The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)®, the leading independent nonprofit committed to the identification, treatment and cure of rare diseases, announces the appointment of two new hires: Catherine Blansfield, M.A., B.S., R.N., has been appointed as Vice President of Patient Services and Lisa Terrizzi, J.D., as General Counsel.
“As NORD pioneers new ways to help the 30 million Americans with rare diseases and resolve their unmet medical needs, we are pleased to welcome these two seasoned professionals to the team,” said NORD Chief Operating Officer Pamela K. Gavin. “Catherine and Lisa bring the highest levels of experience to their respective positions and will help us continue to make a difference in the lives of patients around the country.”
Catherine Blansfield serves as Vice President of Patient Services and is responsible for leading NORD’s Patient Services Department, through which patients and families around the country can access medical care they are otherwise unable to afford, such as clinical trials, drug fulfillment, co-pay and reimbursement services, and other types of assistance. Catherine began her career as a nurse and brings more than 20 years of experience in strategic, financial and operations management in a variety of healthcare settings. She is currently overseeing the launch of NORD’s new Patient Referral Portal, a technology platform that streamlines and accelerates the process for patients to access often life-saving medication through NORD.
Lisa Terrizzi serves as NORD’s first General Counsel, overseeing its legal affairs and helping to advise its advocacy efforts on behalf of the rare diseases community, on both the state and federal level. Terrizzi’s professional background includes work in the nonprofit and private sectors. After practicing law at two large Boston firms, she joined the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, where she supervised a large labor and employment compliance project and provided human resources management counsel to its academic departments and research centers. An advocate on issues affecting the rare disease community, Terrizzi is also an active member the Boston Bar Association’s Health Law Education Committee and a member of the American Health Lawyers Association.
