Gail Bleckman
Board Chairperson/President/ Founding Member

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MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS...

Gail Bleckman is recognized as a multifaceted communications industry professional with a solid background in operations and production on a technical as well as editorial basis. Her realm of experience as a producer/writer/director varies within the film, television and postproduction environment.

In the late 90's, Gail completed her graphic design certifications and was one of the first designers to amalgamate graphic design principles within the broadcast operations environment. Gail taught protocol for the new world of non-linear graphic operations all the while working with independent projects for some notable industry names: Louis Rukeyser, Lou Dobbs, Deborah Norville, and Walter Cronkite. More of her clients include: MSG Network, CNN, CNBC, A&E, The Biography/History Channels, FOX Sports, WPIX, Turner Sports, Disney/MGM Studios and ABC/Times Square Studio.

After working on a sports-related morning talk show, Gail went on to complete her BFA in Communication Arts at the New York Institute of Technology Old Westbury campus. She then obtained an MBA in Management & Leadership at the Townsend School of Business at Dowling College. While graduating Cum Laude, she volunteered for various political & non-profit organizations.

In 2009 Gail completed her role as Supervising Producer for Circle of Life: Excellence in Queens Health Care-, an award winning reality series which garnered QPTV its first award with the Alliance of Community Media, sweeping multiple categories.

Presently, Gail is in development in both feature film & reality television. Her work as a documentary producer and journalist for documentaries, reality television, series specials, dramas and comedy transcends multi-media platforms.

The project nearest to her heart is the docu-series which remains more of a labor of love than anything else… Cancer, And My Name Is ___ ; a reality docu-series depicting the lives of cancer patients while promoting awareness in new R&D inroads for cancer prevention & eradication.

As a co-founding member of FOR, her desire remains strong in witnessing the erasure of cancer, specifically pancreatic & liver cancers. This aspiration comes from a personal perspective, as her father passed away from pancreatic cancer that metastasized to his liver. Gail remains hopeful that there IS a treatment leading to a cure for this dreadful and deadly disease. Her wish is to spare others from suffering the same deterioration & devastation in which her father had endured.

Gail divides her time between New York & Los Angeles. Currently, she resides in Port Jefferson, New York, working freelance in reality television and film production.

Dr. Elliott Dreznick
Board Treasurer/ Founding Member

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Elliott Bruce Dreznick, MD FACG is a practicing Gastroenterologist in Port Jefferson, NY where he has been practicing for approximately twenty-two years. Born in Brooklyn, NY to two incredible parents--a medical technologist and a teacher-- he along with his two siblings were raised in Queens, NY. Both Elliott and his brother (Dr. Jeffrey Dreznick) graduated from medical school in 1984. Elliott graduated from New York Medical College at the age of 22. He went on to do his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Long Island Jewish Hospital and a fellowship in Gastroenterology at Maimonides Medical Center. After completing his fellowship, he began his gastroenterology practice in Port Jefferson, NY, becoming the Chief of Gastroenterology at both John T. Mather Memorial Hospital and St. Charles Hospital and Rehabilitation Center at the age of thirty. He remains Chief of Gastroenterology at St. Charles Hospital and Rehabilitation Center.

Dr. Dreznick runs one of the top Gastroenterology practices on Long Island. Sound Gastroenterology PC allows for him to enjoy every aspect of his chosen field. In addition to attending to the needs of his patients, Dr. Dreznick has been very instrumental (and involved) in raising more than 6 figures for pancreatic cancer research on Long Island, and has been featured in a public service announcement produced for Cablevision distribution. He spoke of his beloved mother who has passed from the disease, conveying the importance and great urgency for donating and contributing towards research funding. Having lost both of his parents to cancer, he continues his passion, raising money for badly-needed pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancer research. It is this very passion which segued into a deep desire to help create FOR along with his fellow founding members.

Dr. Dreznick is also an artist and musician. Besides medicine and fundraising, Dr. Dreznick's devotions also include art, music, history and trivia. He is a huge fan of classic rock, with a special affinity for Beatles music. Dr. Dreznick plays piano in the band Alternative Medicine, comprising of fellow physicians and hospital employees. As a group, Alternative Medicine can be found performing at local Long Island charity fund raising events.

Dr. William LiPera
Board Secretary/ Founding Member

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Dr. William LiPera has been a practicing board certified Hematologist and Oncologist for the past 22 years. Currently, he’s an attending physician at North Shore Hematology/ Oncology Associates and Stony Brook University Hospital (as well as several other community hospitals) where he practices as an Assistant Clinical Professor, actively teaching medical students and residents.

Receiving his medical degree at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine and completing his residency and fellowship at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and at Stony Brook University Hospital, Dr. LiPera’s area of interest and expertise include GI cancers, lymphomas and multiple myeloma.

His passion for medicine and compassion for the ill has led Dr. LiPera to documentary film making. Directing and producing two documentaries which aired on PBS, he has found that there is quite the need for patient advocacy and education through the film and television mediums. The first documentary Dr. LiPera produced was based on the Gulf War. The premise; the many consequences of the Gulf War on the health of the children of Iraq. At the heart of the next documentary was the cost of cyanide gold leaching on an Indian reservation in Montana. Furthermore as an independent film producer, Dr. LiPera has played the role of Executive Producer for several television shows on cancer related issues, all of which has aired on WLNY TV 55, News Channel 12, WLIW Channel 21 & PBS.

Moreover, Dr. LiPera has published several articles on the treatment of colon cancer and co-authored “The Encyclopedia of Cancer”, a book geared towards educating patients and their families on the risks and hazards of cancers. Currently, he’s conducting a clinical trial for patients whose cancers are refractory to conventional treatments. In development are two laboratory research studies analyzing new treatments for lymphoma, multiple myeloma and GI cancers. Dr. LiPera is optimistic that the results of this research will lead to new clinical trials and eventually, a cure. This optimism is what inspired his philanthropic initiative with FOR, as he believes from a clinical perspective that there may just be a cure in the not so distant future!

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