AMERICAN HEARING RESEARCH FOUNDATION - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board
• Member of the Research Committee
• Board President, Research Committee

A practicing surgeon-educator and leading expert in otolaryngology and neurotology, Alan G. Micco, MD, brings extensive medical knowledge and clinical experience to his roles as President of the AHRF Board and Chairman of the Research Committee. Micco is on staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH). He also is a Professor in the departments of Otolaryngology, Neurological Surgery, and Medical Education at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where he heads the section of Otology and Neurotology. In addition, Micco is the residency program director in the Otolaryngology Department and a Fellow of the Hugh Knowles Center. He belongs to several professional organizations, including the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society, the Triological Society, the Chicago Laryngological and Otological Society, and the American College of Surgeons. Micco has published dozens of articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals and has received numerous awards over the course of his career, including the Edmund Fowler Award from the Triological Society. Micco is a long-time member of the Board of the Chicago Hearing Society. He is a graduate of Washington and Jefferson College and earned his MD from Northwestern University, where he also completed his residency and fellowship training.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Research Committee
• Research Committee

Alex D. Sweeney, MD, brings a seasoned medical perspective to the AHRF Research Committee. He is double board certified in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery as well as in Neurotology. Currently, Sweeney serves as an Assistant Professor in the Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery and the Department of Neurosurgery at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). He also is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at Texas Children's Hospital, as well as the holder of the Dorothy L. McGee Endowed Chair in Otolaryngology at BCM. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a member of the 2000-2001 Ivy League Champion Penn Quaker Football Team. He earned his MD at BCM and then completed a fellowship as the Michael E. Glasscock III, MD Fellow in Neurotology at the Otology Group of Vanderbilt University. He is a Fellow of the American Neurotology Society as well as the current Vice President of the Houston Society of Otolaryngology. His areas of particular interest and expertise include hearing loss, cochlear implantation, and tumors of the ear, temporal bone, and skull base. He has published in a variety of medical journals and is a member of both the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and the Gold Humanism Honor Society.

Job Titles:

• Leader
• Member of the Board
• Member of the Research Committee
• Board Member, Research Committee

Anna Lysakowski, PhD, is a leader in the fields of neuroscience and anatomy, bringing extensive experience in scientific research to her role on the AHRF Board and Research Committee. Her dynamic career has included an experiment on the space shuttle, time with the Glasgow School of Art as a US-UK Fulbright Scholar in 3D Visualization of Anatomical Data, recognition by Who's Who Lifetime Achievement, numerous scientific articles and book chapters, and leading-edge research on the morphology and protein composition of inner ear vestibular hair cells, the mitochondria, and the vestibular calyx ending. Currently a Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Lysakowski has served as a regular member of the Integrative, Functional, and Cognitive Neuroscience (IFCN) Integrated Review Group (Section 6) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), reviewing applications within a broad range of neuroscience research. She also has served on review panels for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). In addition, Lysakowski herself is an NIH, NASA, and AHRF grant recipient. Early in her career, Lysakowski received the R.R. Bensley Award for Outstanding Cell Biology Research (now called the Young Investigator Award), which is presented annually by the American Association of Anatomists (AAA) to a single individual who has made a distinguished contribution to the advancement of anatomy through discovery, ingenuity, and publications in the field of cell biology. She belongs to several professional organizations, including the Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO), where she has served on the Program Committee; the Society for Neuroscience (SfN), where she has served as President and a Board member for the Chicago chapter; the American Physiological Society (APS); the Bárány Society; the American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology (ASGSB); and AAA, where she has served on several committees, including the Educational Affairs Committee, the Educational Outreach Grant Awards Committee, and the Henry Gray Distinguished Educator Award Committee. Lysakowski holds a PhD in Anatomy from UIC. She received additional training at the University of Chicago and its Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Her research interests include vestibular and cochlear peripheral anatomy, physiology, development, and efferent innervation.

