Above: February 2021 Board of Directors Zoom Meeting
NAF recently had a few changes to our Board of Directors. Joe DeCrescenzo, Mike Leader, and Bill Sweeney will be retiring after many years of dedicated service. We thank them for their time, commitment, and passion for the Ataxia community!
We are pleased to announce that NAF’s Board of Directors voted to elect four new members: Lauren Moore, Greg Klassen, Devin Cobb, and Jim Keene. Welcome! Learn more about each of below.
Lauren Moore
Lauren Moore completed her PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Michigan in 2019 under the mentorship of Dr. Henry Paulson, a world leader in Ataxia research. She currently works at a biotech firm in the Chicago area. Her father and several family members are affected by SCA 3. Lauren writes, “The National Ataxia Foundation has been an incredible resource for my and thousands of other families affected by ataxia. I am thrilled to have the opportunity as a new board member to assist NAF in their continued advancement of education, research, and community support for patients and their families.”
Greg Klassen
Greg Klassen describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur,” having served as CEO of four successful companies in tech and real estate. He has been retired for five years. Greg’s father, sister, and two of his three children have SCA 3. His uncle and grandfather also had SCA 3. He recently became a grandpa. Greg says that he is “driven by the idea that when fellow Ataxians can see their part in getting a cure, discouragement is replaced by determination.”
Devin Cobb
Devin Cobb is an entrepreneur from the Chicago area. He has served on boards in the past and loves helping an organization work towards their mission. He chose to serve NAF because its mission directly impacts his family. Devin’s daughter, Camryn, has SCA 7. As a parent who is impacted by Ataxia, he says, “my ability to communicate and build relationships with the Ataxia community, medical community, research companies and continued support of fundraising is rooted in serving ALL.”
Jim Keene
Jim Keene is the Managing Director at a consulting firm in the San Francisco Bay area. He has significant previous nonprofit experience, having served as Board Chair of a cancer support agency. His twin sister, Katie Campbell, had Ataxia. She passed away four years ago. Jim writes, “I believe when I experience pain like that, it is a sign to do something. I want to continue to honor her legacy and see if we can help others from this lousy disease.”
