Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emily Keith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Emily , appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of the most rewarding projects for me has been working with the Pablove Foundation to invest in underfunded, cutting-edge pediatric cancer research. Sadly, many people don’t know that cancer is the #1 leading cause of death by disease in kids under age 19. At Pablove, we invest in tomorrow’s cures. Our seed grants provide funding to scientists with exciting, outside-the-box strategies. With our grants, researchers can collect the critical data they need to validate their hypothesis and qualify for larger, federal funding or even launch clinical trial. Without our funding, these researchers’ brilliant ideas would simply sit in desk drawers, waiting for a chance to be tested.

One stat really overwhelms me: Over 95% of childhood cancer survivors will have a significant health-related issue by the time they are 45 years old. This is either a side effect of their cancer, or more commonly, their treatment.

And what’s worse, only 4% of the total budget that the federal government dedicates to cancer research is allocated to pediatric cancers. The Pablove Foundation believes our kids are worth more than 4 cents on the dollar and is working tirelessly to fill this critical funding gap.

We are investing in winners and seeing groundbreaking returns. Since 2011, Pablove has funded over $3.8M to researchers. What’s even more exciting is that our scientists have leveraged our initial funding to obtain over $14.3 Million in extension funding to continue their innovative work.

We have so many success stories! One of my favorites is our researcher, Dr. Grant Rowe at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Rowe successfully identified leukemia stem cells in a very aggressive pediatric leukemia and defined their molecular properties, resulting in a new treatment option. Thanks to his Pablove funding, Dr. Rowe was able to obtain a $800,000 grant from the Department of Defense and continue his life-saving work.

Emily , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

After graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University with a theater and education degree, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue my dreams of being an actress. After some acting jobs, to my surprise, I was drawn to the mission of non-profit work. I found my passion was helping people and I enjoyed the challenge of using my skills in a new way. I loved working with youth, and my career began in the healthcare nonprofit world, where I developed sexual and relational health education programs.

This pathway eventually led me to my current role as Executive Director at The Pablove Foundation. Pablove is named after Pablo Thrailkill Castelaz, who lost his life at age 6 to a rare form of cancer. After Pablo passed, his parents found precious photographs that he left behind, and realized that he was using photography as an outlet during his cancer battle. His parents founded Pablove with a mission to bring joy to kids with cancer through the arts, and invest in innovative research to advance their cures.

Pablove Shutterbugs is our signature program that teaches photography to kids with cancer age 6-18. Our classes empower kids to share their story through the camera lens, fostering their creativity and providing a vital outlet for self-expression. Every Pablove Shutterbug student receives a camera, (to keep!) and participates in a 6-8 week hands-on course taught by a professional photographer

The coolest part about Shutterbugs is that the photos our students take are sold (online and in fine art gallery shows) and 100% of sales directly fund pediatric cancer research. So, our students really grasp that through the Shutterbugs program and selling their photos, they are actually helping other kids with cancer! This gives kids a sense of agency and purpose while battling a disease that robs them of so much.

One of our Shutterbugs’ parents expressed why our program matters:

“As parents, we look for ways to encourage our children and show them that they are not defined by their medical condition, but by their soul. The Shutterbugs program fostered Aidan’s interest in photography while, at the same time, providing him with a creative and meaningful diversion from thoughts and worries about his condition and his treatments. Alongside Pablove’s research advancements, Shutterbugs has played an integral role in our son’s recovery and we cannot express our gratitude in words.”

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I love leadership books that foster a growth mindset and expose me to new ideas, strategies, and perspectives. It motivates me to hear real-life examples of leaders who have successfully navigated difficulties and have developed skills through effort and persistence.

When I read Patrick Lencioni’s Ideal Team Player, something just stuck. In the nonprofit world, we wear so many hats, our roles overlap and the importance of teamwork is key to the success of our organization.

Ideal Team Player painted a picture of how to avoid team dysfunctions and what to look for when hiring. According to Lencioni, there are three underlying virtues that make the ideal team player: Humble, Hungry, and Smart. The way he describes each of these virtues with practical tools and actionable steps for identifying, hiring, and developing ideal team players has impacted how I lead others.

Another book that helped me build confidence and courage was Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson and Joseph Grenny. Most people would rather crawl into a hole before confronting a co-worker or a boss about a high stakes decision. I can totally relate to wanting to avoid difficult people, strong emotions, and opposite opinions. Crucial Conversations highlights the absolute necessity of not avoiding uncomfortable dialogue. The book presents practical ways to create a safe space for healthy conversation, transform hurt-feelings, and be persuasive without being a bully.

I’ve learned that crucial conversations are often defining moments that can literally shape our lives. Our words have power and the quality of our communication can determine our success as leaders. I’ve seen in my own life how learning how to handle crucial conversations effectively can improve the quality of relationships, earn respect, improve business decision outcomes and so much more.

Honestly, there are so many books, webinars, and conferences that have shaped my thinking. I could go on forever, but when it comes to working on myself as a person and leading from a place of health, not brokenness, The Emotionally Healthy Leader by Peter Scazzero was pretty profound for me. The whole concept lies with transforming your inner life, managing stress, making decisions, creating inclusive, healthy culture, and more. The book includes assessments to measure your leadership health. Yikes, those were pretty eye opening for me. I am still far from getting this right, but have a much better concept of the value of bringing a whole, healthy self to the team.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I’ve always found my happy place in the arts. My dad is a professional artist (photographer, painter, sculptor). His art studio was in our home and as a child, I loved to watch my dad create. The best was when he would let me provide input into one of his pieces. There was something about this process that brought me such joy. I didn’t know the science behind it at the time, but now I know that studies show that simply observing art can boost serotonin and increase blood flow to the brain, which makes total sense as to why I was so captivated by these experiences!

Arts truly have power, and a transformative effect. It’s so fulfilling to provide a platform for our Shutterbugs to leave a legacy through photography. I have seen the joy and healing our program brings. I have seen children who have experienced so much trauma, just get to be kids again, find their creative voice, document the world through their eyes, and find a sense of purpose during their cancer treatment. Not all kids are lucky enough to live a full life here on earth, but the photos they leave behind are gifts that help their memory and spirit live on forever.

As a mom of three healthy kids, I am also motivated by the calling and responsibility I feel to give back to others who are struggling. Knowing that I am helping to make tangle steps towards something everyone wants- a cure for cancer- is inspiring. Being on the forefront of trying to accelerate these cancer research breakthroughs highly motivates me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pablove.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pablovefoundation/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pablovefoundation
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/792208/admin/feed/posts/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/pablove
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/pablovefoundation

Image Credits

Kelly Fogel
Matt Harbicht