TITLE:  Chief Operating Officer & Vice President Public Policy

FOCUS AREAS: Epilepsy research

CONTACT:  aostrom@efa.org, (301) 918-3766

PROFILE: Angela Ostrom is the chief operating officer and vice president of public policy at the Epilepsy Foundation, a title she has held since July 2014. She previously served as the foundation’s vice president of public policy and advocacy, for nine years. Current responsibilities include the following:

• Chief of Staff and Operations
• Manage nonprofit and governance issues
• Lead public policy department including government affairs and legal advocacy
• Direct federal and state health policy on behalf of the foundation
• Chief lobbyist for legislative and agency activities

Her PhRMA bio shares:

Angela Ostrom is the Vice President of Public Policy & Advocacy for the Epilepsy Foundation. 

Ms. Ostrom has spent the last 15 years working in disability and health policy.  Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Ostrom was Assistant Director of Advocacy for the National Osteoporosis Society and worked for over five years at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society as Senior Director of Public Policy & Advocacy Research. 

At the Foundation Angela oversees advocacy efforts on federal and state public policy and heads the legal advocacy efforts of the Foundation’s Legal Defense Fund.  She serves as Co- Chair of the National Health Council FDA Issue Team and as a Steering Committee Member for the Partnership to Improve Patient Care. 

Angela earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from The Ohio State University in 1996 and her law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1999.  Upon graduation, Ms. Ostrom was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow.  Through this federal program she worked for the Social Security Administration Office of Public Policy, Office of the General Counsel and Office of Disability Policy.   Angela completed her fellowship program in the office of United States Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones (Ohio).   She is a member of the Maryland Bar.

One of her blog posts can be read on the Center for Advancing Health website to give you a sense of her approach and perspective.

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TITLE: President and Chief Executive Officer

FOCUS AREAS: Youth development, K-12 education, college access

CONTACT: (212) 551-9100

PROFILE: Nancy Roob is President and CEO of the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation. Her bio on the foundation's website reads:

Nancy Roob is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation.

She played a major role in developing and implementing EMCF’s grantmaking strategy of making large, long-term investments in building the organizational capacity and evidence base of nonprofits whose programs have the potential to lift the life prospects of greater numbers of America’s most disadvantaged youth. She also pioneered a form of coordinated, collaborative investment, called growth capital aggregation, that to date has engaged 45 co-investors and helped 16 grantees secure nearly $279 million in additional private and public funding. 

Before becoming president in 2005, Roob was the Foundation’s vice president and chief operating officer. Prior to that, she developed EMCF’s Program for New York Neighborhoods, which launched community-building and neighborhood-stabilization projects in the South Bronx and Central Harlem. One of the projects this program supported evolved into the Harlem Children’s Zone, whose success has inspired legislation to create “Promise Neighborhoods” throughout the nation. 

Before she joined the Foundation in 1994, Roob worked for the Boston Persistent Poverty Project, a program of the Rockefeller and Boston foundations; the Fund for the Homeless, a project of the Boston Foundation; and the Child Care Resource and Referral Center, also in Boston. 

Roob is a graduate and trustee of Hamilton College, and holds a master's degree in public administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

TITLE: Vice President, Chief Program and Strategy Officer

FOCUS AREAS: Youth development, K-12 education, college access

CONTACT: (212) 551-9100

PROFILE: Kelly Fitzsimmons is Vice President, Chief Program and Strategy Officer for the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation. Her bio on the foundation's website shares:

Kelly Fitzsimmons became Vice President, Chief Program and Strategy Officer in 2013.

In this capacity she leads the strategic planning and management of the Foundation’s grantmaking program. She is the keeper and developer of EMCF’s theory of investment, continually refining it and insuring it informs all Foundation initiatives.

She also oversees EMCF’s evaluation activities and its operational learning and knowledge development. 

Fitzsimmons served as project manager for the Foundation’s Growth Capital Aggregation Pilot, developing and testing an investment strategy that raises and coordinates large amounts of upfront capital from like-minded co-investors to fund organizations’ plans to expand to scale and achieve financial sustainability.
 
