NEC Society
Jennifer Canvasser, MSW
Founder & Executive Director
Jennifer Canvasser founded the Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) Society after her son Micah died from complications of the disease. Through Jennifer’s leadership, the NEC Society has become the world’s leading NEC-focused nonprofit organization. Jennifer completed her undergraduate studies at UCLA, earned her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Southern California, and is currently a doctoral student in sociology at UC Davis. Jennifer serves as an expert panelist for the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative and served as an advisor for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) for three years. She has served as the project lead on three PCORI Engagement Awards as well as the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s Rare As One Network and Patient-Partnered Research Collaboration.
Erin Umberger, M.Arch
Director
Erin’s professional history is as a healthcare architect and graphic designer, with undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Biology. Erin lost her daughter Sarah to necrotizing enterocolitis at two months of age. Erin was then motivated to change her professional path to advocate for babies and families affected by NEC. She draws on her project management, graphic design, and science literacy skills in her work for the NEC Society.
Julia Goldstein, BA
Development Director
Julia has over 20 years of professional fundraising experience in the nonprofit sector, as well as a deeply personal appreciation for the power of giving. Julia’s career includes working to advance research on ovarian cancer, sustaining vital support services for survivors of the Holocaust, and providing financial assistance and counseling to foster youth attending college in Colorado. Julia earned her Bachelor of Arts in History at Hofstra University and lives in Lafayette, CO, with her husband, Jeremy, and their kids, Cooper and Hudson. As the NEC Society’s Development Director, Julia works hand-in-hand with the full team to ensure the organization has the support and financial sustainability to continually expand our reach and impact.
Erin Pryor, MPH, RDN, LD
Research Coordinator
Erin is a Registered Dietitian with a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Texas, Houston Health Sciences Center. Erin comes to us with extensive knowledge from her clinical work as a neonatal nutritionist in a Level IIIB NICU in Ohio. As a clinician, she has seen the devastating effects of NEC on patient-families and the entire care team. Erin also brings a personal perspective to this role as her oldest son was born 2 months prematurely and spent five weeks in intensive care.