Our Story

The Chick Mission idea "hatched" when Amanda's fertility preservation coverage was denied by her insurance company. Staring down a long road of chemo, radiation and long-term drug therapy, Amanda understood the high likelihood of infertility after her treatment and decided to move forward covering the costs on her own. The idea of other patients choosing not to pursue preservation simply because of the cost barrier did not sit well - socioeconomic standing should not dictate whether anyone has an opportunity to have biological children after they battle and beat cancer. Wouldn’t it be incredible if every single young female cancer patient had the option to preserve her fertility ahead of lifesaving treatment? As a woman who has spent over a decade raising money for a living, Amanda utilized that skill set to help get The Chick Mission off the ground. She jumped down the rabbit hole of necessary paperwork to incorporate and the rest is history.

It is our goal to start educational conversations bringing this issue into the lexicon of the many, advocate on behalf of those who live in states without specific legislation mandating insurance companies cover fertility preservation in these cases and to assist newly diagnosed patients with need based grants to cover the costs of these procedures. Our organization strives to give any affected woman a choice regarding her future family before lifesaving treatment makes decisions for her. We will advocate, educate and fundraise until coverage is the new norm in all 50 states.

Tracy Weiss, a Midwestern expatriate, has called New York city home for 20+ years. She spent a decade working in the entertainment industry before a cervical cancer diagnosis at the age of 30. Despite facing a treatment plan that would ensure infertility, Tracy’s insurance company denied her claim to preserve fertility as ‘elective’ - as if anyone would choose to have a tumor. In 2017, she joined the founding board of TCM (the resident creative among math nerds) and has served as the Executive Director since 2020.

Laurie Katz, Chief Revenue Officer of Figure Markets, understands what it feels like when a mother, a matriarch is affected by this disease. Laurie is the daughter of a strong woman who silently battled multiple forms of cancer. Now as a parent to teenage boys, Laurie uses her (little) free time to stand up for patients and to the disease to which her mother succumbed.

Emily Fritz spends her days as the Director of Business Development at LibreMax Capital and her nights as a supermom to two tiny dudes. Emily brought her West Coast steel to Amanda’s cancer fights, the friend who sat in on multiple chemo sessions and now uses her “never give up” collegiate varsity soccer mentality to push The Chick Mission forward.

Jane Rice is a career long project manager who knows how to get shit done. Supporting her youngest child through not one or two, but three bouts with cancer, Jane has the unique perspective of knowing what happens to a mother watching her child experience this disease. Newly retired, she was the first person to say yes to the heavy lifting of getting a non-profit off the ground and is invaluable as our Momma Hen to the Chicks.

Jaime M. Knopman, M.D. is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist with years of experience treating couples and individuals with infertility. She serves as the Director of Fertility Preservation for CCRM New York and the Chief Medical Officer of the Chick Mission. She also brings her personal brand of intelligence, no-nonsense and honesty to pushing fertility preservation options for cancer patients forward and our board business. When not inspiring her patients (and all of us) or her two grade school aged girls, she’s running marathons faster than should be legal.

Hailing from a Midwestern family with FIVE sisters, Naomi moved East to attend Harvard University and earn an MBA from Columbia Business School. Now a managing director in the Healthcare Group within the Investment Banking Division at Goldman Sachs, Naomi and her husband, James, became fertility preservation allies after a five year struggle with infertility. A proud mother to her daughter born via surrogate, she vowed to fight for other women to have the same opportunities modern medicine afforded her family.

Amy Schneidkraut Kessler is fiercely dedicated to creating equity in women’s health. As the Senior Managing Director and Head of Investor Relations at Centerbridge Partners, New York, she empowers her community to give back and acts as an advocate for systemic change in regards to the challenges facing young cancer patients. As a mother of two, Amy feels for women who dream of their own families after they’re battled and beaten cancer.

Boy Mom, Division One lacrosse teammate and Mane Global’s Head of Investor Relations & Business Development, Jamie Parrot, has added a new moniker to her roster: Executive Board Member. Jamie brings her special brand of strategic thinking and genuine warmth to our leadership as she ascends after several superstars on our Peeps Committee. Her boundless enthusiasm for our mission was forged in supporting family members and friends battling cancer. These experiences led her to this integral role, providing purpose and honors those she has lost.

Dana Petitto is a Managing Director at Brookfield Asset Management in their Real Estate group. Her proudest achievement has been co-founding The Brookfield Women’s Network (and demanding free sanitary products in all bathrooms)! In addition to fundraising for and actively managing Brookfield’s non-traded REIT, Dana’s side-hustle is overseeing the Women’s Network, Pride Network and other Employee Engagement Groups at the organization. Dana is Mom to two hilarious kiddos who she is proud to be raising as little activists. Dana has been outspoken about Women’s Health and other inequities that we continue to face in the country, especially reproductive rights. After surviving multiple miscarriages and a post-partum near-death experience, Dana is not afraid to speak her mind and push the agenda forward to help women live the lives that they choose.

Lindsey VanEgmond is a Managing Director in the Global Power & Utilities group within the Investment Banking Division at Barclays. She hails from New Jersey, is a proud Bruce Springsteen fan and is a former Division I lacrosse player. In January 2017, Lindsey was diagnosed with Primary Bone Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma.

Her first stop? Fertility Preservation ahead of chemotherapy and radiation.

Today, Lindsey is Cancer free and known as “Mom” to her two little girls. TCM is thrilled to welcome Lindsey’s voice and experience in the fight to change the status quo for patients who will come after her.

Born and Raised in New Orleans, Samantha Levenstein is Managing Director of Investor Relations for Beach Point Capital Management. Sam entered the industry in 2009, served nine years at Aksia LLC before transitioning to her current firm. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications and a J.D. from New York Law School. The Chick Mission Volunteer corps has been lucky enough to count Sam as a supporter since our organization’s founding. After many years in New York City, Sam lives with her husband and two boys in Venice, California.