Before joining the Foundation in 2007, Fitzsimmons co-founded Zanana Studios, which provides enrichment services to women; LeadWell Partners, a boutique coaching and consulting firm for leaders, boards and management teams challenged by growth and change; and New Profit Inc., a nationally recognized venture philanthropy fund. She has also held management positions in social change organizations and the entertainment industry.

Numerous case studies, books and articles have cited Fitzsimmons for her work in adapting business tools and practices to the nonprofit sector and for her contributions to evolving philanthropic practices. She serves on the boards of several nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.

A graduate of McGill University in Montreal, Fitzsimmons holds an MBA from Boston University.

TITLE:  Founding Chair

FOCUS AREAS: Epilepsy Research

CONTACT:  312-255-1801

PROFILE: Susan Axlerod is a Chicago mother who founded CURE. Axlerod’s foundation bio shares:

Susan Axelrod is Founding Chair of CURE (Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy). Susan's daughter, Lauren, was born in 1981 and, at the age of seven months, was diagnosed with epilepsy. In 1998, Susan and a few other mothers---frustrated by their inability to protect their children from the severe impact of uncontrollable seizures on their children as well as the intolerable side effects of epilepsy medications--joined forces to spearhead the search for a cure for epilepsy.

CURE has catalyzed the epilepsy research community to accelerate their research efforts, and has become the largest private funder of epilepsy research globally. Susan travels broadly to raise awareness and funds to support the organization's cutting-edge research programs.

Susan has served on the National Institute of Health's National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council and as a consumer reviewer for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program within the Department of Defense. In 2014, she was elected to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities where she advises the President of the United States and Secretary of Health and Human Services on a broad range of topics that impact people with intellectual disabilities.

After over twenty failed medications, surgeries, devices and special diets, Lauren's epilepsy is finally under control. However, the irrevocable effects of seizures on her developing brain impair her ability to live an independent adult life, and she lives in a residential and vocational setting in Chicago.

Susan received a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities from Colorado College, a Masters in Business Administration/Health Service Administration from the University of Chicago Business School, and an Honorary Doctorate from Colorado College.

You can learn more about Axlerod’s background and passion for the cause of epilepsy research in the following articles:

• Chicagoans of the Year 2010: Susan Axelrod, CURE
• I Must Save My Child
• Susan Axelrod Shares Her Hope for a Cure for Epilepsy
• On a Mission: Susan Axelrod, Supermom for a CURE

TITLE:  CEO

FOCUS AREAS: Epilepsy Research

CONTACT:  312-255-180, robin.harding@cureepilepsy.org

PROFILE: Robin Harding is the CEO of Cure. Her professional bio shares:

Robin Harding became CEO of CURE in 2014. As CEO, she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of CURE, including fundraising, research, public outreach, advocacy, organizational development and administration. She works closely with the staff to assure that the organization is well-managed and positioned for growth while maintaining efficient operating ratios and with the board, driving global progress toward a cure for epilepsy.

She brings more than 25 years of progressive, successful leadership experience in the non-profit and corporate sector to CURE. She worked with the national headquarters of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) for eight years culminating in the role of EVP and COO. Prior to that she served as the executive director of the local Illinois-based chapter. Additionally, Ms. Harding worked as a director of development for six years for the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago.

Most recently, Ms. Harding oversaw her own consulting firm, Behind the Scenes (BTS) Productions, Inc., where she built a strong portfolio of clients across multiple categories including medical research and health awareness. In addition to CURE, clients included Lupus Research Institute (LRI), James Tyree Foundation and American Cochlear Implant (ACI) Alliance.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal arts and sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is also a graduate of Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management's Advanced Executive Program.

You can learn more about her background in the press release, Robin Harding Appointed CEO of CURE.

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TITLE:  Grants Administrator

FOCUS AREAS: Epilepsy Research

CONTACT:  312-255-1801, liz@CUREepilepsy.org

PROFILE: Liz Higgins is CURE’s grants administrator and the best point of contact for grantseekers. Higgins’ professional bio shares:

Liz joined CURE in April 2014 as Grants Administrator. Along with overseeing CURE’s grants administration process, she plays a critical role in liaising between the Research Team and other internal departments including Communications, Development, and Accounting.

