Our Leadership

Cure JM is led by a passionate team of volunteers, staff, and medical experts in juvenile myositis research and care.

Board of Directors

Kristine-Aldefer

Kristine Alderfer

Chair
Winona Lake, Indiana
Tim Shelby

Tim Shelby, JD

Treasurer
The Woodlands, Texas
Michelle Best

Michelle Best

Secretary
Arlington, Virginia
Shari Hume, MBA, Founder, Board of Directors, Cure JM

Shari Hume, MBA

Co-Founder and Director
Encinitas, California
Tom Hume, MA

Tom Hume, MA

Co-Founder and Director
Encinitas, California
Tracy Van Ness

Tracy Van Ness, PH.D, DHSc, PA-C

Director
Bayport, New York
Karen Berman MBA

Karen Berman, MBA

Director
Oak Park, Illinois
Zachary Harrison

Zachary Harrison

Director
Temescal Valley, California
Randy Putt

Randy Putt

Director and Chair of the Grandparent Council
Lafayette, Indiana
Debbie Daum

Debbie Daum

Director
Rye, New York
Julie Houpt

Julie Houpt

Director
Dallas, Texas
Anna Ramsey

Anna Schwartz-Ramsey

Director
Los Angeles, California
John Caldwell Web

John Caldwell

Director and Chair of the National Leadership Council
Edmond, Oklahoma
Maddy Coffey

Maddy Coffey

Director and Chair of the Young Adult Advocates Council
Nikki Hahn

Nikki Hahn

Chair Emeritus
Scarsdale, New York

Medical Advisory Board

Brian Feldman, M.D., MSc, FRCPC

Chair of the Medical Advisory Board, Head Division of Rheumatology Hospital of Sick Children, Toronto
Lucy R. Wedderburn, PhD, MRCP

Lucy R. Wedderburn, Ph.D, MRCP

Director, Arthritis Research Centre for Adolescent Rheumatology University College London (UCL)
Anne Stevens, MD, PhD

Anne Stevens, M.D., Ph.D

Executive Medical Director, Century Therapeutics
Lauren M. Pachman, MD

Lauren M. Pachman, M.D.

Professor of Pediatrics Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Kanneboyina Nagaraju, DVM, MVSc, Ph.D

Dean and Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences Binghamton University, State University of New York

Susan Kim, M.D., MMSc

Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics University of California, San Francisco
Adam Huber, MD MSc

Adam Huber, M.D., M.Sc.

Professor of Pediatrics Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Stacey Tarvin, Updated 2025, Clinical Care Network

Stacey Tarvin, M.D.

Program Director, Pediatric Rheumatology Riley Hospital, Chair of Cure JM’s Clinical Care Network

Andy Mammen, M.D., Ph.D

Associate Director, Johns Hopkins Myositis Center Investigator, National Institutes of Health
Lisa G. Rider, M.D.

Lisa G. Rider, M.D.

Chair Emeritus, Head Environmental Autoimmunity Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health

Staff

Jim Minow, Executive Director

Jim Minow

Executive Director
Shannon Malloy

Shannon Malloy

Director of Development and Community Engagement
Andrew Heaton, PhD

Andrew Heaton, Ph.D

Chief Scientific Officer
Ronda Thorington

Ronda Thorington

Mental Health Coordinator
Nicole Ryba

Nicole Ryba

Associate Director of Development, Chapters and Walks
Angela Suppa

Angela Suppa

Associate Director of Development, Annual Campaigns
James Tealy

James Tealy

Associate Director, Clinical Care Network and Family Education
Nicky Geskos

Nicky Geskos

Development and Communications Manager
Sarah Echols, staff photo

Sara Echols

Chapter and Walk Manager, South

Betsy León

Chapter and Walk Manager, West
Kelly Culver

Kelly Culver

Chapter and Walk Manager, Midwest
Lauren Alvord

Lauren Alvord

Grant Manager
Patty Gauss, staff photo

Patty Gauss

Development and Accounting Administrator
Lauren Harkins

Lauren Harkins

Family Education Intern

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