Bob Gardner has been a member of Can Do Multiple Sclerosis’s Board since 2000, serving as Chairman from 2003 to 2006. Bob currently serves on the Compliance Committee and The Jimmie Heuga Center Endowment Board. Bob’s focus on building the strength of Can Do Multiple Sclerosis’s Board of Directors by incorporating talented individuals from around the country has proven an excellent strategic decision and is key in positioning the organization for future growth.

Bob is the Director for Corporate Development of Citrix Systems, Inc., a developer of on-demand computer access infrastructure. Citrix products include remote PC access, web conferencing, security applications, and networking. He is a graduate of the University of Utah.

Bob’s connection to Jimmie Heuga goes back to his early skiing days. He grew up in Colorado, skiing with Ski Club Vail, where Jimmie was a frequent visitor. Bob also has a close MS connection: a dear childhood friend who was diagnosed with MS in her early 20s and passed away by age 40, never having had a chance to attend a CAN DO program.

Bob is a past Board Member of the Eagle Valley Land Trust. He is a native Coloradoan and lives to ski, golf, windsurf, climb, and travel. Bob, his wife, Beth, and their Golden Retriever, Bo, divide their time between the Vail area and Connecticut.

George joined Can Do Multiple Sclerosis’s Board of Directors in 2004. He has been a member of the organizations program staff since 1985 and is a long-term member of the Program Committee focused on creating pioneering education and wellness products to help those living with the chronic disease of MS.

Dr. Garmany is with Associated Neurologists of Boulder, PC. He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Virginia. He served as an Intern in the Department of Medicine at Emory University and came west for his Neurology Residency at the University of Colorado. He has been in the private practice of Neurology in Boulder since 1977. During that time he has held a number of positions on the Boulder Community Hospital Medical Staff, including Chair of the Department of Medicine and President of the United Medical Staff. He has also served as President of the Colorado Society of Clinical Neurologists, and he is a Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University of Colorado Health Science Center.

Dr. Garmany is a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. He has served in several roles with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, including Chair of the Editorial Board of their national magazine, Inside MS. Locally, George has served as Scoutmaster for his sons’ Scout Troop, and he is currently a District Chairman for the Longs Peak Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Within his home community, George is a member of the Boulder Rotary Club and a former Governor of the Colorado Society of Mayflower Descendants.

While serving as President of the National MS Society, Northern California Chapter David had the opportunity to learn about the CAN DO program and the transformation it fostered in the lives of participants in Northern California. David finds the Can Do MS philosophy and life- changing programs deeply compelling, and as a family member of someone with MS, he is a passionate advocate of the holistic Lifestyle Empowerment approach.

David was born and raised in Colorado, he left for the Bay Area to attend U.C. Berkeley, where he earned his bachelors degree and the University of San Francisco where he earned a Masters degree in Nonprofit Management. David has spent most of his career in the nonprofit arena working in executive management roles with the American Red Cross and National MS Society.

As a consultant David has served nonprofit organizations of varying size, scope and mission. He is currently the Principal of Philanthropic Solutions in Mill Valley, CA where he provides counsel, interim executive management, strategic planning and financial development services to philanthropic and nonprofit organizations.

David has also had extensive involvement as a volunteer with many nonprofit organizations, from grassroots to national planning committees. In addition to Can Do MS, he currently serves on the board of a family foundation and professional advisory group for the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership.

David is passionate about bicycling, skiing and wilderness exploration. David lives in Mill Valley with his wife Margaret, son Jacob and dog Kona.

Richard (Dick) Kelly is retired chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Xcel Energy. From June to mid-December 2005 he served as president and chief executive officer, and previous to that he served as chief financial officer.

He is Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Regis University and is a member of the Board of Canadian Pacific Railway ..

Kelly earned both a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Regis University. He attended the University of Colorado’s Executive Education Conference and The University of Michigan’s Public Utility Executive Program.

Dick was elected to the Can Do Multiple Sclerosis Board of Directors in July 2009.

Robin Kelly is a wife, mother and community volunteer. She serves as an Elder on her church’s Session and is a weekly volunteer at a local food bank She serves on the CanDo MS Board of Directors Impact Committee, Programs Committee and Executive Committee.

Robin earned a master’s degree in business administration from Regis University and a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Denver. Her work experience includes professional positions in the gas and electric industry.

Robin also enjoys golf, jazzercise, reading and travel. She was diagnosed with MS in 2006 and attended the Heuga Center’s Can Do program with her husband in 2007.

