Parkinson’s Foundation Announces New Appointments to Board of Directors and People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council (PPAC)

​NEW YORK & MIAMI (July 9, 2024) — The Parkinson’s Foundation announced the appointment of two new members to its board of directors and five new members to its People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council (PPAC). Newly appointed members to the board include Dan Campbell and Scott Caputo. Vikas Chinnan will serve as chair of PPAC, a board-designated council comprised of people living with Parkinson’s disease and care partners. Together, both all-volunteer leadership teams will advance the Foundation’s mission of making life better for people living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) while advancing research to a cure.

“One of the fundamental ways the Parkinson’s Foundation serves people with Parkinson’s disease is by focusing on the priorities that matter most to our community,” said Parkinson’s Foundation President and CEO John Lehr. “With a combination of professional expertise and personal experience, these new board members bring a unique passion for PD, critical insights and a network of support and resources.”

Dan Campbell and Scott Caputo both join the Parkinson’s Foundation Board of Directors after having first volunteered as fundraisers in honor of family members diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Dan Campbell is a partner at MSouth Equity Partners. Previously, he was CEO of Hire Dynamics, a leading commercial staffing company he co-founded in 2001. He served on the board of American Staffing Association for 10 years, including serving as its past chairman, and is currently engaged in the Young President’s Organization Southern Seven Chapter, having served as its chairman in the past. He is also a trustee for the Holy Innocents Episcopal School. Campbell’s father is actively living with Parkinson’s.

“Parkinson’s disease is personal to my family and me,” said Campbell. “I am honored to join the Parkinson’s Foundation Board of Directors and look forward to helping the Foundation advance its urgent mission of helping the more than one million people living with PD in the United States.”

Based in New York City, Scott Caputo is a senior vice president and senior financial advisor at the Bates Caputo Group at Merrill Lynch. He previously worked as a financial advisor at Barclays Wealth and an institutional equity sales trader at Morgan Stanley. After losing his father to complications related to PD, Caputo was inspired to volunteer for the Foundation – first by running marathons to raise money for PD research and eventually by joining the Foundation’s Celebrate Spring Gala committee.  In addition to the Parkinson’s Foundation, Caputo also serves on the Board of Directors of the Pink Agenda. 

“It is a great privilege to be part of an impact-driven organization that facilitates a proven track record of bringing improved care and cutting-edge research to the table each and every day,” said Caputo.

PPAC was established to ensure that the perspectives of people living with PD and their care partners are included in all Foundation programs and initiatives. The five newest members are:

• Tim Barth -- Titusville, Florida

• Ripley Fricano Hensley – Hartford, Connecticut

• Tom Graffeo – Columbus, Ohio

• Stephen Goffar – Schertz, Texas

• Melinda Young – Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin

In addition to the five new members, Vikas Chinnan of San Carlos, California, will serve as chair of the council and Kathleen Blake of Santa Fe, New Mexico, will serve as vice chair for the coming year. PPAC members serve a term of three years.

For a complete list of Parkinson’s Foundation Board of Directors, visit Parkinson.org/Board. For a list of PPAC members and related materials, visit Parkinson.org/PPAC.