Job Titles:

• Member of the National Honorary Board

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board

Bobby Arnold (he/him/his) brings a unique perspective to the AHRF Board, deeply rooted in his lifelong friendship with fellow board member Katie Mertz. Witnessing Katie's mother's struggle with Meniere's disease, Arnold has developed a profound understanding and empathy for hearing-related disorders. His commitment is evident in his active support of the "run because" half marathon and the annual golf outing, both crucial in funding Meniere's disease research. In his professional realm, Arnold excels as the Director of Marketing at Themis Bar Review, where he has demonstrated exceptional skill in guiding aspiring lawyers for nearly five years. His ability to inspire and lead is not only a marker of his professional success but also fuels his dedication to AHRF's mission. Arnold's blend of marketing expertise and personal commitment is poised to greatly enhance AHRF's outreach and impact in the fight against often-overlooked hearing conditions.

Job Titles:

• Leader
• Member of the Research Committee
• Research Committee

Claus-Peter Richter, MD, PhD, is a leader in the fields of hearing physiology, cochlear implant design, and bioengineering, bringing extensive experience in scientific research to his role on the AHRF Research Committee. Richter is Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head- and Neck Surgery, and has joint appointments in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. He also is founding CTO of Resonance Medical, LLC. His primary interests are the development and improvement of cochlear implant electrodes, the micromechanics of the mammalian cochlea, and the maturation of the mammalian inner ear. Recently, the research efforts of Richter's laboratory are focused to develop cochlear implants that use optical radiation rather than electrical currents to stimulate auditory neurons. Richter is a fellow of the Hugh Knowles Center for Clinical Basic Sciences in Hearing and its Disorders, and much of his research funding is provided by the National Institute of Health, the E.R. Capita Foundation, and the National Science Foundation. He has published dozens of articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Born in Erlangen, Germany, he is a graduate of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University in Frankfurt, where he earned his medical degree, Masters in Physics, and PhD.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board
• Member of the Research Committee

David A. Klodd, PhD, brings extensive medical knowledge and more than 40 years' clinical experience as an Audiologist to his role on the AHRF Board and Research Committee. His areas of expertise involve audiological evaluation and management in patients of all ages with facial nerve disorders, vestibular/balance disorders, and other otoneurologic hearing disorders, such as acoustic neuromas and neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). He taught Audiology courses at Northern Illinois University and taught in the Doctor of Audiology (AuD) distance learning program at the University of Florida. At Rush Medical College Klodd was a Professor of Otolaryngology; he served on numerous departmental and medical school committees, including the Committee on Admissions where he was Chairman for five years. He was the recipient of the Mark Lepper, MD, distinguished teaching award of Rush Medical College. At the University of Illinois Chicago, Klodd was a Professor of Audiology and the Director of Audiology. Over the years Klodd has taught and advised hundreds of audiology, engineering and medical students and residents. Klodd earned his PhD in Audiology from Bowling Green State University. His research has appeared in several peer-reviewed journals over the course of his career. He serves on the advisory board for the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University. He continues to see patients at his private practice at Amita/ Presence St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, Illinois.

Job Titles:

• Treasurer of the Board
• Treasurer of the AHRF Board

David J. Wuertz serves as Treasurer of the AHRF Board, bringing to the position more than 25 years' experience in developing investment strategies and financial plans for a wide range of clients. He has successfully built, analyzed, and managed investment portfolios for dozens of not-for-profits, corporations, trusts, and individuals. Credentialed by the CFA Institute as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Wuertz holds an MBA in Finance from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame. Currently a Vice President and Investment Officer at Associated Bank, a top-50 publicly traded U.S. bank holding company, Wuertz also has worked in financial planning at the Feldman Securities Group and Northern Trust Global Investments.

