Our Team

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Mary is first and foremost a mother. Her beloved son, Daniel, passed away unexpectedly in March of 2019 while in graduate school studying to become a school psychologist.  Mary is a former school counselor of 28 years and music teacher of 7 years.  After Daniel’s passing, she co-founded “Cure Brain Disease”, which advocates for research into the biological factors involved in mental health conditions. She also serves on the Board of Directors for “Mental Health Champions of Greenville”, and speaks out on the importance of ‘comprehensive’ mental health education for all students, K-12.  Mary has penned this initiative, “Following Daniel’s Lead” after her son, Daniel.

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Julie is  the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran who died tragically by suicide in Dec of 2018.  She is an occupational therapist, with over 20 years experience. Julie is also a mentor for Safe Place, a grief support group run by the Samaritans, and is an AFSP advocate. She is currently active in educating House Representatives and Senators on the need for increased funding to go towards biological research for mental health conditions. Julie is knowledgeable regarding state and national policies (bills) that have the potential to be amended to include mental health reform. 

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Susan is an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience. She holds a M.Ed. from Clemson University and is a certified trainer and ambassador for the Foundation for Critical Thinking. The loss of her son, Walt, due to anxiety and depression led Susan to establish the nonprofit, Walt’s Waltz. A driven mother and educator, Susan strives to open conversations and change prevailing perspectives on Mental Health Conditions including striving for improved treatments by advancing research in genetics and epigenetics. 

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Zawu is Cure Brain Disease’s International Ambassador, and wears many hats. His home is in Monrovia, Liberia, and he has the distinction of being the United People Global Sustainability Leader Class of 2022 Cohort. He is also a Walt’s Waltz Ambassador for Mental Health, a forester, banker, Food Safety Officer, and Country Representative for ACi. Additionally, Zawu is a very active peace advocate.

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Dr. Hilary Coon is a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Utah, and adjunct in neurobiology, internal medicine, and Biomedical Informatics. She is also a research scientist, and oversees a working group focused on gene discovery for complex disorders, including finding genes that lead to a susceptibility to autism, and discovery of the genetic risk factors for suicide – She collaborates with national, and international collaborators, and in Utah through analyses of extended families through the Utah Population Data Base (UPDB). 

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Dr. Johnson is a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is also the Medical Director for the National referral hospital in Kakata l, Margibi, Liberia.

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Board Criteria

Cure Brain Disease Nonprofit organization has developed a Board of Directors having a strategic combination of personal attributes, knowledge/expertise, and competencies ensuring the Cure Brain Disease Board, as a corporate body, has a diversity of experiences, perspectives, information, connections, and skills to carry out its governing and volunteering functions. 

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