Chairperson of the National Scientific Advisory Board
Officers and Members of the Board of Directors
Advisors to the Board

Stanley M. Finger, Ph.D. - Chairman of the Board

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Dr. Finger also is a member of AARDA Advocacy Committee which he served as Founding Chair. He was a co-founder of AARDA Mid-Atlantic Affiliate.

Dr. Finger, a Registered Environmental Manager and fellow of the American Institute of Chemists, is an adjunct professor on the staff of Johns Hopkins University. He is listed in Who's Who in Engineering. Dr. Finger is president of Environmental Consulting and Investigations, Inc., based in Bluffton, South Carolina, and is a senior consultant to Geo-Centers, Inc.

Dr. Finger is AARDA representative to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Autoimmune Disease Coordinating Committee (ADCC) and the National Coalition of Autoimmune Patient Groups (NCAPG). He is also on the National Board of Directors of the Johns Hopkins University Autoimmune Disease Research Center. Dr. Finger chaired one of the four Working Groups that drafted the NIH Autoimmune Diseases Research Plan.

Dr. Finger received a Distinguished Layperson Award from the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies and a Pratt Institute Alumni Achievement Award recognizing his contributions toward advancing autoimmune disease research, education and awareness.

Noel R. Rose, M.D., Ph.D. - Chairman Emeritus, Scientific Advisory Board

Dr. Rose is Chairman Emeritus of the AARDA National Scientific Advisory Board and is a frequent lecturer for the organization. At the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, he holds the following positions: member of the Active Staff; Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Autoimmune Disease Research; Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Autoimmune Diseases at The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health; Professor of Pathology and of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health; Director, JHU Immunology Reference and Research Laboratory at The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health; and Professor of Medicine, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Dr. Rose has received honors and awards from France, Switzerland, Great Britain, Australia, Italy, Israel, and the United States. He has presented lectures and accepted visiting professorship positions in Scotland, Venezuela, Chile, Israel, and several locations in the United States.

Dr. Rose has had published 540+ articles and chapters in the areas of immunology, immunopathology, autoimmunity, and autoimmune diseases. In addition, he is the editor and/or coeditor of 17 books on similar topics. He has seen service on several national, state and local committees, the most current being the Global Epidemiology Working Group, USAMRIID. At various times, he has served on 28 committees at the Johns Hopkins University and remains active on several of those committees at the present time.

Virginia T. Ladd, R.T. - President and Executive Director

Virginia Ladd is President and Executive Director of the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc. (AARDA), an organization that she founded in order to bring a national focus to autoimmunity and increase collaboration in research, education, awareness, and advocacy programs. She has been involved in the nonprofit community for over 30 years as a patient advocate and educator. Mrs. Ladd served as president and executive director of the Lupus Foundation of America.

As an AARDA representative, Mrs. Ladd was instrumental in bringing about a Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus briefing on autoimmunity and has taken an active role in health care reform. She is one of the founders of the Michigan-based Chronic Illness Awareness Coalition (CIAC).

Mrs. Ladd was also instrumental in the formation of the International Alliance of Patients Organizations (IAPO), which is dedicated to advocacy for patient centered health care, and is a member of its board of directors. For the Fourth Annual Congress on Women Health, held June 1996, in Washington, D.C., she organized and facilitated a physician panel presentation on Autoimmune Diseases in Women. She is a past member of the board of directors of the National Health Council. She is a past member of the editorial board of The Patients Network, an international newsletter, and also is a member of the Board of Contributors of the Chicago-based Institute for Voluntary Organizations U.S.A. Mrs. Ladd was responsible for the formation of the National Coalition of Autoimmune Patient Groups (NCAPG) and continues in a leadership role.

Mrs. Ladd participated in the Second European Conference on Health Care, in Paris, France, and was an invited guest and speaker to the Fourth International Conference on Health Promotion, in Jakarta, Indonesia, sponsored by the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health, Republic of Indonesia. Mrs. Ladd addressed the United Nations in March 2000 at a meeting organized by AARDA along with the Global Alliance for Women Health (GAWH), entitled Women and Autoimmune Diseases: Gender and Biological Perspective, featuring internationally known researchers, as part of the UN Commission on the Status of Women 2000. She made an appearance on NBC Today Show. Mrs. Ladd is presently serving on the board of directors of the UN NGO Health Committee.

