The ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS.net) announced the appointment of two new additions to its board of directors; Julie Swan of Bradenton, Florida, and Paul Sallaberry of Palo Alto, California. The current board of directors voted to accept the two nominations during its regular meeting on January 27, 2016.

“We are thrilled to have Julie and Paul join the board of the ALS Therapy Development Institute. Both know what it is like to have ALS in your home. Both know what needs to be done. They have each been at the top of their fields and industries and are going to bring great energy to the board and support to the team at the ALS Therapy Development Institute,” said Augie Nieto, chairman of the board of the ALS Therapy Development Institute. Nieto was diagnosed with ALS in 2005.

Julie Swan spent 34 years in the food service industry, retiring from Sysco Corporation as corporate vice president of finance in 2012. At Sysco, she helped form that company’s Strategic Management department and worked extensively across multiple non-traditional foodservice divisions and international acquisitions. Julie has served on the corporate boards of many nonprofits, including the United Way, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club of Manatee County and the Women’s Foodservice Forum.  Swan is married and has two sons. Her son, Kevin Swan, was diagnosed with ALS in 2012. Soon after his diagnosis, Kevin created A Life Story Foundation, of which Julie assumed the role of Chief Financial Officer. Their foundation has raised more than $500,000 and named the ALS Therapy Development Institute as its research partner.

"When Kevin was finally diagnosed on February 15, 2012, he looked at me and said, 'It's got a name, we know what we need to attack' – and that's what we have been doing ever since," said Julie Swan upon her appointment to the Institute's board.

Paul Sallaberry is a software industry veteran with a career encompassing the build and operational management of Enterprise-class worldwide sales, marketing, technology and consultative services organizations. He has held sales and marketing leadership positions at VERITAS Software, OpenVision and Oracle. He is a member of the U.C. Davis Foundation Board of Trustees and on the Board of Trustees of Sacred Heart Schools. He also advises several young Silicon Valley companies and serves on the boards of Acquia, Calypso Technologies, Moovweb, Quorum Labs, Dataguise, Livemagic and is Chairman of the Board of Seal Software. Sallaberry earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Davis.

“It was an absolute shock to have my dear friend Augie Nieto and my loving wife Nancy both diagnosed with ALS! There was no doubt in my mind that I was fully committed to making a difference in the fight against this horrific disease. I am thrilled to be joining the ALS Therapy Development Institute’s board and I look forward to working with my fellow board members and the leadership team to assist in the delivery of impactful results,” said Sallaberry following his appointment to the Institute's board.

For a complete list and bios of all 19 members of the board of directors of the ALS Therapy Development Institute, visit https://www.alstdi.org/about-als-tdi/als-tdi-team.aspx.

About the ALS Therapy Development Institute

The ALS Therapy Development Institute and its scientists actively discover and develop treatments for ALS. The Institute is the world’s first and largest nonprofit biotech focused 100 percent on ALS research. Led by people with ALS and their families, the charity understands the urgent need to slow and stop this horrible disease. Based in Cambridge, MA, the Institute has served as one of the leaders in sharing data and information with academic and ALS research organizations, patients and their families. For more information, visit www.alstdi.org.