Liz brings 15 years of project management and client relations experience to her role as Grants Administrator. Prior to CURE, she held positions in media planning, campaign management and account management at various advertising and tech organizations including Young & Rubicam, Turner Broadcasting, DoubleClick, Google and AOL. What led Liz to the nonprofit sector was her desire to have a positive impact on people's lives, not just the bottom line.

Liz received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studied Journalism and Mass Communication. She is currently enrolled in the University of Chicago’s Integrated Marketing Program, which she plans to complete in the spring of 2015.

Higgins’ responsibilities in this role include the following:

• Manage the grant administration process including grant program launches, the evaluation of grant applications, contracting and general oversight of projects once funded. Process and track grants and grant payments in proposalCENTRAL, and communicate altered timeframes, milestones and payment schedules to appropriate CURE staff (Development, Communications, Accounting).
• Develop strategies to optimize the grant administration process in support of the Research team’s evolving needs - particularly in light of increased grant volume and complexity.
• Oversee operational aspects of CURE’s Named Grants Program: establish timelines, monitor deliverables, ensure that reports are presented to donors by specified deadlines
• Manage CURE’s Frontiers in Research Seminar Series Program: establish program guidelines, develop growth strategy, oversee application process, and serve as main point of contact for seminar applicants, hosts and speakers.
• Facilitate development of timely press releases and important announcements highlighting the research program and scientific advances by CURE-funded investigators.

LinkedIn Profile

TITLE: President

FUNDING AREAS: Higher education, accounting education programs and scholarships

CONTACT: (714) 913-1210, CLindstrom@Deloitte.com

PROFILE: Carol Lindstrom is president of the Deloitte Foundation. On the corporate side of affairs, she is vice chariman of Deloitte LLP. Her bio on the Deloitte website shares:

Carol Lindstrom is vice chairman of Deloitte LLP and president of the Deloitte Foundation. She served as a member of the Deloitte & Touche LLP Board of Directors and on the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Global Board of Directors. Carol has held many leadership positions at Deloitte including: managing director of the Global Strategic Relationship clients in the US, managing director of the America’s Technology practice and lead client service partner for many Deloitte clients.

Away from the office, Lindstrom also owns and operates a wine vineyard with her family.

TITLE:  Executive Director

FOCUS AREAS: Brain cancer research

CONTACT:  832-606-2574, jaime@thebroachfoundation.org

PROFILE: Jaime Broach is the wife of James Broach, who was diagnosed and succumbed to an aggressive form of brain cancer. Together they established the Broach Foundation for Brain Cancer Research, with an executive board. Today, Jaime Broach serves on the foundation’s executive board along with eight other individuals and is the executive director.

Broach has been a board member and trustee for The Center in Houston, a nonprofit that serves people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. She is also a former corporate lawyer.

You can learn more about Jaime Broach’s background and her late husband’s battle with brain cancer in the TU Magazine article, “Brainstorming for a Cure.” Julie Jacob’s “Life and Love: Jaime Broach Starts Again with Purpose,” is worth a read as well. She was an economics major at Trinity University and a member of Gamma Chi Delta. She has three sons.

• Jamie Naiser Broach - Lawyer Profile

TITLE: President

FUNDING AREAS: STEM Education, K-12 education, environmental conservation, vehicle safety

CONTACT: (310) 468-0170

PROFILE: Michael Rouse is president of the Toyota USA Foundation, and also serves as Vice President of Diversity, Philanthropy and Community Affairs for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. (the corporate side of the coin). His bio on Toyota's website reads:

Michael Rouse is vice president, diversity, philanthropy and community affairs and president, Toyota U.S.A. Foundation for Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. He is responsible for corporate diversity and inclusion, philanthropy, community relations, department strategic and long-range planning, the Toyota Vehicle Museum, and the Toyota Video Production Center. 
 
