Lee Ann Eissler, PhD, FNP, RN - President

It would have been impossible to predict the impact that single moment in time would have upon me, but this story starts when I touched Katie Elliott as she entered the world.  As the nurse in the operating room and a close family friend, I was privileged to be there for her first breath and I immediately fell in love.

Fast forwarding many years, Katie became a beautiful young woman who brought joy and laughter to our lives.  Her cancer diagnosis at age 15 was devastating but Katie, being Katie, maintained grace and wisdom in her fight.  Tragically, she died three short years later in January 2015, leaving a place in my heart that no one else can fill. 

I know the struggles that Alaskan families experience when a child is diagnosed with cancer and I am proud to part of the solution in Katie’s memory.  As a life-long Alaskan and founding board member of Katie’s Handprint, my goal is to improve the lives of families who are currently impacted by childhood cancer. Through our financial support, we hope families will struggle just a little less during this extremely difficult time in life.

Serving on a non-profit board is not a new endeavor for me.  I have served at the state and national level on professional association boards; serving in roles of secretary, treasurer, and chair.  I have also served as clinical support for Anchorage Project Access board.  I have learned many things in my prior board service but most importantly, I’ve learned that passion and dedication are needed.  I bring both to Katie’s Handprint because our work honors Katie and all other children in Alaska fighting the fight against childhood cancer. 

Please reach out to me.I am always happy to talk about our mission!
(907) 351-8038 or leeann@eisslergroup.com