A Letter From Our Founders
What a wonderful journey our foundation has been since we launched the Biller Family Foundation in 2001. From co-founding the Biller Family Resource Center at City of Hope in 2011 to convening our first coalition meeting in March 2024, and from the early days of CareerWork$ to its transformative growth today, each step we have taken together has been rooted in a shared belief that access can change lives.
This year, our partnerships and work reached new heights.
As a member and convener of the Together for Supportive Cancer Care coalition, we’re advancing equitable access to supportive cancer care as a national standard, making a lasting difference in how people navigate their cancer journeys. As Sheri has said, “Equitable access to supportive care must be viewed as a human right for all people. Every person, no matter their background, geography, or where they receive treatment for their illness, should have access to supportive care that provides emotional, physical, spiritual, and social support.”
Social impact theatre continues to foster connection, educate, and inspire, while programs like CareerWork$ and Career and Technical Education provide individuals with career pathways and financial stability. All three of our focus areas are connected by our desire to shine a light on both what’s working and the disparities that persist, so that we can partner with leaders and organizations for scalable change.
The impact and commitment of our partners inspire tremendous optimism. The passion and dedication of this community make it possible to transform challenges into opportunities. As Les reminds us: “Together with our coalition, we have the power to transform the world as we know it.”
This annual report highlights our remarkable partners—their creativity, persistence, and unwavering commitment to expanding access and advancing equity. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating this progress, recommitting to equitable change, and looking ahead to reaching new heights together in the years to come.
With gratitude, Sheri and Les Biller
TOGETHER WITH OUR COALITION, WE HAVE THE POWER TO TRANSFORM THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT.
A Letter From Our CEO
Dear Partners and Friends,
As I reflect on 2024, I am excited by the progress and partnerships that have fueled a transformative chapter in the Foundation’s journey.
Since our founding in 2001, we have remained committed to advancing solutions that increase economic opportunity, improve access to supportive care for life-threatening illness, and lift up social impact theatre.
Last year, through growing collaboration, new partnerships, and an expanded team, we deepened our efforts to address inequities and scale sustainable impact.
In March, we convened the first-ever Together for Supportive Cancer Care Summit in the nation’s capital. The event brought together public policy experts, employers, insurers, pharmaceutical companies, cancer care providers, and patient advocacy groups to address disparities in access to supportive care and develop a strategic roadmap for change.
In September, we then celebrated the official launch of the Together for Supportive Cancer Care Coalition. The cross-sector coalition shares our belief in championing and scaling solutions to make whole-person supportive care a national standard. You can read more about the coalition at www.supportivecancercare.org.
We believe in the power of theatre to inspire, educate, and unite communities. We are proud to partner with visionary theatres to ensure their work continues to uplift and empower audiences for generations to come. As in previous years, we proudly supported ten productions that address social issues.
Recognizing many theatres are exploring new ways to sustain their operations in a post-Covid environment, we introduced Change Capital Grants to empower theatres reimagining their business models. Six theatres were funded to explore new business strategies, such as implementing innovative ticketing models to piloting “social prescriptions” to experimenting with new membership models.
Last summer, we supported CareerWork$ as they joined the Washington Bankers Association (WBA). WBA is a natural partner given their national reach and training programs, and their commitment to workforce development from high school and beyond. Together, the two organizations have combined their strengths to enhance the quality and accessibility of career development programs and financial education to help more people gain access to long-term economic stability. We look forward to seeing how the talented staff will be able to amplify the program’s impact. We also continued to partner with Educational School Districts 105 and 112 in Central and Southwest WA to expand Career and Technical Education classes, opportunities, and graduates.
By the close of the year, we welcomed three new team members, further expanding our capacity to share stories, address critical challenges, and strengthen our impact. I am deeply grateful to our team members, grantees, and partners for their unwavering commitment to creating lasting, positive, and equitable change in communities across the country.
We warmly invite you to engage with us— whether by sharing advice, offering your opinions, or lending your support. As we look ahead and continue to deepen our work, I am inspired by the possibilities and excited about what we can achieve together.