Specifically, Rouse’s philanthropic responsibilities include the oversight of Toyota’s key national  programs focusing on education, the environment and safety including: the Toyota International Teacher program, a professional development, overseas study program for secondary school educators; Toyota Driving Expectations, a safe-driving program aimed at young teen drivers and their parents; significant scholarship program support for organizations such as UNCF, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and the American Indian College Fund. Also he is responsible for Toyota’s very successful social media-based 100 Cars for Good initiative. Additionally, he manages the company’s diversity and inclusion staff which focuses on internal development, business partnering groups, diversifying the dealer organization for Toyota and Lexus, and ensuring accountability for diversity and inclusion among all of the officers of TMS.
 
Since joining Toyota in 1981, Rouse has held management positions in service administration and planning, product planning, market research, long-range strategic planning, communications planning and product public relations. In addition, he served as communications process team leader for the new era business initiative, corporate manager for customer relationship management in the Office of the Web, corporate manager for customer information management in the Center for Customer Knowledge. Prior to joining Toyota, he was an elementary school teacher and also served as west coast manager for Joseph Markovits, Inc., a New York-based importing company.
 
Rouse earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California Los Angeles, a teaching credential from the University of California Berkeley and a master's degree in business administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
 
Currently, he serves on the boards of trustees of the California Science Center Foundation, the Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation, the Torrance Memorial Medical Center Foundation, Stop Cancer, California State University, Dominguez Hills Foundation, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, and the advisory boards of the Torrance Education Foundation, the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation, and the Executive Leadership Team of the American Heart Association. 

TITLE: Director of Programs

FUNDING AREAS: Environment, health, social justice, housing, education, youth development, workforce development, financial inclusion

CONTACT: (802) 846-1500

PROFILE: Rebecca (Becca) Golden is Director of Programs for the Ben & Jerry's Foundation. Her bio on the foundation's website states:

Becca has been with the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation since 1992 and has served as Director since 1994 when she guided the Foundation’s transition to employee-led grantmaking programs. Becca enjoys cross-country skiing, hiking, dancing, gardening, and cooking and is passionate about the interconnectedness of food systems, social justice and environmental stewardship. She is the mother of two and loves spending time with her family and friends in her small Vermont village, where she co-founded  the school garden committee and has served on the local school board. She has also served on and co-chaired the Steering Committee  of the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders, a national funders’ affinity group.

TITLE: Co-Founder and CFO

FUNDING AREAS: Animal welfare, arts, education, environment, higher education, human services, international affairs, international development, youth development

CONTACT: (650) 851-6922

IP TAKE: Morgridge is a quiet philanthropist, but make no mistake, he's an ardent one who intends to give away the vast majority of his Cisco-made fortune before he dies.

PROFILE: John P. Morgridge, known for his Cisco Systems heritage, is co-founder of the TOSA Foundation with his wife, Tashia. Here's his bio on the Wisconsin Technology Initiative website, where he serves on the advisory board:

John P. Morgridge and his wife, Tashia F. Morgridge, established the Wisconsin Technology Initiative (WTI) in December 2010 to help make 21st century instructional technology more accessible to forward-thinking school districts. John is chair of the WTI Advisory Board.

John has had a lengthy career as a business executive, an educator and a philanthropist. He is currently chair emeritus of Cisco Systems, a multinational corporation that designs and sells networking and communications technology and services. John joined Cisco in 1988 as President and CEO, and grew the company from $5 million to more than $1 billion in sales and from 34 employees to more than 2,250. In 1990, he took Cisco public; in 1995, he was appointed chair; and in November 2006, he became chair emeritus. During his tenure, Cisco became the world leader in networking for the Internet, with approximately $30 billion in annual revenues and 54,500 employees in 77 countries.

Throughout his career, John (along with his wife Tashia) has made education one of his top priorities. John and Tashia established the Morgridge Center for Public Service on the UW-Madison campus, gave $31 million to the UW-Madison School of Education to modernize and expand the Education Building, gave $50 million to a research center on the UW-Madison campus, and participated in an $85 million donation to help the UW School of Business attract and retain top faculty and staff. They also established the Fund For Wisconsin Scholars (FFWS) with a $175 million gift, providing needs-based scholarships for higher education to public high school graduates.

