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THE SEVEN BLOCKS OF GRANITE CHAMPIONS

The Lombardi Award™, presented by the Rotary Club of Houston, takes great pride in recognizing the remarkable accomplishments of the "Seven Blocks of Granite" Champions. These extraordinary individuals have not only upheld the legacy of Vince Lombardi but have also made significant contributions to the advancement of cancer research and the betterment of the lives of cancer patients and their families.

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Fordham football’s famed 1936 line, the Seven Blocks of Granite, included Vince Lombardi (front row, third from left) and helped the Rams dominate the sport, capturing the attention of the nation.

"Seven Blocks of Granite"

The title is a tribute to Vince Lombardi's illustrious history as one of the legendary during his tenure at Fordham University.

Meet The 2024 Champions

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Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman

Leisa Holland-Nelson is a fifth generation Houstonian, an entrepreneur, a speaker, broadcaster, and mentor to women in business, a proud mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother, with a passion for serving her community. (She has always “done well by doing good!”)

Leisa Holland-Nelson is one of the American Cancer Society’s most influential advocates, both here locally and across the organization. As a breast cancer survivor and recent widow, having lost her husband, Bob Bowman, to acute myeloid leukemia, Leisa’s commitment to the cause is deeply personal. 

 

She served as the inaugural Chair for American Cancer Society’s Men Wear Pink of Houston in 2018 raising over $200,000, making such a profound impact that she continued in the role through 2020. In 2021, Leisa played a pivotal role in launching the American Cancer Society’s first Tickled Pink Luncheon which raised $195,000. Leisa now holds the title of Lifetime Honorary Chair and in 2024 the luncheon raised over $425,000. This event has since been replicated in many other markets nationwide, raising millions for breast cancer research annually.  

 

Leisa also helped revitalize the ACS Houston Area Board of Directors, which relaunched in January 2023, by recruiting influential Houstonians to serve as ACS community ambassadors and elevating the mission of the American Cancer Society in the Houston area. At the request of the Executive Director, Leisa will serve a second term as American Cancer Society Houston Area Board Chair from 2023 to 2027, as no one else could possibly fill her shoes.  

 

Leisa is deeply mission focused. She doesn’t support charitable efforts for recognition; she’s here to cure cancer—and if anyone can do it, she can. Leisa is a force of nature, and in her volunteer capacity with the American Cancer Society in Houston, she has driven more progress than anyone in the organization’s 70+ year history in this city. Over her tenure, she has personally raised more than $5 million for ACS in Houston. 

 

Additionally, Leisa serves on several Boards of Directors including Chair Emeritus of the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Past Board Chair of AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse), 2021-22. She also serves on the  Advisory Boards of Baylor College of Medicine’s Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, the Holocaust Museum, Goodwill Houston, and Hermann Park Conservatory.

 

She has been honored as one of the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame, A Woman of Substance, the Houston’s Treasures, Houston’s Fifty Most Influential Women, a GHWCC Breakthrough Woman, an ABC, Channel 13/Crohn’s and Colitis’ Woman of Distinction, and a Houston Business Journal Woman Who Means Business. And she was in the first class of LCA’s International Mother’s Day Honorees, and the ICON for 2024.!

 

Leisa also serve’s as Vice President, and CMO of ASTOUNDZ, a digital marketing firm, specializing in Organic SEO, Pay per Click Advertizing,  Social Media, and responsive websites.

 

Additionally, she is the Co-host and Co-founder of the new and highly successful Culture Club HTX Media platform, featured on YouTube, Spotify, Google and Apple Padcasts, and heard every Sunday morning on ESPN Sports Radio, and she is author and voice of “Women Mean Business”, an online segment focusing on “Extraordinary Women doing Extraordinary Things”, on YouTube and podcast.

 

Always aware of what is important in life, Leisa Holland-Nelson has used her entrepreneurial skills and instincts to help other women in business and her passion for being of service to better the lives of many. And she is an avid college football fane…she bleeds orange!

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Dr. Jacquie Baly

Dr. Jacquie Baly migrated to Texas at the age of seven from St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, with her parents, who hail from the French West Indies. As a distinguished member of Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society for educators, Dr. Baly embodies a deep commitment to public policy, education and academic excellence.

