The Autoimmunity Research Foundation (ARF)
The foundation is registered as a California Public Benefit Corporation, "Autoimmunity Research Inc." (number DLN: 17053191113016), recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt charity under section 501(c)3 of the IRS code.

Our Board of Directors is comprised not only of Health Professionals, but also of experts in corporate management, patient advocates and research support. Our geographical diversity gives a unique insight into both national and international issues.

Summary biographies of our Board:

Prof. Trevor G Marshall, PhD, Chair (Thousand Oaks, CA)
Trevor is a 'Translational' researcher - capable of bridging multiple disciplines to quickly move scientific discoveries from 'Bench to Bedside.' Equally at home Keynoting an International conference on advanced gene therapies or collaborating with Physicians, Trevor has been key to the growth and scientific success of the Autoimmunity Research Foundation.

In 2007, Trevor was awarded the honor of Adjunct Professor in the School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology at Murdoch University, Western Australia.

A list of his published papers can be found at his personal website.

Frances E (Liz) Marshall, GradDipPharm, RPh (Thousand Oaks, CA)
Liz Marshall graduated Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Adelaide in 1969. After tenures at hospitals in South Australia and Western Australia she gained her Graduate Diploma of Pharmacy in 1980. Since moving to the USA in 1982 Liz has practiced as a Pharmacist at Westlake Hospital and the Los Robles Regional Medical Center.

She published her first paper "Quantitative prediction of concentration changes due to permeation of solutes through Polyetheylene containers during autoclaving" (PubMed ID:5451537) in 1970 (under her maiden name), and has subsequently published papers on "Microcomputer Capabilities for Pharmacy Inventory Control" and, most recently, on Autoimmune Disease.

John McDonald, (Malibu, California)
John McDonald is an infrared physicist currently designing, manufacturing and marketing specialty microscopes for the semiconductor industry. John travels extensively, giving seminars and briefings in microscopy, photonics and infrared physics in North America, Asia and Europe. In his 25 year career he has designed, and fielded, biomedical and semiconductor microscopes, military night vision equipment, and commercial optical instruments.

John is active in several community organizations, having been a member of the Board of Directors of the Road Back Foundation.

Cathy Benediktsson (Tiburon, California)
Cathy Benediktsson has over 25 years of experience in civil engineering design and engineering management, having been responsible for project management on various projects in environmental consulting.

During 1989-2000 she worked for the Federal Aviation Administration managing and executing a complex, ten year $120 million environmental cleanup/infrastructure renovation program. Cathy guided the removal, remediation and/or replacement of 429 large bulk fuel storage tanks, 13 pipeline distribution systems, fifty-two large scale asbestos abatements and 78 cleanup sites throughout Alaska.

She has served as Chair for the National Steering Committee for Environmental Programs and Planning, National Program Management Steering Committee, National Maintenance Engineering Committee, and FAA representative for the Statement of Cooperation Federal Environmental Committee for Alaska.

Cathy Benediktsson was a recipient of the “Reinventing Government” award from Vice President Gore.

She also serves as a President of the Board of Directors for a Sanitation District in California.

Captain Tom Perez, R.Ph., M.P.H. (Florida)
Tom Perez is a Captain in the Commissioned Corps of the US Public Health Services (headed by the Surgeon-General). He recently retired from active duty after 25 years at the US FDA. Most of this time was spent in the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (FDA/CDER), the last decade in management of the CDER Drug Advisory Committees which approve new drugs for sale into the US marketplace.
 
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