Kara is a Senior Advisor, consulting at the intersection of impact and innovation in sport. She has advised leaders at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, LA28, Riot Games, and two startups backed by Nike Founder Phil Knight.
Previously, she was a Global Director at Visa, leading partnerships with Olympians and Paralympians. She is also an author, publishing her first book titled “Pure Grit: Stories of Remarkable People Living with Physical Disability” with co-author Lily Collison in 2021.
Kara received a dual Bachelor of Arts in Business and Spanish at the University of Oregon. After a decade in New York and San Francisco, she currently resides in Bend, Oregon with her husband and three awesome kids.
Dr. Fowler is a Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She received her degree in Physical Therapy from Northeastern University in Boston and her PhD in Kinesiology from UCLA with a major in Biomechanics and a minor in Motor Control. She holds the Peter William Shapiro Chair and is the Director of Research and Education for the Center for Cerebral Palsy at UCLA and the Director of the Kameron Gait and Motion Analysis Laboratory. She is a faculty member in the Tarjan Center for Disabilities at UCLA, a University Center of Excellence, and the Center for Duchenne Muscuar Dystrophy at UCLA.
Dr. Fowler has over 30 years experience in the evaluation and treatment of pediatric onset disabilities. She was a co-founder of the Center for Cerebral Palsy at UCLA, a multi-disciplinary program to meet the medical needs of children and adults. Her research examines the effect of exercise, pharmacological and surgical interventions on spasticity, strength, gait and function. She was lead investigator for a multi-site study: Pediatric Endurance and Limb Strengthening (PEDALS) for children with CP as part of PTClinResNet funded by the Foundation for Physical Therapy. A focus of her current research is reduced selective motor control in CP. Her team developed the Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity (SCALE), a clinical assessment. In addition, her team uses dynamic systems modeling, biomechanical models and robotics to identify selective motor control strategies during gait. Her current research explores the effect of selective motor control intervenitons on motor function and corticospinal tract integrity, using brain imaging technology. Other areas of research in CP include gaming technology for children with dyskinetic CP and Women’s Health.
Dr. Fowler is the President of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine for 2015-2016. She is an Associate Editor for Pediatric Physical Therapy. She received the Jack Walker Award from the American Physical Therapy Association for the best clinical research article in Physical Therapy, which refuted the premise that strengthening exercise performance increases spasticity in children with CP (2001). She received the Research Award from the American Physical Therapy Association Section on Pediatrics (2006) and the White Swan Award from the AbilitiesFirst Foundation (2003).
During a 30-year career with Analog Devices Inc., Gerry held several senior management positions including VP Supply Chain & Planning, VP Quality and VP R&D Productivity. He is the founder and CEO of Mayorstone consulting and author of “R&D Productivity. How to target it. How to measure it. Why it matters”. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Electronics) degree from the University of Limerick, Ireland.
Gerry’s introduction to the CP Foundation was through his friendship with Denis and Lily Collison and his admiration for their son, Tommy.
Lily Collison is Program Director at Gillette Children’s Healthcare Press.
Lily co-authored “Pure Grit: Stories of Remarkable People Living with Physical Disability” with Kara Buckley, Senior Advisor, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. “Pure Grit” tells the stories of nineteen people across the globe, who grew up with physical disability and are living and thriving in diverse fields. Published in 2021, this book is available on Amazon, and all proceeds go to research.
Lily’s adult son has spastic diplegia. In 2020, she wrote “Spastic Diplegia–Bilateral Cerebral Palsy” in conjunction with senior medical staff at Gillette Children’s. This book is also available on Amazon, and again, all proceeds go to research.
Lily previously completed a research master’s – a case study on SEMLS, rehabilitation and outcome evaluation.
With a background in science, her 30+ year career included senior management positions in industry and education.
