Startups

The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration

2700 Horizon Drive, Suite 120, King of Prussia, PA 19406, United States

theaftd.org

The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) is a US nonprofit public charity founded in2002 by Helen-Ann Comstock to support people affected by frontotemporal degeneration and advance research towards treatments and a cure. Its official tax return identifies EIN41-2073220, Pennsylvania organization, and Section501(c)(3) status. It is headquartered at2700 Horizon Drive, Suite120, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania19406. This is a neuroscience research and mission-related investment institution, rather than a commercial venture manager. AFTD's work combines scientific funding, research participation and engagement, medical education, support services and public advocacy. Its scientific interests span FTD biology, genetics, biomarkers, clinical studies and development of disease-modifying therapies. Its current scientific leadership includes Chief Scientific Officer Penny Dacks. Rachel Biblow became CEO in May2026, succeeding Susan L-J Dickinson; older documents naming Susan as CEO are historical. The current public professional directories publish51 staff,18 current directors and31 active external Medical Advisory Council members. External advisers are scoped advisory relationships rather than employees. Founder Helen-Ann Comstock's board service ended with her death on July30,2025. AFTD and the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation jointly established the Treat FTD programme in2016. Its current call supports relevant clinical trials through academic grants or biotechnology mission-related investments. Award ceilings, charitable income, programme budgets and fundraising goals are not LP fund closes or evidence of cash already paid. Biotechnology payments may depend on negotiated development and enrollment milestones. Treat FTD is recorded as a joint programme of its two institutions rather than a third duplicate cash investor. Vesper Bio announced a USD2.5million strategic mission-related investment from AFTD and ADDF through Treat FTD on November17,2025. Per-institution allocations and actual disbursement schedule are undisclosed. This funding relationship does not establish regulatory approval or proven clinical benefit of Vesper's investigational medicine. Exact company financing is source-qualified on the issuer record and is maintained separately from AFTD's charitable receipts. No commercial investment-fund ownership or institution-wide health status is inferred from its mission.

Founded 2002

Team

A. Campbell SullivanExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Abby AddvenskyAnnual Giving Manager

Abrar TanveerBoard Member

Adam BoxerExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Allison LindauerExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Alyssa FikarisHelpLine Advisor

Amanda GleixnerResearch Projects Manager

Amanda KnightDirector of Development

Ann SchoonoverHelpLine Specialist

Ashlyn StienstraFundraising Coordinator

Bridget GrahamDirector of Meetings & Conferences

Cameron ReidDevelopment Writer

Carmela TartagliaExternal Medical Advisory Council Chair Elect

Celeste KarchExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Chiadi OnyikeExternal Medical Advisory Council Chair (2025–2028)

Cynthia Brown-SmithDirector of Human Resources

Danielle GershkoffDonor Engagement Manager

Darby MorhardtExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

David IrwinExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

David PfeiferBoard Member

Dennis DicksonExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Elizabeth GrahamCorporate and Foundation Relations Manager

Elizabeth R. YoungExecutive Assistant/Board Liaison

Emily RogalskiExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Erin FiccaSupport Services Specialist

Esther KaneSupport & Education Director

Eva MorrisonSocial Media Coordinator

Evelyn LewisVolunteer Engagement Coordinator

Fayron EppsExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Fen-Biao GaoExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Gail AndersenBoard Member

Girish PatangayBoard Member

Hailey FleischmannHelpLine Advisor

Halima AmjadBoard Member

Hannah GruenVolunteer Engagement Coordinator

Hilary BoucherSupport Services Coordinator

Howard FeldmanExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Howard RosenExternal Medical Advisory Council Member; Education Committee Chair

Jalayne J. AriasExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Jamie FongExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Jary LarsenBoard Member

Jeanne CestoneHealthcare Education Manager

Jeff ThompsonOperations Manager

Jeni CardosiHuman Resources Specialist

Jenny CatchingsState Advocacy Manager

Jillian ShellenbergerEvents Manager

Joe EspositoBoard Member

Joseph MarquezBoard Member

Julie KellyBoard Treasurer

Kate PossinExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Kate StillResearch Outreach Manager

Kathy Newhouse MeleBoard Member

Kim JennyManager of Genetic Initiatives

Kimberly Radford HendersonBoard Member

Kristin SchneemanBoard Member

Kristoffer RhoadsExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Kyle BirminghamBoard Member at Large

Lauren MassimoExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Lauren PelaiaAdvocacy Coordinator

Leonard MarquezBoard Vice Chair

Magdalini PolymenidouExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Margaret SutherlandBoard Member

Mark S. FormanExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Marsha JacksonDirector of Fundraising Events

Mary O’HaraExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Matthew SharpFederal Advocacy Manager

Maya HenryExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Maya LichtensteinExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Meghan BuzbyDirector of Advocacy and Volunteer Engagement

Michael MignoneEducation Coordinator

Michael MullanVolunteer Services Manager

Michelle ThompsonDirector of Finance

Mike MooneyMarketing Cloud Coordinator

Mitch ApplesonChief Operating Officer

Nicole BjorklundDirector of Research & Grants

Nupur GhoshalExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Olivia KlennAdministrative Assistant, Support and Education

Olivier PiguetExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Omair SiddiquiDigital Marketing Manager

Penny DacksChief Scientific Officer

Peter WitzlebDirector of IT

Phillip WeichelVice President of Advancement

PJ LeppDirector of Marketing & Communications

Rachel BiblowChief Executive Officer

Richard Ryan DarbyExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Rita B. ChoulaBoard Chair

Rosa RademakersExternal Medical Advisory Council Member; Research and Grants Committee Chair

Samantha GarnerResearch Coordinator

Sami BarmadaExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Sandy SosaSocial Media Manager

Sarah LopataSupport Services Manager

Shana DodgeDirector of Research Engagement

Sharon S. DennyVice President of Mission Services

Shoshana Derrow KrilowBoard Member

Stephanie QuigleyHelpLine Manager

Susan L-J DickinsonFormer Chief Executive Officer (2008–May2026)

Tammaryn LashleyExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Tania GendronExternal Medical Advisory Council Member

Valerie L. SnowBoard Recording Secretary

Wendy RollinsEvents Coordinator

Yue ZhangSenior Accountant

SHOW MORE

Investments

$—2025-11-17

Vesper Bio

Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration

SHOW MORE