MitoAction announces the appointment of three members to the board of directors. Each new member brings an array of expertise and experience that will allow MitoAction to continue to grow the ways in which the organization serves the mitochondrial disease community and expand our impact in mitochondrial disease research.
“As diagnostics improve and new potential therapies are being introduced to families impacted by mitochondrial disease worldwide, the need to support patients with these rare conditions has never been greater,” said Paul Harty, MitoAction Board President. “Adding these board members secures our place as the leader in patient support and advocacy. At the same time, we advance our position as a global resource to connect patients with clinical trials and provide meaningful data using our advanced technology, MitoAction Mobile, to ensure our community is research ready and our patients play an active role in therapy development. After an exhaustive search, we couldn’t be happier to welcome these new leaders to our well-established team.”
John Kelly is the former Vice President / Senior Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy for SourceAmerica. In his roles with SourceAmerica over the past 19 years, John conceived, staffed and sponsored multiple nationwide initiatives in partnership with federal and state agencies, state, disability organizations, educational institutions, philanthropic entities and impacted individuals to map the future of disability across multiple sectors. John developed passed legislation for protection and preservation of thousands of jobs, advocated for community members with significant and life-impacting disabilities and averted damaging legislation and converted it to a positive outcome through support from key members of Congress and by securing a Statement of Administration Policy from the White House. John serves on the Board of Directors of Workability International and is a member of the Board for the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities. John earned his B.S. from Mary Washington College. John lives in Virginia with his wife and children.
“MitoAction was founded through the advocacy of patients, parents and health care leaders who shared a vision of improving quality of life for children and adults with mitochondrial disease,” said John. “I could not be more excited to join the board of directors of such a high functioning organization and to leverage my background in advocacy toward further impacting the lives of those who are affected by mitochondrial disease across the nation.”
Natashia Cheatham is a diversity trained leader with national experience across all spectrums of healthcare, finance, human capital, compliance, and business development avenues. She served as Global Operations Leader of Global Health Management, LLC overseeing a portfolio of initiatives in home health, hospice, therapy operations, and medical clinics, CEO of Townsend Addiction and Treatment Centers and most recently Regional Director of Operations at Behavioral Health Groups in Baton Rouge, LA. Natashia is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executive (FACHE Fellowship) and Chairperson for the Behavioral Health Group Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She earned her B.S. from Louisiana State University, and her Master’s Degree from Mississippi College. Natashia lives in New Orleans, LA.
“I’ve worked in the healthcare sector for over 10 years, and during that time, I’ve gained a plethora of insight on the need for support and education. I’ve learned that treatment extends beyond the clinical setting and into the daily lives of not only those being treated, but those who are connected in other ways. Joining the Board of Directors of MitoAction allows me to share those insights in hopes to not only care for our loved ones, but in turn strengthen and empower those who provide the care. I am looking forward to being a part of this amazing mission and using the knowledge that I’ve obtained to make an impact in the world of MitoAction.”
Allen Williams joins MitoAction with extensive experience in business and software development. He is currently the Product Director for Dualboot Partners, a business and software development company focused on product innovation, strategy, design, front and backend development, fractional CTO, QA, and PMO. Prior to joining Dualboot, Allen served as Director of Business Development for Heartland Global, which acquired Springboard Retail, where he played an integral role in launching the retail industries leading POS system, helping to scale the company from $0 – $5M in annual revenue. Allen earned his B.S. from Bentley University. He lives with his wife and children in Hingham, MA.
“My experience with MitoAction goes back to 2010. In the years since I have had the privilege to support and attend many MitoAction events, and I have watched the organization continue to grow and thrive,” said Allen. “I am honored to join the Board of Directors of MitoAction and to be able to provide a deeper level of support to the organization and the families and patients grappling with mitochondrial disease. I look forward to working closely with the other members of the Board and with the leadership team at MitoAction, who I know care very deeply about supporting this patient community.”