Serving FL
Set this as my local chapterParkinson’s Foundation Florida 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 Florida 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.
305-537-9930
Florida@Parkinson.org
Parkinson’s Foundation
ATTN: Florida
5757 Waterford District Drive, Suite 310
Miami, FL 33126
Our Chapter Board ensures our impact is community-based and community-led.
Alfredo Aguirre (Plantation, FL)
Board Development Committee
Alfredo Aguirre has been a financial advisor since 1998 and joined the Merrill in 2006, following a successful engineering career managing large construction projects. Thorough and process-oriented, he explores every aspect of clients' financial lives to help them anticipate needs they may not have considered for themselves, their parents, and children. Alfredo holds the CFP, CRPC, and CPFA designation and earned his engineering degree from the University of Florida.
A Broward County resident for over 40 years, Alfredo is deeply committed to community service. He serves on the boards of Junior Achievement and the Broward Education Foundation, is Program Director for the Weston Rotary Club, and a graduate of Leadership Broward. He was also a finalist for the 211 Board Leader of the Year award.
Alfredo embraces challenges both professionally and personally. An avid outdoor enthusiast, he enjoys biking, hiking, rock climbing, and teaching wilderness safety and leadership. He values active vacations with his wife, Gloria, their four children, and five grandchildren, and is always pursuing new goals — including mountain climbs, multi-day backpacking trips, and learning to scuba dive.
Marlene Pierce (Apopka, FL)
Fund Development Chair
Marlene Pierce has over 25 years of experience transforming business practices to enhance financial strength and operational efficiency in the healthcare industry. She has held key roles with organizations such as UnitedHealthcare, Florida Blue, Blue Cross of PR, Independent Blue Cross, MAPFRE Life, and provider groups including the IPA Association of PR and INSPIRA Mental Health. Her work has supported major initiatives for special needs populations in collaboration with public and private entities, including the National Governor's Association.
Bilingual in Spanish and English, Marlene is a compassionate, articulate professional known for building strong, loyal relationships across all organizational levels to ensure exceptional service for members and providers.
Lisa Tannebaum (Miami, FL)
Fund Development Committee
Lisa Tannebaum is a native Floridian and resident in Miami since 1977. A former public finance lawyer and investment banker, Lisa has dedicated the last 2 decades to raise her two daughters and managing her husband's law firm. Over the past 20 years, she has participated in various leadership roles on boards related to her daughters' education and tirelessly fundraises for causes near and dear to her, and her husband's heart.
Lisa recently obtained her Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 1 Certification in Wines and hopes to advance to the next levels. She enjoys traveling with her husband of almost 30 years.
Debra Flynn (Stuart, FL)
Fund Development Committee
Debra Flynn is a proud Chicago native and alumna of Loyola University. Debra and her husband, Jim, married for 34 years, retired in Stuart, Florida after her Parkinson's diagnosis in 2015. Prior to retiring, Debra spent most of her career in Human Resources Consulting, holding several senior leadership roles and retiring as a Partner at Mercer Benefits Consulting. Debra also serves as a Board Emeritus, for a non-profit organization in Chicago, devoted to helping homeless women rebuild their lives.
In retirement, Debra enjoys cooking, reading, traveling, and caring for dogs, while also staying active through boxing, spin classes, and hiking. Debra is devoted to Rock Steady Boxing and finds great joy in community service, especially with the Parkinson's Foundation. Debra spends her time participating in and advocating for clinical trials aimed at finding a cure for Parkinson's disease.
David Sanderson (Weston, FL)
Fund Development Committee
David Sanderson has over 25 years of management experience with Global 500 companies in consumer products, technology, and healthcare. He has built global businesses at major corporations, working and living in Europe, Asia, and Latin America in the consumer products and technology industries. His combined experience in major corporations and tech startups has given him strong expertise in improving customer experience and outcomes.
He is President of Sanderson Partners Inc (SPI) and Senior Principal at GPT, working with global clients such as ST Microelectronics, Siemens, GE Healthcare, Barilla, and Ferrero. Previously, he served a Vice President, International at Reebok International.
