Serving KS, NE, IA, MO
Set this as my local chapterParkinson’s Foundation Heartland makes life better for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) by improving care and advancing research towards a cure. Whether you are newly diagnosed with PD or have been managing it for years, are a care partner, family member or friend of someone with PD, we are here to help you.
We are leaders in ensuring expert Parkinson’s care, educating and empowering the Parkinson’s community and driving the understanding of Parkinson’s through research. As a national organization with local presence and impact, we bring help and hope to the estimated one million people in the U.S., 10 million worldwide, who are living with Parkinson’s.
Your support of the Parkinson’s Foundation Heartland Chapter makes a big impact on the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) right here in your community, as well as across the country and around the world!
Read more about our chapter's impact
Thanks to supporters like you, we are able to provide free resources and advance research toward a cure.
Find Expert Care
Access to care professionals, medications and services
Parkinson’s Foundation Global Care Network creates more opportunities for people with PD to access high-quality care.
Hospital Safety Guide
Advocate for your best care
The Hospital Safety Guide contains useful tools and information to help a person with Parkinson’s during their next planned or unplanned hospital visit.
Helpline
The Helpline answers more than 20,000 calls a year
Call our Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636) to find your nearest PD specialist or local resources and get answers to your PD and caregiving questions.
PD Library
We are your trusted ally for information at every stage
We offer resources including videos, podcasts, webinars and other opportunities to learn about the many aspects of living well with PD.
Progress towards new medicines, better therapies and eventually a cure relies, almost exclusively, on innovative, high-quality research.
The Parkinson’s Foundation Community Grants program supports programs that further the health, wellness and education of the Parkinson’s community. We help people with Parkinson’s live better lives, today.
Every year, we award local grants to community programs. Parkinson's Foundation Community Grants are made possible through the support of donors. Check for programs funded in your area.
913-416-4116
Heartland@Parkinson.org
Parkinson’s Foundation
ATTN: Heartland Chapter
5757 Waterford District Drive, Suite 310
Miami, FL 33126
Our chapter board ensures our impact is community-based and community-led.
Kirsten Brewer
Owner and publisher, Seniors Blue Book
Kirsten is the owner and publisher of the Seniors Blue Book, proudly serving Kansas City, Nebraska, Western Iowa, and the Chicagoland area. The Heartland chapter is fortunate to have Kirsten serve as board president. She is dedicated to the Seniors Blue Book being the central resource for seniors and caregivers in our communities with comprehensive listings and insights on senior housing, home health care, local resources, and much more. In addition to her work with Seniors Blue Book, she's actively engaged in the community. She serves as the president of KC Metro Senior Resources, sponsors and participates in the Cocktails for a Cure benefit, and engages with numerous senior-oriented membership groups. These roles keep Kirsten closely attuned to the evolving needs of seniors and empower her to advocate for resources and support that enhance their quality of life. We are grateful for the energy and expertise Kirsten brings to our chapter board!
Troy Cook
Director—Sales and Marketing, National CooperativeRx
Troy has more than 30 years of healthcare and employee benefits experience. Troy has also been a frequent keynote speaker across the country focusing on stories of highly successful and fulfilled companies and colleagues. In 2017, Troy was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson's at age 48. Since that time, he has aggressively worked to delay his disease. He recently completed a book about his diagnosis and first three years adapting as a person with PD. He lives in Des Moines with his wife, Deann, and they have two children, who both live close by in Des Moines.
Melanie Franklin
Vice President, Regional HR Director, JE Dunn Construction Co
Melanie brings more than 25 years of human resources leadership experience across healthcare, technology and the construction industry. Throughout her career she has focused on connecting people to meaningful career opportunities and partnering with business leaders to build strong, values-driven workplace cultures.
Beyond work, Melanie is deeply committed to service. She volunteers with Value Unconditional, a faith-based organization dedicated to bringing hope and healing to women and families impacted by trauma. Her decision to serve on the board of the Parkinson's Foundation is personal, inspired by close family members and friends affected by Parkinson's disease. She is passionate about supporting research, advocacy and resources that improve the lives of those living with Parkinson's. Melanie earned her degree in finance from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She and husband Rob live in the Kansas City area, where she is the mother of two adult children.
