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American Brain Foundation Appoints New Executive Director
The American Brain Foundation, founded by the American Academy of Neurology, has named Jane Ransom as its new Executive Director in support of its mission to fund research to cure brain diseases.
PRESS RELEASE
MINNEAPOLIS — The
, founded by the
(AAN), has named Jane Ransom as its new Executive Director in support of its mission to fund research to cure brain diseases. Ransom is a veteran fundraising executive, having served as executive director or president of several other leading non-profit organizations, most recently the Girls Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania.
The American Brain Foundation funds research to develop new treatments and find cures by identifying and supporting both Clinical Research Training Fellowships and the most impactful research, recognizing breakthroughs in one brain disease may lead to breakthroughs in another.
“Our efforts will be focused upon a momentous decision made by the American Brain Foundation’s Board of Directors to significantly expand the foundation's role and impact in curing brain disease,” said Ransom. “We plan to position the American Brain Foundation for major growth so that we can invest major funding in cutting-edge medical research needed to cure a whole constellation of brain diseases, including Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, ALS and many others.”
Ransom was president and chief executive officer of Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania from 2009 to 2015, an organization with 35,000 members across 30 counties. Previously, she served as executive director of the Washington, DC,-based International Women’s Media Foundation, the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and as executive director for Central Pennsylvania Legal Services. She also has been chief executive of Women and Foundations/Corporate Philanthropy and of the community development corporation Woodside on the Move, located in New York City.
Ransom has held numerous consulting and volunteer positions in the philanthropic sector. In 2013, she served on the national strategic planning committee of AFS USA, the international student exchange organization, and in 2014 she served on the national strategy team of Girl Scouts of the USA. Ransom also has been a member of the executive committee of the Women’s Fund of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities and of the board of directors of the Harrisburg Rotary Foundation.
Ransom holds a master’s degree in public administration from the Bernard M. Baruch College of City University of New York and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from Kent State University.
Ransom replaces Catherine M. Rydell, CAE, who led the AAN’s recent decision to expand the American Brain Foundation and will continue to serve as the Executive Director and CEO of the AAN, the world’s largest association of neurologists. The AAN created the American Brain Foundation in 1992.
The American Brain Foundation is committed to funding crucial research to discover causes, improved treatments, and cures for brain and other nervous system diseases. Learn more at
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The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 28,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, concussion, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy.
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