Meet The Board

Tracy Milgram

Tracy Milgram-Posner founded BRCAStrong in 2015 after fighting alone for over 10 years against her BRCA2 genetic mutation. Tracy underwent two separate benign lumpectomies at 18- and 19-years-old before being officially told she carried the BRCA2 mutation in 2004 at 21 years-old.

When her doctors informed her in 2015 that she had an 85% risk of developing breast cancer, and a 30% chance of developing ovarian cancer, Tracy underwent a robotic, total hysterectomy. Six months later, she had a prophylactic double mastectomy.

Tracy aims to inspire others by sharing her journey and encouraging others to do the same. “I think we all experience some level of self-doubt and physical insecurities after breast or reproductive surgery and/or treatment – regardless of BRCA involvement. In a way, BRCA2 took away my womanhood – and there are too many more women out there facing challenges similar to mine. But though similar, all our experiences are different, and I hope that BRCAStrong provides a safe space to share and inspire each other.”

As she dealt with the physical and emotional effects of these aggressive procedures, Tracy saw a need for an inclusive community that would allow her and others to connect, share tips and stories and offer advice on everything from post-surgery dating to clinical side effects and mental health.

Dr. John P. Diaz, M.D. – Chief Medical Office

John P. Diaz, M.D., is a board-certified gynecologic oncologist at Miami Cancer Institute. Dr. Diaz provides comprehensive and compassionate gynecologic cancer care for women with endometrial, ovarian, cervical, vaginal or vulvar cancer. He has extensive training and experience in robotic and minimally invasive surgery, which results in shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times for patients. He is fluent in English and Spanish.

Dr. Diaz completed his gynecologic oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York and received the Department of Surgery Chairman’s Award. He currently serves as an associate professor for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Florida International University.

As director of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, Dr. Diaz leads the only Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery in South Florida. There, he and his colleagues perform thousands of robotic surgeries each year. Passionate about furthering the field of gynecologic oncology, Dr. Diaz leads Miami Cancer Institute’s gynecologic oncology research and clinical trials program. This program offers innovative treatments and advanced technologies to women in South Florida.

His research interests include novel surgical techniques for ovarian cancer and innovative cancer therapies, including hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy and immunotherapy. In 2019, Dr. Diaz was awarded a $1.8 million grant to investigate immunotherapy and PARP inhibitors for cervical cancer treatment.

Dr. Diaz’s research has been published in numerous peer-reviewed medical journals, such as Oncology, Gynecologic Oncology, the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Gynecologic Oncology Reports. He is also a reviewer for Gynecologic Oncology, BioMed Cancer, International Journal of Gynecologic Oncology and the Annals of Surgical Oncology.

He has been an invited speaker and presented his research nationally and internationally at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, International Gynecologic Cancer Society and many others. Dr. Diaz also holds many leadership and committee positions within various organizations, including the Society of Gynecologic Oncology and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

He takes a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to patient care. Dr. Diaz is with his patients through every step of their treatment process, from diagnosis to surgery to chemotherapy to follow-up care. He takes the time to listen to each patient’s questions and goals and works closely with them to develop a tailored treatment plan.

Dr. Diaz also encourages his patients to take advantage of Miami Cancer Institute’s nutrition, physical therapy and mental wellness programs to maximize their quality of life during their cancer journey. When he is not treating patients, Dr. Diaz enjoys spending time with his family and participating in outdoor activities, including white water rafting, skiing and boating.

Mary Glasse

My name is Mary Glasse. I am a daughter, wife, mom, friend, cncr survivor. I found I had breast cncr in 2019. Fortunately, because of it, I joined a support group that lead me to BRCASTRONG. A photoshoot that had women of every walk of life and at the same time fighting cncr. I didn’t feel alone.

I promised Tracy that day I will help her with anything she needed. Here we are almost 5 yrs. later and I am on the board of this organization I trust and admire. BRCASTRONG still helps me today. Helping other women helps me heal mentally and emotionally. We are here to help you and support you in any way because we understand the road you are taking.

By the way, I didn’t misspell cncr. I don’t respect it enough to write its full name.

Nadia Nocera Zachariah, M.D.

Nadia Nocera Zachariah, M.D., is a breast surgical oncologist at Miami Cancer Institute. Dr. Nocera specializes in treating breast cancer. She is uent in English and conversational in Spanish and Italian. Prior to joining Miami Cancer Institute in 2021, Dr. Nocera completed a fellowship in breast surgical oncology at the H. Lee Mof tt Cancer Center in Tampa. Dr. Nocera is a proud rst-generation college graduate. She has been involved with dendritic cell vaccine research for breast cancer and melanoma. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed publications, including the Annals of Surgical Oncology, the Journal of Surgical Education, Immunotherapy and Frontiers in Pharmacology. She has also presented at numerous medical conferences, including the American Society of Breast Surgeons Annual Meeting and the Miami Breast Cancer Conference.

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