BrightFocus Foundation is governed by a board of directors composed of twelve members, all with a broad range of experience and expertise. The board meets quarterly to ensure that donor contributions fund the highest quality research, and its members help us achieve our public outreach objectives. The board formulates plans, defines goals and objectives, and evaluates BrightFocus' success in achieving its mission.

Stacy Pagos Haller; Kaci Baez; Diane Bovenkamp, PhD; R. Brian Elderton; Nancy Lynn
From left to right: Stacy Pagos Haller; Kaci Baez; Diane Bovenkamp, PhD; R. Brian Elderton; Nancy Lynn

 



Board of Directors

Headshot of Stanley B. Prusiner, MD

Stanley B. Prusiner, MD

Honorary Member

In 2007, Dr. Stanley B. Prusiner accepted BrightFocus' offer to become an honorary member of our Board of Directors. Prusiner won the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of prions, infectious proteins in the brain that cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow” disease) and in humans, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

 

Headshot of Patricia (Trisha) Stewart

Patricia McGlothlin Stewart, CFP®

Chair

Patricia (Trisha) McGlothlin Stewart worked in various capacities for JPMorgan for over three decades and has extensive knowledge and experience in advising high-net-worth individuals, trusts, not-for-profits, and corporations.

 

Headshot of Cecilia Arradaza

Cecilia Arradaza

Vice Chair

Cecilia Arradaza became the Chief Communications Officer at Stanford Medicine in 2020 after previously serving as the Executive Director of Strategy for the creative marketing agency Wondros, and prior to that leading communications and engagement efforts for the Biden Cancer Initiative.

 

Paul Campbell on white background.

Paul Campbell

Paul A. Campbell is an experienced, accomplished technology entrepreneur and executive. He is currently the co-founder and CEO of elovee, Inc., a pioneering digital therapy platform designed to treat age-related cognitive impairment.

 

Herbert Drayton

Herbert L. Drayton III

Herbert L. Drayton III is the managing partner of HI Mark Capital, which invests in BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and People of Color] and women-owned tech-enabled businesses in the Southeast, seeking both a financial return as well as a social impact.

 

Thomas Freddo, PhD

Thomas F. Freddo, OD, PhD

Dr. Thomas Freddo is a clinician/scientist educator, author, and researcher in the areas of glaucoma and other vision diseases.

 

Headshot of Shawna Gottlieb.

Shawna Gottlieb

Shawna Gottlieb specializes in the not-for-profit arena and has an extensive knowledge and experience in finance, accounting, risk and human capital.

 

Headshot of Dana Griffin.

Dana Griffin

Dana Griffin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Eldera.ai, the global platform for wisdom sharing and intergenerational connection on a mission to tap into the time and wisdom of 1 billion elders around the world as a new natural resource for the next generation.

 

Headshot of Scott Kaiser.

Scott A. Kaiser, MD

Secretary

Scott A. Kaiser, M.D. is a board-certified family physician and geriatrician with executive leadership experience focused on the improvement of aging services, geriatric care, and population health.

 

Headshot of Tonya Matthews.

Tonya M. Matthews, PhD

Dr. Tonya M. Matthews is a thought-leader in institutionalized equity and inclusion frameworks, social entrepreneurship, and the intersectionality of formal and informal education.

 

Ann Argabright Seclow

Ann Argabright Seclow

Ann Argabright is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who helps patients learn to navigate our complex healthcare system, empowering them to advocate for their right to obtain positive mental and cognitive health outcomes. 

 

Headshot of Jan Stouffer.

Jan M. Stouffer, PhD

Jan Stouffer has over 30 years of experience in research and development.  Most of her career was at the DuPont Company, where she led scientists and engineers to develop new polymer products and processes.

 



Emeritus Directors

Headshot of Grace Frisone

Grace Frisone

Grace Frisone is a nine year veteran of the BrightFocus Board and served as its Chair from 2012 until 2015. She is also a founding member of Women Against Alzheimer’s.

 

Headshot of June Kinoshita

June Kinoshita

Science journalist, editor, web site and social media strategic consultant, Ms. June Kinoshita joined the BrightFocus board in 2011. She is the Executive Director of the FacioScapuloHumeral (FSH) Muscular Dystrophy Society in Watertown, MA., co-founder of Hanoa Productions, and co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of SociaLife.

 

Headshot of Judith Lee

Judith F. Lee

Joining the BrightFocus board in 2011, Ms. Judith Lee brings corporate and nonprofit experience to the organization. She served as vice president of J.P. Morgan & Co., Inc. from 1973 to 1997, managing corporate finance relationships and product development for corporations and government entities in the United States and Venezuela.

 

Headshot of Henry Pownall

Henry J. Pownall, PhD

Dr. Henry Pownall is a senior member of The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, Texas. He serves on numerous editorial boards, scientific review panels, and professional societies, and has published more than 200 peer-reviewed research papers.

 

Headshot of Nicholas Raymond

Nicholas Raymond

Nicholas Raymond is a retired retail banker with experience in lending, investments, and insurance. Raymond, a U.S. Army combat veteran of five wars, worked in special operations command and was a Green Beret.

 

Headshot of Brian Regan

Brian K. Regan, PhD

Dr. Regan has been the Vice President of Quality and Patient Safety for New York-Presbyterian Hospital and New York-Presbyterian Healthcare System since November of 2010.

 

Headshot of Scott Rodgville

Scott Rodgville, CPA

In 2007, Mr. Scott Rodgville joined the firm of Gorfine, Schiller & Gardyn, P.A. as an Officer, leading the firm's Not-for-profit/Employee Benefit Plans service area.

 

Headshot of Eric Siemers, MD

Eric Siemers, MD

Eric Siemers, M.D. has performed clinical research in neurodegenerative disease for over 25 years.

 

Headshot of Ethan Treese

Ethan Treese

Ethan Treese is Chief Commercial Officer at IPRO, a legal technology, eDiscovery, and data governance company.

 

Members of our board of directors share why they are involved with BrightFocus

 



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