Barbara Baroff Kavanagh is the Founder and CEO of the Arizona Myeloma Network (AzMN), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting cancer awareness, education and patient advocacy to improve quality of life for multiple myeloma patients and their families. A rare and often misdiagnosed bone marrow cancer, multiple myeloma, sometimes known as Kahler's disease, afflicts roughly 2,200 people in the United States each year and is currently incurable.

Having established the 501(c)(3) organization in 2004, Barbara drew the inspiration and impetus for founding AzMN from her husband, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1991. Seeing an urgent need for a network by which patients and their families could connect, share information and learn about their options, Barbara organized and hosted the first Annual Living with Myeloma Conference and Research Roundtable in Arizona. The conference, which is free of charge, brings in over 350 people yearly and features leading myeloma researchers, clinicians and healthcare professionals. Barbara also instituted the Tissue Donor Awareness Program (TDAP™) and the underserved communities initiative that brings cancer information and support services to the Navajo Nation, among others.

Now a 25-year survivor of the illness, Jack was recognized with Barbara in Tom Brokaw’s book Lucky Life Interrupted: A Memoir of Hope. Barbara has received a number of awards for her outreach and innovative advocacy, including the Phoenix Business Journal's Health Care Heroes Award for Education, the Hon Kachina Volunteer Award, and the AZ Business Magazine's Healthcare Leadership Award for Community Outreach. She was recently nominated for the Rosalynn Carter Leadership in Caregiving Award.Arizona Governor Doug Ducey also applauded her outstanding work on behalf of myeloma and other cancers and decreed the third week of March as AZ Myeloma Cancer Awareness Week in Arizona.

Barbara holds a Master of Social work from Boston University and earned her Bachelor of Arts from Duke University. In addition to her membership in the WWANA, she is a member of the Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who of International Women and the Who's Who of Outstanding Americans.

Outside of work, Barbara enjoys writing and volunteers for Rotary International, the Chamber of Commerce, the Colon Cancer Alliance National Conference and other related groups.

Worldwide Association of Notable Alumni Member Barbara Baroff Kavanagh, MSW, LCSW can be found on the Who’s Who Directory, where she is looking forward to networking with you.