Leadership, Board, and Advisors

Founder and CEO

Greg brought more than 20 years of experience in both U.S. domestic and global public health policy and management. His career began with managing the U.S. Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS at President Clinton's White House Office of National AIDS Policy, and continued under President George W. Bush. He later inaugurated government affairs programs for two national health nonprofits before joining the United Nations Joint Program on HIV/AIDS in 2008, with duty stations in Washington, D.C., South Africa, and Switzerland. In 2017, he separated from the U.N. to return to the U.S. to lead nonprofit work, and launched Adira Foundation in 2019.

Greg led Adira from both professional and personal experience with complex health needs. While living in Johannesburg in 2013, he sustained multiple traumatic injuries to his face and mouth in a high-speed cycling accident. In the wake of 12 surgeries and multiple complications, he came to understand firsthand the challenges of health navigation and isolation.

Board Chair

Dr. Cynthia Gómez has contributed leadership to U.S. and international health policy, and over 25 years of experience as a behavioral health scientist. She was a pioneer in the integration of social determinants of health in research and in the development of community-based health interventions. Dr. Gómez has helped build strong and diverse health-focused organizations, including a community mental health center, a global HIV research center, and a broad-based health equity institute. Currently, she consults around health equity, health policy, and community-informed science. She serves as the ETR, Inc. board chair, and on the board of the San Francisco Community Health Center. She served on the federal advisory committee of the Healthy People 2030.

Programs Manager

Lauren Ruiz has worked in nonprofits for over a decade, providing education, navigation services, and emotional support to people and families living with complex and chronic diseases. Her career has focused on health insurance access and utilization, having successfully led teams of patient advocates to provide direct support services including health insurance education and enrollment to tens of thousands of people impacted by rare diseases in both private and public health insurance systems. She is an experienced program manager, public speaker, and patient and caregiver advocate who enjoys working with a diverse range of communities. She believes strongly in the mutually beneficial relationship between patient and patient advocate, whatever form that may take. She attended Virginia Tech, receiving degrees in Political Science and Mass Communications with a focus on English writing.

Chief Development and External Affairs Officer

In her more than 20 years of senior level experience in philanthropy, Marilyn's expertise was designing and implementing approaches to bring a larger audience and resource support to effective and purposeful organizations. She did this for various nonprofits as Founding Principal at The Consulting Collaborative, and as Chief Marketing and External Relations Officer at AllHealth Network, a community mental health organization in Denver. Her prior work included New York University and Columbia University, and senior roles at healthcare, hospice and long-term care systems. Marilyn advocated for access to mental health care and against the stigma associated with mental health, and for restoring the lives of people victimized by human trafficking. She served on the board of directors of LastMile4D.

Communications Manager

Kelli Yoder was Adira's communications manager. After earning a bachelor's degree in English from Goshen College in Indiana, she worked in journalism and nonprofit communications for about a decade, pausing to complete a master's program in interactive media from Elon University in North Carolina.

Development & Research Associate
L. Dani McGaha joined the Adira Foundation in June 2019 as a Development & Research Associate, supporting the Foundation's development and programmatic priorities. Prior to Adira, Dani worked for Caring Voice Coalition for five years, where she assisted individuals with rare, chronic illnesses in obtaining Social Security disability benefits, financial assistance for health needs, and locating resources for their individual needs. Dani was also employed by Virginia Blood Services from 2007 to 2013, where she helped secure blood donations for those in need. Having dealt with her own family's trials, Dani has a strong passion for helping others. She has more than 12 years of experience in the nonprofit field.

IT and Operations Manager

Stephen Gathingu joined Adira Foundation in April 2019 as the IT and Operations Manager. His career spanned over seven years in the nonprofit IT industry, and in his role he oversaw the organization's technology and operating systems as well as the day-to-day operations of Adira Foundation. His passion for helping patients and supporting the nonprofit industry was the driving force behind his commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology solutions. Stephen received his bachelor's degree in Information Technology and Database Development from ECPI University in 2012.

Board & Patient Liaison

Rhaisa Lopez was a Board & Patient Liaison at Adira Foundation with over 13 years' experience in the healthcare industry, both within and outside the nonprofit sector. Her work history prior to joining Adira included processing and translating international health insurance claims and analyzing Workers' Compensation cases and medical records; she also previously worked as a case manager and patient disability advocate with a nonprofit providing support to patients battling rare and chronic illnesses. Ms. Lopez is originally from Bayamón, Puerto Rico and is fluent in both English and Spanish. An avid believer that you are your own best advocate, and having experienced obstacles similar to those patients face daily, she hoped to inspire others to become their very best.

Vice President

Alan Abramson is a professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University and founding director of the school's Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy and Social Enterprise. He also is a senior fellow at the Aspen Institute. For more than 10 years, he directed the Aspen Institute's nonprofit program, overseeing the Nonprofit Sector Research Fund and other initiatives. He was on the research staff of the Urban Institute, where he worked on a variety of domestic public policy issues. He has authored books and articles, won two American Political Science Association awards, and been named one of the 50 most influential U.S. nonprofit sector leaders.