Muhammad Nashatizadeh, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center at University of Kansas Medical Center
Known as Dr. Muhammad by patients, he earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and completed his neurology residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center. After serving as chief resident, he completed a movement disorder fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, then returned to Kansas City in 2008.
Dr. Muhammad works full-time as the neurology attending physician staffing the inpatient neurology consultation service at KU Medical Center. He also educates neurology residents, internal medicine residents and medical students with an emphasis on understanding how systemic medical disease can affect patients neurologically.
Erin Neal, BSW
Client Care Consultant, TheKey
Erin lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, where over the past 10 years, she has helped hundreds of families navigate the aging process through her work at TheKey, a home care agency specializing in Parkinson's care. She has been an active volunteer with the Heartland Chapter since 2020 and recently founded a volunteer group dedicated to bringing education and local Parkinson's resources to Lincolnites. Erin is originally from St. Charles, Missouri, and enjoys spending time with her husband and two dogs, traveling and attending country concerts.
Cheri Prince, DPT
Director, Heartland Neurological Therapy and Wellness Center
Cheri is a physical therapist and Director of Heartland Neurologic Therapy and Wellness Center in Waterloo, Nebraska. She received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Creighton University in 1999. Her clinical interests lie in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, and she holds certifications in LSVT BIG and PWR! (Parkinson's Wellness Recovery). Cheri has completed the Allied Team Training for Parkinson's through the Parkinson's Foundation.
Betsy Reynolds, PharmD
Director of Pharmacy Consulting, Method Healthcare, LLC
Betsy started the pharmacy consulting division of Method Healthcare, LLC, in October 2019. This role includes exploring safer transitions of care, facilitating antibiotic stewardship, managing the use of psychotropics as well as other clinical services. In addition to providing consulting services to skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, Betsy also works with multiple ambulatory surgery centers in the Kansas City metro. She is currently a preceptor for both the KU and UMKC Schools of Pharmacy and serves on the board of the UMKC School of Pharmacy Foundation.
Matthew Schindler
Carpenter, D&R Construction, and Parkinson's Disease Advocate
Matthew has been living with Parkinson's disease for more than 23 years and is passionate about using his personal journey to educate, inspire, and connect with others affected by the disease. As a longtime advocate, he is committed to raising awareness about Parkinson's and believes that sharing his story can help others feel informed, understood, and supported.
He enjoys presenting information in ways that are practical and easy to understand, using his firsthand experience living with Parkinson's to educate others and encourage meaningful conversations. His unique perspective strengthens the Heartland chapter's mission of education, advocacy, and community support.
He is an active member of the Speedy PD committee and has a long history of civic and nonprofit leadership in Manhattan, Kansas. He has served two terms as President of the Friends of Sunset Zoo Board, completed two terms on his church council, and has contributed to several special committees for the City of Manhattan. Through his service and advocacy, he continues to make a meaningful impact in his community and for those living with Parkinson's.
Rachel K. Spooner, PhD
Director of the Translational Motor Imaging Laboratory at the Institute for Human Neuroscience at Boys Town National Research Hospital Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University
Dr. Spooner is a clinical translational neuroscientist who studies how the brain and body interact to affect mobility and cognition across the lifespan. Her laboratory uses the latest advancements in non-invasive neuroimaging techniques such as MRI and MEG to study how changes in brain structure and function contribute to cognitive and motor disturbances in later life and in those with Parkinson's disease. Her laboratory aims to identify changes in the brain that are tied to symptoms and their progression along the disease course, with the ultimate goal of finding novel, personalized treatments for Parkinson's disease. Her laboratory was one of the first to integrate how cellular function and inflammation relate to changes in brain structure and function, and she strives to expand this work into the context of Parkinson's disease.
Whitney Staiger, BSN, RN
Account manager, TG Therapeutics
Whitney earned her degree in speech language pathology from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and her nursing degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She brings more than 10 years of experience in senior care, with deep expertise in neurological conditions. Whitney serves as an account manager with TG Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on developing medicines for people living with multiple sclerosis. Her longstanding commitment to the Parkinson’s community includes leading a Parkinson’s support group, serving as a Parkinson’s Foundation Ambassador, and being an active member of the Moving Day Omaha committee since 2018.