Staff
Administration
Edward F. Rover
Chairman and President
Education | Harvard Law School
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Edward Rover is the Chairman, President, and CEO of the Dana Foundation. He is Chairman of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and the European Alliance for Brain Initiatives.
Mr. Rover was a senior partner at White & Case until 2004. At White & Case, he led a broad tax practice, where he advised and represented many tax-exempt organizations and domestic and international companies. He served as outside counsel to many public charities and private foundations. He continued to act “of Counsel” to White & Case until December 31, 2016.
He has served as director of the Foundation since 1995.
Mr. Rover earned his B.A., egregia cum laude from Fordham University, after studying at the Institute d’Etudes Politique in Paris. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School.
Barbara E. Gill
Executive Vice President; Assistant Treasurer
Education | Columbia University
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Barbara Gill is an Executive Vice President and the Executive Director of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives. She has overall responsibility for the Foundation’s Public Affairs division; including the global Dana Alliance with membership of more than 600 eminent neuroscientists and clinicians in 34 countries; program development and implementation worldwide; budget, financial, and management responsibilities; and establishing and maintaining strategic programming partner relationships in the US and Europe.
Ms. Gill has an M.B.A. from Columbia University and a background in communications and public affairs. Prior to joining the Dana Foundation in 1992, she was in corporate public affairs at Mobil Corporation.
Burton M. Mirsky
Executive Vice President, Finance; Treasurer; Assistant Secretary
Education | University of Pennsylvania Law School
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Burton M. Mirsky is an Executive Vice President and the Chief Financial Officer. He joined the Foundation in 1996 upon his retirement after 35 years at KPMG LLP, including 28 years as a tax partner serving multi-national clients. At KPMG, he served terms as partner-in-charge of professional development for the firm and as partner-in-charge of professional practice for the New York region. He was also a lecturer in taxation at the Wharton School of Finance of the University of Pennsylvania from 1985 through 1995.
Mr. Mirsky earned a B.S. in Economics degree from the Wharton School and a LL.B. degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He was elected to Beta Gamma Sigma and Beta Alpha Psi honorary societies. He is a Certified Public Accountant in New York, where he served as a director of the New York State Society of CPAs, and New Jersey, and is a member of the New York Bar.
Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives/Public Affairs
Amanda Bastone
Project Associate
Education | Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College
> Read MoreAmanda Bastone is
the Dana Foundation’s Project Associate. In addition to managing administrative
tasks for the Foundation’s website and various social media platforms. She
assists in organizing programs with the directors of Brain Awareness Week and
the Cognitive Fitness Initiative. She received a B.A. in Sociology and Art
History from Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College, where she graduated
summa cum laude. Ms. Bastone is a member of Phi Betta Kappa. She is studying
web development at New York University’s School of Professional Studies. Prior
to joining the Foundation, she was an Apprentice Museum Educator at the Rubin
Museum, a research assistant at Roosevelt House School of Public Policy at
Hunter College, and an intern at the Bronx Zoo.
Brandon Barrera
Public Affairs Assistant
Education | Lehman College
> Read MoreBrandon Barrera is a Public Affairs Assistant at the Dana
Foundation. He works on a variety of projects across the Dana Alliance/Public
Affairs Department, including the New York City Regional Brain Bee, the
Successful Aging & Your Brain program, and Dana Alliance membership and
events. He is also responsible for the administrative aspects of the
department, such as managing the budget and coordinating email campaigns. He is currently pursuing a B.A. in
Journalism from Lehman College and is active in community
organizing.
Barbara D. Best
Vice President, Dana Alliance
Executive Director, Dana Alliance for Brain
Initiatives
Education | School of Visual Arts
> Read MoreBarbara Best is the
Vice President and Director of Member Relations for the Dana Alliance for Brain
Initiatives (DABI). She is responsible for all aspects of DABI membership,
including working with the Executive Committees, overseeing and implementing
new member nominations, and finding innovative ways to engage members in both
DABI and Foundation outreach. She supervises the European Dana Alliance (EDAB)
staff to ensure EDAB members’ inclusion in the Alliance’s global membership.
Ms. Best serves as second-in-command in the Public Affairs department for the
Executive Vice President. Prior to her work at the Foundation, Ms. Best worked
for Doyle Dane Bernbach and Mobil Oil, among others. She is a founding member
of Tennis Against Breast Cancer, a member of the United States Tennis
Association and a volunteer at local senior centers and soup kitchens. Ms. Best
attended LaGuardia Community College and the School of Visual Arts.
Laura Reynolds
Director, Cognitive Fitness Initiative
Education | University of Massachusetts
> Read MoreLaura Reynolds is
the Director of the Cognitive Fitness Initiative. She is responsible for
overall management of the Successful Aging & Your Brain project, which
focuses on maximizing brain function and health in older adults. The program includes
live public forums, printed materials, a website section, and a DVD program.
She also serves as a mentor to junior staff and works on special assignments
for the Executive Vice President of Public Affairs. Ms. Reynolds has B.A. in
English from the University of Massachusetts.