John is on the boards of Business Executives for National Security, CARE, the Cisco Foundation, the Morgridge Institute for Research, Stanford Hospitals and Clinics, the TOSA Foundation, and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF). John also teaches management at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and serves on its School of Business Advisory Council.

John and Tashia are both graduates of Wauwatosa High School and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from Stanford University.

Morgridge gives most of his support to organizations in his home state of Wisconsin, with a smaller portion going to worthy causes in the Silicon Valley area of California. He and his wife both seek to be inspired in their giving, stating in an interview that they "are very much aware" and are "always looking" for the next idea. Morgridge's passion for philanthropy has also been passed down to his son, John, who along with with his wife Carrie, runs the Morgridge Family Foundation. Morgridge himself has stated very clearly that he intends to mindfully give as much away as he can in his lifetime.

VIDEO:

TITLE:  Head of Communications and Social Good, North America

FOCUS AREAS: Youth sports and arts

CONTACT:  (415) 265-5777, eleggat@stubhub.com

PROFILE: Emma Leggat is StubHub’s head of communications and social good for all of North America. Her responsibilities include leading StubHub's North American communications and social good strategy, including global giving through the signature philanthropy programs Rising Stars and Next Stage.

Leggat’s Americans for the Arts profile shares:

Emma Leggat has been the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for StubHub since 2012. In her two years with the company, she has personally overseen more than $2.7 million in philanthropic giving, primarily through Rising Stars, StubHub’s signature philanthropy program, which she launched in early 2013. Rising Stars today supports grassroots nonprofits throughout North America and Europe that are improving access and opportunity for at-risk youth through sports and the arts. As a result of her leadership, StubHub in 2014 unveiled its first ever self-produced benefit concert series, Next Stage, and is the only ticketing company to pledge to donate 100% of its proceeds on all charity benefit event ticket sales on its site. Emma brings more than 12 years of experience spanning the corporate and non-profit sectors. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA and MBA with a concentration in CSR from the University of San Diego. She currently resides in Napa, CA with her husband Ian and daughter Anna.

You can read Leggat’s article, “Investing in the Artists and Fans of Tomorrow: StubHub’s Story,” on the Americans for the Arts website.

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TITLE:  Executive Director

FOCUS AREAS: Brain aneurysm research

CONTACT:  (781) 826-5556, christine@bafound.org

PROFILE: Christine Buckley was the first employee of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation and has been the executive director since April 2006. The Brain Aneurysm Foundation was established in 1994 by Dr. Chris Ogilvy and a nurse, Dede Buckley, who is Christine’s sister. They have helped to grow the foundation from a support group for one brain aneurysm victim into an organization with over a million dollars in annual revenue.

Prior to her current role, Christine Buckley was a consultant at TriNet Healthcare Consultant for over nine years. She received her degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Personal interests include neuroscience, fundraising, children, tennis, the beach, dogs, and real estate. You can read an interview with Buckley about raising awareness and research funding in the Patriot Ledger.

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TITLE:  President

FOCUS AREAS: Brain tumor research

CONTACT:  786-505-7283, jennifer@greymatterlife.com, jennifer@jkeenanphotography.com

PROFILE: Jennifer Keenan Giliberto is SBTF’s president and a brain tumor patient herself. Giliberto provided the following bio on the foundation website:

Raised in Connecticut and matured in the South, I am a proud mom to three awesome kiddos and am grateful my husband Paul still has patience for all my antics after 15 years. A lover of Thai food, BBQ, a great bottle of wine and spontaneous adventures; I don’t go anywhere without my sense of humor. I am a writer, professional photographer and work as a Patient and Family Advisor at a local Atlanta Hospital. Elected to the Board of the SBTF in 2008, I have served as Vice President since 2009. I am a brain tumor patient myself and work tirelessly with my fellow colleagues to advocate for the brain tumor community, advance awareness, offer support resources and work to raise critical and desperately needed research funding.