Warm regards,
Audrey Haberman, CEO
Foundation Overview
We believe that everyone deserves access to systems and solutions that expand economic opportunity, supportive care for life-threatening illnesses, and the transformative power of the arts.
OUR VALUES
OUR FOCUS AREAS
SUPPORTIVE CANCER CARE
We see our grantees as partners and strive to ensure all the strengths and assets available are brought to bear for the greater good so that innovation flourishes, the outcomes are stronger and the impact ripples.
COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITY
Our sense of optimism about what is possible encourages us to take chances on good ideas–to try something and even fail–as this is often the best way to learn and to create change.
ACCESS AND EQUITY
We believe that individuals deserve personal and systemic opportunities to access what they need to lead healthy and economically stable lives. We understand that people and communities need different forms of access, so we pay attention to equitable solutions.
A whole-person, wrap-around form of cancer care that addresses the psychosocial and spiritual needs of patients and loved ones facing cancer and other lifethreatening diseases. Supportive care is fully integrated into clinical care, from intake and throughout the treatment process.
SOCIAL IMPACT THEATRE
Our investments are guided by the fundamental belief in the power of live theatre to spark dialogue, bring different viewpoints together on challenging subjects, and provide a lens to process the critical issues of contemporary society. We proudly recognize organizations in the Western states that are intentional and innovative in engaging with their audiences around these issues and are committed to reaching new audiences.
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
We advance solutions that expand equitable access to economic opportunity through a focus on workforce development programs and career technical education.
OUR TEAM SUPPORTIVE CARE ADVISORY GROUP
Angad Shah Controller
Audrey Haberman Chief Executive Officer
Dean Frerker Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Geri Auriemma Program Officer Social Impact Theatre
Kamera Museau Project Manager
Lené Copeland Board Liaison & Administration Specialist
Reka Robinson Communications Manager
Susan Hedlund Director Supportive Care Initiatives
Evan Lamberg President North America Universal Music Publishing
Gulden Mesara
Former Chief Communications Culture and Experience Officer, City of Hope
John Hope Bryant Founder, Chairman & CEO Operation HOPE, Inc.
Matthew Gonzales Chief Medical Officer Institute for Human Caring
Paula Green-Smith
Vice President of Training and Technical Assistance Black Women’s Health Imperative
Cynthia Carter Perrilliat Cofounder, Executive Director AC Care Alliance
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Howard Behar Sarah Lyding Pedro Martí John Ohanesian Rick Powell Lindsey Kozberg Yvonne Bell
Supportive Cancer Care Focus Area
Our Next Step to Expand Early, Equitable Access to Whole-Person Supportive Cancer Care: The Together for Supportive Cancer Care Coalition
September 30, 2024 marked an important step forward in making whole-person, supportive cancer care the new national standard in our country—for all people living with cancer and their caregivers, no matter where they live or receive care.
Organizations and leaders across the country and across sectors, including cancer care providers, patient advocacy groups, policy experts, employers, pharmaceutical companies, insurers, and other industry leaders, have united to launch a new national coalition: the Together for Supportive Cancer Care Coalition.
The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation is grateful to these organizations for coming together. As both a member and convener of this new national coalition, we are committed to working with our Together for Supportive Cancer Care partners to drive equitable systems change. We look forward to learning from and collaborating with the incredible group of experts who make up this coalition.
As many of you know, Sheri and Les Biller have a long-standing commitment to ensuring that cancer patients and their families receive supportive care.
As Sheri Biller says, “Equitable access to supportive care must be viewed as a human right for all people. Every person, no matter their background, geography, or where they receive treatment for their illness, should have access to
supportive care that provides emotional, physical, spiritual, and social support.”
After establishing a close relationship with City of Hope, a renowned national cancer institute, Sheri and Les founded the Biller Patient and Family Resource Center. The center was a pioneering initiative designed to address the multifaceted needs of cancer patients, providing resources to strengthen and empower patients and caregivers before, during and after treatment.
