FACIAL PAIN - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Special Education Teacher
Ally is a Special Education Teacher and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She holds a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education. Ally has had bilateral facial pain since she was 13 years old. Since her diagnosis, she has been involved with the FPA. Ally was one of the founding members of the Young Patients Committee and served as chairperson of the YPC for several years. She has had multiple surgeries that now allow her to manage her pain with anticonvulsant medications. Ally resides in Washington, New Jersey with her husband, Dan and their dog, Tucker.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Anne-Marie Clarke is a retired Family Court Judge. She and her husband, Richard Gaines, live in St. Louis, MO. She loves to travel and is grateful for the help she has found for dealing with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) through Facebook and support groups. She is most thankful for her dentist, who didn't treat the pain as a dental problem, for the endodontist who realized the pain didn't require a root canal, for her primary care physician, who was familiar with TN and made the referral to the neurologist, and to the neurologist who has listened patiently throughout this journey and made the referral to the clinical trial which found a medication that has been most helpful in managing her TN.
Job Titles:
- Manager of Development, Research
- Manager of Development, Research, and Advocacy
As a member of the facial pain community, Brandi strives to support, educate, and advocate for all people living with neuropathic facial pain. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science with a Minor in Communication Studies from West Virginia University, where she graduated summa cum laude. Brandi is a seasoned professional with over twelve years of diverse experience in corporate, small business, and non-profit marketing. Joining the FPA's staff in 2020, she previously served as the Marketing and Communications Manager. As a first-generation college graduate from a rural community in Central Appalachia, her experiences have empowered her to be an incredible force for good. Today, she uses her privilege to share powerful stories by lifting the voices of all from minority and disadvantaged communities.
Brandi Underwood, Manager of Development, Research, and Advocacy, represented the Facial Pain Association at the 17th Annual Headache on the Hill by the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy (AHDA) on […]
Christina oversees our financial data and compliance. She has more than 15 years of experience working in the accounting field and holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Webster University. Prior to joining our team, Christina worked with financial advisors, small businesses, and nonprofits.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair
Job Titles:
- Director of Craniofacial Surgery, Yale Medicine
Dr. Derek Steinbacher, Director of Craniofacial Surgery, Yale Medicine, Chief of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry, FPA Medical Advisory Board member, reviews migraines, TMJ disorders, and dental pain.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Department of Neuroscience & Experimental
Dr. Julie Pilitsis, Chair of the Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics Professor of Neurosurgery Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical Center and FPA Medical Advisory Board member presents an overview of trigeminal neuralgia and other neuropathic facial pains.
Job Titles:
- Director of the Cranial Nerve Disorders Program at UPMC
- Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Dr. Raymond Sekula, Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Director of the Cranial Nerve Disorders Program at UPMC, and FPA Medical Advisory Board member reviews the challenges that can complicate the care of people with neuropathic facial pain.
Job Titles:
- Stanford University Medical Center and FPA Medical Advisory Board Member Reviews Radiation Treatment Options for Neuropathic
Wolfgang Liedtke, M.D. Ph.D. is Chair of Neurology, Global Development Scientific Council at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Prior to that, he was Professor in the Departments of Neurology, Anesthesiology and Neurobiology; Attending Physician, Duke Neurology Clinics and Clinics for Innovative Pain Therapy, serving patients there for over 17 years.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Eric is an attorney and litigator. Since 1988, he has represented numerous clients in the state and federal courts of New York and New Jersey in a broad spectrum of matters. He and his wife, Ellen, have two adult children and a large mutt. Eric is also a certified EMT and has been a member of his New Jersey community's volunteer first aid squad since 2006. Eric suffered his first episode of TN in the mid-1990s and has received surgical and medical treatment for the condition. For over 15 years, his TN has largely been controlled by medication.
