in Illinois and raised in Georgia, Jeff is a dedicated husband and father. Since childhood, he has enjoyed giving back to his community through activities such as local soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, Children’s Miracle Network, and Make-A-Wish.

After graduating from Furman University in 1998, he began his professional career at Home Depot’s corporate headquarters in Atlanta, GA. During his 28 years at the company, he has held leadership roles in Finance, Operations, Merchandising, and Customer Analytics. He currently manages a team devoted to connecting professional contractors to sales and capability opportunities. Throughout his career, he has been passionate about helping others, leading initiatives such as the ‘Giving Back Team’ and ‘Voice of the Associate’ to support community outreach efforts and advocating for employee’s careers and interests.

Jeff is married to Jennifer Mercer, founder and CEO of Lynch Syndrome Awareness & Education, Inc., and together they have a wonderful blended family of four children. After Jennifer’s Lynch Syndrome diagnosis in 2023, Jeff became a strong advocate for her mission, supporting her efforts to raise awareness and educate others about the condition.

Thrisha Melya Logan is a dedicated business professional and passionate advocate for Lynch Syndrome awareness. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Saint Leo University in 2011, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a minor in Accounting. She is currently continuing her education at Western Governors University, where she is pursuing a Master of Business Administration, with an expected graduation in 2027.

In 2024, Thrisha was diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome, a hereditary condition that significantly increases the risk of several cancers. Through her own experience, she quickly recognized the need for greater awareness, education, and understanding of Lynch Syndrome—not only among the general public, but also within the healthcare community.

That experience inspired Thrisha to become an advocate for individuals and families affected by Lynch Syndrome. She is passionate about helping others better understand their hereditary cancer risks, encouraging greater awareness, and supporting efforts to improve education and access to reliable resources.

With her strong business background and personal connection to Lynch Syndrome, Thrisha brings a valuable perspective to the board. She combines strategic thinking, leadership, and compassion with a genuine commitment to advancing the mission of Lynch Syndrome Awareness.

Outside of her advocacy work, Thrisha enjoys spending time with her daughter, Ellie, and her family, taking walks with her three dogs, traveling to new places, and relaxing by the fireplace while watching one of her favorite action-drama television shows.

tanja@lynchsyndromeawareness.com

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Tanja is a founding member. She leads outreach and relationship-building efforts to expand the organization’s reach, strengthen strategic partnerships, and advance awareness and education surrounding Lynch syndrome and hereditary cancers.

With more than 18 years of professional experience spanning sales, operations, marketing, customer relations, and community outreach, Tanja brings a relationship-centered and action-oriented approach to nonprofit leadership. Throughout her career, she has focused on building trust, developing partnerships, coordinating people and projects, and transforming ideas into meaningful action.

At LSAE, Tanja develops and strengthens relationships with healthcare professionals, genetic counselors, researchers, patient advocacy organizations, nonprofits, industry partners, volunteers, and community organizations. Her work encompasses professional and community outreach, partnership development, volunteer engagement, events and conferences, fundraising initiatives, and identifying new opportunities for collaboration that further LSAE’s mission.

Tanja is particularly passionate about building bridges among patients, families, healthcare professionals, researchers, advocates, and organizations. She believes meaningful collaboration is essential to expanding access to credible information, increasing awareness, encouraging earlier identification, and improving lifelong support for individuals and families affected by Lynch syndrome.

Her commitment to service extends beyond her professional career. Through volunteer and community involvement, Tanja has supported youth and mission-driven organizations and has seen firsthand the impact committed individuals can make when they work toward a common purpose.

Her experiences as part of a military family have also shaped the adaptability, persistence, and sense of service she brings to her work.

Tanja approaches her role at LSAE with a simple philosophy: relationships create opportunities, collaboration creates progress, and informed communities can change lives.

LSAE Interests & Strengths

Tanja’s strengths include relationship building, communication, organization, problem-solving, project coordination, outreach, and turning ideas into action.

She enjoys writing, planning events, developing partnerships, connecting people and resources, and finding practical solutions when something needs to get done.

Her interests include community service, education, healthcare and science, advocacy, professional networking, communications, and opportunities to bring people together around a shared purpose.

Tanja is especially energized by projects where she can help build something, improve a process, or make connections that lead to meaningful results.

Tiffany L. Young was born in Baytown, Texas, and is deeply proud of her Texas roots. Her journey has taken her from the Lone Star State to Atlanta, Georgia, where she spent time growing and evolving, and now to Florida, a place she proudly calls home. Affectionately considering herself a “Peach Rose Under the Sun,” she is a blend of Texas strength, Georgia charm, and Florida warmth.

With over 20 years of leadership experience in Fortune 500 companies, Tiffany has honed her expertise in strategic planning, operations, and organizational development, all while fostering a deep commitment to uplifting others. Known for her strong yet compassionate leadership, she believes in the power of human connection and strives to inspire, support, and empower those around her.

