The board of advisors for the departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery works to advance treatment and research for areas such as new diagnostics and therapeutic modalities, better outcomes for patients, and revolutionary care for brain and spine conditions as well as other acute neurological diseases.
JIM CASEY
Senior Product Manager, Google
Jim is a senior product manager responsible for defining the vision and strategy for Gmail’s trust and security features for 2.5 billion users. Jim has over 25 years of experience in technology, having held executive and leadership roles at several startups and big tech companies. Jim has extensive international experience; a reputation for building diverse, innovative teams; and an understanding of how technology can be most effectively applied to improve the lives of people. He has been featured as a keynote speaker at industry events in Europe and the U.S. and has authored several articles and a book on automation technology.
In addition to his professional achievements, Jim is actively involved with several nonprofits as a member of the board of trustees for the National MS Society South Central Region, a member of the Neurology/Neurosurgery Advisory Board at Dell Medical School, and a member of Google’s Disability Alliance. He also serves as a board member for Meat Fight, a nonprofit he helped create to serve individuals living with Multiple Sclerosis.
LAUREL D’ANTONI
Sports Marketing Consultant
Laurel is a retired sports marketing consultant whose clients included the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the International Olympic Committee, the Italian Basketball League, the NBA and various Italian Basketball teams. She also hosted a weekly segment on an Italian television network which highlighted Italian Women’s Professional basketball and Italian Wheelchair Basketball leagues. Over the last 20 years she has focused her attention on work with NBA teams and helped integrate and network player families into their new communities. She coordinated the Phoenix Suns Women’s Organization and the Houston Rockets Women’s Organization, both of which were recognized for their work with literacy programs in their cities.
A long-time community advocate, Laurel has chaired many fundraising events and helped raise visibility for nonprofits such as the SBP Disaster Relief Agency (Hurricane Harvey), the East Harris County Empowerment Council, Career Gear Houston, Florence Crittenton Girls Program for at-risk girls, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation and the National MS Society. She is a founding member of B- Search, a philanthropic cooperative which funds scientific research in the field of breast cancer, and she is a member of the of the Neurology/Neurosurgery Advisory Board at UT Austin’s Dell Medical School.
SIMA FAMILANT
Private Curator, Art Advisor
Since receiving her MA in Postwar and Contemporary Art from Sotheby’s Institute in London, Sima Familant has been integrally involved in building important collections of contemporary art. Sima began her professional career in Washington DC, followed by directorships at art galleries in New York City, both in Chelsea, at a time when it was becoming an art neighborhood in the late 1990s, and later, on Fifth Avenue, where she had exposure to estates and secondary market material. She curated several critically acclaimed exhibitions of emerging and established artists, worked with primary artists, clients, museums, estates and auction houses.
Her time in galleries allowed her to develop relationships with many collectors. This eventually led to the creation of her own art advisory company in 2006, Sima Familant: Private Curator & Art Advisor, to meet the best needs of today’s sophisticated collectors as she helped them establish a curatorial vision and oversaw all aspects of their collections.
Also, Sima’s relationships with an international group of dealers, curators, critics, and artists allow her to provide comprehensive education and guidance to collectors, in addition to granting her access to the best works. By focusing on a select group of serious collectors, Sima provides a full range of services and guidance that draw on her gallery experience and is unlimited in artistic scope and geography.
Her latest public project, The Lobby, at the Ellen Browning Building in Portland OR, allows Sima’s private advising to encompass a public curatorial project. Here Sima curates from her client’s private collection, which she advised and curated, to an exhibition space that is open and free of charge to the public.
COLEMAN FUNG
CEO, BlueGoji
Coleman is an adventure/fine art photographer, a venture philanthropist, and a serial entrepreneur. He has founded and co- founded three successful companies: Open Link Financial, iota biosciences, and Blue Goji. He is currently the CEO of BlueGoji, a company that is alchemizing gaming, Virtual Reality, cardio equipment, neuro/physio modulation/simulation, data analytics, and cloud computing into an unprecedented software-hardware platform: supporting Embodied Gaming and eSports as well as promoting Embodied Health for users of all ages and abilities.
Coleman is the chair and the benefactor of the Coleman Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership at UC Berkeley College of Engineering. He holds a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering/Operations Research from the University of California, Berkeley. Coleman also served in the US Army.
JIM GRAHAM
Director of Investments, RBP Catalyst Fund
Jim Graham is Director of Investments at RBP Catalyst Fund. Jim has twenty years of experience in life sciences finance, commercialization and entrepreneurship. He started his career in the West Coast office of Alex Brown and worked at Biogen before moving to the Boston office of McKinsey in the Pharmaceutical and Medical Products practice — serving global pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device clients. More recently, Jim was a principal at Santé Ventures, a life sciences investment firm and an operating partner with a Texas- based family office.
