CAMR Announces New Leadership Team

Washington, D.C.; December 23, 2009 – The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR) announces its newly elected leadership team:

Lisa Hughes, former CAMR vice president for membership, is the new CAMR president.  Hughes is the senior director for policy and advocacy for the Prevent Cancer Foundation, where she oversees the organization’s policy, government, and advocacy work.  She replaces Amy Comstock Rick, CEO of the Parkinson’s Action Network, who served as CAMR’s president for the past two years, the position’s term limit.

“I am honored to serve as president of CAMR at this important time in our nation’s stem cell research history,” said Hughes. “This past year saw a long-awaited and much-needed policy change, and we’re hopeful that with stem cell lines authorized for federal funding, we’ll get another step closer to better treatments and cures,” she added.

CAMR’s leadership team includes: Vice President of Operations/Secretary, Rhonda Norsetter, Senior Special Assistant to the Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Vice President of Membership, Ross Frommer, Deputy Vice President for Government and Community Affairs and Associate Dean, Columbia University Medical Center; Vice President of Finance/Treasurer, Daniel Perry, Executive Director, Alliance for Aging Research; Vice President of Legislative Affairs, Jennifer Poulakidas, Vice President, Congressional Affairs, National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges; Vice President of Communications, Kevin Casey, Senior Director of Federal and State Relations, Harvard University; Vice President of State Initiatives, Tricia Brooks, Managing Director for Alliance Development, Biotechnology Industry Organization; and, Vice President of Science, Kevin Wilson, Director of Public Policy, American Society for Cell Biology.

In addition to the CAMR executive leadership, the following individuals were re-elected to serve on the CAMR board: David Chatel, Executive Vice President of Advocacy, National Multiple Sclerosis Society; Marla Gilson, Director of the Washington Action Office of Hadassah; Pam Lokken, Vice Chancellor, Government and Community Relations, Washington University in St. Louis; Michael Manganiello, Partner, HCM Strategists; Tony Mazzaschi, Senior Director, Scientific Affairs, Association of American Medical Colleges; Cynthia Rice, Vice President, Government Relations, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; Amy Comstock Rick, Chief Executive Officer, Parkinson’s Action Network; Sean Tipton, Director of Public Affairs, American Society for Reproductive Medicine; Michael Werner, Partner, Holland and Knight, LLP.

# # #

The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR) is the nation's leading pro-cures coalition. It is comprised of nearly 100 nationally recognized patient organizations, universities, scientific societies, and foundations advocating for the advancement of breakthrough research and technologies in regenerative medicine to cure disease and alleviate suffering for individuals with life-threatening illnesses and disorders.