Mrs. Ladd serves on several committees of the National Institutes of Health, including the Autoimmune Diseases Coordinating Committee; the Public Interest Committee for the National Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood; the Public Interest Group for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; and the Panel of Experts for the NIH Autoimmune Diseases Research Plan. She also serves on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases Registry expert panel on autoimmune diseases. In honor of her many years of volunteer service, Mrs. Ladd was a 1995 Jefferson Award Honoree of the American Institute for Public Service with recognition at the national level.

She was responsible for the progress report Environmental Triggers of Autoimmune Disease, prepared by the Johns Hopkins Center for Autoimmune Diseases Research and the PAHO/WHO collaborating Center for Autoimmune Disorders.

Robert Meyer, CPA - Treasurer

Mr. Meyer, a charter member of AARDA Board of Directors and immediate past Chairman of the Board, currently serves as Treasurer of the Association. He also serves on AARDA Corporate Advisory Committee and the National Resource Development Committee for AARDA.

Mr. Meyer is president of Fort Wayne Insurances Services, Inc., in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Marianne Shoecraft

Mrs. Shoecraft, a resident of New York State, has shown herself to be a strong supporter of the goals of AARDA; and through fund raising in memory of her husband, she has made a significant contribution to autoimmune research. She comments, After watching my husband suffer with so many autoimmune related diseases for so long, I feel that I am compelled to help in whatever capacity I can. Mrs. Shoecrafts organizational and leadership skills are of great value in her role of AARDA Board member.

John G. Voeller, P.E.

Mr. Voeller is a resident of Kansas. He is an ASME White House Fellow and serves as DHS Representative, National Science and Technology Council, in the office of the President, Washington, DC. He holds the positions of CKO, CTO, and Senior Vice President of Black & Veatch Corporation, a global engineering, consulting, and construction company with more than 90 offices worldwide. Mr. Voeller brings to the AARDA Board a knowledge of autoimmune diseases and the groups that support those afflicted with the diseases. He also brings knowledge of government and industry and the building of bridges that can help NGOs. Mr. Voeller is an effective spokesperson for autoimmunity as he has the ability to explain complex systems to others in ways they can understand and embrace to become advocates.

Howard E. Hagon

Mr. Hagon is the retired founder and President of the medical supply firm Contour Medical, of Michigan and Florida. With a broad understanding of business practices, including marketing, and with a strong personal interest in autoimmune diseases, Mr. Hagon is a valued member of the Board. He currently divides his time between Florida and Michigan.

John McCarthy Ph.D.

A graduate of Wayne State University, Detroit, Dr. McCarthy has a doctorate degree in psychology with a cognate interest in biopsychology. He plans to continue work with persons diagnosed with autoimmune illnesses in hopes of identifying psychological factors affecting the course of autiommune diseases as well as those factors confounding diagnosis and doctor-patient communications. Dr. McCarthy is a psychologist with the Adult Community Outreach, The Guidance Center, in Southgate, Michigan, and is a member of the Adjunct Faculty, Department of Theoretical & Behavioral Foundations, Human Developmental Psychology, at Wayne State University, in Detroit, Michigan

Dr. McCarthy has a history of involvement in philanthropic organizations, having served on many boards and advisory committees at both city and state levels. He has been a guest lecturer at the Michigan State University School of Restaurant Management, and has written restaurant reviews for a number of publications.

Dr. McCarthy was a past owner of one of Detroit most visible and elegant restaurants, The Whitney, which for the past several years has been the setting for many of AARDA fundraising events.

Edward K. Christian-Advisor to the Board

A past member of the Board, Mr. Christian serves as a nonvoting advisor to the Board of Directors of the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association. He is Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Saga Communications, based in Grosse Pointe Farms (Greater Detroit), Michigan, which owns radio stations in Virginia, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Missouri, Washington, and South Dakota. Mr. Christian was named a 1996 Entrepreneur of the Year" by Crain Detroit Business. He is a board member of the John Bayliss Scholarship Foundation.

Abby Bernstein

Ms. Bernstein, an autoimmune patient herself, has spent most of her professional career as a registered lobbyist for the Professional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS), an aviation union that represents technical employees at the Federal Aviation Administration. Through her work, she has gained experience not only in lobbying but also in resource development.

Since the inception of AARDA Advocacy Committee, Ms. Bernstein has been an active member of the Advocacy Committee and continues her involvement as the Chair of that committee.