Jim earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences with Honors from Stanford University, an S.M. in Biomedical Sciences from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST) and an MBA from MIT Sloan. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Jim is the parent of a child with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a rare epilepsy, and served two terms on the Board of Epilepsy Foundation Texas.
SHELENA C. LALJI, M.D, FACOG
Founder, Dr. Shel Wellness & Aesthetic Center
Dr. Shelena C. Lalji is owner and founder of Dr. Shel Wellness & Aesthetic Center in Sugar Land. An honors graduate of Emory University in Atlanta Georgia, Dr. Shel is a board- certified OB/GYN with extensive experience in functional medicine, aesthetics, and regenerative treatments. After 13 years of practicing traditional OB/GYN, she felt compelled to treat them with a root cause and holistic approach. In 2006, she founded Dr. Shel Wellness & Aesthetic Center which combines the art of aesthetics with the science of wellness. Dr. Shel is a sought-after international speaker, media expert and trainer for other
physicians around the world. She is also the author of an inspiring book called I Am Woman: Our Journeys to Health, Happiness, and Harmony.
As an advocate for wellness and a dedicated member of many charitable institutions, Dr. Shel has held several volunteer positions in various organizations, including the American Cancer Society Leadership Council and The Partnership for Baylor College of Medicine. She has also worked with a myriad of neurodegenerative research and advocacy projects, child advocacy groups, and women’s empowerment groups in voluntary capacities.
In November 2017, Dr. Shel’s husband, Dr. Ayeez Lalji, was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Dr. Shel, alongside her family, turned it into a mission and created The Lalji ALS Foundation Among other initiatives,the Lalji ALS Foundation gives an Annual ALS Repair & Regeneration Award in collaboration with Mass General & Healey Center for ALS. She is also a strong advocate for caregivers and families who are deeply affected. Because of her belief in a strongly balanced life, Dr. Shel enjoys her many roles as physician, patient advocate, entrepreneur, caregiver, loving wife, and devoted mother to her two beautiful children, Zoe and Zade.
LYNN MEREDITH
President, MFI Foundation
Lynn Meredith has been a member of the Austin community for three decades. Throughout her time in Austin, Lynn’s work has focused on serving the community by participating as a board member and spearheading philanthropic projects. As the president of her family’s foundation, Lynn partners with non-profits that address basic and essential needs within the Austin community. Lynn also serves on the ECHO board, which strives to end homelessness through dynamic, proactive leadership collaborating with policymakers and the Austin community at large. Since 2019, Lynn has been deeply engaged with a broad and diverse group of Austinites working to plan and convene a virtual Summit to develop strategies, create an implementation plan, and foster an investment design to end unsheltered homelessness in Austin.
At home, Lynn is a news, and longform journalism junkie who enjoys attending symposiums and conferences to learn and share thoughts, perspectives, and ambitions. She believes that conversation, kindness, hospitality, and inclusion are critical to building a strong, inclusive, and diverse community in Austin.
GREG MOORE
Chairman of the Board, Texas Roadhouse
Greg Moore is an executive and board chairman of Texas Roadhouse, based in Austin. He received a bachelors in accounting from UT Austin and a MBA in finance from St. John’s University. Mr. Moore served as the Senior Vice President of Yum! Brands, Inc., the worldwide parent company of Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut until his retirement in 2005. He previously served as general auditor of Yum! Brands. Before that, he was with PepsiCo, Inc. and held the position of Vice President, Wines & Spirits.
Before joining PepsiCo, he was an auditor with Arthur Young & Company in its New York City offices. Mr. Moore is a certified public accountant in the States of New York and California. In July 2011, Mr. Moore joined the board of Newegg Commerce, an online retailer specializing in computer equipment and serves as the chairman of the auditing committee. In 2021, he was elected to be the new board chairman of Texas Roadhouse.
GRIFFIN MULCAHEY
Co-Founder, Chief Compliance Officer, Wheel Health
Griffin Mulcahey is Co-Founder and Chief Compliance Officer of Wheel, a telehealth service that provides virtual care programs to consumer and digital health brands. He received a bachelors in economics from Purdue University in 2006, a a juris doctor in healthcare and business law from Indiana University in 2009. He served as a law associate at the Champaign firm Epstein Becker & Green from 2012 to 2015 before moving to Austin and joining Medici Health as VP of strategy & general counsel until his departure in 2017. In 2015, he was COO and general counsel to Enzyme Health, a telehealth startup before it’s rebranding to Wheel in 2017 where has served as founder and chief compliance officer since.
Mulcahey has served as a guest lecturer in health informatics and health IT at the McCombs School of Business since 2018. He co-founded the American Academy of Nurse Entrepreneurs in 2017. He is a certified yoga teacher and was previously an executive board member of the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago.
DAN RATHER
Journalist
With a famed and storied career, Dan Rather is one of the world’s best-known journalists. He has covered almost every important dateline over the last 70 years, is a member of the Television Hall of Fame, and has won the biggest awards in electronic journalism, many numerous times He’s also interviewed every president since Eisenhower. Rather joined CBS News in 1962. He quickly rose through the ranks, and in 1981 he assumed the position of anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News—a post he held for 24 years.