After years of witnessing the positive impact of supportive care, and yet how few people receive it, we set out to see what we could do. We looked at the growing body of evidence that demonstrates how supportive cancer care improves treatment outcomes and quality of life while providing highervalue care and lowering healthcare costs. We talked to organizations who have been working in this area. We surveyed almost 10,000 patients, caregivers and providers. And as a result, we took
the bold step of bringing together a diverse set of leaders to consider working collaboratively to make supportive cancer care a national standard.
In March of 2024, we convened the inaugural Together for Supportive Cancer Care Summit in Washington, D.C. We brought together public policy experts, cancer care providers, patient advocacy groups, employers, insurers, and pharmaceutical companies to address the urgent need for early and equitable access to supportive care across the cancer care continuum. We were inspired by the cross-sector collaboration and discussions and excited by everyone’s interest in continuing to work together.
The Together for Supportive Cancer Care coalition, will amplify current efforts, share best practices, and identify new solutions to make supportive cancer care the national standard. We look forward to learning from and supporting the experts within the coalition as it drives meaningful change in cancer care. The coalition includes over 40 organizations who are committed to making supportive care an integral part of cancer treatment by addressing the clinical, emotional, and practical needs of patients and their caregivers.
“Sheri has always had the vision to help support
cancer patients by giving them, their family, and their caregivers the support they need, so the patient can focus on their clinical care and get well. We know that when people receive wraparound supportive care, their quality of life, medical outcomes, and cost of care improve,” says Les Biller.
By uniting cross-sector voices and expertise, the coalition is uniquely positioned to transform the cancer care landscape and ensure that patients, caregivers, and healthcare systems benefit from a whole-person approach to treatment.
The coalition will work collaboratively across three focus areas: policy, research, and employer support, with specific goals to:
Advocate for state and federal policies that expand access to supportive cancer care.
Promote new and existing research demonstrating the positive impact of supportive care on outcomes, quality of life, and healthcare costs.
Engage employers as champions for expanding equitable access to supportive cancer care.
We look forward to being part of the coalition and continuing to champion its members and our collective efforts to expand access to supportive care for all cancer patients, their caregivers, and their families. You can read more at the Together for Supportive Cancer Care website.
Partner Spotlight
Guiding Light, How MHP
Salud Brings Hope to El Paso
Every day, Marisela steps into her El Paso community with one goal in mind: to bring light into the lives of those navigating the complexities of the healthcare system.
For Marisela, one word comes to mind when reflecting on her work: grateful.
She is grateful to have a chance to build trust with her community, to earn that trust, and to help her neighbors with the overwhelming task of navigating the healthcare system.
And she is grateful to be part of Juanita’s* journey in beating cancer.
As a Community Health Worker with MHP Salud, Marisela spends her days in the El Paso community, reaching into the heart of the most underserved neighborhoods, forging connections with families and individuals who have all but given up on ever securing health insurance, understanding the many systems within healthcare, or finding local resources to meet their most basic needs.
In Juanita’s words, Marisela and her fellow Community Health Workers at MHP Salud bring “a light.”
That light couldn’t have come at a more crucial time for Juanita. Uninsured and suffering from
kidney cancer, Juanita had applied for Medicaid with a desperate hope to find coverage for cancer treatment.
She was denied.
She applied for local hospital discount programs so she could obtain treatment without falling into bankruptcy. But the programs didn’t cover cancer care.
Discouraged and nearly hopeless, Juanita wasn’t comfortable exploring health insurance options—a hesitation Marisela understood well. Language barriers often contribute to uncertainty and uneasiness when it comes to navigating healthcare and coverage. Marisela knew MHP Salud could help Juanita. She spent weeks building trust, getting to know her, and sharing her own experiences with the healthcare system – in the language they both shared.
“The key is to listen,” Marisela explains. “You have to listen to their needs and challenges first. Assess where they’re at so you can help.”
Juanita’s healthcare needs were complex. She had some doctors and some medications, but she needed more specialists, more treatment, and comprehensive coverage. On top of that, she needed basic necessities. Though she worked hard, making ends meet was difficult—especially with mounting healthcare bills.