Michelle Ouellet - Secretary

Having a personal interest in autoimmune diseases, Ms. Ouellet has volunteered with AARDA for more than ten years, not only as a member of the Advocacy Committee but also as a Co-Founder and President of AARDA Mid-Atlantic Affiliate. She continues those assignments while carrying out AARDA Board responsibilities.

Ms. Ouellet is Program Manager with of CACI International, in Arlington, Virginia. She has strong management and leadership skills as well as federal government budget and funding experience which Ms. Ouellet utilizes in providing guidance to AARDA in resource development areas.

T. Stephen Balch, M.D.

Dr. Balch, a former chief medical resident at Emory University Hospital, is Medical Director of the Jacquelyn McClure Lupus Treatment Center, at The Center for Specialty Medicine, in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2002, The Jacquelyn McClure Lupus Center expanded to become Patient School, whose goal is to provide medical information in a more meaningful fashion to media consultants of large medical organizations.

Dr. Balch has been interested in patient education for over 30 years. He served the Lupus Foundation of America as chairman of its education program for approximately ten years and as a member of its Board of Directors for six years. During that time, publications included a series on the effect of patient education on patient care that is still in use today. For two years, Dr. Balch held a position at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Research Centers. He was appointed to the Health Education Affinity Group of the National Health Council and served as its Chairman.

Over the past ten years, Dr. Balch interests have gravitated to autoimmune disorders in general as a precursor to more specific autoimmune diseases. He continues to watch this focus as a fund raiser and developer of patient education material. Dr. Balch is Board Certified from the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians. He is licensed to practice medicine in the state of Georgia.

Betty Diamond, M.D. - Chair, Scientific Advisory Board

Betty Diamond, M.D., is the Chair of AARDA Scientific Advisory Board, which she joined in December 2002. Dr. Diamond is currently Professor of Medicine and Biology, Department of Medicine, at Columbia University, in New York.

Dr. Diamond received an M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1973. She performed a residency in Internal Medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and then a post-doctoral fellowship in Immunology with Dr. Matthew Scharff at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she was a faculty member.

Dr. Diamond research has focused on the induction and pathogenicity of anti-DNA antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Her laboratory has been involved in studies of sex hormone influences on autoimmunity and mechanisms of central nervous system pathology in SLE.

Dr. Diamond received the Outstanding Investigator Award of the American College of Rheumatology in 2001 and the Lee Howley Award from the Arthritis Foundation in 2002.

Jeanne Scoby

Mrs. Scoby, who resides in Glenview, Illinois, is an active community volunteer and fund raiser. She and her husband Joseph have proved their dedication to the autoimmune cause over the years through their highly effective fund raisers on behalf of AARDA. In addition, they are major donors to the autoimmune liver disease research program being supported by AARDA at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Autoimmune Disease Research, under the direction of Dr. Noel Rose.

The Scobys are the parents of four children, the oldest of whom has autoimmune hepatitis. Mrs. Scoby says, "As the mother of a child who suffers from a serious autoimmune disease, I believe I can offer a firsthand perspective of what autoimmune diseases are and how they can affect a person life."

Through her background in community service and leadership, Mrs. Scoby brings to the Board a great deal of organizational experience and dedication that is serving the autoimmune cause well.

Bozena Leven, Ph.D.

Dr. Leven, an economist, is an associate professor at The College of New Jersey, Trenton, New Jersey. She serves as a consultant to Greenwich Associates. Dr. Leven brings a wealth of experience as a speaker, presenter, and panel moderator in national and international conferences. Also, she has had many articles published in refereed journals and is an author and reviewer of a large number of books and other writings.

Dr. Leven brings a personal interest in autoimmunity to AARDA. She believes deeply in AARDA mission and has worked directly with AARDA Advocacy Committee in lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill to secure funding for autoimmune diseases.

William Conrad, Ph.D.-Advisor to the Board

Dr. Conrad is President of the Institute for Voluntary Organizations, Downers Grove (Greater Chicago), Illinois, a consumer-oriented management firm. Through the Voluntary Management Press, a subsidiary of the Institute for Voluntary Organizations USA, Dr. Conrad and his staff produce printed materials on a variety of topics vital to the management of consumer-based associations.

James E. Zehnpfennig, Esq.-Advisor to the Board

Mr. Zehnpfennig, attorney at law, in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, serves as legal advisor to AARDA. He also designed AARDA Web site and continues as Web master.