Bernice (Bernie) became involved with the Can Do Multiple Sclerosis, formerly The Heuga Center for MS in 2004 as part of fundraising Team WOOP WOOP. An avid skier, Bernie got introduced to the organization through a friend that was an event director of a Snow Express for MS at Copper Mountain, Colorado (now Vertical Express for MS). In 2007 she took over as Event Director of the Vertical Express for MS at Steamboat Springs, Colorado. She continues as both a team and Event Director. She joined the board in 2008 and serves on the Compliance Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee.

Professionally, Bernice is currently an independent consultant in the Pharmaceutical/Biotech industry providing clinical operations and clinical project management expertise leveraging her 20 years in the industry. Her experience includes managing projects, teams and vendors for all phases of clinical studies (Phases I-IV) including multi-national trials. Previously she has been an employee of Oscient Pharmaceuticals, Sepracor, PRAECIS and Genetics Institute. She has a B.A. in Biology from University at Buffalo (SUNYAB), a M.S. in Applied Anatomy and Physiology from Boston University and a Graduate Certificate in Special Studies in Administration and Management from Harvard University Extension School.

In addition to giving her time to Can Do MS Bernie is a member of the volunteer management committee for the Appalachian Mountain Club Property of Knubble Bay and Beals Island in Maine. Bernie lives in Natick, Massachusetts.

Through the Tyler Hamilton Foundation‘s cycling events designed to benefit people with Multiple Sclerosis, Michelle became acquainted with Jimmie Heuga and began her involvement with Can Do Multiple Sclerosis. Her passion for fundraising and volunteering at various events and her contributions while serving on the Development Committee led to an invitation to join the board in 2007. Michelle is a member of the Executive Committee and has provided input on messaging and sponsorships. Michelle is a tireless advocate and has spent years working as a consultant with biotech and pharmaceutical companies who specialize in MS treatment and care.

Michelle studied Political Science at Stanford University and continued her education at the University of San Diego School of Law, obtaining her law degree in 1993. Early employment as an Attorney with the State of New Mexico and later as an Assistant US Attorney allowed Michelle to utilize her education and helped define her career passion for work later in life. In 2002 Michelle began consulting in the biotech industry, eventually becoming an advocate and speaker supporting MS pharmaceutical sales for Serono, Inc, and Pfizer. Michelle expanded her court room skills to include public speaking through various events designed to educate physicians, nurses and patients regarding the benefits of prescription drugs available to treat the disease. She currently works in the area of community relations and special events at Title Nine Sports, a multi-channel retailer of women’s sports and fitness apparel in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Michelle is an active supporter of Can Do MS’s benefit events. She learned alpine skiing as a means to satisfy her desire to raise donations and enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle. Michelle’s commitment to our mission is evidenced by her passion for athletic challenges, including triathlons and cycling. Michelle is constantly working to further the cause of Can Do MS, and demonstrates the CAN DO attitude in all she does.

David has been involved with Can Do Multiple Sclerosis for a number of years as a fundraiser and volunteer. Since 2001 David has participated in Squaw Valley Vertical Express for MS where his team has been one of the top fundraisers. He also organized two Climbing Mountains for MS fundraising trips for his son’s middle school. He has been a volunteer at Alpen Winefest at Squaw Valley and at Winter Wine and Ski Expo in Reno, and he has attended numerous New York Benefits. David previously served on the Finance Committee.

On the professional side, David has more than twenty years of experience in corporate finance. Through his consulting firm, Roubaix Consulting, David provides financial leadership to life science and clean tech organizations. He is currently the CFO of a vaccines research company and of a start-up exploring novel respiratory therapies. David’s experience with MS reaches into his professional life, as he has mentored a start-up company doing research on a MS treatment.

When he is not working, David enjoys his many athletic pursuits, including skiing, running, hiking, backpacking, climbing, and martial arts training. He also enjoys watching sports, traveling, wine tasting, cooking and reading.

David has a BA in English from the University of California, Berkeley and an MBA in Finance and International Business from the University of Washington.

Ms. Nakamura concentrates in estate planning, trust and estate administration and litigation, business succession planning, charitable planning and employee benefits and ERISA, including ERISA litigation.

Ms. Nakamura’s estate planning and trust and estate administration practice includes income and estate tax planning; succession planning for the closely-held business owner; charitable planning; drafting of wills, trusts, and powers of attorney; administration of estates for decedents, minors, and protected persons; and the representation of clients in estate and trust litigation.

She works extensively with clients in the selection and implementation of welfare benefit plans and pension benefit plans. Ms. Nakamura works with clients in the area of compensation planning including the design and implementation of qualified and non-qualified retirement plans, deferred compensation arrangements, qualified and non-qualified stock options, and employee stock ownership plans. Additionally she assists clients in the claims review process and represents numerous clients in their capacity as trustees and plan administrators of ERISA plans.

