Dr. Jo-Anne 'EC' Evans Coleman, PhD, EdD, CNP, is a remarkable leader and the founder of the Meningioma Brain Tumor Network, Inc. (MBTN), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to empowering individuals affected by meningioma brain tumors. As a brave survivor-thriver of a right-wing spheno-orbital meningioma, Dr. EC established MBTN to foster a strong and supportive community that addresses the multifaceted psychosocial challenges faced by patients, survivors-thrivers, families, and caregivers. Her vision, driven by compassion and collaboration, is transforming lives and making a profound impact in the fight against this brain disease.

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As CEO, EC is highly qualified to lead this organization. She has more than 30 years of experience in executive leadership, administration, and management within higher education and entrepreneurship, spanning both the nonprofit and private sectors. Notably, she is a mental health practitioner and provided care in various healthcare settings and has served as an independent contractor for multiple businesses, industries, and government agencies.

 

In 2015, nine (9) months post her craniotomy and cranioplasty, she became a Minnesota State Advocacy Leader for the National Brain Tumor Society, where she annually testifies on Capitol Hill for congressional funding that continuously supports brain tumor treatment and research.

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Dr. EC's advocacy is deeply influenced by her personal experiences with a Grade 1 spheno-orbital meningioma. She has emerged as a prominent voice for meningioma survivors-thrivers, by sharing her "lived experiences." Through her work at MBTN, she aims to develop a meningioma-specific health-related-quality-of-life assessment tool, establish standards of care using patient-reported pre-and post-treatment assessments, and promote interprofessional care teams service, to better address health-related quality-of-life outcomes for meningioma brain tumor survivors-thrivers.

 

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