Job Titles:
- Director of Headache and Facial Pain Clinic at Kaizen Brain Center Facial Pain Can Be Due to a Variety of Medical Conditions. the Structure of the Face [ ]
Hossein Ansari, MD Director of Headache and Facial Pain Clinic at Kaizen Brain Center Facial pain can be due to a variety of medical conditions. The structure of the face
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Facial Pain Association 's Medical Advisory Board, Interviews Dr. Hossein Ansari on Medical Causes of Neuropathic Facial Pain
- Chairman of the FPA Medical Advisory Board
In this webinar, Dr. Jeffrey Brown, Chairman of the FPA Medical Advisory Board, talks about the top questions patients and their loved ones have regarding trigeminal neuralgia.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- S Former Board Chairman
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Retired Pediatrician
Dr. Fogel is a retired Pediatrician. After being in practice for more than 25 years, his TN-related pain and medication-related side effects forced him to retire. However, he moved into the mode of helping others with his condition by becoming FPA's Support Group Leader and Outreach Coordinator for the Philadelphia area. He helped craft Pennsylvania's Medical Marijuana legislation and has made multiple presentations on the topic. For more than 30 years he has been an active firefighter in his community's volunteer fire department, and is the former president. Dr. Fogel and his wife have two adult sons and one granddaughter.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the Western Pain Society
Jennifer M. Wagner, Executive Director of the Western Pain Society, explains the brain-body connection with an emphasis on pain response and provides a list of strategies for those affected by chronic pain.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
John is the recently retired President of Cambridge International Partners, a boutique investment bank that provides mergers and acquisition advisory services to the investment management industry. John was born and educated in the UK, graduating from Cambridge University as a natural scientist before emigrating to New York in 1978 to work in the oil and gas industry. In the last ten years, he has suffered numerous episodes of TN which he manages with anticonvulsant medication. John and his wife, Lilia, have four children, four grandchildren, a Norfolk terrier and live in Stamford, Connecticut.
John TempleVice Chairman, FPA Board of Directors What is a DAF? Donor-advised funds are 501(c)(3) charitable funds that aggregate charitable donations. Most national investing platforms such as Vanguard, Fidelity, and
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Megan is a retired corporate human resource professional and is now an online Trigeminal Neuralgia group leader, and homeschooling mom. Megan's older daughter, KatieRose, developed Trigeminal and Geniculate neuralgia in 2012, at 11 years old. KatieRose's near daily TN & GN attacks were barely managed with anticonvulsants, leading to MVDs in 2012 and 2014. Since 2014, KatieRose has been pain free, and Megan has been the lead administrator of an online group for parents of over 100 kids with Trigeminal Neuralgia and similar facial pain conditions. Megan, her husband, Scott, and two daughters, KatieRose and Lydia, reside in Northern Virginia.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Melissa brings more than 25 years of experience in marketing and communications, having worked in both corporate and small business environments. She has spent the last 11 years with a nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of people with a rare disease. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Ohio University and is determined to use her varied background to lead the FPA and provide essential resources to people living with facial pain.
Job Titles:
- Digital Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Natalie is a communications professional with a background in non-profit digital and print media. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in English with an emphasis in Writing and Publication Studies and a minor in Writing for News Media from Clemson University. As our digital marketing and communications coordinator, she strives to make our content accessible and engaging for all who desire support in living with facial pain.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Dr. Babu is a neurosurgeon affiliated with Lenox Hill and a number of other leading hospitals in New York, NY. He was initially educated and trained in India and then starting in 1985 he received further training at the NYU Medical Center and then later with Dr. Peter Janetta, the pioneer of microvascular decompression surgery. He also completed a fellowship in Hannover, Germany under Professor Samii, the father of skull base surgery. His interest is atypical facial pain. Dr. Babu and his wife have twin daughters and a son, and they reside in Westchester, NY.
Job Titles:
- Database and Volunteer Coordinator
Regina has more than 15 years experience working with volunteers, donors, and databases in the nonprofit sector. She holds a Master in Public Administration from Drake University. Regina brings her compassion and organization skills to the volunteer effort for FPA. She also keeps track of our constituents and generous donors.
Job Titles:
- Manager of Marketing, Communications, and Events
Sarah is a marketing communications professional with over 18 years of experience having worked in technology, higher education and nonprofit industries. She holds a Dual Master's Degree of Business Administration in Marketing and Management from American InterContinental University and a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from John Carroll University. Sarah loves to help people share their story to educate, build awareness and support to those in need.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors