“Each one of us can make a difference. Together we can make change.”
Barbara Mikulski
Meet the Board.
Mari Galle, DACM, LAc
MBCC President & Co-founder
Mari Galle holds a Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and is a licensed acupuncturist with a specialty in oncology acupuncture. As the Director of Integrative Medicine and oncology acupuncturist at Cancer Rehab & Integrative Medicine, she works with cancer patients and loved ones treating side effects and symptoms associated with the diagnosis. She knows personally and professionally the importance of supporting cancer patients as they navigate treatments and beyond. Mari is a member of the Society of Integrative Oncology and is passionate about evidence-based medicine and integrative oncology as well as building a supportive community for patients, loved ones and care givers.
Krystle Zuniga, PhD, RD, LD
Dr. Krystle Zuniga is a registered and licensed dietitian at the Livestrong Cancer Institutes and an assistant professor in the department of oncology at Dell Medical School of the University of Texas at Austin. She completed her dietetic internship and earned her doctoral degree in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Zuniga has conducted nutrition and cancer research for over 13 years, and her research has been published in scientific journals including Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, Cancer Prevention Research, Nutrition and Cancer, and Journal of Geriatric Oncology. Dr. Zuniga enjoys sharing her passion, experience and knowledge in nutrition to help cancer patients and survivors feel empowered, using nutrition to optimize outcomes and improve quality of life.
Dr. Kathryn Hudson, MD
Dr. Hudson is a hematologist and oncologist in Austin, as well as the Director of Survivorship for Texas Oncology. She came to Texas Oncology in 2016 after completing her fellowship at Duke University. In her role as Director of Survivorship, she strives to improve the supportive care and quality of life of Texan cancer survivors and also prevent cancer recurrence. Dr. Hudson prides herself on staying up-to-date on the latest cancer research and strives to provide excellent care of the whole patient. She is passionate about clinical research and is proud that Texas Oncology offers cutting edge national clinical trials to our patients here in Austin. She has been published in peer-reviewed journals on topics including patient reported outcomes, quality of life of the cancer patient, and cancer therapeutics. She was honored to speak at the American Society of Clinically Oncology national meeting in June 2017 on breast cancer survivorship
Danyelle Weatherford
Danyelle Weatherford grew up in the bustling southeast, Texas town of Lake Jackson.
Her oxygen comes from knowing her family is healthy and happy and that she is sharing inspiring life lessons her parents and God have impressed on her.
A professional doer, she has over 20 years of professional experiences: Strategic Planning, Financial Management, Project Management, Entertainment Management, and Breast Cancer Advocacy. She is a storyteller no matter the capacity. Her entertainment resume reflects work from HBO, Lifetime Women’s Network, Lives of Women, commercials, as well as writing, acting, producing and directing award winning independent films.
A dedicated Bob Cat, Danyelle holds a BBA in Marketing from Texas State University and is currently the Chief Operating Officer for the Austin, Texas production and technology company, Sparxs Studio/INDIE Sparxs.
Danyelle loves a great cinnamon roll, elevating others to their potential, living in the moment and “Saving The World From The Ordinary”.
Penelope DeCou, MSW, LCSW
Penny DeCou is a licensed clinical social worker with a focus on medical social work. She has specialized in oncology for the last 14 years through her work with the American Cancer Society, Cancer Connection and Texas Oncology. Penny provides patients complex case management, individual counseling and facilitates cancer support groups through the TXO Paving the Way program. In recent years Penny has partnered with the Yale School of Nursing’s ‘Screening for Psychosocial Distress Program’ and was active in the design and implementation of routine distress screening for patients at Central Texas TXO. With a prior background in Naturopathy and passion for mind/body health, Penny has partnered frequently with Texas Oncology’s Survive and Thrive wellness programming and is a passionate advocate for the integrative services provided by Cancer Rehab & Integrative Medicine and MBCC.
Education
Penny received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne, a Bachelor of Health Sciences (Naturopathy) in Australia and her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Illinois-Chicago.
Accolades & Memberships
She is a member of the Association of Oncology Social Workers and National Association of Social Workers.
Archie Imperial
Archie Imperial grew up in Lake Jackson, Texas. He’s a graduate of Trinity University and Dental School at the UTHSC San Antonio. After building a family dental practice in Austin for 21 years, he retired after neck and back issues. Until then he liked playing tennis, cycling and doing triathlons. He is married to his wife Carol, also from Lake Jackson. Together they raised three sons in the Austin community.
After dentistry, Archie has been volunteering at various organizations around Austin. He enjoys being a dad, photography, traveling and tinkering around building things. His connection to cancer began 6 years ago and it has touched the family deeply. His oldest son Josh was diagnosed in 2017 with a rare cancer and lost his battle in 2018. His wife Carol was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, and is now in remission.
As a caregiver he has acquired first hand knowledge of what the “job” is. The stress, sacrifice, doubts and despair are experiences that Archie draws upon. He wants to help provide insights for the cancer community to enhance programs and knowledge for caregivers.