Marisela helped Juanita understand all of the coverage options available to her. She guided her through the plans and financial assistance options and provided the information Juanita needed to make an informed decision about the best coverage for her.
Together, they applied – and then celebrated when Juanita received the acceptance letter.
Together, they identified local healthcare providers who accepted her insurance.
And when Juanita received the news she had long awaited—that her cancer was gone—it didn’t take long for her to pick up the phone and call Marisela.
“It gives me more motivation to do this work, to help people understand their health insurance options and the resources we have in the community,” Marisela shares. “I love being out in my community. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”
Juanita’s own gratefulness shines as she continues to refer friends and family to MHP Salud, paying it forward in her own way.
And Marisela, along with MHP Salud’s team of Community Health Workers, will continue to answer the call.
“We’re from the community. We’re here to help the community,” Marisela says. “This isn’t just my story – this is the story of the entire team, the story of MHP Salud.”
Supportive Care & Other Health-Related Grantees
Achievable Foundation
Alameda County Care Alliance Collaborative
American Cancer Society, Inc.
Asian Health & Service Center
Business Group on Health
Cancer Lifeline
Cancer Support Community
Children’s Burn Foundation
City of Hope
Coalition To Transform Advanced Care
Concern Foundation
CROSSROADS4HOPE, A Network of Cancer Support
Dempsey Centers For Quality Cancer Care
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Goals of Care Coalition of New Jersey Inc
Grantmakers in Health
HealthPoint
King County Sexual Assault Resource Center
MHP Salud
National Academy of Sciences Purchaser Business Group on Health
National Black Women’s Health Project, (DBA Black Women’s Health Imperative)
North Carolina Association Of Free and Charitable Clinics
PAUSE
RVC Seattle
University of Washington Foundation
Via Care Community Health Center
Social Impact Theatre Focus Area
Our investments are guided by the fundamental belief in the power of live theatre to spark dialogue, bring different viewpoints together on challenging subjects, and provide a lens to process the critical issues of contemporary society.
We proudly recognize organizations that are intentional and innovative in engaging with their audiences around these issues, and are committed to reaching new audiences. We seek to support theatres in Western states that are igniting positive changes in their communities through the programming they bring to life on stage. We continue to pay attention to changes in the theatre sector and the social impact theatre space. We will be exploring new initiatives that address ideas to support new forms of social
impact theatre, theatre career training, and diverse theatre communities.
For the first time, this year the Foundation also awarded Change Capital Grants to six theatres that are implementing new business models to increase their organization’s vitality and sustainability. The grants are designed to kickstart new initiatives or to enhance existing strategies with the aim of broadening its support for the field.
This year’s Change Capital Grant awardees and projects include:
Geffen Playhouse
New Blackbox Theatre Vision
Latino Theater Company
Succession Planning
Portland Center Stage
Membership Ticketing Model
Portland Playhouse
Social Prescription Pilot
Seattle Children’s Theatre
Resource Sharing Initiative with Seattle Repertory Theatre
Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum
Cohort Based Audience Research
This year’s Social Impact Theatre Grant awardees include:
American Conservatory Theatre “Co-Founders”
Berkeley Repertory Theatre “Mexodus”
Denver Center for the Performing Arts “The Reservoir”
Geffen Playhouse “Furlough’s Paradise”
Portland Center Stage “The Brothers Size”
Rubicon Theatre Company “Crazy Mama”
Seattle Repertory Theatre “Blues for an Alabama Sky”
The Old Globe “House of India”
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts “Here there are Blueberries”
Z Space Studio “The Day the Sky Turned Orange”
The National Latinx Theater Initiative & A More Inclusive Theater Landscape Partner Spotlight
In 2024, the Biller Family Foundation joined with other national and regional funders to support the National Latinx Theater Initiative (NLTI).
The NLTI, a program of the Los Angeles-based Latino Theater Company, envisions a national theater landscape where the Latinx sector, its cultural capital, and its legacy are recognized as vital components of the United States’ theater ecosystem.
“This is the first time funders across the nation are banding together to stabilize and sustain this vital component of the American theater,” says NLTI co-director Olga Garay English.
