Rachel Balash
Founder & President
As Founder and President of the Evelyn Balash Foundation, Rachel leads with heart, resilience, and a deep understanding of what it means to walk through a child’s cancer journey. Her passion for creating lasting change comes from lived experience: when her daughter Evelyn was diagnosed with leukemia at just 2½ years old, everything changed. Out of that journey came not only strength, but a calling — to help other families feel less alone.
Rachel holds a bachelor’s degree in digital marketing and a master’s in public relations. With a professional background in branding, strategy, and community engagement, she combines her personal passion with real-world experience to lead the foundation’s growth and impact. Her vision is clear: to provide emotional care, financial support, and connection to families navigating the unimaginable.
In addition to her work with the foundation, Rachel is a small business owner, the mother of four, and stepmother to three. Her personal mission is rooted in empathy, action, and the belief that no family should have to carry this burden alone. She brings both lived experience and professional insight to her role — building a foundation where love turns into support, and pain turns into purpose.
Chuck Balash
Vice President & Co-Founder
Chuck Balash serves as Vice President of the Evelyn Balash Foundation, bringing years of business experience, leadership, and heartfelt dedication to the organization’s mission. As Evelyn’s father, Chuck has lived every moment of the journey this foundation was built to support — and he brings that understanding to the heart of every decision he helps lead.
With a background in business operations, financial management, and automotive repair, Chuck plays a critical role in guiding the strategic direction of the foundation while staying grounded in its day-to-day needs. He is deeply committed to building something sustainable — an organization that not only honors his daughter’s strength, but lifts up families walking through their own hardest chapters.
Chuck balances his role at the foundation with running a family business alongside Rachel. He is a husband, father, and quiet force behind the mission — driven by love, resilience, and the belief that every child deserves the chance to thrive.
Sara Rugar
Chief Operating Officer & Founding Member
As Chief Operating Officer of the Evelyn Balash Foundation, Sara brings heart, empathy, and purpose to every aspect of her work. Driven by a mission to bring hope and support to families navigating the unimaginable — childhood cancer — she is deeply committed to creating meaningful impact for the children and families the foundation serves.
Before stepping into the nonprofit world, Sara spent over a decade working in behavioral therapy, supporting children and young adults on the autism spectrum. That experience shaped her passion for advocacy and gave her a firsthand understanding of the emotional and logistical challenges families face when navigating complex medical journeys.
In addition to her role at the foundation, Sara works in software sales — a career that provides the flexibility to travel and dedicate time to the causes closest to her heart. With a background rooted in care and a professional path grounded in adaptability and leadership, Sara brings a unique blend of compassion and strategy to her role as COO.
