IMBCR’s Board of Directors

Chief Executive Officer & President | Medical & Scientific Director – James R. Berenson, MD, FACP

Dr. Berenson is the founder of the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research (IMBCR) and has specialized in research related to myeloma and metastatic bone disease both in the basic and clinical areas for more than 30 years. He has been involved in many of the major breakthroughs that have brought new treatments for patients with these diseases resulting in both an improvement in the length and quality of their lives. He serves as a member of the National Institutes of Health – Center for Scientific Review, Clinical Oncology Study Section. He is a member of the Scientific Boards of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and the International Myeloma Foundation. He serves on both the Foundation and the Scientific Boards of the Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma Society. He also works with many other groups known for their work in multiple myeloma and bone metastases. After receiving a Bachelor of Science with Distinction from Stanford University, he earned his Doctorate in Medicine from the University of California at San Diego. Click to read Dr. Berenson’s complete bio.

Mr. Hartley is a founding Board member of the IMBCR. Graduating from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst with a magna cum laude in history in May of 1971, he is Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. He then went on to Georgetown University Law Center where he received his Juris Doctor in May of 1974. At Georgetown, he was Phi Delta Phi, Law Review Editor and belonged to the Moot Court Team. He is a member of the California Bar (1974) and the District of Columbia Bar (1984). He was a practicing attorney for Los Angeles, CA law firms (Musick, Peeler & Garrett; Stroock & Stroock & Lavan and Finley, Kumble, Wagner, Heine, Underberg & Manley). In the California judicial system, he has been a Los Angeles Superior Court judge. Mr. Hartley has been Senior Counsel / Senior Vice President of Home Savings of America in Los Angeles, California.

A man of many talents, Mr. Hartley is also known for being the founder and artistic director of “Theatre Geo” in Los Angeles, California. Also in the film/television/theater realm, he is known for being an acting and interview coach. He has produced and/or directed 184 plays and musicals as well as being a playwright of 4 plays (“The Care and Custody of Barbara Moon,” “Un-Buttoned,” “Ghost Light” and the musical, “Twisted”). Mr. Hartley wrote a regular column called “SightLines” for LA Stage Magazine. His credits also include Adjunct Professor of the University of Southern California (USC) College of Theatre.

Mr. Hartley currently resides in Washington, District of Columbia and Charlestown Beach, Rhode Island.

Secretary – Shahrooz Eshaghian, MD, FACP

Shahrooz Eshaghian, MD FACP is a board certified medical oncologist with expertise in treating patients with myeloma and a broad spectrum of hematological & oncological malignancies. Dr. Eshaghian graduated from UCLA Summa Cum Laude, with College Honors and Phi Beta Kappa. He then received his MD from the prestigious Albert Einstein College of Medicine with a distinction in research. He completed his internship & residency at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and went on to complete a fellowship in hematology & oncology at UCLA, serving as Chief Fellow. Throughout his career, Dr. Eshaghian has been involved with cancer research, which has received recognition at national conferences and has been published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals. He also is involved with various local and national organizations, including: Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, American Society of Clinical Oncology, & American Society of Hematology. Dr. Eshaghian is an active attending physician and clinical instructor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and at Cedars-Sinai. As a highly respected medical oncologists and hematologists, Dr. Eshaghian is considered among the best oncologist and has received several prestigious awards throughout his career, including Super Doctor Southern California Rising Star, annually since 2013. Dr. Eshaghian is married to Yael (JD) and has three daughters (Navah, Naomi, & Shaya).

Treasurer – Roger Townsend, CPA

Roger Townsend has over 30 years of business experience including 10 years of financial management in private industry and 20 years in public accounting. He has worked with a variety of different companies, including the Automobile Club of Southern California, Hon Development Company, Stayner Development Company and Health Industries, Inc. He is a former land developer and currently is the owner of a productive avocado farm in San Diego County. He has worked with IMBCR on its Audit Committee since 2008 and has held other civic positions within his community. Roger served during the Vietnam War as a LTJG in the Navy and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and graduate studies in accounting and business from UCLA. Roger is married to Mary Townsend, a former director of the Orange County Department of Education. The couple has two children and when they’re not participating in extreme sports, they quietly reside in San Clemente, California.

Eugene “Gene” Berman

Mr. Berman is currently the principal broker at For Buyers Only Realty, an exclusive buyer’s brokerage, and Truth-in-Lending Mortgage, both in Santa Rosa, California. He has been a real estate broker in the North Bay region of California since 2001 and an active real estate professional since 1999 (click more for more info). He has also been an adjunct faculty member at Santa Rosa Junior College since 2005. Prior to his career in real estate, Mr. Berman was a senior management executive at an Omnicom-owned San Francisco advertising agency; managing director at Lowe McAdams SF, and president at Grey Advertising SF. During his 16 years in advertising, he handled major U.S. and global accounts including: American Cancer Society, Baxter and Gillette brands (including Oral–B Laboratories and Braun), Johnson & Johnson’s Lifescan division, Smithkline Diagnostics, Lifetime Medical TV, Meridien Hotels, 24-Hour Fitness and VISA. Gene’s accomplishments include receiving the “Best-of-Show” Addy and EFFIE, numerous Gold “In Awe” Awards from the Medical Marketing Association; GD Crain Public Service Gold Award for the San Francisco Child Abuse Council and has served on advertising juries in numerous local and regional competitions. Mr. Berman received his Bachelor of Science degree from Tulane University in 1970 and is married to Enid Berman. Gene has one son. Enid, with a B.S. in Journalism from the New School, NY, is former non-profit board of directors’ president of American Communications Foundation. Enid continues as a valued consultant to non-profits, for-profits, city and county governments, in internal communications and team-building. The Berman’s reside in Santa Rosa, California.