Levee Brooks is Chief Operating Officer of Marsh North America. Prior to Joining Marsh, Levee was Managing Director and Global Head of Client Management, Fund Management and Change Management for the Consumer & Investment Management Division within Goldman Sachs. Levee has held various leadership roles within the Operations Division, across Goldman Sachs & Co. and the Consumer & Investment Management Division. He began his career at Goldman Sachs as an Operations Analyst supporting the Derivatives business and transitioned to a Research Associate and Client Portfolio Management role within Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Levee is an active board member on the Board of Directors for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, a Trustee for St. Benedict’s Preparatory School, and a member of the Diversity & Inclusion Board for The Peck School. Levee holds dual-degrees in English and Psychology from Georgetown University.
Deborah Gaebler-Spira completed a Pediatric residency at the University of Chicago and then pursued a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (previously Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago). She is board certified in Pediatrics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. She has been affiliated with Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Children’s Memorial Hospital as a Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Pediatrics at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for 25 years.
Her primary clinical work is with children with cerebral palsy and spasticity management. She is past president of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine. Her research interests have been in management of spasticity and have obtained United Cerebral Palsy grants to evaluate the impact of Botulinum Toxins on the child as well as dance for motor learning and the child with cerebral palsy. She has collaborated with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Bioengineers on measurement of Hypertonia and worked with the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers grant “Technologies for Children with Orthopedic Disabilities.”
Dr. Andrea Freeman Duncan received her MD from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas in 2002. She completed her Pediatric residency and fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. She was subsequently a clinical scientist faculty member and mentor at the University of New Mexico and the University of Texas at Houston McGovern Medical School.
She joined the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in 2019 and is the Medical Director of the Neonatal Follow-up Program there. Dr. Duncan is also the Principal Investigator for Neurodevelopmental Follow-up for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia site of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Development Neonatal Research Network. She is also the Principal Investigator for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia site of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation Early Detection of Cerebral Palsy Network.
Her main research interest is in long-term medical and neurodevelopmental outcomes of NICU graduates. This has included previous research in the effects of very-low-birth weight and postnatal growth on blood pressure during the first three years of life, the role of ethnic and social factors on Bayley Scales of Infant Development Cognitive and Language Scale scores in children born extremely premature, the effect of parenting style on self regulation in children born preterm, the correlation of neuroimaging with outcomes in children born extremely preterm, motor outcomes in high-risk children, and the effects of implementation of the international guidelines for early assessment for CP on diagnoses and outcomes in high risk infants. Her current research involves evaluation of executive functioning and brain connectivity in high-risk infants, parenting style in high risk infant development, and the use of implementation science to translate evidence to practice.
Rachel Byrne is the Executive Director at the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. She has been working in the field of pediatric rehabilitation and cerebral palsy research for the past 14 years. Rachel has a background in physical therapy, with a particular interest in neuroplasticity and motor learning. Her early career as a clinician delivering physical therapy services in schools, hospitals and private practice is underpinned by her research interests focused on knowledge translation and the impact on a person’s ability to participate in the community across the lifespan.
At the Foundation, she has continued her research interest in evidence-based practice, knowledge translation, early detection and interventions across the lifespan and population studies for cerebral palsy. Rachel was instrumental in developing the Just Say Hi inclusion curriculum which is now being taught nationally. In the last 12 years she has given multiple presentations at international conferences and managed large multisite research projects.
Paul A. Volcker worked in the United States Federal Government for almost 30 years, culminating in two terms as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System from 1979-1987. For ten years, he served as Chairman of Wolfensohn & Co., as well as Professor Emeritus of International Economic Policy at Princeton. From 1996-1999, he was Chairman of a committee to determine existing dormant accounts and other assets in Swiss banks of victims of Nazi persecution. From 2000-2005, he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the International Accounting Standards Committee. In April 2004, he was asked by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to chair an inquiry into the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program. In 2007, he was asked by the President of the World Bank to chair a panel of experts to review the operations of the Department of Institutional Integrity of World Bank. From November 2008 to 2011, he served as Chairman of the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Educated at Princeton, Harvard and the London School of Economics, Mr. Volcker launched the Volcker Alliance in 2013 to address the challenge of effective execution of public policies and to help rebuild trust in government.
