Turner Syndrome FoundationThe Board of Trustees are a group of diverse professionals, some of whom have a family connection with Turner Syndrome. Their role of governance and fiscal responsibility are integral to the sustainability of programs developed to achieve and further the social impact of this women’s health initiative.
Meet the Board of Trustees for Turner Syndrome Foundation
Laura Fasciano
Suzanne Bousquet, Ph.D
Danielle Moore, Ph.D.
Dawn Petr, M.Eng.
Doreen Sullivan
Lori Kobular
Janis Elwell
Kayla Ganger, PA-C
Director and Founding President
Laura Fasciano
Trustee, Director and Founding President
Laura Fasciano is Director and Founding President of the Turner Syndrome Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit organization founded upon the principals of advancing communications, supporting research initiatives, and providing transformative resources to professionals.
Laura has corporate and entrepreneurial experience specializing in administration and business management in the information technology and construction sector. She earned a certificate at The Institute for Ethical Leadership at Rutgers Business School for nonprofit leaders.
Following a late diagnosis of her youngest child, she organized the Turner Syndrome NJ Chapter in 2008. In December 2009, the entity reorganized and incorporated as the Turner Syndrome Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, with a vision to mainstream this lifetime condition to improve quality care outcomes.
Her commitment and innovative approach have gained momentum and national support. She organized an esteemed medical advisory board and executive board of directors. Since the inception of this project in 2008, Laura has successfully facilitated information conferences, media coverage, monthly electronic newsletters, a website, blog and social networking arenas, exhibited at state and international conferences, established fundraising campaigns, and continues to support research and provide support to those affected by Turner Syndrome.
In 2010, Team TSF was organized as a national awareness campaign to reduce the age of diagnosis, and a community of support for Turner Syndrome.
In 2011, shortly after a request for increased activity from the medical advisory board, she trekked to Washington, D.C. declaring the needs of people with Turner Syndrome. She frequently visits, writes and speaks with legislatures and industry about issues to improve care and life outcomes of individuals and families affected by this disorder. In September, Laura was honored to present “An Advocates Perspective: Translation of Care Guidelines” as invited faculty at the Winthrop University Hospital International Symposium on Turner Syndrome.
In 2012, a professionally documented film entitled, “The Importance of Early Diagnosis of Turner Syndrome” was created through a fully funded grant from Genentech featuring Dr. Henry Anhalt, DO and a family diagnosed before birth.
In 2013 collaborated with AACE and Scherer Clinical Communications to create an online learning activity (CME) entitled, “Identifying and Managing Care of Girls with Turner Syndrome” that yielded over 27,000 learners on Medscape. This activity was fully funded by Novo Nordisk. Lead the charge to Declare the month of February as Turner Syndrome awareness month signed into law by NJ Gov. Chris Christie. Spoke on pediatric grand rounds at Jersey Shore University Medical Center and Riverview Medical Center Meridian Hospital.
In 2014, she contributed to the Endocrine Society’s Hormone Health Network, Transitions Task Force, and faculty at a national stakeholders conference for the proposed Turner Resource Network.
Director of Education and Professional Development
Suzanne Bousquet, Ph.D.
Trustee, Secretary
Director of Education and Professional Development
Suzanne G. Bousquet received her Ph.D. in cognitive psychology at Rutgers University in 1982. In 1984, she joined the faculty at Kean University (then Kean College of New Jersey), where she is Associate Provost for Academic Affairs. In addition to serving on the faculty, her previous roles include Chairperson and Executive Director of the School of Psychology. At Kean University, Suzanne has taught undergraduate courses in cognition (memory processes), perception (vision and audition), and statistics. At the graduate level, she has taught research methods. Suzanne has received university and state awards for her teaching and service. Suzanne’s published research includes studies of visual illusions and the perception of time, and she has collaborated on projects on the psychology of aesthetics and issues of academic integrity. In her early career at Kean, Suzanne served as the first faculty Director of Learning Assistance, and helped establish a variety of student academic services to support the academic success of students with diverse learning styles and needs.
Director of Scientific Affairs
Danielle Moore, Ph.D.
Trustee, Director of Scientific Affairs
Danielle Moore grew up in central New Jersey and graduated from Drew University in Madison New Jersey in 2004. She received her doctorate in biomedical science from the University of Connecticut in 2009, and she has extensive research experience in endocrinology, neurology, and psychiatry. She continued to pursue basic research through additional postdoctoral training at Duke University Medical Center in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and within the Neuroendocrine and Mouse Behavioral Core Facility. Most currently, she expanded her skills from basic research into regulated clinical research and is now certified as a clinical research associate by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. Danielle has combined unique experiences with all stages of research: cells and tissues in petri dishes, animal physiology and behavior, and most recently Phase III clinical trials.