Fluent in Spanish and German, David has also been a board member of the international non-profit ASSIST, a lecturer at Boston University, and a frequent presenter at industry conferences including SAMA and Field Service.
He is a member of Rotary International and holds degrees from Union College and an MBA from Northeastern University.
Hilary Gershman (Pinecrest, FL)
Fund Development Committee
Hilary Gershman brings a deeply personal commitment to the Parkinson's Foundation, Florida Chapter, inspired by her father's experience with Parkinson's. A longtime Miami resident and mother of four sons—Emmet, Leo, Reed, and Charlie—she is actively involved in her community, serving on the executive board and membership committee of Temple Judea. Beyond her work, Hilary is a devoted foster for cats and kittens, has organized blood drives, and has served as a guardian ad litem.
Hilary looks forward to building community, raising awareness and educational resources, and advancing research efforts through her work with the Foundation.
Natalia Yidi (Miami, FL)
Fund Development Committee
Natalia is a Miami native, who attended the University of Miami School of Law and School of Communications. Natalia graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications, majoring in journalism and advertising. While in law school, she interned at the State Attorney's Office of the 11th Judicial Circuit, specifically in the Circuit Criminal Division, and was a member of the Hispanic Law Student Association.
As an associate attorney, Natalia specializes in real estate and commercial litigation at all phases of federal and state litigation. Natalia is passionate about public interest work, having volunteered as a Bedside Buddy at the Nicklaus Children's Hospital and participated in numerous local events supporting the homeless. Natalia is a first-generation attorney and a proud member of the Colombian American Bar Association and serves in monthly pro bono legal clinics at the Colombian Consulate in Coral Gables.
Raul Loys (Miami, FL)
Fund Development Committee
Raul Loys is a South Florida Sales Manager for middle-marketing existing business, managing a team of five clients managers to retain and grow their book of business, while partnering with companies to bring solutions to customers. He spent the past year at Cigna in the Taft Hartley division overseeing the dental client distribution and retention and previously served as a Life & Disability account executive for South Florida and the Caribbean. Raul also managed the Specialty division in the Southeast at Aetna and worked as a consultant at Aon and Willis Towers Watson.
A Miami native, Raul has been active in the South Florida community since beginning his career in 1991. He holds a bachelor's degree from Florida State University and an MBA from the University of Scranton.
Janet Petrillo (Tampa, FL)
Mission and Outreach Committee
Janet Petrillo brings over 30 years of pharmaceutical sales, market access, marketing, reimbursement and leadership at major companies including Johnson & Johnson, Astellas Pharma US and Pfizer Inc. Most recently at Pfizer, she led the strategy and development of patient support and affordability programs for oncology medications.
Janet graduated from the University of Florida and is a die-hard Gator fan. She recently retired and relocated from Chicago to Florida. She is thrilled to apply her experience and passion to support patients and families living with Parkinson's and sharing her learnings after being a caregiver and advocate for her mother.
Jo Ann Hartge (Brooksville, FL)
Mission and Outreach Committee
Jo Ann is a retired educator of 29 years, originally from Rhode Island and now based in Brooksville, Florida. Jo Ann and her husband, Keith, enjoy RV and Ural sidecar travels, and recently completed a tour of all the National Parks.
As a driven educator, Jo Ann developed a nationally recognized Technology Education program, earning awards such as Florida State Tech Ed Program of the Year and International Tech Ed Instructor of the Year. She advocated for teacher development, launching initiatives like the Beginner Teacher Program, serving as local Teachers' Association President, and representing the U.S. at the Education International Congress.
Following her Parkinson's diagnosis, Jo Ann has become a dedicated advocate — serving as a Parkinson's Ambassador, Moving Day Team Captain, and Veteran's Resource Fair PD table host — while managing her own health through medication and intensive exercise.
Now appointed to the Parkinson's Foundation Florida Chapter Board, she looks forward to bringing her firsthand knowledge of dealing with PD, along with her story and voice to reach out to those who have given up hope.