Kathleen M. Roina
Director, Brain Awareness Campaign
Education | College of the Holy Cross
> Read MoreKathleen Roina is
Director of the Brain Awareness Campaign. Ms. Roina directs the annual global
campaign; the New York City Regional Brain Bee, an academic neuroscience
competition for high school students; and the Lending Library program, a
year-round neuroscience outreach program at select partner universities. Ms.
Roina is responsible for several print and online resources, including the Mind
Boggling series for K-12 students, the Q & A: Answering your Questions
about the Brain for adult readers; and other print and online materials across
several age groups. Ms. Roina received a B.A. in History from the College of
the Holy Cross. She is a volunteer coach for Girls on the Run, NYC, a physical
activity youth development program for girls in 3rd-8th grade.
Finance and Administration
Aydan Buglione
Office Assistant
Education | Pace University
> Read MoreAydan Buglione is the Office Assistant at the Dana Foundation. He performs administrative duties including data entry and file management. Mr. Buglione is currently pursuing a B.B.A in Finance from Pace University. He joined the Foundation in 2018.
Brigida C. Gay
Controller
Education | University of Santo Tomas
> Read MoreBrigida Gay is the
Controller at the Dana Foundation. She handles the company’s internal
accounting and financial procedures, oversees accounts payable and cash
management functions, and coordinates with the Executive Vice President,
Finance, to prepare the annual budget. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Gay
was an External Auditor at a CPA firm, and then an Internal Auditor with a
Philippine government group before she moved to the United States, where she
worked as an assistant to the Assistant Controller. Ms. Gay earned a B.S.,
Commerce in Accounting cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas in the
Philippines and passed the CPA board exam in the same year.
Patricia Mangini
Director, Human Resources
Education | Pace University
> Read MorePatricia Mangini is
the Director of Human Resources. She is responsible for employee relations,
benefits administration, and payroll. She also oversees Dana Press’ business
affairs. Ms. Mangini received a B.S. in Management from Pace University.
Christian Medina
Assistant Controller
Education | Fairleigh Dickinson University
> Read MoreChristian Medina is
the Assistant Controller at the Dana Foundation. She oversees the accounts
payable, handles bank reconciliations, journal entries, and other
administrative duties. Ms. Medina earned her B.A. in Accounting with a minor in
Administrative Science from Monroe College and obtained her M.A. in
Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She served as
President of the PTA at the School of Law and Public Service for three years,
and was awarded the Chancellor District award in 2003.
Megan Messana
Office and Communications Assistant
Education | Columbia University
> Read MoreMegan Messana is the Office and Communications Assistant at the Dana Foundation. She performs administrative duties including but not limited to data entry and file management, as well as contributes to the Foundation’s blog and social media. Ms. Messana has an M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University and B.A.s in Journalism and English from Brooklyn College. She joined the Foundation in 2018.
Steven Protass
Finance Associate
Education | Baruch College
> Read MoreSteven Protass is a
Finance Associate at the Dana Foundation, where his main responsibilities
include managing financial statements, tax return filings, and general
accounting issues, as well as attending Foundation Investment Committee
meetings. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2008, Mr. Protass was a Tax
Partner at KPMG and Tax Director at MasterCard Intl. He has also served as both
the President and Treasurer of the United Cerebral Palsy Association Nassau.
Mr. Protass received a B.S. in Accounting from Baruch College and is a New York
State Certified Public Accountant. He was a frequent speaker for the New York
State Society of CPAs.
Grants
Carolyn Asbury, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant
Education | University of Pennsylvania
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Carolyn Asbury is a Senior Consultant, advising on the Neuroscience Grants program and on Cerebrum.
Dr. Asbury is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics. She conducts policy research on drugs and biologics for rare “orphan” diseases. Dr. Asbury was a senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She also directed the Pew Charitable Trusts Health and Human Services Program. Dr. Asbury is the author of Orphan Drugs: Medical vs Market Value (Lexington Books). She also advised pro bono on the 1973 Orphan Drug Act and has published on orphan drug policy in journals and in book chapters. She served on the Boards of the U.S. Pharmacopeia, College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Treatment Research Institute, and National Organization for Rare Disorders. Dr. Asbury received a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and a ScMPH from Johns Hopkins University.
Mary M. Lucas
Grants Director
Education | New York University
> Read MoreMary Lucas is the
Grants Director of the Dana Foundation. Her responsibilities include managing
the grants administration process and staff, as well as fielding grants
questions from potential recipients. Ms. Lucas received her M.A. from New York
University and has two-thirds of her M.B.A. from Baruch University.
Celina Sooksatan
Grants Associate
Education | Ursinus College
> Read MoreCelina Sooksatan is
the Grants Associate at the Dana Foundation. She performs administrative oversight
of current grants, and handles part of the processes for potential grantee
applications. Ms. Sooksatan also takes on occasional graphic design projects
for the Foundation’s Communications team. She graduated from Ursinus College
with a B.A. in Media and Communications.
