ABOUT TEAM MICHELLE
One Promise.
Fifteen Years of Hope.
What began as a group of friends walking 60 miles to say thank you has become something much bigger. Since 2010, Team Michelle has raised over $2 million for breast cancer survivors — funding care packages, financial grants, and cutting-edge research that brings us closer to a cure.
"Team Michelle was founded for one simple purpose: to
support breast cancer patients, survivors, and families."
>$2M
TOTAL RAISED
800+
CARE PACKAGES
90+
ACTS OF LOVE
$560k+
RESEARCH FUNDED
Team Michelle is a non-profit organization made up of committed family and friends dedicated to ending breast cancer, providing financial support to breast cancer survivors and their families and raising funds for cancer research.
OUR MISSION
A TIMELINE
CHAIR, RESEARCH COMMITTEE
KRISTI CRAGO
Kristi Crago, a professional musician, lives in the Detroit area with her husband, Caen and 3 children: Isaiah, Caleb and Lydia. She and her family enjoy playing music together, camping, hiking, traveling and skiing. Professionally, she has taught in universities and played in numerous orchestras. In her personal life she is dedicated to service in education, diversity and health.
Kristi served on a grant panel for Susan G. Komen Detroit and was a founding member of Team Michelle. As the chair of the Team Michelle research committee, Kristi is enthusiastic about the future of Team Michelle. A relatively new non-profit organization, Team Michelle has just begun to directly fund research, so knowing that Team Michelle’s impact in the research community will increase each year is incredibly exciting. Kristi also understands how important a cure is from a personal standpoint because as Michelle’s older sister, she saw first-hand what a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment looks like. She’s determined to find a cure so that no one else has to go through that.
CHAIR, EVENTS COMMITTEE
SIMONE IIANTORNO
Simone Iantorno joined Team Michelle in 2018 after fellow preschool mom and Team Michelle member Erin Bowen extended an invitation to walk in the Susan G. Komen 60-mile walk. At the time, breast cancer had not yet touched Simone's inner circle, but she signed up anyway — and those 60 miles alongside some of the most remarkable humans she had ever met sealed her commitment to the cause. That same year she began helping plan the Taste for the Cure, and she hasn't stopped since.
In March of 2020, Simone's mother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer. That November, she passed away. What had begun as a community effort became a deeply personal mission. As Chair of the Events Committee, Simone channels that love and loss into every event she helps bring to life — finding her greatest reward in watching months of careful planning translate into real dollars for survivors and the research projects Team Michelle proudly funds. She believes that even the smallest acts of support can go a long way, and she is proud every day to be part of this small but mighty team.
CHAIR, SUPPORT TEAM
ALICIA GILGREN
Alicia Gilgren has been part of the Team Michelle family for eight years — though as she puts it, it feels like a lifetime in all the best ways. Her journey began when a very persistent friend spent a month convincing her to join Team Michelle's Komen walking crew. After her first day on the trail, 12 miles in, she summed up the experience perfectly: "My feet hurt, my body aches, my heart is full." She had found her people.
Alicia brings an infectious optimism and unwavering spirit to everything she does for Team Michelle. As a founding voice of encouragement on the board, she is known for lifting the team up through the most demanding moments — especially the wild, laughter-filled nights leading up to the Taste for the Cure Gala. A passionate advocate for early detection, Alicia believes that awareness saves lives and is never shy about reminding those around her to prioritize their health. Her dedication to the mission is rooted in personal loss and the deep belief that no one should have to face a breast cancer diagnosis alone.
CHAIR, SOCIAL MEDIA COMMITTEE, TFTC COMMITTEE
Erin Bowen has been part of the Team Michelle family for eight years — a journey that began when a family friend invited her to join the team walking in the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day. What that friend didn't know was that just days before extending the invitation, Erin had learned that her best friend since childhood had been diagnosed with breast cancer. That walk changed everything. Ever since, Erin has never looked back.
As an important part of both the Social Media and Taste for the Cure Committees, Erin brings heart, creativity, and deep personal purpose to everything she does for the organization. She finds her greatest joy in the monthly collaboration meetings — leaving each one feeling energized and full of hope. A passionate advocate for the Team Michelle mission, Erin is moved by the power of the care package program, knowing that a simple, unexpected package of love can remind a survivor that they are not alone. She believes that breast cancer touches an entire village, and she is grateful every day to be part of the one that is Team Michelle.
