Lisa Cotton
Chair
Kelly Cervantes
Immediate Past Chair
Kathy McKenna, MBA
Treasurer
Steve Austin
Board Member
Michael Axelrod
Board Member
Kimberly Borden, MBA
Board Member
Gary Collins
President, Epilepsy Canada
Irina Colon
Board Member
Marilynn Kelly Gardner
Board Member
Carrie Garman
Board Member
Justin Gover BSc, MBA
Board Member
David Reifman, JD, MA
Board Member
Tina Sacks
Board Member
Matt Schneider, JD
Board Member
Hannah Whitten, JD
Board Member
Jamie K. Capal, MD
University of North Carolina and the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD)
Charles Marcuccilli MD, PhD
Rush University Medical Center
H. Steve White, PhD
University of Washington
Dr. Steven Schachter
CIMIT and Harvard Medical School
Vicky Whittemore, PhD
NINDS Program Director
Beth Lewin Dean, MPA, MBA
Chief Executive Officer
Laura S. Lubbers, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
John Anderluh, MMS
Chief Financial Officer
Priya Balasubramanian, PhD
Associate Director, Research
Alysha Biehl, MS
Senior Director, Development
John Boston
Manager, Video and Graphic Production
Madeline Felipez
Events Manager
Brandon Laughlin, MSE
Senior Manager, Partnerships and Programs
Amy Maxwell
Operations Assistant, Research
Angela Mota
Director of Major Gifts
Dr. Elaine O’Loughlin
Associate Director of Research Initiatives
Julia-Kaye Rohlf
Manager, Social Media and Content Management
Satinder Singh, PhD
Researcher in Residence
Isobel Tollenaar
Senior Development Coordinator
Dana Vielmetti
Director of Marketing
 

Susan Axelrod

Founder

Susan Axelrod is the Founder of CURE Epilepsy.

In 1998, Susan and a small group of parents — frustrated by their inability to protect their children from the severe impact of uncontrollable seizures — joined forces to spearhead the search for a cure for epilepsy. Since then, CURE Epilepsy has raised over $90 million to fund more than 280 research grants around the world.

Susan was instrumental in changing the focus of epilepsy research from “managing” epilepsy symptoms to seeking a cure. In fact, she was key to encouraging the National Institutes of Health to hold its first conference on curing epilepsy. Through her advocacy, Susan catalyzed the medical science community to accelerate epilepsy research efforts.

Susan has served on the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council as well as the Epilepsy Research Programmatic Panel for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program.

In 2014, she was elected to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities where she advised 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.

Susan has also served as a reviewer for the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and as an advisor to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Coordinating Center on Epilepsy.

For her unrelenting efforts to find a cure for epilepsy, Susan has been recognized by awards and honors from: American Epilepsy Society, International League Against Epilepsy, Child Neurology Foundation, Dravet Syndrome Foundation, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and United Way.

Susan’s advocacy and tireless commitment to the epilepsy community have been the subject of features on 60 Minutes, The Today Show, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Newsweek, and Parade Magazine.

Susan received a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities from Colorado College, a Master’s in Business Administration/Health Service Administration from the University of Chicago Business School, and Honorary Doctorates from Colorado College and New England College of Law.