You can learn more about her background and approach to philanthropy on the Emory Healthcare website. Also check out her blog, Grey Matter Life, and her photography site, JKeenan Photography. She resides in the metro Atlanta area with her husband, three children, and three rescue dogs.

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TITLE:  Executive Director

FOCUS AREAS: Brain tumor research

CONTACT:  786-505-7283, gshaffer@sbtf.org

PROFILE: Geri-Dee Shaffer is executive director of Southeastern Brain Tumor Foundation, and is grantseekers' best point of contact. Previously, she worked as the director of the Aesculap Academy, and she received the Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association (HCEA) Distinguished Service Award.

The following information was published about her background when she hired as an administrative director at SBTF in 2014.

After a career in the healthcare and exhibits industry, which spans more than 30 years, Shaffer joins the SBTF. Well recognized for her extensive background in healthcare meetings and exhibits, Shaffer is known not only for her professional accomplishments, but for her passion and desire to serve others. As Director of Administration, Shaffer will be responsible for the overall daily office operations. As well she will be actively involved with the SBTF Board of Directors, with patients, families, and support mechanisms.

Recently recognized by the Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association, for her decades of service, Shaffer was presented with the HCEA Distinguished Service Award during the 2012 HCEA Annual Meeting in Orlando. HCEA established the Distinguished Service Award to recognize individuals who have made major contributions to the association and/or the healthcare convention marketing and exhibitions industry throughout the years. The award is not necessarily presented every year, but only when HCEA's Nominating Committee and Board of Directors determine that there is an eligible candidate.

TITLE:  Associate Vice President, Biomedical Research

FOCUS AREAS: Multiple sclerosis research

CONTACT:  Douglas.Landsman@nmss.org, 800-344-4867

PROFILE: Douglas Landsman is the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s associate vice president of biomedical research, and a grantseeker’s best point of contact for information on research grants. He has held this title since April 2015 and previously served as the group’s senior director for international programs. Before that, he was a director at the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation for 12 years.

Landsman’s Fueling Impact profile shared:

Doug’s responsibilities include working closely with our international partners to implement the Progressive MS Alliance’s scientific strategies. He joined the Society in 2014 with over 12 years of experience in the patient advocacy organization sector.  Prior to joining the Society Doug was the Director of Special Initiatives at the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, and previously the Director of Individual Research Grants there.  In this capacity he led the Foundation’s international research programs targeting basic and clinical research in spinal cord injury.  In addition to managing their funding programs, he was responsible for organizing the Foundation’s efforts to connect spinal cord researchers with patient stakeholders. Doug received his PhD in neuroscience from the University of Maryland, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania focusing on mechanisms of nerve regeneration after injury.

His LinkedIn summary shares the following information:

Well-rounded philanthropy professional with 10+ years experience combining business, science and policy. Demonstrated ability to lead a research program and interact with multi-disciplinary, international teams. Recognized as a critical thinker with analytical, detailed and methodical approach to identifying business needs combined with proven ability to leverage processes and people for optimal outcomes. Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to communicate complex subject matter in user-friendly language. Exceptional ability to mobilize diverse audiences (committees, cross-functional teams, organizational partners) to action. Natural leader and problem solver, who takes ownership of projects, programs and issues.

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TITLE:  Associate Vice President, Commercial Research

FOCUS AREAS: Multiple sclerosis research

CONTACT:  mark.allegretta@nmss.org, 800-344-4867

PROFILE: Mark Allegretta is the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s associate vice president of commercial research, and a grantseeker’s best point of contact for information on commercial funding opportunities. He has held this title since February 2014 and previously worked as the president and chief science officer for BioMosaics. He resides in the Burlington, Vermont, area.

Landsman’s Fueling Impact profile shared:

Mark’s responsibilities include providing leadership and direction for the Society’s commercial research programs and portfolio, including partnerships developed through Fast Forward. He joined the Society in 2014 with 28 years of experience in biotechnology and pharmaceutical operations.  Most recently, he was President, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-founder of BioMosaics in Burlington, Vermont, where he dealt with all aspects of cancer biomarker development, licensing deals and business partnerships. Mark earned his Bachelor’s degree from Hartwick College and his PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Vermont. He was the recipient of a National MS Society postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University.