Ethan Horwitz, MS, Esq.

Ethan Horwitz is a partner in King & Spalding’s Intellectual Property practice and is resident in the New York office. Mr. Horwitz maintains a diverse practice and has over 25 years of experience in the full range of intellectual property law. He has advised clients and has litigated patent, trademark, trade dress, copyright and false advertising cases in the United States and internationally. Mr. Horwitz’s practice includes worldwide acquisition and enforcement of intellectual property and advising clients on the enforcement of their intellectual property. For the past 30 years, Ethan has been an active board member and is a past president of Dorot. He also serves as a trustee of The Shalom Hartman Institute and of the Plaza Jewish Community Chapel. Mr. Horwitz received his Juris Doctorate from St. Johns University, a Masters of Science from New York University and undergraduate degree from Brooklyn Polytech.

Mike Lederer

Mike Lederer is currently CEO of The Lederer Company and has been active in real estate since the early 1990’s. Additionally, Mike founded Captive Media Inc, the pioneer in place based media in 2000; Mike sold Captive Media to a big private equity fund (Parthenon Capital) in 2008. In addition to Fallbrookthe Lederer Company, Mike is active in several professional capital funds (private equity and venture) where he invests, advises, and consults across technology, media, healthcare, and real estate regularly. Several of these investments have led to successfully liquidity events to both private and public buyers. As a graduate of the University of Southern California in 1989, Mike currently serves in several capacities at USC, Vice Chairman of the Price School, Athletic Department Board, Associates Board, and chairs several committees. Mike’s charitable involvement continues as a board member at Boys and Girls Club of Conejo Valley, Big Brothers of America, and Cedars Sinai Medical Center.

Larry Stein

Stanton “Larry” Stein is a partner and head of Russ August & Kabat’s Media and Entertainment group. Larry represents a variety of clients in the media and entertainment industry including actors, writer, directors, producers, musicians, personal and business management companies, independent production companies, and interactive gamine companies. Throughout his career, he has brought groundbreaking litigation on behalf of creators and owners of all genres of entertainment content, including the first profit participation case challenging vertical integration and first matter seeking copyright protection in reality formats. Larry is frequently recognized by leading legal, business, and entertainment industry publications and organizations for the success he has achieved on behalf of his clients. Some of these achievements include being ranked as a “Top Media and Entertainment Litigator” by Chambers USA, regularly recognized as a “Power Lawyer” by The Hollywood Reporter and recently recognized as a Legal Legend, a “2020 Top Music Lawyer” by Billboard, and a Southern California Super Lawyer since 2004. The Daily Journal named Larry one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in California,” while the Los Angeles Business Journal profiled him in ” Who’s Who in LA Law,” and California Lawyers featured him as a top five “A-list Entertainment Lawyers.” Nationally, Larry has been recognized as a “Best Lawyer” by The Best Lawyers in America and in Lawdragon 500: Leading Lawyers in America. Larry received the “Entertainment Lawyer of the Year” awards from both the Beverly Hills and Century City Bar Associations, as well as the ACLU Foundation’s “Pro Bono Civil Liberties Award.” Larry is a frequent author and lecturer in the field of entertainment law. He has taught classes at USC Gould School of Law, Stanford Law School, Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, and University of California Berkeley School of Law. Larry received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern California with honors, Phi Beta Kappa and debate scholarship recipient. In 1969, he received his Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California Law School where he was Editor of The Law Review, Winner of Moot Court Competition and recipient of an academic scholarship. Larry and his wife Jackie live in Santa Monica, California with their two dogs. They have two children and five grandchildren who also live in Santa Monica.

Executive Director – Thomas Gosney, MBA, CPA

Tom Gosney is a seasoned operational and financial management executive with years of extensive senior management experience in a wide variety of industries; including public accounting, advertising, artist management (music), manufacturing, C-Level Financial consulting and healthcare. He was most recently the CFO for Pediatric Therapy Network, a not for profit corporation in Torrance, CA. Tom holds a BBA in Accounting from Saint Bonaventure University and a MBA from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business. He is a California Licensed CPA (currently inactive). Tom, his wife Sue and dog Abbie are long-time residents of San Pedro, CA. Tom’s passions include helping businesses reach their full potential, cooking, spending time with family and friends, and serving on the board of Gracianna Wines in Healdsburg, CA.