Fifteen Years of Hope with The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
IST's Gives Back
How One Moment Shaped Fifteen Years of Giving Back
Many years ago, IST’s CEO and President, Hal Blackman, met a group of children with Cystic Fibrosis. This interaction changed Hal’s life and set the course for IST Management’s incredible journey of supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Alongside an incredible partnership to center our community outreach nationwide, IST met Blake and his family, a then four-year-old boy with CF. Over the years, our IST Family has had the privilege of getting to know Blake, his mom, Jennifer Stasney, and his younger sister, Lila. We’ve had years of fun hosting the IST Kids Zone at the Atlanta Great Strides Walk, celebrating holidays, and making incredible memories. Since meeting Blake, we’ve watched his health soar from years of treatment, hard work, and incredible developments in medication and research. In 2026, Blake is a healthy, happy, multi-faceted freshman in college, ready to explore all the adventures adult life has to offer him. We are so grateful for the love Jennifer, Blake, and Lila have brought into our community, teaching us more than we could have ever anticipated about strength, bravery, family, community, and life with a genetic disorder like CF.
Meet the Zotta Family – Our 2026 CF Ambassador Family
Although Blake and his family will forever have a home in our hearts, IST Gives Back has the privilege of introducing our newest “CF Ambassador Family,” the Zottas!
Kevin and Lexie Zotta live in Dawsonville, GA, with their two children, Maggie (3) and Hayden (8 months). Both Hayden and Maggie have Cystic Fibrosis, and like many families, the Zottas had never heard of CF before it entered their lives. Both children take the CFTR gene modulator medication, Kalydeco, which has been approved to treat CF patients since 2012.
Maggie was born prematurely at 32 weeks and was diagnosed after a routine newborn screening while she was still in the NICU. The initial shock was overwhelming for Lexie and Kevin, but connecting early with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation changed everything. Hayden was born 8 weeks early and was able to receive treatments at only 2 months old, nearly a year earlier than Maggie had been eligible Because of the momentum created by continued research and funding, both children have been able to lower their enzymes and reduce chest physical therapy (CPT), an essential, daily airway-clearance technique designed to loosen and remove sticky mucus from the lungs.
Maggie likes Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig, and her mom describes her as very go-with-the-flow, living an active lifestyle including play groups, swimming, and learning gymnastics.
The Zottas’ connection with The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has provided them with irreplaceable community, resources, and support. Thanks to our ongoing partnership with the Atlanta Chapter of the CFF, IST’s leadership and corporate employees had the opportunity to connect with them.
Last December at IST’s annual Corporate Holiday Lunch, we welcomed Blake, Jennifer, Lila, and the Zottas to celebrate the new addition to our IST Family, “passing the torch”.
Lexie Zotta, on making the decision to share her family with IST as our new CF Ambassadors: “I don’t see this as volunteering. I see it as a privilege to be invited into your family and to have you become part of ours. We can’t thank IST enough for helping our kids have a better future. The reason we weren’t as scared with Hayden’s diagnosis is because we watched Maggie thrive—and that’s because of people raising money for research and better treatments.”
2026 Great Strides Walks & IST’s CF Fundraiser
In 2026, IST’s National CF Fundraiser and Kids Zone at the Atlanta Great Strides Walk marks its 15th year! The tradition and longstanding commitment of this community outreach effort represent IST Gives Back’s core mission of creating positive impact and change for communities in need. What began as one meaningful connection has grown into a nationwide effort driven by employees, partners, and families.
The Atlanta Walk is on Saturday, May 16th, 2026, in Suwanee, GA. Our employees will be participating in 37 walks nationwide, from March to June this year.
Leading up to the walk, IST Gives Back will collect employee-submitted designs for #TeamIST’s 2026 Great Strides t-shirts, prepare for another unforgettable Kids Zone experience, and continue sharing the stories behind the cause. Stories like Blake’s, Maggie’s, and Hayden’s remind us that every dollar raised, and every moment volunteered directly contribute to longer, healthier lives.
The Legacy Continues
Fifteen years ago, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation led IST to begin it’s relationship to volunteering. Today, that impact lives through the thousands of dollars of funds raised and precious memories created with our CF Ambassadors. As we pass the torch to the Zotta family and look ahead to 2026, our mission remains the same: to stand beside the CF community, push progress forward, and find ways to connect communities passionate about change.
Join our 2026 Cystic Fibrosis Fundraising Team!
