Honoree

8th Annual, 2011 Honoree, Janellen Smith

Janellen Smith received her medical training at the University of Iowa, and completed her Dermatology residency in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan. From these early days, she set her sights on a career understanding and treating patients with melanoma.

While the majority of graduates move directly to private practice, Dr Smith chose the laboratory, and in 1986 arrived at Washington University in St Louis to begin an NIH fellowship in molecular biology. After two years of laboratory research, she discovered the more clinical world of academic medicine at the University of Minnesota where she moved with her husband, Dr Christopher Zachary. Together they built the first interdisciplinary melanoma program at the U of MN and reviewed difficult melanoma cases each week with a board of specialists from Oncology, Surgery and Pathology. This approach to the diagnosis, investigation and treatment of melanoma is now widespread within the United States. She was also Chief of Dermatology at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center where many of our war veterans were struggling with melanoma as well. The size of this program was such that Dr Smith gained valuable expertise, not only in melanoma but also in many other advanced skin cancers.

In 1997 Drs Smith and Zachary moved to the University of California, San Francisco where Janellen spent 9 years with one of the premier interdisciplinary melanoma boards in the US. Offering full service investigation and treatment clinics, they were also able to provide access to national investigational and therapeutic studies.

It was at UCSF that she met and collaborated with Dr Ruby Ghadially, an expert on human stem cells. Ruby had developed a method for separating out melanoma stem cells from fresh tissue gathered from patients. Janellen's clinical and fund raising skills allowed them to use this technique to provide numerous clues as to the aggressive nature of metastatic tumors. Together they have published and presented in major journals and scientific meetings.

In 2006 the Smith Zachary family moved to beautiful Southern California and the University of California, Irvine. Here, Janellen runs a number of skin cancer clinics and continues her association with the VA Medical System teaching residents and caring for patients at the Long Beach VA Medical Center. As a caring, thoughtful, supportive and inspired clinician, it is no surprise that she has gained a tremendous following in this region. She also works as a volunteer for Remote Area Medical, a team of health care providers that gives medical care to the underserved.

She is proud but humbled to be this year's honoree at the 2011 Hack n' Smack Golf Tournament.

7th Annual, 2010 Honoree, Aaron Postil

From the inception of the Hack n' Smack Celebrity Golf event there was Aaron Postil. It goes without question, the Hack n' Smack event would not likely have gone beyond year one, had it not been for the influence and efforts of Mr. Aaron Postil and his family. We stand most grateful.

Aaron Postil established End It Entertainment in early 2007 as a natural outgrowth of his years in the music and entertainment business, primarily in management. As President and Founder of the full-service production company, Postil is looking to incubate a wide range of multi-media projects and bring time-intensive artist development back into fashion.

Postil has also been on the Committee of the Hack n' Smack annual golf tournament for 7 years now which all benefits goes to the Melanoma Foundation. "Melanoma is the most over looked cancer in the world and if I can use my influences and contacts to bring awareness then I feel like have given back." Postil has got stars like Justin Timberlake, Joe Pesci, Alfonso Ribiero, Grant Show and Harold Green involved in the charity.

An L.A. native who grew up in a musical household, Postil hadn't originally planned to go into the "family business." An avid, lifelong golfer who had a four handicap at age twelve and was even par at sixteen, Postil intended to go pro. He's been fortunate enough to travel extensively and play at the world's best courses, but ultimately opted against it as a career. "I'm among the top 1% in the world," he says, "and the PGA tour pros, they're in the top .01%. I knew I wasn't ever going to be as good as Tiger Woods, and I decided to just enjoy the sport rather than become competitive."

Postil's main clients at End It include longtime friend Qura Rankin, an acclaimed composer and producer who's recently worked with Beyonce and Christina Aguilera. Award-winning producer Damizza (Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey) is another collaborator, and Postil also helps oversee Damizza's independent label, BabyRee Recordings. In 2007, BabyRee released What A Life, the debut album by the all-star blues-rock group L.A. Blues Alliance. The project, which features ace musicians including Keb' Mo' and Sonny Landreth, was produced by Postil's father, famed television composer Mike Post (who, in addition to a spate of awards including Emmys and GRAMMYs, has a song by The Who named after him).

Click here to read the rest of Postil's story.

6th Annual, 2009 Honoree, Mr. Christopher Gorham

You'll likely know Chris from his two years on ABC's Ugly Betty, as America Ferrera's love interest Henry Grubstick. Gorham, who now stars on CBS's Harper's Island, isn't your regular Hollywood guy. He is probably one of the most gentle, genuine and giving people you'll ever encounter in entertainment. He is a UCLA graduate, a husband and dedicated father.

Chris has also been an important friend and supporter of the Hack n' Smack and the Melanoma Research Foundation. In 2004, when the Hack n' Smack commenced, we did not have any foundation or major people associated with the event and fundraising is quite difficult in such a competitive market. What we had, going all the way back to that time, was Christopher Gorham. At the time Chris was starring on Medical Investigation, then later on Out of Practice as well and he was our lone active Series Regular playing.

When Chris arrived at the 3rd Annual Hack n' Smack (2006) he had just begun his stint on Ugly Betty and it proved to be a banner year when he made a Hole-in-One on #16 in that year's tournament. Chris has been willing to take interviews, reach out to fellow Celebs, and make sure that our event is in ink every year. Certainly it is commendable with any disease hits one's family or dear friends and you carry a torch on their behalf. But in some ways, it is even more amazing when you choose to carry a torch without a direct association. We certainly hope that Melanoma never finds Chris, his family, or yours but if it ever does Christopher Gorham has unconditionally put in a great amount of love and time...to see that the Melanoma Research Foundation has funding for its future.

5th Annual, 2008 Honoree, Dr. Francesco Federico

Dr. Francesco Federico was Kerry Daveline's oncologist, and is attributed by Kerry's family to helping Kerry live years beyond his initial prognosis.

Dr. Federico founded Lakeside Medical Group (The IPA) in 1986 and continues to serve as its President and Medical Director: He is also co-founder of Lakeside Medical Associates (The fully integrated group) in 1993 and serves as its Vice President. In 1991 he co-founded the predecessor of Lakeside Healthcare, Lakeside Health Services (The MSO) and continues to serve as its President and Chief Executive Officer.

Currently, the combined Lakeside organization cares for and manages over 100,000 lives in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valley areas with a panel of 250 primary care physicians and over 1000 specialists and ancillary providers.

We thank Dr. Federico for his support of the Hack n' Smack and congratulate him on being our 2008 honoree.

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