Ms. Nakamura has been involved with non-profits in the Denver community for many years and has served on both “program” based non-profit Boards and Foundation Boards. She is very familiar with the work of Can Do Multiple Sclerosis and National MS through some of her volunteer activities and professional contacts. She wants to help us grow professionally and help others understand how, through estate planning, they may help Can Do MS on a longer term basis.

Josh Richter is a Director of Public Equity at Stanford Management Company, the asset management division of Stanford University. In this role, he is responsible for oversight of a portfolio of global investment managers, with particular emphasis on international markets. Previously, Josh was Director of Stanford’s Charitable Trust Program, where he responded to the needs of donors, donor’s advisors, and beneficiaries of the University. He oversaw all aspects of client advisory services, investment management and trust administration.

Josh first became involved with the Can Do MS Center in 1999, after being diagnosed with MS the previous year. Searching for answers to a multitude of questions, Josh found an insightful and supportive community in the Center. Moreover, the Center’s proactive approach to managing MS, with an emphasis on wellness and exercise, was one he wholeheartedly believed in. His involvement initially began by forming teams of friends to raise money and participate in the Mountain Bike Express in Marin County, followed by six years of participation in Vertical Express events. In 2006 he took on a greater role, serving as co-event director of the Squaw Valley event through 2009.

Raised in a small town in the Catskills, in upstate New York, Josh now lives in San Francisco with his wife Rachel Levin, and daughter Hazel. Josh graduated from Cornell University in 1994 and later earned his MBA from Dartmouth College.

Catherine is Director of Corporate Communications at ICF International, a professional services firm that offers advisory and implementation services in energy, environment, transportation and health, education, and social programs markets. Catherine is responsible for developing and implementing contemporary, best-practice-based internal communications strategies. She puts particular emphasis on developing repeatable processes by which executive leadership can effectively connect with and inspire 3,700+ employees worldwide. She also serves as lead architect for corporate cultural communications style, tone, and approach. She is an active member of the International Association of Business Communicators.

Catherine joined the board of Can Do MS in 2011. Although new to the board, Catherine is not new to Can Do MS. She co-directed the Vertical Express for MS at Squaw Valley for 5 years with Josh Richter (and initially Catherine’s sister Lisa Hanson), and she currently assists the Squaw VEMS event directors with regular outreach newsletters. Together with her extensive family, Catherine has participated in the VEMS for past 14 years, and in the Mountain Bike express before that and various other Can Do events. As support partner to her brother, who has had MS since the 1980s, Catherine attended a Can Do program in Vail in 2010.

Currently, Catherine divides her time between her homes in San Francisco and Davis, California, and ICF headquarters in Virginia. She is an avid skier, hiker, and traveler and enjoys time with the family. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and Philosopher from the University of California, Davis, and a master’s degree in Spanish translation and interpretation from Sampere Escuela Internacional de Idiomas in Madrid, Spain.

Dr. Schafer graduated from the University of Chicago Medical School in 1971 and served an internship and residency in internal medicine at that institution, followed by a neurology residency at the University of California, San Francisco. He has practice neurology in Sacramento since 1978 and has an interest in multiple sclerosis dating to that time. He has served on the chapter board of directors and numerous committees of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and currently serves on the Executive Committee of the National Medical Advisory Committee of NMSS. In his role as chairman of the Clinical Advisory Committee of the Northern California Chapter of NMSS, he has been interested in improving care to those with MS who live in rural areas where specialty MS care is not available. He founded the Mercy MS Center in Sacramento in 2009 and has had a special interest in developing programs to evaluate and help problems with gait and cognitive impairment in MS. He has been a neurology faculty member for the Jimmy Heuga / Can Do Center since 2004 and serves on the program committee. He has been a member of the Consortium of MS Centers for a number of years, and he and fellow staff members have presented workshops on Group Visits at the CMSC annual meeting for two years.

Dr. Schafer has also served on the Affiliate Board of Directors and the National Board of Directors of the American Heart Association and the initial advisory committee of the American Stroke Association. He has received awards from both NMSS and AHA/ASA.

Dr. Schafer is dedicated to improving care of those with MS through the entire spectrum of the disease, from first attack through advanced cognitive and mobility impairment.

Randall (Randy) T. Schapiro, M.D. has had a passion for medicine and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for most of his life. Early on he made a commitment to helping those living with MS make the most of their lives. He has been a part of Can Do Multiple Sclerosis, formerly The Heuga Center since 1985. He is a past and current Board member in addition to being a member of Can Do MS’s medical program staff .

