Board of Directors

Christine Kowal, CPA

President, Chairman of the Board of Directors

Christine Kowal, founder of the original +Energy organization, works as a CPA specializing in Federal Tax Services for a public accounting firm. She graduated in 2002 from the University of Virginia (UVA) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce. Her motivation to help develop +Energy is driven primarily from losing her grandmother to lung cancer several years ago. Since that point, Christine has also witnessed many friends and family endure the same battle against cancer, and each experience continues to refuel her commitment to helping others.

Elizabeth Guanlao

Vice President

Elizabeth Guanlao helped create +Energy. She currently works as a government analyst and graduated in 2002 from the UVA with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. The loss of her grandfathers to the disease inspired her to help create a unique organization to empower students—a truly unique group of motived citizens—with the energy to fight cancer. Since +Energy's inception at UVA, other members of her family have been diagnosed with cancer and beat it, fostering hope that continues to drive Elizabeth to be a part of the "Going National" initiative.

Matthew Cabot Cranford

Until recently, Matthew Cabot Cranford was an environmental analyst for Eastern Research Group, Inc., where he worked on communications and business strategy for federal and non-profit energy and environmental programs. He continues to act as a consultant for such organizations, while currently studying for an advanced degree in environmental economics and policy. He received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from UVA in 2006. Matthew has been involved with +Energy since 2002, after witnessing family and friends suffer from cancer. He believes +Energy provides a powerful method for students to become a valuable asset in the fight against cancer, while teaching them essential skills for good citizenship that they will carry into the workplace.

Sarah Mastrorocco

Sarah Mastrorocco is a 2004 graduate of UVA's McIntire School of Commerce. She currently works in forensic and litigation consulting in Washington , D.C. Sarah was immediately drawn to the opportunity to help +Energy go national because her mother is a breast cancer survivor and she has witnessed far too many family and friends lose their battles with cancer. She believes college students can make a huge impact in the lives of cancer patients and their families and that +Energy has the ability to organize and empower these students to maximize that impact.

Amanda Postiglione

A member of the Virginia Bar, Amanda currently practices law as an attorney for the federal government. She received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2005 and her B.A. from George Mason University (GMU) in 2002. She has been drawn to the fight against cancer since her time at GMU, where she worked with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation through her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha. The loss of her mother to colorectal cancer in 2006 strengthened her desire to support the search for a cure, and drives Amanda's work to help +Energy create a national network of students fighting cancer. Amanda has seen several friends and family members battle cancer, and hopes that one day no one will have to deal with losing a loved one to this disease.