Who We Are

Meet Our Team
Our passionate team is dedicated to improving the lives of people with chronic illness.
Research Team
Education Team
Advocacy Team
Patient Support Team
Administration Team
Information Technology Team
Interns and Fellows

Seth Ginsberg
Co-Founder, President

Louis Tharp
Co-Founder, Executive Director

Laurie Ferguson, PhD
Director, Education Development

W. Benjamin Nowell, PhD, MSW
Director, Patient-Centered Research

David Curtis
Director, Technology and Data Services

Shilpa Venkatachalam, PhD
Director, Patient-Centered Research Operations and Ethical Oversight
Co-President, GHLF Canada

Joseph M. Coe, MPA
Director, Education and Digital Strategy
Co-President, GHLF Canada

Steven Newmark, JD, MPA
Chief Legal Officer, Director of Policy

Kelly Gavigan, MPH
Director, Data Management and Analytics

Daniel Hernandez, MD
Director of Medical Affairs and Hispanic Outreach

Jim Bumgardner, MFA
Director, Arts Outreach

Ryan Johnson
Manager, Finance and Administration

Laura Stradford, MPH
Senior Project Manager

Corey Greenblatt, MPH
Associate Director, Policy and Advocacy

Danielle Ali
Senior Systems Analyst

James Dybisz
Senior Manager, Web Development

Amy Finkelstein
Operations Administrator

Angel Tapia
Patient Advocate, Hispanic Community Outreach Manager

Zoe Rothblatt, MPH
Associate Director, Community Outreach

Conner Mertens
Patient Advocate, Community Outreach Manager

Esteban Rivera, MS
Data Scientist

Sarah R. Shaw
Senior BIPOC Patient Advocate, Community Outreach Manager

Susan Jara
Associate Director, Patient Education

Adam Kegley, MA, MS
Manager, Global Partnerships

Angela Degrassi
Research Manager for Patient-Centered Research

Ben Blanc, MS
Manager, Programs and Special Projects

JP Summers
Patient Advocate, Community Outreach Manager

Veronica Rodriguez
Manager, Digital Marketing

Anne M. Sydor, PhD
Director of Research Development and Communications

Erik Stone, MA
Manager, Instructional Design
Organization Values
These are the ethical practices and qualities that guide the Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF):
- Patient-centered: GHLF supports people with all forms of chronic disease and believes that patients should be the central decision makers about their care in collaboration with their health care providers. “No research about us without us.”
- Empowerment: Through education, support, access to research and advocacy training, GHLF helps members of the chronic disease community feel confident in advocating for their best care.
- Quality: GHLF strives to achieve outstanding results by listening and learning from the chronic disease community. We constantly evaluate and improve all aspects of our organization.
- Collaboration: GHLF brings together and embraces different perspectives, skills, and knowledge. We partner with a diverse group of stakeholders who share the urgency of our purpose.
- Positivity: GHLF’s cup is half-full. We push forward with optimism, working around obstacles and finding solutions to problems.
- Dedication: We approach each day with a renewed focus because we are determined to support, educate, and learn about chronic disease until cures are discovered.
- Inclusiveness: GHLF is committed to providing an inclusive, productive, and professional environment, where our employees, members, consultants, researchers, and guests work together with mutual respect.
- Integrity: Honesty, accountability, and acting in good faith are central tenets of GHLF. We are transparent about how we conduct our work and responsive to questions raised about our mission, values, work, culture, and behavior.
Medical Disclaimer
The information contained within GHLF, CreakyJoints, and its various web sites and tools is provided for general information purposes only. We do not give medical advice or engage in the practice of medicine. The organization under no circumstances recommends any particular treatment for specific individuals and in all cases recommends that you consult your physician or local treatment center before pursuing any course of treatment.
Non-Discrimination Statement
The Global Healthy Living Foundation is committed to equal opportunity for all full- and part-time employees, interns, volunteers, and contractors. It is GHLF policy that no one shall be treated differently, separately, or have any action directly affecting them taken on the basis of race, religion, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status or disability where they are otherwise qualified or could be with reasonable accommodation. The immediate remedy for any act of discrimination shall be to end it, treat the individual equally, and, as much as practically possible, to eradicate any effects of discrimination. Discipline will be imposed where appropriate.
Our Partners
The Global Healthy Living Foundation relies on support of past and current partners, including corporate sponsors, government, non-government organizations, and foundation grants. We are grateful for the continued support of our research, education, support, and advocacy efforts. We do not ask for individual donations, and all of our programs and services are free to members of the GHLF community. See all our partners here.
Sponsorship information is available by contacting GHLF Executive Director, Louis Tharp at 845-348-0400 or email him at [email protected].
Conflict of Interest Policy
GHLF members of the Board of Directors must sign a conflict of interest statement annually. The purpose of this Conflict of Interest Policy is to protect the interests of Global Healthy Living Foundation, Inc. as a tax-exempt organization (“Organization”) when it is contemplating entering into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of an officer or director of the Organization or might result in a possible excess benefit transaction. This policy is intended to supplement but not replace any applicable state and federal laws governing conflict of interest applicable to nonprofit and charitable organizations.