Dr. Schapiro was born and raised in Minnesota. After graduating from Occidental College (Los Angeles, CA) in Biology, he graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School. He trained in internal medicine at the Wadsworth VA Medical Center (UCLA) in Los Angeles and then in neurology under A. B. Baker, M.D. at the University of Minnesota. Following a short stint as a faculty member and director of the MS Clinic at the University of Minnesota he founded the first comprehensive MS Center in a private practice in 1977, The Fairview MS Center, was later renamed, The Schapiro Center for Multiple Sclerosis.

In 2008 Dr. Schapiro was honored with Can Do Multiple Sclerosis, formerly The Heuga Center’s CAN DO Award. The purpose of the CAN DO Award is to honor an individual, corporation or organization that has advanced Can Do MS’s mission by empowering people and families with MS to transform and improve their quality of life.

Dr. Schapiro has lectured and written extensively on all topics associated with MS Management nationally and internationally. He has written extensively, participated in numerous research studies and been honored with countless honors and achievements throughout his career. List below are just a few of his career highlights and achievements.

~ Program staff member of The Heuga Center since 1985
~ Clinical professor of neurology at the University of Minnesota
~ Former director of the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic at the University of Minnesota
Founder of the Fairview and Schapiro Center for Multiple Sclerosis, Minneapolis, MN
~ Board member of Can Do Multiple Sclerosis
~ Board member of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society National Board
~ Founding member and first elected president of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis
~ Recipient of numerous prestigious awards including:
The Heuga Center’s CAN DO Award
National MS Society Hope Award
Champions of Courage National Award
Consortium of MS Centers Lifetime Achievement Award
AB Baker Lecturer, University of Minnesota

In 2008 Dr. Schapiro retired from clinical practice to lecture and educate about MS on a national basis. He continues to support Can Do MS’s mission, programs, and helping those living with MS.

Mark joined Can Do Multiple Sclerosis as a board member in May 2008 after serving on the Nominations Committee. Mark continues to chair the Nominations Committee. Mark became involved with the Can Do MS through his wife Mary Lenling, who has been a Staff Member Occupational Therapist for the Can Do MS for the past 25 years.

Mark has volunteered for a number of local Vertical Express for MS events while living in Minnesota. Mark, Mary and their son Carl currently live in Tower Lakes, Illinois.
Mark has his Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Wisconsin Madison in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling.

Mark’s career started as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor which led to disability case management at a large division of FMC Corporation. He has served in top Human Resource leadership positions for both international and medical institutions. Currently, Mark is the Corporate Director of Human Resources for Golden County Foods Holdings Inc., a premier food manufacturing company located in Chicago, IL.

As an active community volunteer, Mark has been a Board member and Past President of the Tower Lakes Improvement Association. He is frequently a guest speaker at the Career Place, nonprofit assisting unemployed individuals in the Barrington area. He has been a volunteer with the U.S. Park’s Department archeological team at Cinnamon Bay, St. Johns USVI, Habitat for Humanity, and the Building Team at Willow Creek Community Church.

Mary Mark and Carl have hosted 4 exchange student from Germany, Switzerland, Chile and Brazil as well as acting as transitional “parent’s” for a number of AFS and Rotary exchange students. .

Mark is an avid bicyclist. He continues to be active in Carl’s sports and school activities. He also loves gardening with his wife, cross country and downhill skiing, snorkeling in the Virgin Islands and family travel.

Kate Togneri joined Can Do Multiple Sclerosis’s Board of Directors in April of 2010.

Kate was born and raised in Oakland, California. Growing up she was active in theater, ultimately earning a degree from San Francisco State University in Theater Arts, specifically in technical lighting and sound design. Professionally, Kate has worked on a variety of projects as a technician and a project manager, building and operating submersibles and underwater robots. Many of these research projects brought unique travel opportunities and experiences, including two trips to Antarctica where she managed outpost communications sites for the National Science Foundation.

Adventurous outdoor activity and travel remain important passions for Kate. Since being diagnosed with MS at the age of 18, Kate has strived to maintain an active lifestyle, despite the challenges MS presents. Since 2008, Kate has participated in fundraisers and charity events for Can Do MS, formerly the Heuga Center for Multiple Sclerosis. Kate has also been involved with the National MS Society by participating in walks, bike rides, and serving on various outreach panels.

When not traveling, Kate enjoys walking the Bay Trail in Jack London Square and hiking the mountains of Northern California with her family.