NORD’s Leadership Team

NORD is uniquely focused on purposefully elevating care, advancing research, and driving policy for the 30 million Americans living with rare diseases and their families. We have a long-standing and firmly rooted position in the rare disease community, based on nearly 40 years of positive impact, fueled by the breadth and depth of our experience and expertise.

We provide mentorship, education, and support to more than 300 disease-specific patient organizations, more than 15,000 individual advocates, as well as millions of individuals in the community.


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Pamela Gavin

Chief Executive Officer

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Kelly esperias at national organization event.
Kelly Esperias

Chief Strategy & Operations Officer

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SENIOR ADVISOR

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Peter L. Saltonstall

President and CEO Emeritus, Senior Advisor


STAFF

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Edward Neilan, M.D., Ph.D.

Chief Medical and Scientific Officer

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Rebecca Aune

Director of Education Programs

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Jackie Avial

Director of Content, Marketing & Communications

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Leah Barber

Director of Grassroots Advocacy

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Patrick Collins

Vice President of Community & Corporate Affairs

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Prashant Goel

Vice President of Information Technology

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Cheryl Herbert

Vice President of Marketing & Communications

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Neeta Kotecha

Vice President of Finance

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Janine Lewis

Director of Research Operations

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Marybeth McAfee

Director of Medical Affairs

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Alexa Moore

Vice President of Development

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Jill L. Pollander, RN, MSN

Vice President of Patient Services

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Heidi Ross

Vice President of Policy and Regulatory Affairs

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Norine Schwarzchild

Vice President of Human Resources

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Tracey Sikora

Vice President of Research & Clinical Programs