Communications Department
Bill Glovin
Executive Editor
Editor, Cerebrum
Education | George Washington University
> Read MoreBill Glovin is
Executive Editor of the Dana Press and serves as Editor of Cerebrum and the
Cerebrum Anthology: Emerging Issues in Brain Science. Prior to joining the
Foundation, Mr. Glovin was Senior Editor of Rutgers Magazine and editor of
Rutgers Focus. He has served as managing editor of New Jersey Success, editor
of New Jersey Business magazine, and as a staff writer at The Record newspaper
in Hackensack, NJ. Mr. Glovin has won 20 writing awards from the Society of
Professional Journalists of New Jersey and the Council for Advancement and
Support of Education. He has a B.A. in Journalism from George Washington
University.
Blayne Jeffries
Associate Project Manager, Communications
Education | Long Island University
> Read MoreBlayne Jeffries is
the Communications Associate. She is the layout/design production editor for
the department’s monthly publication, Brain in the News. Ms. Jeffries works
with outside vendors essential for publication production, contributes to the Foundation’s
social media, and handles
administrative duties. She has an M.A. in Media Arts from Long Island
University and a B.A. in Journalism from Hampton University.
Marc-Arthur Nicolas
Internet Associate
Education | Brooklyn College
> Read MoreMarc-Arthur Nicolas
is the Web Associate. He is the front-end developer of Dana.org, the Foundation
Blog, and the Intranet sites. He is responsible for developing new web
applications, web-based tools, and functionalities for the Foundation. He has
worked at NYSE in System Support and at IBM as a web developer. He earned a B.S.
in Computer Science from Brooklyn College and has a certificate in Web
Development and a certificate in Digital Marketing, both from New York
University.
Rekeube Otor
IT Technician
Education | Baruch College
> Read MoreRekeube Otor is the
IT technician at the Foundation. He is responsible for the general function of
Internet applications and security, the Foundation’s operating systems, and
electronic equipment. Mr. Otor received a B.B.A. from Baruch College in
Information Systems Management, and A.A.S. in Programming and Systems from
LaGuardia Community College. He is also a Microsoft Certified Systems
Administrator (MCSA).
Nicky Penttila
Executive Editor, Web
Education | Michigan State University
> Read MoreNicky Penttila is
the Executive Editor, Web. She manages the stream of content posted on the Foundation
website, including editing its news stories. She is also responsible for
spreading the word about the Foundation’s activities through social media.
Before joining the Foundation, Ms. Penttila worked as a journalist for the
Harford Courant, San Francisco Examiner, and the Baltimore Sun. She is a member
of the National Association of Science Writers and the DC Science Writers
Association. Ms. Penttila has a B.A. in Telecommunications from Michigan State
University and an M.S. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
(TESOL) from Central Connecticut State University.
Seimi Rurup
Editor
Education | Sarah Lawrence College
> Read MoreSeimi Rurup serves as Editor at the Dana Foundation. She edits
and oversees the production of the print publication, Brain in the News,
in addition to managing the Foundation’s blog and certain social media
channels. In addition to her work with copy, Ms. Rurup has helped implement new
creative projects for further outreach including video, graphic design, and
illustration. Ms. Rurup has a B.A. in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence
College, with a minor in Japanese. She obtained an advanced diploma from New
York University in Copyediting, Proofreading, and Fact-Checking and is a member
of the Editorial Freelancers Association and the New York Women in
Communications, Inc.
James Rutt
Chief Information Officer
Education | Stetson University
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James Rutt is the Chief Information Officer at the Dana Foundation. His responsibilities include providing strategic planning for information and technology management and overseeing all back office technology operations necessary to support the Foundation. Mr. Rutt is a graduate of Stetson University, where he received a B.B.A. degree. He has 20 years of technology experience and has been at Dana for seven years. Mr. Rutt is a board director of Technology Affinity Group (TAG) and is a member of Society for Information Management, Cloud Security Alliance, and CIO4Good, among other leadership organizations.
Isaac Sashitzky
Director of Web Technology
Education | Touro College
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Isaac Sashitzky is the Director of Web Technology. His responsibilities include managing the technical updating of the Foundation’s website, and administration of the Content Management System (CMS). He provides technical support and works on web-based projects. Mr. Sashitzky is a member of the Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society. He received his B.S. in Business Administration and Management from Touro College, and has a certificate in Internet Technologies and a certificate in Web Development, both from New York University.
Ann Whitman
Director, Marketing & Communications
Education | Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy
> Read MoreAnn Whitman is the
Director of Marketing and Communications at the Dana Foundation. She develops the
Foundation’s marketing and media strategies, edits and produces content for the
website and social media, and works with the EVP of Public Affairs on
educational outreach programs in partnership with AAAS. Ms. Whitman received a
B.A. in History from Hamilton College and an M.S. in Nonprofit Management from Milano
School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy. Previously, Ms.
Whitman worked in the development office of a Boston-based nonprofit
organization focused on GED preparation and workforce training for underserved
populations. She is a member of New York Women in Communications, Inc.
Consultants
Guy McKhann, M.D.
Philip Uri Treisman, Ph.D.