Project ALS Announces Inaugural Cohort of the Emerging Leaders Board

Project ALS Announces Inaugural Cohort of the Emerging Leaders Board

The New Board of Next Generation Professionals Dedicated to Accelerating the Discovery of Effective Treatments and Cures for ALS

Today, Project ALS - the non-profit organization that funds and coordinates collaborative scientific research toward effective treatments and a cure for ALS - unveiled its inaugural members for the Emerging Leaders Board. Leaning into the next generation of changemakers within the ALS community, the 11 early- and mid-career professionals will serve as ambassadors for the organization, with a focus on expanding awareness, engaging new networks of young supporters, creating accessible fundraising initiatives, driving philanthropic investment in research, and building a strong sense of community across new audiences.

By bringing together committed young professionals, the Emerging Leaders Board helps ensure that the momentum behind ALS research continues to grow, accelerating discoveries that can transform the lives of people living with ALS today and in the future. The new board advances Project ALS’s broader strategy, providing a direct channel into new donor networks, new industries, and a new generation of philanthropists - expanding the reach and long-term sustainability of the organization.

“These are young leaders on the rise, and Project ALS is honored by their commitment,” said Meredith Estess, President and Co-Founder of Project ALS. “Through our Emerging Leaders Board, we are building a community that will advance Project ALS research and awareness for this generation and those to come.”

The inaugural board comprises of 11 founding members, including:

• Samuel Kirchhoff, Chairman of the Emerging Leaders Board
• James Atfield, Board Member
• Joy Dracos, Board Member
• Stella Frowein, Board Member
• Lauren Hendel, Board Member
• Brynley Kirchhoff, Board Member
• Tatum Manley, Board Member
• Hannah Pollock, Board Member
• Andrew Porrello, Board Member
• Melissa Stavenhagen, Board Member
• Ella Stiller, Board Member

“The next generation has both an opportunity and a responsibility to shape the future of brain health,” said Debbie Wilpon, Co-Chair of the Board of Directors. “These are diseases that touch all of us in some way, and it is critical that young leaders use their voices, their networks, and their energy now to drive the progress we need."

The Emerging Leaders Board is designed to empower the rising generation of leaders with hands-on responsibilities across four key target areas. Members will be expected to host or support initiatives that drive grassroots fundraising, expand the network, and introduce Project ALS to new donors, sponsors, and partners. On advocacy, members are asked to participate in and share campaigns across their own channels to increase audience engagement and attract new collaborators. Members will also attend quarterly meetings and participate in annual Project ALS events. Above all, board members will serve as Project ALS ambassadors - representing the organization with integrity as they forge new relationships and innovative opportunities that advance its mission.

Over their two-year term, members are encouraged to deepen their involvement and take on greater leadership roles over time. In exchange, Emerging Leaders Board members gain direct impact on Project ALS’s mission and research, access to leading ALS researchers and scientific progress, connection to the broader community of people living with ALS, families and advocates, leadership experience within a mission-driven nonprofit, and access to special briefings, lab visits and community events. To learn more about the Emerging Leaders Board, please visit https://projectals.org/emerging-leaders/.

About Project ALS

Founded in 1998 by Jenifer Estess and her sisters, Meredith and Valerie, after Jenifer’s own ALS diagnosis, Project ALS identifies and funds the most promising scientific and medical research that will lead to effective treatments and a cure for ALS. The organization recruits the world’s best scientists and doctors to work together, rationally and aggressively, to better understand the ALS disease process and, in parallel, develop better therapeutic strategies and cures. Learn more at ProjectALS.org.

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Melissa Stavenhagen
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