Job Titles:

• Member of the National Honorary Board

Job Titles:

• Chairman of the Research Committee
• Member of the Board
• Board Member, Research Committee Chair

"The anatomy of the cochlea, particularly the wiring of the local spiral ganglion neurons, captured my imagination over 35 years ago. Now, I am interested in a critical clinical question: How can we help to protect against or repair hearing loss? I have always appreciated the idea of this Foundation, its enthusiasm and its focus on stimulating new ideas and helping to get them off the ground." Initially trained in biochemistry, researcher-educator Donna S. Whitlon, PhD, brings over 35 years of experience in auditory neuroscience to her roles as AHRF Board member and Chairman of the Research Committee. As a Research Professor in the Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Department at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Whitlon has aimed to find new interventions to prevent and repair damage to spiral ganglion neurons in the cochlea, a cavity in the inner ear essential for hearing. Through her research, she works to uncover new mechanisms of spiral ganglion neurite elongation in hopes of informing drug discovery. She has served as a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board

A highly regarded family law attorney with more than 30 years of experience, Enrico J. Mirabelli, Esq., brings seasoned legal counsel to the AHRF Board and Audit Committee. His distinguished career includes numerous high-profile and novel cases, expert testimony in the creation of new laws, years of pro bono work, and recognition for his many notable accomplishments. Mirabelli served for 10 years as a member of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) Board of Governors; has served on the ISBA General Assembly and Family Law Section Council; was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court as a 1st District Member of the Committee on Character and Fitness; has served as President of the Justinian Society of Lawyers; twice received the Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Corporation Distinguished Service Award; was honored with the John Marshall Law School Distinguished Service Award; received the Award of Merit from the National Center for Exploited and Missing Children; was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the Legal Assistance Foundation; has been included in The Best Lawyers in America in the field of Sports Law; and has been annually selected as a "Leading Illinois Attorney in Family Law." Currently a principal of Beermann Pritikin Mirabelli Swerdlove LLP, Mirabelli frequently lectures at family law seminars sponsored by the Illinois State Bar Association and has lectured in Family Law classes at John Marshall, Loyola, and DePaul Law Schools. He received his JD from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago and his undergraduate degree from St. Mary's College, Magna Cum Laude. He is a member of the American Bar Association.

Job Titles:

• Member of the National Honorary Board

Teaching is a passion for George E. Shambaugh III, MD, FACP, FACE-everything from the establishment of a cyclic training program in preventive medicine in the Chinese Army, to teaching practical clinical endocrinology to medical residents at Northwestern University prior to their formal fellowship training in endocrinology, and a short course entitled "Molecular Endocrinology: A Beginning," given to the endocrine fellows at Emory. At Northwestern, Shambaugh was active in the formation of the fellowship training program, served as co-director of the nutrition elective, established a diabetes teaching program at the VA Lakeside Medical Center in Chicago and at their satellite Adam P. Benjamin Clinic in Crown Point, Indiana. Today, he continues to be an active participant in the ongoing teaching activities in the Division of Endocrinology at Emory University and in the Grady Health System. Shambaugh was born in Boston and was raised in Chicago. He earned his medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. He interned at Denver General Hospital, University of Colorado, before entering the Army. He trained in Preventive Medicine at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, and spent two years in Taiwan, China as a Preventive Medicine Advisor to the staff of the Surgeon General Army of the Republic of China. Upon completion of his residency in Internal Medicine at Walter Reed General Hospital, he continued in the Research and Development Command at the Walter Reed Unit in Ft. Detrick, Maryland, where he began his career in endocrinology, studying the metabolic changes during infection on thyroid function. Following completion of his fellowship as a research internist, he moved to the University of Wisconsin as a fellow in Physiologic Chemistry, joining others examining the mechanism of thyroid hormone action on urea biosynthesis in the tadpole. He returned to Chicago and joined the faculty in the Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition at Northwestern and became a full professor. His research focused on the impact of nutrition on thyrotropin-releasing hormone in the developing rat brain and the human placenta, fetal fuels, and pyrimidine biosynthesis. In 1999, he retired from Northwestern after 30 years and moved to Emory University in Atlanta, where he currently teaches clinical endocrinology in the Emory at Grady Health System. Shambaugh has held several positions in professional societies and currently serves on the AACE Publications Committee, AACE Nutrition Committee, and AACE Health Disparities Committees. He has published widely in a variety of journals and has contributed several textbook chapters and reviews. He received the Nanette Wenger Service Award from the Department of Medicine at Emory University, the Alumni Class President of the Year Award from Oberlin College in Ohio, and the Edward J. Heaney Award from the Asheville School in North Carolina. Outside of medicine, Shambaugh is a cherry grower on the Old Mission Peninsula in northwest Michigan and enjoys cooking with his wife-as their conjugal hobby.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Research Committee
• Research Committee

For more than 30 years, Jill B. Firszt, PhD, has been working with adults and children with cochlear implants in clinical and research studies. She brings to the AHRF Research Committee extensive learning from decades of interaction with people with severe-to-profound hearing loss in one or both ears. Currently Director of the Cochlear Implant Program at Washington University School of Medicine and Adjunct Professor in the Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences at Washington University's Central Institute for the Deaf, she also is a Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology. Firszt serves as a reviewer for numerous hearing science and otology journals, and she has published broadly. An alum of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, she earned three degrees there: her PhD in Speech and Hearing Science, her MA in Educational Audiology, and her BS in Speech and Hearing Science. Firszt's research focuses largely on the effects of asymmetric hearing and unilateral hearing loss, on brain organization, speech recognition, localization and quality of life in adults and children. She also assesses the benefits of cochlear implantation to the poor ear and changes in binaural processing when individuals use acoustic hearing in one ear and a cochlear implant in the other. Firszt has received research grants from AHRF, the Deafness Research Foundation, the McDonnell Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Job Titles:

• Director

Job Titles:

• Member of the Research Committee
• Research Committee

Katherine Shim, PhD, brings a government agency perspective on existing needs in seed grant funding, along with an important understanding of how the National Institutes of Health (NIH) considers research funding applications. Currently a Scientific Review Officer at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) at NIH, she previously was Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, and Otolaryngology and Communications Sciences at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. There, she led an extramurally funded research laboratory investigating the role of cell signaling during the embryonic development of the inner ear. Shim's research took a molecular and genetic approach to understanding inner ear development in the mouse. Her aim was to uncover mechanisms by which congenital hearing and balance disorders arise-and in turn, find clues to their treatment. She earned her PhD in Philosophy and Biochemistry from Stanford University and completed her postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Francisco.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board

Katie Mertz, Esq., serves on the AHRF Board, bringing a real-world perspective and remarkable energy and dedication to the Foundation's mission. Passionate about finding a cure for Meniere's disease, Mertz founded run because-an initiative to raise awareness and funds for scientific research into Meniere's-after her mother was diagnosed with the progressively debilitating disorder. As Director of Pro Bono and Public Service at Marquette Law School, Mertz works with law school students to advance pro bono initiatives in the legal profession and increase public service for the betterment of the Milwaukee community. Previously, Mertz practiced real estate and business bankruptcy at Kerkman & Dunn in Milwaukee. Mertz earned her JD at Marquette Law School, where she was inducted into the Posner Pro Bono Society for her work with the Marquette Legal Initiative for Non-Profit Corporations and the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinics, where she continued to be a regular volunteer at its House of Peace location. She earned her BA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Mertz has run a half marathon in 19 states as part of her run because initiative, with the goal of running 51 half marathons-one in each state plus Washington, DC-to raise funds for Meniere's research. In May 2014, AHRF entered into a fiscal sponsorship agreement with run because. AHRF now accepts online donations for Mertz's participation in half marathons around the country, placing them into a restricted fund specifically for Meniere's research.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Research Committee
• Research Committee

Kazuaki Homma, PhD, is an asset to the AHRF Research Committee, bringing extensive research experience with specific expertise in biochemistry and biophysics. Homma received his PhD degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where his thesis research focused on myosin motors. He joined Dr. Peter Dallos' lab at Northwestern University as a post-doc, where he started hearing research with a main focus on prestin (SLC26A5), the voltage-driven motor protein essential for exquisite sensitivity and frequency selectivity of mammalian hearing. Homma is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, where he continues his research on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying normal hearing. Currently, his research efforts are focused on functional characterization of deafness-associated nonsense and missense variants found in SLC12A2, SLC26A4, SLC26A5, and KCNQ4. Homma is a Fellow of the Hugh Knowles Center for Clinical Basic Sciences in Hearing and its Disorders. He has published a number of articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Job Titles:

• Chairman of the Board

"Over the 20-odd years I've served on the AHRF Board, I've been astounded by the technological advancements we've seen in the medical community's ability to treat hearing loss and other disorders of the inner ear. But there's still a very long way to go. And I genuinely believe that AHRF continues to have a vital role to play in advancing research so we can better help people affected by these all-too-often life-altering conditions." Mark R. Muench brings apt business experience and acumen to his role as Chairman of the AHRF Board. For 25 years, he was involved in the business and information technology sides of delivering quality healthcare to consumers in an evolving marketplace with shifting healthcare delivery models. Muench recently retired from his role as Vice President of Cerner, the leading U.S. supplier of healthcare information technology solutions that optimize clinical and financial outcomes. Previously, he was Associate Partner of Accenture, a global professional services company providing a broad range of solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Muench holds his MBA in Finance and Financial Management Services from the University of Illinois and his BS from the University of Notre Dame.

Job Titles:

• Secretary of the Board
• Member of the AHRF Board

Marvin T. Keeling is a member of the AHRF Board with a successful history of building businesses in the medical, telecommunications, software technology, and finance industries. In 1977, Keeling founded Prime Capital Corp., which provided more than $4 billion in financing to hospitals for medical equipment. For more than 50 years, Keeling has been active in community development and management. And he has been an initiator of capital and idea development through philanthropic activities and foundations. Currently, Keeling is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Keeling Family Foundation, a 32-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has supported many charities through a variety of fundraising activities-including VetTech.US, a program dedicated to training and preparing veterans for the IT career field while collecting and recycling/re-purposing electronic waste. The Keeling Family Foundation also runs the Veteran Employment Today (VET) program, which serves the Chicagoland area's homeless, unemployed, and underemployed veteran population. Keeling also served on the Board of the St. James Hospital.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board
• Member of the Research Committee
• Board Member, Research Committee

Michael Hoffer, MD, FACS-and his 20-plus years in the Navy studying mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), tinnitus, hearing loss, and vestibular disorders on active duty service members-offers a tremendous resource to AHRF and its Research Committee. Today, Hoffer is a Professor of Otolaryngology and Neurological Surgery at the University of Miami. As a clinician-scientist, he performs both basic and clinical research along with his Otology/Neurotology practice. Hoffer focuses much of his research on traumatic damage to the inner ear and brain, including pioneering work on the treatment of noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus, pharmaceutical countermeasures for mTBI, and optimized diagnosis and management of neurosensory disorders seen after mTBI. Hoffer received his MD from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, did his residency at the University of Pennsylvania, held a Neurotology Fellowship at the Ear Research Foundation, and received his BS in Biology from Stanford University. He has published extensively and received research grants from the Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, and industry.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Research Committee
• Research Committee