As a successful business owner, Interior Designer, and Realtor, Tiffany blends her creative vision with business expertise to help clients transform their spaces and make meaningful investments in their futures. She and her husband, Lamont Young, are passionate entrepreneurs who actively support education initiatives, using their platform to uplift their community. Tiffany has a passion for empowering young women, mentoring and guiding them to pursue their goals with confidence. She values the importance of bringing people together, fostering meaningful relationships, and creating warm, welcoming experiences in both her personal and professional life.

Tiffany is a proud alumna of Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, where she cultivated her passion for leadership, service, and lifelong learning.

At the heart of it all, family is her greatest treasure. Between them, Tiffany and Lamont share five adult children and one grandchild, and she is embracing her newest role as a proud new grandmother. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and traveling, always seeking new cultures, flavors, and experiences. A devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, Tiffany seamlessly balances her career, passions, and family with grace and purpose.

Sara Kavanaugh is a hereditary cancer previvor living with Lynch Syndrome and a CHEK2 mutation. She’s an advocate for hereditary cancer awareness and has supported countless individuals as a peer navigator and patient advocate leader with FORCE.

She’s also the creator and host of The Positive Gene Podcast, where she shares expert interviews and real-life stories to help others better understand and manage their genetic risk.

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Sara brings experience in strategic communications, nonprofit collaboration, and public engagement. She joyfully balances her roles as a business owner, speaker, and mom of two — and she's excited to have her passion and perspective on the board.

Lauren is a young marketing professional based in Atlanta, with a passion for both innovative e-commerce strategies and giving back to her community. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and earned a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from the University of Georgia, where she cultivated a strong foundation in consumer behavior, digital marketing, and brand strategy.

Currently, she works in e-commerce marketing at Home Depot’s corporate headquarters, where she applies her knowledge and skills to drive growth and customer engagement across digital platforms. Her role allows her to blend creativity with data-driven decision-making to deliver impactful marketing solutions.

In addition to her professional work, she is deeply committed to philanthropy. She has volunteered with organizations like Children’s Miracle Network, Toys for Tots, and local homeless shelters. Giving back is a key part of her life, and she is inspired by the mission of her mom, the founder and CEO of Lynch Syndrome Awareness.

She is driven by a strong sense of purpose—combining her career with her passion for social good—and she looks forward to continuing to make a positive impact, both professionally and personally.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Jackie was diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome–related uterine cancer at the age of 30. After treatment, she went on to have two incredible daughters and today, at 38, she’s thriving in surgical menopause—living a life centered on purpose, joy, and intention. Lynch syndrome runs deep in Jackie’s family, affecting 4/5 members of her immediate family, which has inspired her to become an advocate for awareness and education around this genetic condition. Jackie is passionate about helping others better understand their health risks and take empowered, proactive steps toward prevention and wellness.

Following a 15-year career in marketing and creative roles with companies like J.Crew, L’Oréal and Gap Inc., Jackie felt called to turn her personal journey into something meaningful. In early 2025, she launched her own holistic health coaching business, Really Well with Jackie, after earning her Health & Wellness Coaching Certification from Emory University (2023) and becoming a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) in 2024.

As both a cancer and menopause thriver, Jackie’s mission is to empower women to create sustainable, mindful habits that support long-term health, balance and happiness. Outside of work, you can find Jackie spending time with her family, enjoying the outdoors, cooking, reading, gardening, exercising, practicing yoga, and traveling whenever she can.

Laurin Lausier brings 34 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She is deeply committed to raising awareness and advancing understanding of Lynch Syndrome, a cause she is personally passionate about due to her mother's diagnosis of four distinct cancers over a five-year period. After a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer, her mother recently passed away.

In addition to her healthcare work, Laurin actively contributes to her community. She currently serves on the Board of DreamWeavers of Georgia and previously held a position on the Board of Giving Children a Chance from 2021 to 2024.

Laurin resides with her husband of 25 years, Matt, their two daughters, son, and their Bernese Mountain dog, Izzy. Outside of her professional and volunteer commitments, she enjoys traveling and cherishing quality time with family and friends.

Gail was a multifaceted professional with a strong background in both technical and humanitarian fields. With 32 years of experience at the Department of Defense, Gail has served as a Systems Analyst, Program Analyst, and Project Manager. In her role as Project Manager, she successfully led diverse teams, often navigating differing perspectives.

Her expertise in mediation and conflict resolution played a crucial role in keeping projects on track and fostering collaboration. Beyond her professional career, Gail has dedicated over 15 years to serving as a leader and co-leader for ministries that provide emotional support to individuals coping with grief. She is also actively involved in hands-on charitable efforts, assisting those in need during personal hardships and regional crises.

In addition, Gail has served on the boards of two successful charitable foundations, further demonstrating her commitment to making a meaningful impact in the community.

Beverly born in Oakland, California, and grew up as a military child, which gave her the opportunity to live in various places around the world. She has called Georgia home for over 60 years. Throughout her career, Beverly has held a variety of roles, including hospital operations, teaching special education, and working in customer service and sales before retiring. However, her most treasured roles are being a mother and grandmother.

Beverly has also been actively involved in several non-profit organizations, with a deep passion for giving back through volunteer work. Committed to making a positive impact, she is excited to contribute to Lynch Syndrome Awareness and Education, raising much-needed awareness for this important cause.