Board of Directors

As Chief Development Officer, Gerald is responsible for driving long-term corporate funding and major philanthropic partnerships to help cover out-of-pocket treatment costs for people living with life-changing diseases. Reporting to the President and CEO, he serves as a member of the Executive Leadership Team and plays a central role in shaping and executing The Assistance Fund’s (TAF) strategic growth, fundraising, and patient advocacy initiatives to ensure the organization’s long-term sustainability.

Gerald works closely with the President and CEO on development, patient advocacy, and budgeting efforts, while serving as a visible ambassador for TAF across the philanthropic, corporate, and nonprofit communities. He leads efforts to identify and secure funding to support and expand the organization’s programs.

Since joining TAF in 2013, Gerald has played a key role in TAF’s growth, advancing through a series of leadership roles with increasing responsibility. During his tenure, the organization has been consistently recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Top 100 Charities. He has secured funding to support the launch of over 100 disease programs and has helped generate over $2.5 billion in donations to assist patients in need.

Gerald has more than 25 years of healthcare experience across the nonprofit sector and the pharmaceutical industry. He began his career with GlaxoSmithKline and later spent over a decade at Sepracor, which became Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, where he held multiple leadership roles.

A native of New Jersey, Gerald earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University.
 

Julie Sebastian has substantial experience in mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. Julie regularly represents buyers and sellers in their extraordinary corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. With a practical approach to find business-oriented solutions, Julie consistently leads her
clients to successful closings without sacrificing legal protections. Julie understands the unique position of founders and corporate leaders undertaking a significant transaction and enjoys guiding her clients through the complexities of the deal lifecycle. Julie has helped buy and sell companies in a wide range of industries, including technology, personnel services, manufacturing, and financial services.
 

Julie has spent her entire 20+ year career at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP and is the co-leader of its M&A
Practice Group and is the Chair of its Inclusion Committee. Outside of the office, Julie is an avid sports fan and
enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Dr. Mary McPherson ("Dr. Mac") earned her Bachelor of Art degree in History from Oglethorpe University, Master of Science degree in Instructional Technology, and Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Policy Studies at Georgia State University. She started her career in DeKalb County Public Schools teaching high school and transitioned to St. Martin’s Episcopal School where she served as both a classroom educator and administrator for twenty one years, first as Director of Academic Technology and most recently as Elementary School Principal. In her eleven years as principal, she helped to identify and support students with language-based learning differences and was an integral part of developing a program at St. Martin’s that specifically supports students who have been diagnosed with a reading impairment. She continued to see additional needs within the independent school community to serve students who have strengths in visual/spatial understanding who also needed support with language development. This led her to found Courage Schools.

Dr. Mac serves on the Cowart Ashford Dunwoody YMCA Board of Advisors and chairs the Youth Development Committee. She also serves as a board member of the International Dyslexia Association's Georgia chapter.

As President at Arista Consulting Group, Travis has dedicated his career to helping employers decipher their human capital management needs. Considered a thought leader among his clients and peers, he continually strives to invest in the future of others. Often a frequent speaker and author, Travis specializes in topics such as health care trends, progressive strategies to reduce health care cost, and health care reform, including 1094/1095 reporting.

Helping shape the company’s vision of creating a future where financial security empowers clients to discover and serve THEIR calling is one of Travis’ true passions. His dedication to Arista’s future is a testament to his tireless efforts to ensure that his clients are the first to receive innovative ideas. His work makes a significant difference in his clients’ lives, and he is continually motivated by their successes every single day.

While revenue and growth may drive the company’s bottom line, what drives Travis is much more personal. At his core, he is a “people person” and is passionate about helping others succeed. Travis is actively involved in multiple charities, and he has contributed to a number of professional organizations. Several of these include: Rotary, the American Council of Engineering Companies, American Institute of Architects, Georgia Association of School Business Officers, Georgia Accounting Information Network Support, Alabama Association of School Personnel Administrators, Florida School Finance Officers Association, and Society for Human Resource Management.

Travis is a Registered Employees Benefits Consultant, Registered Health Underwriter and a Health Rosetta Advisor. Dedicated to continuous learning, he is currently pursuing his Certified Self Funding Specialist designation. Prior to joining Arista, he spent 8 years as an award-winning Employee Benefit Consultant with two Fortune 500 companies. He has used this experience to serve as an integral leader in creating the substantial growth of Arista Consulting Group.

Christina Moore serves as co-chair of the Real Estate Department at Taylor English Duma. In her professional roll, Christina represents owners, developers, borrowers and lenders in the acquisition, development, financing and leasing of transactions involving multifamily, office, retail and industrial real estate development. She performs general corporate formation work and provides general governing advice to business/corporations.

Ms. Moore is also on the board of Freedom Park Preschool and the Freedom Park Conservancy. The involvement with these non-profits allows Ms. Moore to be involved in her community and give back through service and collaboration with others.

Christina and Tom live in Candler Park and have four children: Julia, Peter, Josephine and Connor, who keep them busy. Christina and Tom’s son Connor is currently thriving at Courage!

Mrs. Farinholt's bio is forthcoming.

Elizabeth Thompson is a Senior Manager - Global Employer Services at Deloitte Tax LLP. Elizabeth has 12+ years of experience advising clients on employee benefits matters including executive compensation/equity, remote work, fringe benefits, and the Affordable Care Act. She works extensively with qualified retirement plans including annual compliance testing, IRS and DOL annual filings, benefit plan audit support, and plan mergers/terminations. Elizabeth has an accounting degree from Auburn University and JD from the College of William & Mary.

Elizabeth and her husband Scott live in North Buckhead with their three children Robert (alumnus of Courage), Andrew, and Anna Frances. She enjoys baking, needlepoint, and traveling.

Micky is co-founder of Courage Schools and Chief Operating Officer. Micky retired from IBM after thirty-six years and specialized in contract assurance and business operations. Micky serves as the Board of Directors' Treasurer.