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Dr. Baly is a highly respected community leader, nationally recognized public policy expert, and dedicated professor at the University of Houston. As a Policy Advisor, she has garnered national acclaim for her expertise guiding corporations, government entities, and nonprofit organizations. Her impactful leadership extends across city, county, and state levels, where she has held significant advisory roles in statewide appointments, particularly in higher education initiatives, for over a decade. Dr. Baly has played a pivotal role in securing more than $110 million in funding for public universities, highlighting her extraordinary contributions to strengthening the educational landscape in Texas.

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Dr. Baly has been pivotal in connecting the American Cancer Society (ACS) with key legislators, leading to the passage of a historic $3 billion biomarker bill—the largest in the nation—demonstrating her commitment to advancing cancer treatment and public policy. As Chair of ACS's largest fundraising events, including Tickled Pink and Cattle Baron’s Ball, she raised over $2 million in a single year. Dr. Baly’s efforts also extend to tackling health inequities; her work on the biomarker bill secured critical funding for cancer research. In February 2024, she emceed the inaugural Public Policy Breakfast, facilitating essential discussions among stakeholders and medical professionals. Additionally, as an Ambassador for the Voices of Black Women campaign since 2023, Dr. Baly remains dedicated to addressing the unique health challenges faced by the African American community.

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Locally, Dr. Baly has made significant strides, formerly serving as Mayor Pro Tem of Sugar Land before taking on the role of chairperson for the Harris County Women’s Commission. This Commission advises elected officials on economic opportunities for women across the county. Through her philanthropic efforts, Dr. Baly has played a pivotal role in generating millions of dollars for non-profit organizations within both Fort Bend and Harris Counties, orchestrating and chairing numerous major fundraising events to great success.

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Her extensive board service includes the American Cancer Society, Houston Contractors Association, Houston Crime Stoppers, World Affairs Council of Houston, National Association of Women Business Owners, Houston Region Business Coalition, The Houston Symphony League, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Fort Bend Education Foundation, YMCA, Alley Theatre Advisory Board, Fort Bend Lawyers Care, The Women's Resource of Greater Houston, Parks Youth Ranch Inc., Fort Bend Boys Choir, and the River Oaks Women's Breakfast Club.

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Dr. Baly has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame, Top Ten Business Owners in the Country, and recognition as one of the Most Influential Blacks by USA Today. She was also honored as a Role Model of the Year by the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce and awarded the title of Philanthropist of the Year by St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

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Dr. Baly is immensely proud to be the mother of two outstanding young men. Raphael, her eldest, recently earned an MBA from Boston College and secured a senior marketing specialist position. Her younger son, Alexandre, graduated from Harvard University with high honors in Neuroscience and returned to Harvard this fall to start his medical school journey. Dr. Baly and her husband, business executive James Craig, reside in Houston, Texas, where they have built their family home.

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Dr. Timothy Porea

Dr. Porea is a Professor of Pediatrics, Hematology-Oncology Division at Baylor College of Medicine. He is a former Medical Director of Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center. He began his career at Baylor for medical school and fellowship. Dr. Porea then proudly served in the United States Navy for 22 years as a pediatrician and pediatric hematologist-oncologist. In this role, he cared for children of the men and women who serve our country while being stationed in San Diego, Okinawa, Japan and Virginia. He retired at the rank of Captain and returned to Baylor in 2014. Dr. Porea is a Pediatric Oncologist today because he volunteered while a medical student as a camp counselor at Camp Periwinkle- the summer camp for Texas Children’s oncology patients. Now 35 years later he is still the head counselor for the 10-year-old boys’ cabin at Periwinkle, is the co-director for their weekend teen camps and a member of the Periwinkle Board of Directors. His greatest joys are fostering the well-being of patients outside the hospital and mentoring medical trainees as they begin their careers.

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Dr. Katy Rezvani

Dr. Rezvani is vice president and head of the Institute for Cell Therapy Discovery & Innovation at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She holds the inaugural Melvyn N. Klein Family Endowed Directorship for the Institute for Cell Therapy Discovery & Innovation and collaborates on many initiatives within MD Anderson’s department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy.


Dr. Rezvani completed both her undergraduate and medical education at University College London, followed by residencies at University College Hospitals and the Royal Marsden Hospital. She then completed a fellowship in hematology-oncology at Hammersmith Hospital.


Dr. Rezvani is a fellow of both the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists of the United Kingdom. She earned her doctoral degree in transplantation immunology from Imperial College London and pursued postdoctoral studies in cancer immunotherapy at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.