Danielle is deeply passionate about creating transparent communication between patients, doctors, and scientists, as well as improving science education. As a result, she is thrilled and excited to pour her scientific training and expertise to help create and encourage research opportunities within the Turner Syndrome Foundation.
Dawn Petr, M.Eng.
Trustee, Technical Support
Dawn Petr earned a Master of Engineering in Computer Science from Cornell University and a B.S. in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She worked in the telephony and software consulting industries for several years, architecting, developing and testing software for several years. Her positions required project management and leadership skills in addition to technical knowledge and the ability to write comprehendible detailed technical documents for proposals and as product references. Two patents were granted for collaborative efforts during her stint as an “in-house” consultant for Bell Communications Research.
After a break of many years to be “Mom”, she began volunteering part time for the Turner Syndrome Foundation. Dawn now devotes a substantial amount of time implementing technical systems to facilitate the operations of TSF. Since she began volunteering two years ago, she has done the following:
Introduced and administered additional organizational and cooperative methods using solutions such as Huddle
Designed a data model and configured Salesforce to track and manage the foundation’s contacts
Cleaned, standardized and imported existing data from several sources
Assisted in operational process definition with an eye to automating as much as possible.
Integrated apps such as Click & Pledge and Campaign Monitor with Salesforce to perform auxiliary functions.
Served on the Executive Board as Treasurer, attending board meetings, a biobanking bootcamp at Genetic Alliance and the 2014 Turner Resource Network Symposium.
Dawn resides in NJ with her husband of 20 years and their two teenage sons.
Doreen Sullivan
Trustee, Treasurer, Fundraising
My late husband, Gary, was a founding board trustee of the Turner Syndrome Foundation. Over the years I actively volunteered by his side and have since filled his position as trustee upon his passing. As a volunteer, I have co-chaired the Annual Holiday Party, participated in New Jersey Marathon at part of the team, attending numerous programs and helped other families in support of this mission.
Currently, I am pursuing a career in Real Estate. I Graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a Business Degree and held a ten year career as a children’s wear buyer for a large retail chain. I owned my own consignment shop when I met my dear husband Gary. We were blessed with two incredible children. I then was a stay at home mom and caretaker to my husband when he became ill. I am sure He is incredibly proud of our children Paul, and Olivia, a 14 year old with TS. We believe these females are so incredibly special. Gary would be very proud of all that the Foundation has accomplished. Thank you for this honor.
Lori Kobular
Trustee, Fundraising
I am interested in TSF because my oldest daughter was born with TS and she has learning disabilities, behavior issues and loads of medical issues due to TS. I worked at Merrill Lynch as a Sales Assistant before I had my daughter, Julie. Once I had Julie I chose to be a stay at home Mom so that I could take her to Early Intervention and Gymnastics. While Julie and Jenna, my second daughter, grew up, I became an active Girl Scout Leader.
Since I discovered TSF, I held a Scrapbooking Fund Raising Event on March 31, 2018 all the money raised was donated to TSF.
In February 2019 I held my first on-line “It’s A Girl Thing” Turner Syndrome Awareness Blog Hop, which now occurs annually during Turner Syndrome Awareness Month. In the first year, over 40 Card Designers participated by making cards to show support for TSF and TS Awareness. I had Card Designers from all over the world join me in spreading awareness on-line. I also sell cards on my Facebook Page, Cards for Charity, with all the money being donated to TSF. It is my personal mission to bring as much awareness of TS to everyone so that the medical field will do more research on the life long affects that TS has on girls and women.
Janis Elwell
Trustee, Client Services
Janis Elwell has been a Turner Syndrome Foundation volunteer since January of 2019. Her degree in Computer Science and experience in Executive Administrative roles have contributed greatly to data management. As a longtime volunteer in her community, Janis brings the perspective of our invaluable volunteers to the TSF Board. Janis aims to raise awareness of Turner Syndrome throughout her community and beyond.
Kayla M. Ganger, PA-C
Trustee, Professional Member Liaison, TS Women In Medicine
Kayla graduated from Houghton College with a BS in Biology and then completed a Master of Health Science through Lock Haven University PA program. She has worked as an NCCPA board certified PA-C at Family Practice Center in New Cumberland PA since 2019. She enjoys caring for patients holistically and how the complexity of family medicine involves all areas of the patient’s health. Kayla is currently a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants, and Pi Alpha, the National Honor Society for Physician Assistants. She is also a professional member of the Turner Syndrome Foundation. Interestingly, she also has a publication on protein levels in freshwater fish in Ecology and Evolution. Kayla is thankful for the work that TSF does on behalf of the TS community and is happy to join them in their cause.
