TCSF Announces Leadership Change

The Cute Syndrome Foundation is announcing the departure of Juliann Bradish, PharmD, as our Co-executive Director. Juliann will be remaining on as a volunteer at TCSF, turning her focus toward the administration of our support group. Juliann began volunteering for TCSF in 2015, serving as our SCN8A Advisor. She then joined Founder Hillary Savoie, PhD, as Co-executive Director in 2017.

Juliann with her family at our 2016 SCN8A Clinician, Researcher, and Family Gathering

Hillary will remain on in her role, serving as the Founder and Director of TCSF. However, TCSF will be expanding our executive leadership team to include several long-term volunteers: Shelley Frappier, Family Support Co-Director; Karen Varner, Family Support Co-Director; Colleen Johnston, Finance Director; Maggie Nayyar, Science Director; and Megan Varner, Marketing Director. This growing administrative team will allow TCSF to continue to respond to the needs of our growing and diverse community.

Shelley Frappier, Hillary Savoie, Megan Varner, and Karen Varner at our 2018 SCN8A Clinician, Researcher, and Family Gathering in New Orleans

We are thrilled that Juliann will be remaining on the TCSF team. Juliann has been an advocate for the SCN8A community since her daughter Adeline’s diagnosis in 2014, when she started an SCN8A Support Group, which she later brought under the umbrella of TCSF. This support group is now represents 235 parents of more than 180 children with SCN8A and provides an essential sense of community for the families we serve. This group is Juliann’s original passion, and will remain her focus at TCSF as she frees up her schedule to spend more time with her husband, Josh, and four young children. ​

An excerpt from Juliann’s letter announcing her departure is below:
I have decided to step down from my volunteer role as Co-Executive Director of The Cute Syndrome Foundation. Working in this capacity partnering with Hillary Savoie, and alongside all of our exceptional volunteers, our amazing SCN8A families, and the wonderful SCN8A professionals has been extraordinarily fulfilling both personally and professionally...I remain committed to the The Cute Syndrome Foundation in its effort to support our SCN8A community through awareness, family support, research, and clinical endeavors. And I will continue volunteering with TCSF, however, I will transition to primarily focusing on my original passion: The SCN8A Family Support Group. I look forward to seeing what our community accomplishes in 2019! 

Our volunteer team at the 2017 SCN8A Clinician, Researcher, and Family Gathering. 

Thank you Juliann, for your service to TCSF! Welcome to our new executive leadership team!