PANDAS/PANS Advisory Council Members

Council members

State ex-officio member

  • Elaine Gabovitch, MPA
    PANDAS/PANS Advisory Council Chair | Commissioner’s Designee
    Director, Division for Children & Youth with Special Health Needs
    Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Public members

All Advisory Council members have lived experience caring for a family member with PANDAS/PANS or professional experience treating or working with people with PANDAS/PANS.

Council member seats are listed below as they appear in the legislation.

Council MemberAffiliationCouncil Seat
Margaret Chapman, APRN, MSN, PNMHCNSBridge ConsultantsChild psychiatric practitioner
Karen ColwellMassachusetts Coalition for PANDAS/PANS LegislationAppointed council member
Sylvia Fogel MDMass General Hospital Lurie Center for Autism
Harvard Medical School
Appointed council member
John Gaitanis, MDTufts Medical Center Floating Hospital for ChildrenHealth care provider/medical specialist
Sheilah Gauch, LICSW, MEd
PANDAS/PANS Advisory Council Co-Facilitator
Dearborn Academy
Massachusetts Coalition for PANDAS/PANS Legislation
Special Educator Administrator
Melissa Glynn-Hyman, LICSWPrivate Practice
New England PANS/PANDAS Association
Licensed social worker
Lisa GrisoliaNew England PANS/PANDAS AssociationRepresentative of a Massachusetts non-profit PANDAS/PANS Advocacy Organization.
Kelli A. Kennedy, MD, FAAPHealthcare South Hanover Pediatrics Pediatrician, Shareholder
Kathleen Maher, MS-PHNA, RNMassachusetts School Nurse OrganizationRepresentative of a professional organization in this State for school nurses.
Mark Pasternack, MDMassachusetts General Hospital for ChildrenPhysician specializing in infectious diseases
Michelle Pinto, RNWorcester State University
Massachusetts Coalition for PANDAS/PANS Legislation
Parent of a child with PANDAS/PANS
Blake Poggi, MA, CCC-SLPMending Minds Foundation for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Post-infectious Neuroimmune DisordersAppointed council member
Jennifer M. Vitelli, MBA
PANDAS/PANS Advisory Council Co-Facilitator
JBC PANS & PANDAS Foundation
Massachusetts Coalition for PANDAS/PANS Legislation
Parent of a child with PANDAS/PANS
Kyle Williams, MD, PhDMassachusetts General Hospital
MGH Lurie Center for Autism
Medical researcher
Yujuan (Julia) Zhang, MDTufts Children’s HospitalHealth care provider/medical specialist

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