CHAIR, ACTS OF LOVE COMMITTEE
Ann lives in Manhattan, Kansas, with her husband, Mike, and three kids: Tyson, Bradley and Tate. She is a full-time mom and teaches preschool part-time. She enjoys watching K-State sports, walking, playing volleyball, and spending time with family.
Ann is one of the founding members of Team Michelle and Friends. She began walking in the 2010 Susan G. Komen 3-day and has now participated in 8 walks. It is one of her favorite weekends of the year! She initially began walking in support of Michelle, however in 2013, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is so proud of what Team Michelle has become and is happy to be leading the Acts of Love Committee. One of Ann’s passions is the ability to help people going through breast cancer treatment, which aligns with the mission and values of Team Michelle.
AT THE HEART OF TEAM MICHELLE
Board of Directors
Team Michelle is priveledge to have an amazing team of volunteers and organizers working tirelessly to advance our mission of ending breast cancer for good. Our Board of Directors provides vision and direction for the dozens of fundraising events and the distribution of Team Michelle grants and funds.
PRESIDENT
Michelle Buessing
Michelle buessing
Michelle Buessing, President of Team Michelle, received a BA from Kansas State University in family studies/human services and a MA in leadership studies from Chapman University. For 10 years, Michelle worked as a program specialist at the Orange County Department of Education where she managed after-school programming for at-risk junior high and high school students. A resident of Silverado, CA, Michelle lives with her husband, Damian, and three children: Payton, Maya and Dereje. She loves traveling, volunteering at her kids’ school and interior home decorating. She also helps run a Community Table through her church, providing meals to those in her community in need.
Michelle is the inspiration and reason that Team Michelle was created. In December of 2009, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. In 2010, she went through cancer treatment and fought the disease. In each year since, she has worked diligently to give back to the cancer community that saved her life. She and her team have already made an impact in the search for a cure. Michelle is determined to keep working until one is found.
CHAIR, SUPPORT TEAM
JACKIE SAILLER
Jackie Sailler received a BS in biodiversity, ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Kansas and worked in veterinary pharmaceutical sales for 12 years before becoming a full-time stay-at-home mom and community steward. Jackie and her husband, Daniel, find their greatest joy spending time with their 3 kids, Brooklyn, Henry and Olive. Jackie especially loves water sports, tennis or any activity in which her kids are involved. She works diligently as a volunteer for multiple organizations with an emphasis in fundraising event planning.
Jackie chairs the Team Michelle support team as well as the White Out fundraising event in Kansas City, a major fundraiser for Team Michelle. As a founding member of Team Michelle, Jackie’s passion and commitment to the cause started when she watched her sister, Michelle, go through treatment but she fights now for every woman and man who may someday get a breast cancer diagnosis.
ANN
ERIN BOWEN
Join the Team
Marketing Intern Opportunity
Team Michelle is actively looking for a passionate marketing intern to help grow our digital presence, social media, and community outreach. This is a meaningful opportunity to use your skills for a cause that matters — and to become part of a community that shows up for one another.
Whether you're a student building your portfolio or someone looking to give back with your expertise, we'd love to hear from you. Every post, campaign, and story you create directly supports breast cancer patients and families in Orange County and beyond.
Internship Overview
Marketing & Communications Intern
Location
Focus Areas
Orange County, CA — hybrid / flexible
Social media, digital marketing, community outreach, event promotion, content creation
Type
Volunteer / pro bono — meaningful, portfolio-building work for a 501(c)3 nonprofit
Why It Matters
Every campaign you run helps fund research, deliver care packages, and support survivors — real impact, real people
Every campaign you run helps fund research, deliver care packages, and support survivors — real impact, real people
There's a Place for You on This Team
Team Michelle
From our annual Taste for the Cure Gala to the UCI Anti-Cancer Challenge, Team Michelle brings the community together all year long. Join us at our next event and be part of something bigger than yourself.
Events →
Upcoming Events
Programs →
Three Ways We Help
Free care packages and financial grants of up to $1,000, to funding cutting-edge breast cancer research - everything we do goes directly to patients and families who need it most.
Upcoming Events
From our annual Taste for the Cure Gala to the UCI Anti-Cancer Challenge, Team Michelle brings the community together all year long. Join us at our next event and be part of something bigger than yourself.
Three Ways We Help
Free care packages and financial grants of up to $1,000, to funding cutting-edge breast cancer research - everything we do goes directly to patients and families who need it most.
Make a Difference
Volunteer at an event, make a tax-deductible donation, or partner with us as a sponsor or business. Every act of generosity - big or small - brings us one step closer to a cure.