Lisa B. Baird is a Partner with Heidrick & Struggles in the global financial services practice, based in New York City. Prior to this, she was chief human resources officer for a top 100 alternative investment manager. Before this, she spent eight years in executive search in financial services. Prior to becoming an executive recruiter, Ms. Baird worked as a strategy consultant in financial services at McKinsey & Company and led strategic marketing for Fidelity Investments institutional retirement services. She began her career in real estate investment banking at Goldman Sachs. Ms. Baird holds an A.B. from Princeton University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Ms. Baird is pleased to be serving on the board of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. She is the mother of two wonderful children, one of whom is affected by cerebral palsy. She is committed to improving the lives of individuals and families impacted by this condition and related disabilities.
Ila Eckhoff, CPA, recently retired as Managing Director, from Global Investment Operations – Derivative Operations. She was responsible for leading BlackRock’s Industry and Counterparty Management strategy for derivatives and collateral. Ms. Eckhoff served on a number of committees, including the Business Operations and Technology Leadership Committees, Technology and Operations DEI Committee and Government Relations Steering Committee. She is also a founder and MD sponsor of the Ability at Blackrock Network (ABN).
Ms. Eckhoff had several roles at Blackrock, most recently managing the Market Initiatives team coordinating operational initiatives associated with Dodd Frank and EMIR commitments for Over the Counter (OTC) derivatives working alongside the market structure, portfolio management, technology, and legal teams. Prior to that, Ms. Eckhoff managed BlackRock’s US Derivative Operations and Trading Operations Groups where she was responsible for collateral management and trade confirmation across fixed income and equity, swap payments and OTC legal confirmations. In addition, she has worked to enhance the firm’s system capabilities and develop the operations infrastructure for derivatives. Ms. Eckhoff has also developed and implemented collateral and swap payment processes and procedures for alternative products at the firm. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2000, Ms. Eckhoff managed the New York Collateral teams at both Barclays Capital and Credit Lyonnais, handling all interest rate, FX and equity derivatives. In this role, she was responsible for coordinating global collateral management for all US clients working with legal, tax and regulatory reporting. At Credit Lyonnais, she also managed the Accounting Policy Group where she developed and implemented the Bank’s procedures on collateralized trading.
Ms. Eckhoff is co-chair of SIFMA/AMF Derivative Operations Committee, a member of the ISDA Collateral and Credit Steering Committees and a member of the SIFMA AMG Committee. Ms. Eckhoff earned a BA degree in economics from Brandeis University in 1982 and an MBA degree in Accounting from Baruch College in 1990.
Michelle Kassner began her career working in the Finance Department of Sotheby’s. Pursuing her passion for horticulture and garden design she joined Plant Specialists, Inc. As the Manager of the landscape division, responsible for the design, installation, and maintenance of Penthouse and Townhouse gardens in New York City.
In 1988, Michelle joined her family’s business, Liberty Travel and GOGO Worldwide Vacations. Over the course of twenty years, she held various executive positions, including CEO. In 2008, the company was sold to an Australian company.
Michelle’s latest venture is the launch of a restaurant in New York’s West Village, 99 Bank, a gluten-free local and seasonal restaurant.
Michelle is a graduate of Hamilton College. She lives in NYC with her two daughters.
Peter W. Shapiro is pleased to be serving on the board of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation.
James P. Volcker has worked in the grant management field for over 13 years, currently at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA and before that at Boston Children’s Hospital. He has a Bachelors of Arts degree in Economics from New York University and a Masters of Public Administration degree in Health Finance from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service. Mr. Volcker has cerebral palsy and is pleased to be serving on the Cerebral Palsy Foundation Board with so many dedicated individuals as its mission hits close to home.