“These efforts are making a huge impact on the sector, allowing these multifaceted theaters and ensembles to continue to serve and represent their audiences, provide meaningful work for countless artists, designers, and production professionals, and remain significant to the U.S. national culture.”
Since its inception in 2022 and the re-granting program’s launch in 2023, NLTI has raised $11.2 million toward its three-year $15 million fundraising goal. To date, it has awarded $6.36 million in General Operating Support grants to 52 theaters over two to three years. These grants have empowered Latinx theater companies across the U.S. and Puerto Rico to pursue greater financial stability, elevate their artistic voices, and navigate the challenges of a post-pandemic landscape.
Beyond financial support, NLTI offers a robust ecosystem of resources, including annual convenings, networking opportunities, Nonprofit
Finance Fund consultations, and collaborative opportunities such as co-commissioning, coproductions, and touring.
“We believe that the professional development component of the NLTI and the opportunities for increased national visibility are just as meaningful to granteetheatres as the multi-year grants,” shares NLTI co-director José Luis Valenzuela.
At its core, the NLTI champions the power of theater to uplift the voices, culture, and stories of the fastest-growing demographic in the United States—a demographic systematically underrepresented on American stages. By supporting Latinx arts and theater, the NLTI fosters a broader impact on the larger cultural ecosystem, enriching our nation’s well-being, strengthening its cultural identity, and advancing social justice.
We are proud to be part of this transformative initiative, to stand alongside partners who are making equity in the arts a reality, and to continue to foster a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive theater landscape.
Social Impact Theatre & Other Theatre Related Grantees
American Conservatory Theater
ArtsFund
Assitej-USA Incorporated (TYA/USA)
Autry Museum of the American West
Bag&Baggage Productions
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Center Theatre Group
Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Geffen Playhouse, Inc.
Keshet Chaim Dancers
Latino Theater Company
Latino Theater Company
Monroe Arts Council
Muse-ique (The Fund for Music)
National Alliance for Musical Theratre Inc.
Ojai Playwrights Conference
Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation
Pasadena Playhouse State Theatre of California, Inc.
Perseverance Theatre
Portland Center Stage
Portland Playhouse
Rubicon Theatre Company
San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company (SFBATCO)
Seattle Children’s Theatre
Seattle Repertory Theatre
Su Teatro Inc
The 5th Avenue Theatre
The 5th Avenue Theatre
The Antaeus Company
Theatre Communications Group (TCG)
The Old Globe
The Theatre at Boston Court”
The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Third Law Dance-Theater Inc
Third Law Dance-Theater Inc
Village Theatre
Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum
Z Space Studio
Economic Opportunity Focus
A New Chapter for CareerWork$
In August of 2024, we announced that CareerWork$ became part of the Washington Bankers Association (WBA), marking an exciting new chapter for an organization deeply rooted in our foundation’s mission. Launched in 2006, BankWork$® was the first program created to provide free training and access to entry-level banking careers—offering participants a pathway to economic stability.
Over the years, the program grew to serve multiple cities and inspired the creation of CareerWork$ as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2017. CareerWork$ expanded its scope to include programs like CareerWork$ Medical®, which prepares individuals for administrative careers in the healthcare field, and CareerWork$ Ready, which equips participants with job readiness skills across industries. Together, these programs empower individuals to build meaningful careers and advance their lives.
We’ve been moved by countless success stories from program graduates who gained confidence, built new personal and professional networks, and embarked on sustainable career paths. One such story is Maggie’s. As a single mother, she found it challenging to break into the banking industry without prior experience. After enrolling in BankWork$® Fundamentals, a virtual BankWork$ program open to individuals living outside of the BankWork$ footprint, Maggie gained not only the technical knowledge needed for banking but also the confidence and self-belief to pursue her goals. Today, Maggie is thriving in her career and celebrating her one-year anniversary with Wells Fargo,
where she’s setting her sights on becoming a Personal Banker. Read more about Maggie’s inspiring journey here.