An accomplished physician-scientist, Dr. Rezvani has received numerous honors throughout her impactful career. She was recognized with the E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize from the American Society of Hematology for her groundbreaking research to develop and advance innovative cell therapies for cancer using natural killer (NK) cells. She was elected a member of the prestigious American Society for Clinical Investigation. Endpoints News named her one of the top 20 women leading biopharma research and development.


Dr. Rezvani’s research focuses on how NK cells, particularly cells from donated umbilical cord blood, can mediate immunity against blood-based cancers and solid tumors. The goal of her work is to understand mechanisms of tumor-induced NK cell dysfunction and to develop strategies to genetically engineer NK cells in order to enhance their anti-tumor activity and persistence.


Critical findings from Dr. Rezvani’s laboratory have led to the approval and funding of several investigator-initiated clinical trials of NK cell therapy, including the first-in-human trial for off-the-shelf, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-transduced NK cells for patients with relapsed and refractory lymphoid malignancies — which yielded astounding clinical results for some patients who had failed four or five lines of previous treatment. Today, Dr. Rezvani and her team are exploring cell therapy technology and applications in a number of cancer and autoimmune settings.


Dr. Rezvani’s work is generously supported by private philanthropy, and she has successfully stewarded grants from the National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, Stand Up To Cancer, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

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Larry Coffer

Larry W. Coffer II is the Associate Director for Research Planning and Development in the Department of Breast Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. In this role, he leads translational research initiatives from the administration side, bridging laboratory discoveries to clinical applications, ultimately aimed at improving patient care.

 

Larry is the co-developer of MD Anderson Cancer Center’s OPTIMAS (Organ-specific Profiling and Therapeutic Intervention in Mammary cArcinomas in Sequence) translational research platform, which utilizes a unique "bench-to-bedside-to-back-to-bench" methodology to transform the clinical management of challenging breast cancer subtypes. This innovative approach offers hope for more effective and personalized therapies.

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A native of Houston, Larry's roots are in the vibrant Acres Homes community. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from Baylor University, where he established a strong foundation for his career in cancer research administration. Beyond his scientific contributions, Larry is deeply committed to community service. As a champion for the National Marrow Donor Program and a stem cell donor himself, he tirelessly advocates for donor diversification. He educates diverse communities on the critical need for donors, striving to increase the likelihood of finding life-saving matches for all patients.

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For Larry, his role at MD Anderson is more than a job—it's a calling inspired by the Bible verse Isaiah 6:8, "Here I am. Send me." He remains unwavering in his commitment to cancer research and patient care, ensuring that MD Anderson and other healthcare institutions fulfill their missions and uplift communities, particularly those disproportionately affected by cancer.

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Emily Roarty, PHD

Emily Roarty obtained her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology from Auburn University and her PhD in Cell Biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. After completing her postdoctoral fellowship, she transitioned her career to an administrative path, making significant contributions to developing and overseeing research programs after joining The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. As the Vice President of Research Strategy and Impact, she manages a multi-disciplinary organization with a multi-million-dollar budget, overseeing a diverse portfolio of cancer research programs, including external collaborations, foundation relations, and institutional investments.

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Dr. Roarty is the previous recipient of the Becker’s Hospital Review Rising Star in Health Care Award and the MD Anderson Cancer Center Division of Cancer Medicine Exemplary Employee Award. She is an active volunteer in her community at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic school and Auburn University College of Science and Mathematics, and remains a dedicated mentor to junior scientists and research administrators.

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EMILY BARNHILL

Emily Barnhill obtained her undergraduate degree in biological sciences from Clemson University and her MHA from the Medical University of South Carolina. She joined The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2010 as a hospital administrative fellow and later transitioned into program and project management roles within the Office of Clinical Operations and the Cancer Network. In these positions, Emily drove projects that supported standardization, integration, and growth of clinical and research operations, aligning them with MD Anderson Cancer Center’s strategic vision. Her exposure to the world of research and innovative technology sparked an interest in developing transformative, high-impact partnerships.

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Emily joined MD Anderson’s Office of Strategic Industry Ventures in 2015, where she began focusing on business development initiatives to build clinical trial alliances. Her role has since grown to encompass wide-ranging research and development collaborations across pharmaceuticals, devices, and diagnostics. As the Associate Vice President of Strategic Industry Ventures, Emily leads a team supporting collaborations and alliances with industry partners to drive long-term sustainability and impact for MD Anderson and the broader oncology community.

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