His reporting across the network helped turn 60 Minutes into an institution, launched 48 Hours as an innovative news magazine program, and shaped countless specials and documentaries. Upon leaving CBS, Rather returned to the in-depth reporting he always loved, creating the Emmy Award winning news and documentary program, Dan Rather Reports. Rather has written several best selling books and continues to shape the public discourse through his media appearances, extensive reach on social media, and his Steady newsletter. Rather has been married to his wife Jean for 65 years. They live in their native Texas.
EUGENE SEPULVEDA
Co-Founder & CEO, Culturati, CEO, Entrepreneurs Foundation
Eugene Sepulveda is a strategic advisor and community catalyst who connects people, ideas and causes. He has long operated at the intersection of private, public and nonprofit organizations, fostering relationships that contribute to successful initiatives, social impact, equitable infrastructure and sustainable communities.
Eugene is the co-founder and CEO of Culturati and the CEO of the Entrepreneurs Foundation. Eugene currently serves as chair of the Austin Airport Advisory Board and as an advisor & partner to Capital Factory. He is a member of the McDonald Observatory & UT Astronomy Department’s board of visitors and the advisory council for Dell Medical’s Neurology and Neurosurgery departments. He is also board chair emeritus for PeopleFund, Texas’ largest community development financial institution. He has served on or been appointed to dozens of boards, councils and commissions for companies, nonprofits, government entities, philanthropic foundations and community initiatives. He advises leaders and candidates who seek greater participation of the electorate and recognize the need for accountability. He is a senior advisor to Austin Mayor Steve Adler and serves as his campaign treasurer. He served as treasurer for the campaign of Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez for U.S. Senate, and as advisor and National Finance Committee member for the Julian Castro for President campaign. He was co-chair of President Obama’s LGBTQ Leadership Council, the Hispanic Leadership Council, and a member of his National Finance Committee, currently serving a co-chair of the Obama Foundation’s Texas Council.
For two years, Eugene served as President and CEO of Marfa Public Radio and West Texas Public Radio, award-winning NPR affiliates in Marfa, Texas and in Midland-Odessa, Texas. For seven years, he was a lecturer at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. He spent more than 20 years in commercial lending and finance, including as CFO of Minco Technology Labs, Inc. and a as a commercial and international banker in Austin and San Antonio.
BARNEY SINCLAIR
Principal, Exeter Property Group, Founder, Project Charley
Barney is a real estate executive based in Austin, Texas. He received a B.A in finance from the University of Oklahoma and an MBA from Hardvard University. He gean his career at Trammell Crow Company before becoming a co-owner at real estate developer Champion Partners. He was previously principal of Exeter Property Group before their merger with EQT in 2021. The firm now has over $30B in gross asset real estate value.
He is also the founder of Project Charley, a 501c3 with the mission of bringing resources to those with neurological injuries in Austin, TX. When he’s not working, he enjoys being outdoors and traveling with his wife and three children.
TIFFANY STEFFENS
Senior Strategist, Lapine Group
Tiffany is a healthcare marketing consultant with over 20 years of experience driving digital transformation, new product development, and complex marketing programs. Over the past decade, she has worked with a world-renowned academic medical center across numerous initiatives — many involving patient experience. As a lifetime patient, Tiffany brings a unique sensibility to solving these challenges. Born with an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), she has been lucky to receive cutting-edge care from talented physicians at the nation’s top hospitals.
Tiffany was born in Switzerland and spent much of her childhood there, as well as in the United Kingdom, Southeast Asia, and the American Midwest. She lived in New York City for over two decades before moving to Austin, Texas, in 2020.
She holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Colorado in Boulder. In the past, she has held board positions with Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) and Team New York Aquatics. In her spare time, Tiffany is a member of the Longhorn Masters swim team and enjoys entertaining and traveling with her husband.
SAMANTHA STEIN
Technologist, Journalist
Samantha Rose Stein is an award-winning technologist, journalist, and multi-media artist. She is currently authoring a book on breakthrough innovations in mental health that leverage psychedelic medicine and consciousness science. Her life mission is to end the public mental health crisis caused by unhealed trauma. Her focus is on advancing emotional literacy and scaling access to evidence-based modern healthcare tools. During the pandemic, her live audio journalism on mental health tools and practices reached over 500,000 people.
Previously, Samantha served as the CSO of QEDIT where she helped create systems to store and share sensitive medical and private data She also helped scale Startup Battlefield globally for TechCrunch, whose early stage startup portfolio raised over 9 billion, and produced over 120 exits and IPOs. Her artwork on consciousness science has been showcased during Art Basel Miami and the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting. She is recognized as a top Media Leader by the World Economic Forum for her role in highlighting breakthrough technologies all over the world. The Government of New Zealand named her an Edmund Hilary Fellow for her track-record of innovation.