Todd Evenson is the president of InOn Health and founder of Alchemy Health. He was recognized by Modern Healthcare as "Top 25 COO in Healthcare." Before joining InOn Health, Todd served as chief operating officer of Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), the premier association for more than 54,000 U.S. medical practice executives. Todd is committed to the health and wellness of all communities. He invests in his passions by serving on several boards including AllHealth Network, Colorado Health Administration Alumni Association, Jefferson County Special Education Advisory Committee, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, and Laradon Foundation.

Kandy Ferree has executive level leadership experience, non-profit management, board and resource development, public health and philanthropy at the community and national levels. Kandy currently serves as Managing Director of ArtYard, a contemporary, alternative arts center in Frenchtown, NJ. This was a career shift which followed roles as founder and principal of 360 Strategy Group, a non-profit and philanthropic consulting group, and a preceding decade serving as President & CEO of AIDS United/National AIDS Fund. Her keen ability to build strategic relationships and forge innovative public-private partnerships is a driving force behind her interest in creating systems change in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. In this space, her early training as a gerontologist and current interests in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease intersect with her deep commitment to improving the lives of those impacted by these conditions as well as family caregivers.

Laura Hanen is a Senior Policy Advisor at Venable LLC, where she leads policy and advocacy work on behalf of health care, public health and global health clients. She has more than 25 years of bipartisan experience in government relations and public affairs. She was the chief of government affairs for the National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO), overseeing policy and lobbying on behalf of local health departments. She served as NACCHO's interim executive director for a year. She was the director of government relations for the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD), and a senior lobbyist for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She worked for a Member of Congress on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee.

Alan Hutson is the managing partner of The Monument Group, which for 26 years has helped nonprofit organizations tap their fundraising potential. He is also a senior consultant at the management centre consulting (=mc consulting), a London-based nonprofit management consultancy, and serves on the Decision Science team to help organizations change behavior in a pro-social way.

Alan's work has resulted in nonprofit organizations raising over $200M (US-based clients). His international engagements have included UNICEF, International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies, Smile Train, and Médecins Sans Frontières.

Alan serves as The Monument Group's representative for the Giving Institute, and he recently rotated off the board of AFP Global (the governing body of the fundraising profession). Locally, he has served on the boards of the local AFP chapter (Past Board Chair), Circle Center Adult Day Services (Past Governance Committee Chair), and 1708 Gallery (Past Finance Committee Chair).

Ian Kremer, JD, has worked on federal, state and local dementia policy since 1996. Since 2012, Ian has served as Executive Director of the LEAD Coalition (Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer's Disease), the uniting voice of over 200 member and allied organizations. The LEAD Coalition accelerates transformational progress in care and support to enrich the quality of life of those with dementia and their caregivers, detection and diagnosis, and research leading to prevention, effective treatment, and cures.

Ian serves and has served on numerous steering committees, boards, and advisory committees, including but not limited to: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC); National Institute on Aging (NIA) National Research Summit on Care, Services, and Supports for Persons with Dementia and Their Caregivers; CDC Healthy Brain Initiative Roadmap; Dementia Friendly America; and many more.

Ian was an external reviewer for the 2021 National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine report, "Meeting the Challenge of Caring for Persons Living with Dementia and Their Care Partners and Caregivers: A Way Forward." He holds degrees from Washington University in Saint Louis and the University of Michigan School of Law.

Zenawit Melesse is a communications, advocacy, and public information consultant. She has over 20 years of international work experience in the United Nations, government, diplomatic, and academic sectors. Her expertise is in strategic development and behaviour change communications, community dialogue, media and broadcasting, information communications analysis, design, and implementation. She was the communications advisor to the Ethiopian Minister of Health and regional advisor for UNAIDS' Eastern and Southern Africa region.

Bruce Packett is the executive director of the American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM). He worked for 14 years with AAHIVM directing programs supporting and educating HIV practitioners and promoting accessible, quality care for those living with HIV. He was first touched by chronic illness when his grandfather passed away from complications of pulmonary fibrosis and has a keen interest in helping people and families directly impacted by chronic illnesses. He studied at the University of Maryland and is a writer, consultant and part-time musician.

Cheryl Sullivan Staveley has dedicated her life to Huntington's Disease (HD) awareness and care, having been a caregiver to her first husband and younger daughter, both of whom she lost to HD. She was first exposed to HD in nursing school, and later left her job as a nurse to focus on HD caregiving, education and advocacy. She has created a support network for other families through outreach and support groups. She is part of a global coalition for HD, speaking at conferences and various scientific programs, as well as to law makers and civic organizations, trying to improve the lives of those with HD.