President – Patricia Weigel – RN, BSN, RNFA / Clinical Nurse Coordinator University at Buffalo Movement Disorders Center/ National Parkinson’s Foundation Care Consortium
Pat was unanimously voted President in July of 2011. She assisted in developing our formal relationship with NPF and lent her signature to the document that confirmed PAWNY’s affiliation with the national organization.Pat is a graduate of Erie Community College and Robert’s Wesleyan College. She has advanced training and 14 years experience as Clinical Nurse Coordinator of the Deep Brain Stimulation Program. As the Nurse Coordinator of the clinic’s National Parkinson’s Foundation’s Care Consortium, she has several roles including, co-founder and co-leader of the Parkinson’s Wellness Group of WNY, Director of the annual Parkinson’s Disease Education Symposium and she assists with various outreach events, fundraisers and meetings throughout our community. Pat has completed interdisciplinary Allied Team Training for Parkinson’s Disease with the National Parkinson Foundation. She also works as an RN Surgical First Assistant in the operating room and is a member of the national Neuroscience Nurses Association.
“When you care for someone with Parkinson’s Disease, you get to know patients and their families on a personal level. I feel part of a team that truly cares about each patient and makes a real difference in people’s lives. Nothing can compare to that satisfaction.” Pat Weigel
Treasurer – Linda Mosher – Retail Operations Analyst in the Branch Operations Department of First Niagara Bank
Linda Mosher is a proud, native WNYer. Her family became involved with PAWNY after Althea Mosher, her mother, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. As Althea’s fight with PD progressed, Linda and her family increased their involvement with PAWNY, finding invaluable group support in assisting Althea.
Linda is pleased that by serving on the Board of Directors she is able to give back to a group which has helped her family through her mother’s illness, while also helping others affected by PD. Linda’s mother passed away in April 2009. Linda’s connection to Parkinson’s runs deep as two of her paternal uncles and her maternal grandmother all died as the result of Parkinson’s. She has seen much progress during her lifetime in the treatment of Parkinson’s, and is proud to be a part of the effort to further this effort.
Linda has accepted the challenge of chairing this year’s Moving Day in WNY. She anticipates this celebration of motion to raise $100,000.00, allowing for greater services to be offered through our chapter. Moving Day will be an opportunity to gather together and raise awareness about Parkinson’s. She hopes that you will join her in walking for the cause in September. There are so many more people in WNY that we would like to reach out and help!
VP of Communications – Chris Jamele – Jamele Freelance Services
Board member since 2009; voted onto the Board while momentarily stepping away from a dinner Chris was born and raised in Medina, NY, a friendly, rural community about one hour northeast of Buffalo. After two years at SUNY Geneseo and a hitchhiking stint around the country, he was drawn to Buffalo to finish his college degree, earning two Bachelor’s degrees and an MA in English at SUC at Buffalo. He has been a Buffalo resident since 1982.
Working as a local freelance writer, an announcer at NPR affiliate WBFO and as a longtime bartender, Chris has developed deep connections to the community and the people of this wonderful city. He has a passion for art, music and all creative endeavors as well as for baseball. Riding his motorcycles, camping, reading and visiting galleries are among his favorite activities.
Chris became connected with PD when his father, Carl, was diagnosed in 1995. Carl passed away in 2011, and the years displayed the devastation that PD wrought on this wonderful man. Chris wishes to commend his mother, Elaine, for her undying devotion to Carl and her incredible strength and fortitude in going above and beyond the role of caregiver. Chris’s hope is that his work with NPF of WNY will bring some hope to patients and assistance to caregivers across the region.
“This Board is talented, dedicated, and concerned. It is a pleasure to serve with them.” Chris Jamele
Secretary – Evalyn Katz – LCSW University at Buffalo Comprehensive Movement Disorders Center.
Evalyn was raised in Brooklyn, New York, but when married moved to Albany, Binghamton and finally settled in Buffalo in August 1977. She originally started her career as an elementary school teacher, but then realized this was not her calling and returned to school at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work, where she got her Masters of Social Work with a specialty in Gerontology in 1985. Most of her social work career has been spent in the medical field, and just prior to her position at the University at Buffalo Comprehensive Movement Disorders Center, Evalyn spent 12 years as a Hospice social worker, which gave her a wonderful perspective on the value of life and the need to live it to the fullest, because you never know.
When she is not performing her duties as an outreach worker, group facilitator, counselor to the PD community or serving as Secretary to the Board of NPFWNY, you can usually find Evalyn exercising in some form, on her bike, doing aerobics, yoga or even trying to master her golf.
Evalyn and her husband, Neil, have traveled to 48 States in the USA and over 60 countries. She is the mother to Brian, who lives in Los Angeles, California, and Stacy, who lives in Denver, Colorado.
“It has been my privilege to work with such a dedicated Board and a wonderful community of patients and caregivers. My wish is that the Board will continue to provide the guidance and support needed for the community they serve and that more and more of the community will become involved in the WNY Chapter. “
Advisory Staff Member – Robert J. Plunkett, MD – Surgical Director, Comprehensive Movement Disorders Center. Associate Professor of Neurosurgery University at Buffalo Neurosurgery State University of New York at Buffalo
Dr. Plunkett was born in Chicago and grew up nearby, in Northern Indiana. He began his medical training at the Indiana University School of Medicine, and from there completed a Neurosurgical Residency at Vanderbilt University Hospital. It was during the next four years as a Research Scientist at the National Institutes of Health, however, that his interest in surgical treatments for Parkinson’s Disease was sparked. He has been a pioneer in this field ever since, providing Deep Brain Stimulation surgery as a treatment option for people with Parkinson’s Disease, and other neurologic disorders, in the Western New York region.
For over 20 years, Dr. Plunkett has been at Buffalo General Hospital, where he co-founded the Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center. He has also served on the medical advisory staff for the National Parkinson’s Foundation of Western New York for the past 12 years. When Dr. Plunkett is not practicing medicine, he often indulges in his passions for woodworking and gardening.
“Being on the board is giving back to the community; I have been very fortunate and healthy thus far. I see what patients/families with PD go through, and want to help.”
Advisory Staff Member – Kimberly Trinidad, MD – Movement Disorders Specialist, Medical Director
Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurosurgery/Neurology University at Buffalo Movement Disorders Center. National Parkinson Foundation, Outreach Center
Dr. Trinidad is a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine and completed her residency at the University of Rochester School of Medicine.
She completed a two year fellowship in movement disorders and experimental therapeutics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and is a member of the International Movement Disorders Society.
Dr. Trinidad has authored manuscripts, done research, and lectured on a variety of movement disorders. Her clinical practice focuses on advanced movement disorders and interventional therapies, including deep brain stimulation, botulinum toxin therapies and intrathecal medication. She is the Principal Investigator of research studies for various new medications in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease.
