Rare Disease

Cara Altimus leads SPARC at the Milken Institute. She is also the Managing Director of Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD²), a philanthropic initiative launched out of SPARC. Previously, Altimus led the Neural Interfaces Laboratory at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She serves as the chair for the Trainee Advisory Committee for the Society for Neuroscience and as an advisor to the Ontario Brain Institute. Altimus holds a PhD in biology from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in genetics from the University of Georgia.

Caitlyn Barrett manages SPARC’s work in the Rare Diseases and Cancer focus areas. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Coalition Against Childhood Cancer. Previously, Barrett was the senior director of research and programs at CureSearch for Children’s Cancer. She also established the Human Cancer Models Initiative at the Office of Cancer Genomics at the National Cancer Institute and completed postdoctoral research training at the Pittsburgh Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease at the University of Pittsburgh. Barrett holds a PhD in cancer biology from Vanderbilt University.

Hermela Assefa supports the SPARC Rare Disease and Oncology focus areas. Her background in public health research and health equity, with experience in community engagement, project coordination, and strategic planning. Previously, at Pyxis Partners, Assefa led engagement efforts for pediatric partners of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) All of Us Research Program. At Children’s National Hospital, she coordinated care and services for low-income Black women as part of a maternal mental health research initiative. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public health with a concentration in sociology from Franklin & Marshall College.

Quinton Banks focuses on philanthropy in immune and rare diseases, including sarcoidosis and ALS. Banks has training in biological sciences and psychology, which gives him a unique perspective on the human impact of high-net-worth giving. His extensive scientific background includes research in chronic pain, taste perception, and muscle physiology. Banks holds a PhD from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and a bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College.

Elizabeth Burke focuses on philanthropic investment in rare diseases and cancers, leveraging her expertise in rare disease research, including neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Previously, Burke was a scientist in the NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program, where she managed patient matching, data sharing, and biospecimen repository and coordinated research focused on extremely rare or novel disorders. She holds a PhD in molecular medicine and translational science from Wake Forest University and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Carleton College.

Ishtiaq Mawla applies his background in translational research, business consulting, and stakeholder management to support philanthropists, families, and foundations to SPARC’s Rare Disease and Cancer focus areas. Ishtiaq received his PhD from the University of Michigan and his undergraduate degree from Connecticut College.

Nadia Penrod leverages her interdisciplinary scientific expertise in biomedicine and informatics toward initiatives in SPARC’s Rare Diseases focus area. Previously, as an academic scientist, she built a diverse research portfolio spanning cancer genomics, molecular pharmacology, and mind-body medicine; as a science writer, she covered topics in sustainable agriculture and food for health. Penrod holds a PhD in experimental and molecular medicine from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College and a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.