R. Jeffrey Karnes, M.D. - President

Founding Director of Team Winter

Medical School

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL

Internship

General Surgery, Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

Residency

Urology/Urologic Oncology, Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

Certification

American Board of Urology

Academic Rank

Assistant Professor of Urology

Interests

• Recurrent and advanced urologic cancers
• Bladder cancer: urine markers/treatment/surgery including reconstruction and replacement
• Kidney cancer: localized and advanced
• Prostate cancer including nerve-sparing, testicular, penile, urethral cancers
• Resident and fellow education

Dawn L. Estelle, D.O. - Vice President / Treasurer

Founding Director of Team Winter

"I am committed to Team Winter and supporting my children’s dream of stomping out prostate cancer in memory of their dad and my husband. My children have taught me and others across the world a new way to grieve."

Dr. Dawn L. Estelle is a graduate of Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is a board certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist and completed her residency in 2001 in Grand Rapids, MI.  She returned to her hometown, Gaylord, MI upon completing residency and remained there for 8 years in private practice.  She is currently employed by Kaiser Permanente and practicing in Salem, OR.  Her husband is the late, Michael L. Vinecki, the sole reason Team Winter was founded in 2008.  She is the mother of four children, Yukon 13, Magnum 10, Ruger 8 and founder of Team Winter, Winter 12.

Dan Zenka - Secretary

Founding Director of Team Winter

Diagnosed

with prostate cancer, April 2010

Radical prostatectomy and lymphectomy, June 2010

Currently in treatment for advanced metastatic disease

Dan’s Cancer blog: www.mynewyorkminute.org

"I am passionate about Team Winter because they have taken a personal loss and turned it into a cause and source of hope for millions of men and their families."

Dan Zenka has more than 25 years of international public relations, brand development and communications strategy experience having developed global communications programs for North America, European Union and Asian markets. He is currently vice president of the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), founded by Michael Milken in 1993. Dan also serves on the Board of the recently founded Team Winter Foundation that supports prostate cancer research through athletic event fundraising efforts and special appearances of Winter Vinecki.

Prior to joining PCF, he was director of public relations and brand management at FEI, an Oregon-based technology company that develops high-end equipment for enabling nanoscale exploration, discovery and development in the areas of life science, electronics and general industry. While at FEI he also headed the communications and brand task force for the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI), a unique, publicly-funded consortium of leading academic research institutions, corporations and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, chartered to accelerate nanotechnology development in the Northwest.

Dan has also held management positions at Bioject Medical Systems, Lattice Semiconductor Corporation and consulted to Philips Medical Systems while living in the Netherlands. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California with degrees in journalism/public relations and speech communications. He is also an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America. His articles on technology and communications have been published by PR Tactics, Nanotech Briefs and Nanotechnology Now.

Leslie B. LaMacchi - Events  Director

EDUCATION AND ADMISSIONS

• Monmouth University, B.S., Summa Cum Laude, May, 2001
  • Two-sport full scholarship athlete
• South Texas College of Law, J.D., December, 2004

• Admissions:
  • Texas, May, 2005
  • New Jersey, December, 2005

EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICE AREA

An associate with the firm since June 2006, Leslie has been involved in some of the largest mass tort lawsuits in the country, representing thousands of injured claimants against major pharmaceutical companies. Her focus is on pharmaceutical products liability and personal injury litigation. Leslie has also successfully represented hundreds of injured claimants in a refinery explosion against British Petroleum. Currently, Leslie is managing one of the atypical antipsychotic dockets at Bailey Perrin Bailey.

Prior to joining Bailey Perrin Bailey, Leslie spent a year at The Watts Law Firm (now Watts Guerra & Craft). There she also worked on and was involved in lawsuits against pharmaceutical manufacturers of prescription medications, such as Fen-Phen and Zyprexa, resulting in multi-million dollar settlements.

ASSOCIATIONS

Leslie is currently a member of the following legal organizations/associations:

• State Bar of Texas
• State Bar of New Jersey
• Texas Trial Lawyers Association
• Houston Bar Association
• American Bar Association