Our Team
Battling CPAE takes a dedicated team of amazing individuals all coming together for the greater good. The PACE Foundation is eternally grateful for the continuing contributions of the following members.
Executive Board of Directors
Paul Ryan
Co-Founder & President
PACE Foundation
The PACE Foundation is a pioneer in the national advocacy for research, diagnosis and treatment of children’s PostInfectious Neurological Autoimmune Disorders (CPAE). Paul’s vision has been to establish CPAE clinics nationwide, at top universities, which have led the way to world-class treatment and research necessary for patients to lead nearly symptom-free lives.
Lee Miller
Executive Board Member
AZ Deputy Secretary of State
Lee has served as PACE’s liaison for Arizona’s Legislature and Department of Health Services (DHS) to promote and educate leaders on Children’s Postinfectious Autoimmune neurological disorders. His advocacy has helped to secure vital funding, including $250,000 grant from DHS, for basic medical, clinical and advanced research to improve the diagnosis and treatment of the diseases associated with CPAE.
Molly Ochoa
Co-Founder & Executive Board Member
PACE Foundation
Coming Soon!
Dan Twibell
Co-Founder & Executive Board Member
PACE Foundation
Dan Twibell is the co-founder of the Pace Foundation. He also co-founded Skysis, a biopharma consulting firm based in Scottsdale, AZ, and serves as Managing Director. Dan has been instrumental in the planning of PACE’s core mission to expand research opportunities, new clinic development and financial support for pediatric post infectious autoimmune neurological disorders.
Lisa Betts
Executive Board Member
PACE Foundation
Coming Soon!
Kelley Utterback
Executive Board Member
PACE Foundation
Coming Soon!
Jim Breen
Executive Board Member
PACE Foundation
Coming Soon!
PACE Foundation Medical Advisory Board
Syndney Rice, M.D.
Pediatrics
Banner Health
Dr. Rice is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Arizona. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, a doctoral degree in Medicine from the University of Arizona, and a master’s degree in health evaluation sciences from the University of Virginia. She completed a Developmental-Behavioral Fellowship at the University of Virginia. She is an active clinician caring for children.
Huub Kreuwel, Ph.D.
Vice President, US Medical Affairs
Octapharma USA, Inc.
Huub’s extensive medical, clinical, scientific and executive experience provides world-class expertise in immunotherapy treatments for CPAE Disorders like PANS/PANDAS. As Vice President of Octapharma USA Inc, Huub contributes to our Board information on state-of-the art product development of the highly beneficial biopharmaceutical plasma therapies being used for treatment.
Michael Daines, M.D.
Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
Banner Health
Dr. Daines is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Arizona. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, and a doctoral degree in Medicine from St. Louis University School of Medicine. He completed his fellowship in allergy/immunology at Duke University Medical Center. He is a Pediatric Allergist-Immunologist with a strong interest in improving health outcomes in children with inflammatory diseases.
G. Richard Smith, M.D.
UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute Director
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Richard Smith, M.D., is director of the Psychiatric Research Institute, chairman of the UAMS Department of Psychiatry and the holder of the Marie Wilson Howells Chair of the Department of Psychiatry in the UAMS College of Medicine. Dr. Smith developed several programs at UAMS, including the Division of Health Services Research (now the Center for Health Services Research), the nation’s largest research group dedicated to mental health and substance abuse services research.
Juliette Madan, M.D.
Associate Professor, Clinical Director, Director and PI - Dartmouth University
Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Epidemiology, Quantitative Biomedical Data Science. Clinical Director, Dartmouth Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center. Director and PI, Dartmouth CF Infant and Children Cohort. Director, Pediatric Psycho-Immunology & Neurology Group.
Dartmouth-Brown Medical Program, Brown University School of Medicine MD 2000
Tufts University Clinical and Translational Medicine Masters Program 2006
Juliette.Madan@Dartmouth.Edu
Aravindhan Veerapandiyan, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas
Pediatric Neurologist, Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Veerapandiyan (Dr. Panda) is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and a Pediatric Neurologist at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Veerapandiyan earned his medical degree from the K.A.P. Vishwanatham Government Medical College in India. He completed a residency in Child Neurology at Rutgers University – New Jersey Medical School in Newark, New Jersey and a fellowship in Neuromuscular Medicine at University of Rochester – Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York.