Susan Bowers, Executive Director
Susan Bowers, Executive Director of the Helene Foundation since 2012, is passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and the community. Through her work with The Helene Foundation, she has witnessed the heartbreak that mothers experience during their cancer journey, but also the heartwarming impact that this organization can have on families struggling with a mother’s cancer diagnosis. Prior to her work with The Helene Foundation, Susan taught elementary school. Currently, she is a member of the Junior League of Raleigh, where she served as President in 2006-2007. She is an Advisory Board Member of Kappa Kappa Gamma at North Carolina State University and serves on the Community Allocations Committee with her church.
Susan is married to fellow Virginia Tech graduate Mark and they are the proud parents of three children - Will, Mary Kate, and Anne.
Tracy L. Davidian, DDS, LVIF
As Co-Founder and President of the Helene Foundation Board of Directors, Tracy Davidian wanted to create an organization that would support mothers and their families during their fight against cancer. She envisioned a circle of support that supported the daily lives of these families, allowing each mother to focus on what matters most - spending valuable time with her children. Tracy practices General and Sedation Dentistry and is married to Dan Davidian. They live in Raleigh with their two boys.
Daniel K. Davidian, Sr. DDS
Dan is Co-Founder of the Helene Foundation. He was inspired to start the foundation by his mother, Helene Davidian, who lost her battle with cancer in 2009. As Dan reflected on the life of his mother - a beloved homemaker who continued to focus on her children even throughout her illness - he discovered a strong desire to help other mothers maintain family normalcy while struggling with cancer treatment. Married to fellow dentist Tracy Davidian, Dan is owner of Sedation Dental Care & Raleigh Smile Center. He lives in Raleigh with his family.
Andrea Fox
Andrea Fox is passionate about giving back to the community. As such, she has served in numerous volunteer roles, including the Vice President of Training for the Junior League of Raleigh Board of Directors and the Vice President of Funding and Chair of the Capital Campaign. She has advisory roles with the Meredith College Fund Advisory Board and the Capital Campaign Steering Committee for Meredith College and is a member of Duke University Hospital’s Shingleton Society, a volunteer group raising monies to help find the cure for cancer. Professionally, Andrea works for Charles Aris and runs their New Promoter Score program. Her hobbies are cooking, traveling, and spending time with her husband Neil and their two boys, Jackson and Oakley.
Kristi McKeown
Before working in the pharmaceutical industry at Millennium Pharmaceutical Incorporated, Kristi McKoewn was a counselor for cancer patients and their families at Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center and focused on providing psychosocial support and counseling to persons living with cancer. McKeown is a member of the Junior League of Raleigh, the Chair of the Community Cares Committee at Duke Schools, Co-owner of Burn Athletic Fitness Studio in Brier Creek as well as a certified cycling instructor. She has a BA degree in Social Research from the University of Hartford and a MA degree in Counseling from North Carolina Central University. Kristi and her husband Bob have one son.
Teresa Merritt
Teresa’s passion for giving back to the community is best illustrated by her twenty years of dedication to the We Build People Annual Campaign at the A.E. Finley YMCA. Her fundraising knowledge and expertise play a crucial role in defining the future of the Helene Foundation. Teresa and her husband Lee live in Raleigh with their two children, Zachary and Ashley.
Beth Murgitroyd
As the Family Liaison Coordinator of the Helene Foundation Board of Directors, Beth Murgitroyd serves as the first point of contact for each new Helene Foundation family. Beth is a member of the Board of Trustees of Duke School in Durham NC, and was chair of the development committee from 2013-2016. She is an active volunteer with several local non-profits, including the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, All Saints' United Methodist Church in Durham, and the Triangle Aphasia Project. Beginning in November 2017, she will be working for HopeWay in Charlotte NC, a non-profit that provides best practice, holistic mental health care, and education for adults. Beth is an accomplished musician (singer and pianist) and previously worked as a speech-language pathologist in Scotland. Beth and her husband Ed have two children.