The Epilepsy Foundation announced today that Philip M. Gattone, M.Ed., is stepping down from his position as president and chief executive officer of the Epilepsy Foundation effective December 31, 2019.
| LANDOVER, Md., Dec. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Epilepsy Foundation announced today that Philip M. Gattone, M.Ed., is stepping down from his position as president and chief executive officer of the Epilepsy Foundation effective December 31, 2019. Robert W. Smith, chair of the Epilepsy Foundation’s Board of Directors, will serve as interim CEO, effective January 1, 2020.
“It’s been a privilege to spend the last 18 years of my career with the Epilepsy Foundation, and eight of those years as its president and CEO,” said Gattone. “I have had the honor of working with so many talented people at all levels of the organization who selflessly give their time, talent and resources to have an impact and meet the needs of people with epilepsy in communities around the country. Together, we have established many nationwide initiatives and expanded our footprint to create awareness and encourage others to join our fight to END EPILEPSY®. It’s truly been the most incredible privilege to be the captain of this team, and I will treasure every moment of this chapter in my life.” The Epilepsy Foundation expanded under Gattone’s leadership. In 2013, he led the Foundation’s merger with the Epilepsy Therapy Project, which helped to establish the largest and most comprehensive digital hub in the world for seizure information and education — epilepsy.com. In addition, he helped establish the SUDEP Institute and Wellness Institute, and expanded the Kids Crew program to further advance the Foundation’s impact and fuel its mission. Gattone also presided over the Epilepsy Foundation’s merger with affiliates such as Arizona, Greater Los Angeles, and the Northwest, and established new chapters in underserved regions. This strengthened the Epilepsy Foundation as the largest national network organization with 20 chapters and 29 affiliates throughout the United States. As part of the 2018 merger with Greater Los Angeles, the Epilepsy Foundation adopted the Walk to END EPILEPSY® and the Care & Cure Institute and is expanding these nationwide. During Gattone’s tenure, the Epilepsy Foundation also invested in developing and launching a long-term, unifying nationwide campaign, “Let’s Use Our Brains to END EPILEPSY,” which reinforces that the brain is the source of epilepsy and uses personal stories to reinforce the importance and urgency of the cause. As a result of Gattone’s leadership, END EPILEPSY is now the organization’s vision and north star. “Phil’s relentless dedication, steadfast commitment and leadership have served the Epilepsy Foundation well these past eight years,” said Smith. “We are extremely grateful to him for helping to evolve the Foundation from a reliable source of support for people with epilepsy, to a proactive organization that seeks to meet the changing needs of our epilepsy community through advocacy, research, education, access to care and community services. We will miss Phil tremendously and wish him all the best in the next chapter of his life.” Gattone is leaving the Foundation with a strong leadership team and Board of Directors who are ready to finalize and implement the organization’s new 2025 strategic plan. “It is a critical time for the Epilepsy Foundation and our community as we put the brain front-and-center to fuel awareness and build upon our nationwide network of partners to optimize care, advocacy, research and education in the fight to END EPILEPSY,” said Bradley P. Boyer, Esq., incoming chair of the Board of Directors. “As we move our new strategic plan forward, we are looking for a visionary leader who understands and embraces the significance of our mission, can help mobilize action together and expand our impact, and who can fortify our values of passion, commitment to excellence, leadership, partnership, diversity, inclusiveness and integrity.” The Foundation’s Board of Directors has enlisted Odgers Berndtson to lead the national search for a permanent CEO. Odgers Berndtson has decades of experience attracting highly regarded, nationally and internationally recognized leaders who effect positive change and growth into mission-focused organizations. For more information about the position, nominations and expressions of interest, please contact Odgers Berndtson at EF.CEO@odgersberndtson.com. About Epilepsy About the Epilepsy Foundation
SOURCE Epilepsy Foundation |
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