Research highlights the program’s measurable impact: CareerWork$ graduates more than double their salaries within three years of completing the program, with many advancing further in the financial services industry. These impressive outcomes have inspired our continued support, including over one million dollars in 2024 and similar contributions annually since 2014. Under the capable leadership of Managing Director Ranko Fukuda, we are confident the program will continue evolving to help even more individuals achieve economic stability.
Economic Opportunity Grantees
Careerworks Inc
Educational Service District 105
Educational Service District 112
JVS SoCal Operation Hope
ESD112 Partner Spotlight
Michael Fuller, a senior in a graduating class of just 23 students in Trout Lake, Washington, has long been interested in a career in IT—possibly even cybersecurity. However, his school wasn’t able to offer any courses in those fields. In many rural areas, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs face significant challenges due to low enrollment numbers and difficulty attracting qualified instructors. Without access to relevant coursework, Michael was told his best options was to go into ranching—the primary career path available in his community. That changed with the launch of the Southwest Washington Rural CTE Cooperative, a program led by ESD 112. Through the cooperative, Michael enrolled in IT Fundamentals, a course taught via Zoom by Hassan Dirye, a highly skilled IT professional. This
We support and partner with innovative programs that help students move from high school to a career.
We also support career readiness and advance
career-connected learning.
Career Technical Education (CTE) provides students with rigorous, industryspecific training that results in a clear pathway to living wage careers.
opportunity allows Michael to earn his CompTIA A+ certification and receive eight dual credits from Clark College toward an associate degree in networking— saving his family more than $650 in tuition and giving him a head start on his college education. Before the Rural CTE Cooperative, students in remote districts had little to no access to CTE courses and were unable to complete a CTE Graduation Pathway. Thanks to funding and support from the Biller Family Foundation, beginning in 2025, students in rural and remote communities will have access to career pathways in Information Technology, Healthcare, Education, and Finance—expanding opportunities for students like Michael to pursue high-demand careers without leaving their hometowns.
Photo Credits
(Cover) Blue: Photo Courtesy of Cancer Support Community, Green: C-TAC National Leadership Summit 2024 photo courtesy of C-TAC2, Orange: Photo Courtesy of Cancer Support Community 2, Yellow: Latino Theater Company’s production of “Tacos La Brooklyn.” Photo courtesy of Latino Theater Company | (Page 4) We were honored to be a sponsor for The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) 2024 National Leadership Summit in Washington, DC. in attendance was our CEO Audrey Haberman | (Page 6) Curious Theatre Company’s “cullud wattah” production by Erika Dickerson-Despenza. Photo Michael Ensminger, courtesy of Curious Theatre Company | (Page 6) MHP Salud | (Pages 12 & 13) Photo Credit: Ingrid Leyva, Courtesy of MHP Salud | *name has been changed | (Page 15) Curious Theatre Company’s production of “cullud wattah” by Erika Dickerson-Despenza. Photo by Michael Ensminger, courtesy of Curious Theatre Company | (Page 16) Bryonn Bain with students at UCLA Hip Hop Collaborative Residency. Photo by Isaak Berliner, courtesy of Geffen Playhouse | (Page 17) Town Hall Arts Center’s production of “The Prom.” Photo Credit: RDGPhotography, courtesy of Town Hall Arts Center | (Page 18) Geri with José Luis Valenzuela and Olga Garay-English, co-directors of the National Latinx Theatre Initiative | (Page 21) Arvada Center’s production of “The Laramie Project.” Photo by Amanda Tipton Photography, courtesy of Arvada Center | (Page 23) Encuentro 2024: A National Theatre Festival. Photo by Yazlin Juarez, courtesy of Latino Theater Company | (Page 23) Berkeley Rep’s Production of “Far Country.” Photo by Kevin Berne, courtsey of Berekely Rep
SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 2001, WE HAVE REMAINED COMMITTED TO ADVANCING SOLUTIONS THAT INCREASE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, IMPROVE ACCESS TO SUPPORTIVE CARE FOR LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS, AND LIFT UP SOCIAL IMPACT THEATRE.
Annual Report 2024 206.535.7543
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