Nina Kraus, PhD, is a thought leader and pioneering researcher in the study of neurobiology of auditory learning and speech and music perception. She brings extensive experience and insight to her role on the AHRF Research Committee. The end-goal of Kraus' years of research is to improve human communications by applying our knowledge of neuroplasticity in the classroom, in our healthcare system, and in society at large. More specifically, her research focuses largely on understanding neurobiologic processes underlying speech perception and brain plasticity. Currently the Director of Brainvolts Auditory Neuroscience Lab at Northwestern University, she also is Hugh Knowles Professor of Communication Sciences, Neurobiology and Otolaryngology. Kraus is a scientist, inventor, and amateur musician who uses hearing as a window into brain health. She began her career measuring responses from single auditory neurons and was one of the first to show that the adult nervous system has the potential for reorganization following learning. These insights in basic biology galvanized her to investigate sound processing in the brain in humans. Through a series of innovative studies involving thousands of research participants from birth to age 90, her research has found that our lives in sound and our experiences-for better (musicians, bilinguals) and for worse (concussion, language disorders, aging)-shape how our brain makes sense of the sounds we hear. Using the principles of neuroscience to improve human communication, she advocates for best practices in education, health, and social policy. Kraus holds her PhD from Northwestern University and her BA from Swarthmore College. For more information, see www.brainvolts.northwestern.edu.

Job Titles:

• Member of the National Honorary Board

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board
• Board Member. past Chair

Richard G. Muench brings seasoned expertise in finance and investment to his role on the Board of AHRF. Muench has served in various Board leadership positions, and in 2022 completed a 27-year stint as Board Chairman. His judicious, strategic approach to financial management, along with his proven track record in helping organizations grow and thrive, make him an invaluable asset to the foundation. Muench's portfolio of expertise is built on years of experience in investment banking, commercial bank operations, and in the investment department of a major insurance group.

Sumit Dhar brings strong clinical and research experience to AHRF and its Research Committee. After receiving his BS in 1992 in Audiology and Speech Language Therapy from the National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped at the University of Mumbai, India, Dhar served as a clinical audiologist and coordinator at the Speech and Hearing Institute Research Center in India. There, he oversaw audiology clinics and schools for the deaf. Building on that early practical experience, Dhar went on to earn his MS in Audiology from Utah State University in Logan, and his PhD in Hearing Science (with a minor in Neuroscience) from Purdue University. After graduating from Purdue, Dhar joined the faculty at Indiana University, Bloomington, as an Assistant Professor. Now at Northwestern University at the Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, his research focuses on understanding the physiology and biophysics of sounds created in the inner ear. He is particularly interested in identifying ways to detect hearing loss and other disorders of the inner ear as early as possible through the analysis of these otoacoustic emissions. Dhar is a long-time advocate of hearing healthcare delivery and removing barriers to access and affordability so more people with hearing loss can benefit from treatment as early as possible.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board

Susan Knight brings practical, hands-on financial sense to the AHRF Board. For more than 30 years, she has been working in the banking and financial services industries. Clients have ranged from small businesses to large Fortune 500 and multinational companies. And she has worked with an extensive and broad mix of individual wealth management clients. Knight currently works to ensure high client satisfaction at Strategic Financial Designs, Inc., an independent life and wealth management firm in Northfield, Illinois. She also has worked for Northview Bank & Trust, Credit Agricole Indosuez, and Continental Illinois National Bank. Knight earned her MBA from DePaul University, with an emphasis in Finance, and received her BA in Business Administration from Loyola University, with a concentration in Economics. Knight is actively engaged in serving her local community through various service projects that she frequently chairs and organizes.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board

William L. Lederer joined the AHRF Board of Directors in 2008 after spending more than 40 years as the Foundation's Executive Director. He brings with him a time-tested commitment to AHRF's mission and decades of experience in fundraising. During his tenure as AHRF Executive Director, Lederer helped raise millions in donations, and the Foundation provided well over 100 research grants. Lederer also has helped to raise funds for Big Shoulders, Ada S. McKinley, and other Chicago non-profit organizations. Now in retirement, Lederer devotes much of his time to writing poetry and plays and participates in a prison ministry program.