Imagine & Believe

Connection, Collaboration, and Community

2023 Honoree
Jayne Gershkowitz

Patient Advocate

November 9, 2023, 6 to 9 p.m. ET

Royal Sonesta Boston

Join us as for NTSAD’s signature event, Imagine & Believe, where we envision a world with effective treatments for Tay-Sachs, Canavan, GM1, and Sandhoff diseases. Imagine & Believe brings together families, members of industry, clinicians, researchers, and rare allies for a reception, silent auction, and inspiring speaking program to raise critical funds for family services, programs, and research.

Admission begins at $200 per guest, and sponsorship opportunities range from $500-$25,000. Donations and tribute ads are welcome.

Questions? Contact us at 617-477-2463.

Book a room at the Royal Sonesta Boston.

Attire is business dress or cocktail.  Some guests will arrive in business casual. Some women wear a dressy suit, or something festive, but it is not a gala requiring a long dress. It is a range. Some men wear ties; others wear a sport coat. The reception is 90 minutes as has limited seating, so we recommend comfortable shoes. Everyone will be seated for dessert and the speaking program.

2023 Imagine & Believe
Sponsorship Opportunities

To sponsor Imagine & Believe or purchase an individual admission or digital program ad, please contact Sydnie Dimond, Development and Communications Manager at sdimond@ntsad.org.

2023 Sponsors

BELIEVE SPONSORS

Amicus Therapeutics, Inc.

Aspa Therapeutics, a BridgeBio Company

HOPE SPONSORS

Tedra Cannella

Christine Chapman and William Ohle

Gerald Cox, MD, PhD*

Jayne and Bruce Gershkowitz

Michael and Caitlin Gladstone

Sanofi

INSPIRATION SPONSORS

Azafaros

H4B Boston

JCR Pharmaceuticals

Robin Lynn and Lawrence Blumberg

Sedra and Alan Schiffman

UMass Chan Medical School

DETERMINATION SPONSORS

Aaron’s Fund

Acom Healthcare*

Adelman Associates

Evan Lee Ungerleider Fund / New York Area Fund

Lori and Lee Greenwood

Sue Kahn and Dan Kirschner

Staci Kallish, DO*

Jon Lawrence, JD,* and Ashlee Suran

Living in the Light

Blyth* and Charlie Lord

Mathew Forbes Romer Foundation*

Passage Bio

Susan* and Alan Roden and Family

DREAM SPONSORS

Blu Genes Foundation

Bradley and Nadia Campbell

Dawn Laney, MS, CGC, CCRC

Jamie Ring Advocacy Consulting, LLC*

PPALS

Propel Careers*

*NTSAD Board Member

Honoring Patient Advocate Jayne Gershkowitz

Each year at NTSAD’s signature fundraising event, Imagine & Believe, we recognize an individual who makes a significant and positive impact on the rare disease community. We proudly announce this year’s honoree, Jayne Gershkowitz, Chief Patient Advocate at Amicus Therapeutics, a trailblazer in patient advocacy and a remarkable individual who dedicated her career to championing children, adults, and families affected by rare diseases.

A long-time patient advocate, Jayne joined Amicus Therapeutics in 2006, where she develops and executes global strategies that ensure people living with rare diseases and their families remain at the core of all the company’s operations. Jayne founded the company’s Patient Advisory Boards program, which helps give voice to the concerns of patients, families, and caregivers, and she leads Amicus’ Public Policy work to advocate for policies that advance access to diagnosis, drug development and treatment, to better satisfy unmet needs among those living with rare diseases. She also established Healing Beyond Disease™, an Amicus initiative of philanthropy and volunteerism to further serve the rare disease community.

After many years in corporate marketing communications and nonprofit management, Jayne began her extraordinary career in patient advocacy leading NTSAD as Executive Director from 1998-2006, where she broadened programs and services for families and was a driving force in the launch of NTSAD’s Research Initiative, creating the path for today’s advancements.

A tireless advocate and recognized expert, Jayne co-founded Professional Patient Advocates in Life Sciences (PPALS), an organization that provides authentic patient advocacy education for biotech and pharmaceutical professionals. Throughout her career, Jayne has been honored for her patient advocacy leadership efforts as the recipient of the second annual “Heart of BioNJ” Award in 2019, and a PharmaVOICE 100 honoree in 2018, for providing inspiration and innovation in the life sciences industry. She speaks frequently on patient advocacy at industry conferences and serves on several boards.

We hope you join us as we celebrate Jayne on November 9, 2023, at Imagine & Believe, held at the Royal Sonesta Boston. Mark your calendar and save the date!