Board Of Directors

Director of Community Outreach

Samantha Cannon-Martin is a graduate, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia. She also holds an OT Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy, Belmont University. She obtained a certification in Complex Decongestive Therapy for Lymphedema management, Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy. Mrs Cannon-Martin serves on Gwinnett Medical Center’s Cancer Committee, Community Outreach Committee and Breast Cancer Leadership for Northside Hospital, Cumming/Forsyth, Georgia. She consults with physicians on a regular basis to educate them on the diagnosis of Lymphedema and swelling complications. She is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist independently serving patients in the Gwinnett, Forsythe, and Hall county areas.

Co-Director of Communications 

Deb Cozzone is a graduate of Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania with a BS in Mathematics and German. She has been married to Mike for 30+ years. After 13 years as a technical and business analyst for EDS, Deb moved to part-time positions, including substitute teaching and a home-based business while being a full-time mom. Currently she serves as a Collections Assistant for the Mimms Museum of Technology and Art in Roswell, GA.

Director of Medical Content

Shelley Smith Dicecco is a graduate of Clemson University with a BA in Special Education. Dr. Dicecco holds a Master of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine.  She completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Physical Therapy from Texas Woman’s University with her dissertation emphasis on Female Genital Lymphedema. Dr. DiCecco is a CLT-LANA certified lymphedema therapist and a certified Casley-Smith International Lymphoedema Instructor. Dr. DiCecco is the Chair of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program and an Associate Professor in the Physical Therapy Department at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia’s campus. She is the Program Director for outpatient pelvic floor and lymphedema services in Atlanta, Georgia, with the Sports Rehabilitation Center. She is the owner of the lymphedema education company, LymphEd, LLC. 

Co-Director of Communications, Secretary

Debbie Labarthe received her BA degree in Secondary Business Education from the University of Central Florida and a Masters Degree in Inclusive Education from Kennesaw State University. After 28 years of teaching, she retired in 2022.  

In 2003 her grandson, Carson, was born with primary lymphedema in his right leg and pelvis.  After a frustrating year-long journey of misdiagnoses about his increased swelling, Debbie was instrumental in having his case reviewed and properly diagnosed by the Vascular Anomalies Center at the Children’s Hospital of Boston.  Soon thereafter, she discovered the Lighthouse Lymphedema Network.  She joined our Board of Directors in 2004 and has served as the Secretary and Parent Networking Rep since 2006. 

Director of Finances, Treasurer 

Francine Schwartz Schuler is a Lipedema and Lipolymphedema patient. She has a BS in Economics, with a Double Major in Political Science and a Minor in Theater from The University of Tampa.

Francine has struggled with weight since before Kindergarten and rose to over 425lbs in adulthood. She was always misdiagnosed as only having Obesity and constantly told she was non-compliant because she could never lose enough weight, especially from the bottom half of her body.  When she started her Lipedema surgery journey she was immobile and needed a walker then wheelchair. After having 5 surgeries on her legs, and following the modalities of CDT, she is able to walk without assistance.

Francine's new passion in life is to raise awareness of Lipedema. She is also a Moderator on the Facebook group “Liposuction for Lipedema” with over 8k members. Francine has done a lot of research and is able to educate others on ways to fight this horrible debilitating and disfiguring disease.