Parkinson’s Foundation California 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.
Our Impact
Your support of the Parkinson’s Foundation California 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!
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.
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.
In the 2023 grant cycle, we awarded 12 local grants to community programs. These Community Grants are made possible through the support of donors.
*Precision Rehabilitation’s Parkinson’s Wellness Grant, Christy Malonzo Physical Therapist Inc. and Manjiri Dahdul Physical Therapist Inc., Long Beach, CA
Contact: Manjiri Dahdul, manjiridahdul@gmail.com, precisionrehabilitation.com
re+integrate, re+active physical therapy and wellness, Torrance, CA
Contact: Julie Hersberg, info@re-activept.com, reactivept.com
Promotoras y Embajadoras de Parkinson - Parkinson’s Promotors and Ambassadors 2023, Give for a Smile, Garden Grove, CA
Contact: Adriana Jimenez, ajimenez@giveforasmile.org, parkinson-gfas.org
Dance for People With Parkinson’s, San Francisco Ballet Association, San Francisco, CA
Contact: Elizabeth Luu, eluu@sfballet.org, sfballet.org
Compassion Training for Caregivers and Creative Exercise Programming, Adaptive Physical Education, Redwood City, CA
Contact: Barbara McCarthy, info@adaptivepevmsc.org, adaptivepevmsc.org
dNaga’s Dance for PD®, Oakland 2023-24, dNaga, Oakland, CA
Contact: Claudine Naganuma, dNaganoodle@gmail.com, dNaga.org
**It Takes a Village: Parkinson’s Disease Educational Program for the San Francisco Bay Area Latinx and African American Communities, The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco, CA
Contact: Jill Ostrem, Jill.Ostrem@ucsf.edu, movementdisorders.ucsf.edu
Sharp Grossmont Hospital: Group Exercise and Education Class for Newly Diagnosed People with Parkinson’s, Grossmont Hospital Foundation, La Mesa, CA
Contact: Kate Wayne, kate.wayne@sharp.com, sharp.com/contact-us
Music Therapy for Mental Health: A Community Collaborative Program for People with Parkinson’s and Their Care Partners, Sounding Joy Music Therapy, Inc., Honolulu, HI
Contact: Maria (Nina) Guerrero, sounding@soundingjoymt.org, soundingjoymt.org
PD Power Up: A Parkinson’s Disease Pain Management Program, BEYONDREHAB, PLLC, Honolulu, HI
Contact: Apurva Zawar, apurva@beyondrehab.health, beyondrehab.health
Our Chapter Board ensures our impact is community-based and community lead.
Executive Committee
Dylan James – Board President
VP and Head of Western Region Relationship Management at Nasdaq
Dylan James is a Bay Area based Vice President and Head of Western Region Relationship Management at Nasdaq. Dylan leads Nasdaq's relationships with over 1300 clients from Oklahoma to Hawaii. Dylan's previous work at Nasdaq includes 4 years as part of the Nasdaq IPO team, and 12 years as a Relationship Manager covering Northern California and San Diego. Prior to joining Nasdaq in 2007, Dylan worked in the San Francisco office of a national investor relations firm and also held business development positions at Thomson Financial and Reuters. Dylan is a graduate of Notre Dame DeNamur University, is the former president of the San Francisco Chapter and current board member of the San Diego Chapter of NIRI.
Board Members
Maria Allen, PT - Physical Therapist, Central Coast Home Health Inc. Michelle Butler - Field Sales Consultant, Nordic Naturals Vikas Chinnan - Operations Manager R. Bernard Coley - Founder & Principal of RBC & Associates Deka Dike - CEO & Founder, Omatochi Grace Fang - Sr. Staff Engineer, Lam Research Corporation Megan E. Gomez, PhD - Staff Psychologist, VA Long Beach Health Care System Debbie Lucchesi - Personal Trainer, Cycle Instructor Xenos Mason, MD - Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurological Surgery and Neurology Movement, University of Southern California Maureen McComsey - Social Impact Strategist, Momentum for Good Craig Miyamoto - Financial Advisor & Principal with Edward Jones Steven Russell - Community Outreach, Stanford Parkinson's Community Outreach Freddy Silva - Head Coach and Affiliate Owner, Rock Steady Boxing