According to his LinkedIn profile:

Specialties: Biomarker clinical utility assessment; intellectual property strategy and prosecution; market and commercial evaluation; technology in-licensing; assay development, validation and regulatory placement; corporate partnership and out-licensing.

You can learn more about his background on his University of Vermont department of pathology and laboratory medicine.

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TITLE:  Associate Vice President, Health Care Delivery and Policy Research

FOCUS AREAS: Multiple sclerosis research

CONTACT:  nicholas.larocca@nmss.org, 800-344-4867

PROFILE: Nicholas LaRocca is the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s associate vice president of health care delivery and policy research, and a grantseeker’s best point of contact for information on this program. He has been with NMSS since 2008. He previously worked as an associate professor of neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine for 12 years.

LaRocca is the author of Multiple Sclerosis: Understanding the Cognitive Challenges. Other publications of his can be viewed at Research Gate.

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TITLE: Executive Director

FUNDING AREAS: Foster youth, juvenile justice system, youth development

CONTACT: (212) 687-6975

PROFILE: Leticia Peguero is Executive Director of the Andrus Family Fund. Her bio on the funder's website reads:

Leticia brings over 20 years of experience in social justice programming and philanthropy to her role at AFF. Leticia has dedicated her career to issues related to social equity for women and vulnerable young people with the goal of building capacity in traditionally underserved communities and organizations.

Before joining AFF, Leticia was the Regional Vice President at the Posse Foundation, where she managed Posse sites in Los Angeles, Boston and New Orleans, in addition to establishing its newest location in Houston, Texas.

Prior to her role at Posse, Leticia spent five years as the Deputy Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Local Funding Partnerships (LFP), where she worked with a team to oversee a $6.5 million portfolio that sourced community based innovation for traditionally marginalized communities.

Leticia is a graduate of one of the country’s top leadership development programs – the National Urban Fellows. Her intense fellowship experience included working in the Vulnerable Populations portfolio at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation while simultaneously attending graduate school. Leticia holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fordham University and graduated with honors from the School of Public Affairs at Baruch College with a Masters in Public Administration.

In addition to her role at AFF, Leticia helps run Areytos Performance Works – a dance theatre company working at the crossroads of African-Caribbean forms, contemporary modern dance and performance art.

Tweets by @LetiPeguero

TITLE: Executive Director

FUNDING AREAS: Arts and social engagement

CONTACT: (646) 358-1144, dfisher@abladeofgrass.org

PROFILE: Deborah Fisher is Executive Director of A Blade of Grass. Her bio on the organization's website reads:

Deborah Fisher is the founding Executive Director of A Blade of Grass, and a strategic and philanthropic advisor to Shelley and Donald Rubin. She also currently serves on the board of the Center for Artistic Activism.

Fisher is a practicing artist and creative leader working to expand the roles art and artists play within communities. She has worked in many capacities at the intersection of art and civic life in New York City, including as studio manager at Socrates Sculpture Park, and as an educator and curriculum developer for the Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment. She writes and lectures internationally about her own practice, arts funding, and socially engaged art, for Temporary Art Review, Americans for the Arts, Queens Museum, Hammer Museum, Otis College of Art and Design, Portland State University, and Center for Contemporary Art Tel Aviv. Fisher has also participated in a number of roundtables and planning sessions that seek to improve arts funding and understand the impact of and enrich discourse around socially engaged art, including the NYC Cultural Agenda; Arts and Impact Think Tank at Arts Research Center at UC Berkeley; Creative Change, an initiative of the Opportunity Agenda; and the Art and Social Justice Working Group initiative of the Vera List Center for Art and Politics at the New School.

Fisher’s art practice is focused on why and how value is created, and utilizes forms as varied as sculpture, group action, entrepreneurship, ritual, creative applications of self help and the intuitive arts, and performance. Her artwork has been featured in publications including Street Art NYC, Sculpture Magazine, The New York Times, New York Daily News, WNYC’s Morning Edition, and Weekend America.