Sneha Mantri, MD, MS, FAAN

Headshot of Sneha Mantri, MD, MS
Chief Medical Officer

Sneha Mantri, MD, MS, FAAN

As the Parkinson’s Foundation first-ever Chief Medical Officer, Sneha Mantri, MD, MS, FAAN, leads medical and clinical care efforts, guiding the Foundation’s care portfolio and strategy to ensure impactful, sustainable initiatives.

Dr. Mantri is a practicing movement disorders specialist with extensive training and experience, completing her medical education at Columbia University, residency at the University of Virginia and a movement disorders fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia VA Medical Center. She brings her patient-centered philosophy to the Foundation, emphasizing that people come before their diagnosis and that Parkinson’s care must be personalized.

As a seasoned principal investigator of health equity studies and clinical trials, Dr. Mantri has successfully communicated complex findings to diverse members of the PD community. She has developed educational courses for future medical health professionals and currently leads narrative medicine workshops for patients. The Josiah Macy Jr Foundation and the American Academy of Neurology have recognized her innovative work. 

Throughout her career, Dr. Mantri has focused on building collaborations and expanding outreach to rural communities, while raising Parkinson’s awareness in the medical field. Her efforts include: 

  • Developing collaborations with the Margolis Institute for Health Policy through the Duke Clinical Leadership Program in 2024.

  • Serving as a Macy Faculty Scholar, currently working to expand humanistic and community-engaged practice nursing, and physical and occupational therapy.

  • Participating in a PBS-NC panel discussion for her integrated, interprofessional care model.

  • Leading THRIVE-PD since 2019, an early-intervention team-based care model for people with PD across the Carolinas.

Dr. Mantri has been published in multiple leading journals including npj Parkinson’s Disease, Parkinsonism & Related DisordersJAMA Network OpenThe Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, and ScienceDirect among others. Since 2018, she has served as Duke University faculty. She continues to see patients on a limited schedule at the Duke Movement Disorders Center.

Media Requests

If you are a member of the media and would like to interview Dr. Mantri, please contact Melissa Nobles Gonzalez, Public Relations Manager, at 305-537-9134 or MGonzalez@Parkinson.org.

In The News

In The News

Can Dreams Predict Serious Illness? What Doctors Know About ‘Prodromal’ Dreams

Prevention
March 13, 2026

As part of the magazine's special "Dream Week" seven-part series, neurologists explain when you should pay careful attention to any unusual dreams. Parkinson’s Foundation PPAC member John Poma shares his experience with RBD and later PD diagnosis, while Parkinson’s Foundation Chief Medical Officer, Sneha Mantri, MD, provides her expert opinion.

In The News

The Neurologist Said Exercise. His Wife Said Bagpipes.

SPIN Magazine
March 10, 2026

A Parkinson's diagnosis sent one couple on an unlikely journey into the world of Highland bagpipes, one of the most physically and cognitively demanding instruments, which is precisely why they thought it was a good idea. Chief Medical Officer, Sneha Mantri, MD, is exclusively interviewed about PD and the positive effects of musical therapy as treatment.

In The News

What It’s Like to Use a Subcutaneous Pump for Parkinson’s Disease

Everyday Health
February 26, 2026

For Ivan Gayler, 73, life with Parkinson’s disease has been a 20-year journey dictated by his medication schedule. In this long-piece feature, Ivan and his daughter Angelica share their journey with settling into a new treatment routine and a newly focused mission: becoming the authentic resource they so desperately sought at the start of their journey.

In The News

Keystone Edition: Legendary Coach Mark Duda

WVIA (PBS Affiliate, Central Pennsylvania)
January 19, 2026

Parkinson's Foundation Chief Medical Officer Sneha Mantri, MD, is interviewed about Parkinson's disease and the importance of exercise during this documentary profiling Pennsylvania football legend Coach Mark Duda, his work on and off the field, and his recent PD diagnosis.

In The News

I Have Parkinson’s: A Range of Voices (Opinion Letters)

The New York Times
October 17, 2025

In response to a NYTimes article about Dr. Sue Goldie, a Harvard professor who revealed her Parkinson's disease diagnosis, Parkinson's Foundation Chief Medical Officer, Sneha Mantri, MD, MS, FAA, submitted a letter to the editor to discuss access to care for the more than 90,000 Americans diagnosed annually.

In The News

Medications to Avoid with Parkinson’s Disease

Health Central
October 8, 2025

Parkinson's Foundation Chief Medical Officer Sneha Mantri, MD, and Foundation National Medical Advisor, Michael Okun, MD, are exclusively interviewed about medication protocols when taking levodopa or other Parkinson’s drugs.

In The News

New weekly injection may eliminate need for daily pills in Parkinson's

Medical News Today
July 18, 2025

Researchers in Australia have developed a weekly injectable treatment for Parkinson’s that combines levodopa and carbidopa, potentially reducing the need for multiple daily pills. Parkinson’s Foundation Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sneha Mantri comments on its promise and the need for further testing.

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