Join us for an unforgettable evening filled with captivating and touching stories of lives forever changed by BRCA mutations, shared by Basser partner Filko Prugo, and YLC members Liza Brecker and Kristina Coccoluto. The evening will also feature an open bar and light bites.
All proceeds from the event will support the YLC Fund at the Basser Center, specifically young investigators working on novel BRCA research, whose brilliant ideas often go unrealized due to a lack of funding.
Thursday, October 17, 2024
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
The Green Room 42 | 570 10th Avenue, NYC
Individual tickets are $150 each. See below for sponsorship opportunities.
Meet the Speakers
Liza Brecker
Liza Brecker is the daughter of a mother with the BRCA2 mutation and a father with the BRCA1 mutation. Within her nuclear family, Liza is the only non-carrier. Based in New York City, she works as a Marketing Coordinator on NBCUniversal's Corporate Social Responsibility team. In this role, Liza crafts compelling narratives about NBCUniversal's nonprofit initiatives across various platforms. Her dedication to social impact extends beyond her professional life, as she also mentors with Read Ahead and volunteers with several animal rescue organizations.
Kristina Coccoluto
Kristina Coccoluto is the daughter of a two-time breast cancer survivor, niece of a woman who died from BRCA-related cancer, and the first person to outpace cancer in her family after testing positive for the BRCA1 mutation. She is a mother of three young children, underwent a risk-reducing mastectomy at 30 years old and salpingo-oophorectomy at 36 years old. Kristina is a storyteller, motivational speaker, philanthropist and (soon to be) 4x Abbot World Major Marathoner. She believes in demonstrating we can face challenges while cultivating community so that other women realize they are not alone on their health journey. She is passionate about the mission of the Basser Center and strives to see advancement in research made with hereditary cancer for the next generation.
Filko Prugo, Esquire
Prior to discovering he is a pathogenic BRCA2 carrier, Filko Prugo was a long-time legal advisor to start-ups, PE and VC firms in life science patent matters. After discovering his mutation status, and the untimely passing of his brother to breast cancer, Filko joined Columbia University’s Pathobiology and Molecular Medicine Ph.D. program. Filko has spent the last three years studying the role BRCA2 haploinsuffiency in tumorigenesis. Filko has three kids and lives with his family in Brooklyn.
Jenny Sorin (Emcee)
Jenny Sorin is an Associate Director of Business and Program Development at the Milken Institute, where she manages strategic partners and sponsors for the Institute’s renowned conferences and programs. Jenny is also an accomplished documentary producer whose work has been featured across major networks including PBS, HBO, and MSNBC. In 2018, Jenny learned that she carried a BRCA1 mutation. After watching her mother battle breast cancer not once — but twice — Jenny elected to undergo a prophylactic double mastectomy followed by reconstruction. Since then, Jenny has been a dedicated member of the Basser Young Leadership Council and committed to raising money for BRCA-related research. She has served as Co-Chair for the YLC since 2021.
Sponsorship Opportunities
To join the host committee, please contact Carolyn Brown at brownca@upenn.edu.