Employee

Tyler is the Donor Engagement Manager at National Bleeding Disorders Foundation where he manages the donor database, supports business processes and helps the development department. With a background in database management and skilled in Raiser’s Edge, Bloomerang, Virtuous and DonorPerfect; he ensures donor data accuracy, generates reports, and streamlines processes to strengthen donor relationships and advance organizational goals.

Tania Hanscom is the Director of Development for NBDF, where she focuses on building relationships with donors. She oversees lead donor portfolio growth and stewardship, drives fundraising strategy, and develops and executes donor pipeline strategies.

Beth Whitehouse is the Senior Vice President of Advancement for NBDF, responsible for creating, executing, and leading a comprehensive national development strategy and stakeholder relations program that enhances corporate and individual giving, expands philanthropic and industry support and diversifies funding sources to advance the mission of NBDF.

Halli Benasutti is the Director of Research Grants at NBDF, where she oversees the foundation’s research grant programs, including the Excellence Fellowships, the Judith Graham Pool Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, and the Sanofi-sponsored Career Development Awards. She also focuses on grant funding to support research initiatives, including the Bleeding Disorders Research Collaborative and Community Voices in Research.

Philip M. Gattone, M.Ed., is the president and chief executive officer of the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation (NBDF).

Florence Carolwicz is the Manager of Accounting for NBDF. Florence's experience spans from accounts payable and receivable to cash management and revenue recognition to preparing financial statements and tax documents.

Matthew Hartnett, BS, MPH, is the Senior Community Network Research Manager for the NBDF, where he focuses on Community Voices in Research (CVR), a community-powered registry for the bleeding disorder community. Matt obtained his undergraduate degree in human physiology from Boston University and a Master of Public Health from George Washington University. Matt is committed to bridging the gap between research and the lived experiences of the bleeding disorders community.

Naomi Miller is a Programs & Partnership Specialist at NBDF. She plays a crucial role in integrating lived experience experts into research programs. She actively engages underserved populations to enhance education and advocacy efforts rooted in health equity, diversity, and inclusion. Her expertise in project management allows her to effectively coordinate multiple initiatives while fostering internal and external partnerships to drive community engagement.

Matt Delaney joined NBDF in 2022 as Government Relations Specialist and now our Government Relations Manager, where he assists NBDF chapters in advocacy and policy, and contributes to the foundation’s federal and international work on blood and product safety and supply. As a person who lives with von Willebrand disease (VWD), Matt brings his personal expertise as a community advocate for himself and his family to the role.

Heather Hicks is a Manager of Education at the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation, where she manages the NYLI program for young adults, fostering the development of leadership and advocacy skills among the next generation. Additionally, she oversees the creation of a series of 3D videos about the clotting cascade and how different bleeding disorder treatments work in the body. She is also actively involved in planning consumer sessions for the Bleeding Disorders Conference, creating valuable educational opportunities for the community.

Mary Lou Warner is the Manager of National Chapter Operations, a position she has held since 2022. Prior to this, she served the bleeding disorders community in Iowa as the Executive Director of Hemophilia of Iowa, now known as Bleeding Disorders of the Heartland. Before coming to the bleeding disorders community, Mary Lou had served in various leadership roles at Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa as well as serving as a national trainer for Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Peter Harvey serves as the Chief Business Officer for NBDF including oversight for finance & accounting, business development, conference & travel services, payer relations, and IT. Peter is a senior healthcare finance and operations executive with diverse experience in healthcare nonprofit finance & accounting, pharma/biotech HEOR and medical affairs business operations, academic medical/pediatric department and Hemophilia Treatment Center administration, plus PM&R medical practice and research foundation executive leadership.

Bill Robie is the Senior Director of State Government Relations for the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation and is responsible for overseeing NBDF’s state policy work. Bill works on key issues affecting access to health care for the bleeding disorders community including patient out of pocket expenses, step therapy and other utilization management practices, Medicaid prescription drug management, patient protections in the Affordable Care Act, and pharmacy benefit manager reform.

Tim Brent, MBA, has been involved in the bleeding disorders community since 2004. He serves as Venture Principal for Pathway to Cures, carrying out venture investment work.

Maria is the Vice President of Research Strategy at the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation.

Maria Salas-Pilla brings more than 21 years of expertise in planning large-scale conferences and events to her role as Vice President of Conference & Travel Services. Maria oversees all aspects of event planning for more than eight NBDF conferences annually, including managing housing, sponsorships, and virtual and hybrid events.

Kristi Harvey-Simi is the Vice President of Chapter Services, where she oversees NBDF’s efforts provide nonprofit expertise and guidance to its chapter network. In addition, Kristi also plans, organizes, and implements training programs for chapter leaders at NBDF’s Chapter Leadership Seminar (CLS) and the chapter track at the annual Bleeding Disorders Conference.  Kristi holds a BA in psychology and social work from Pacific University in Forest Grove, OR. 

Kenneth McElderry is the Director of Chapter Development, where he oversees the six national chapters at NBDF. He has spent more than 15 years holding various roles within the nonprofit sector and has an extensive background in operations, fundraising development, and volunteer and leadership management at local, regional, state-wide, and nationally affiliated non-profit organizations. 

Ciarra de Leon is a Conference and Travel Services Specialist II for the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation. Ciarra oversees small to mid-scale events, taking charge of site visits, pre-planning and on-site logistics, and post-event financial reconciliation. She also plays a pivotal role in the organization’s annual Bleeding Disorders Conference, where she manages attendee registration and develops the conference website. She is a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans.

Kate Nammacher is the Senior Vice President of Education at NBDF. Since joining the foundation in 2015, she has worked to empower people affected by inheritable blood and bleeding disorders to build a strong foundation of knowledge, skills and support which lead to shared decision-making, fewer complications, and higher quality of life. Kate has been in the nonprofit field for more than 25 years, focusing on health and well-being.

Dawn has been a leader in the bleeding disorders community for many years.  As a parent of a son with hemophilia, she founded the Rocky Mountain Hemophilia & Bleeding Disorders Association in Bozeman, Montana, served as its Executive Director, and began their Family Camp. After moving to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dawn worked for the American Diabetes Association (ADA) as an Area Manager. Concurrently, she served as a board member for the Hemophilia Center of Western Pennsylvania for six years.

Nathan Schaefer, MSW, is the Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Access for the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation. He has worked for the organization since 2016. Nathan directs federal policy and advocacy initiatives, including legislation and regulatory reform. He also oversees the state government relations team, which helps NBDF’s chapter network identify and execute state and local policy priorities.

Kyra Calbero graduated from Pacific University in June of 2019 with a degree in Public Health and a minor in Disability Studies. After graduation, she worked in Forest Grove, OR as a Skills Trainer at a school serving teens with severe behavioral disabilities. As of July 2020, she moved back home to Hawai`i to work for the National Hemophilia Foundation as the Hawai`i Chapter's Program Manager.

Michael Recht, MD, PhD, MBA, is the chief medical and science officer (CMSO) of the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation (NBDF).  Dr. Recht works across the organization to define, develop, and implement NBDF's science and research strategy.