Rheumatology Research Foundation Names New Executive Director

“With her help, the Foundation has streamlined its awards portfolio, significantly increased the amount of funding it offers and built a reputation as an efficient research foundation,” Dr. Karp explains. “It is clear that she is committed to building the Foundation into an internationally recognized organization.”

Mary Wheatley with Foundation colleagues at the 2008 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting: From left: Steve Echard (former executive director), Nat Cabrera (currently specialist, corporate relations and expositions), Wheatley, Damian Smalls (currently senior specialist, awards and grants) and Amy Kane (currently director, core programs).

In her most recent role, Mary also worked closely with Mark Andrejeski, executive vice president of the ACR. He believes the Foundation will continue to thrive under Mary’s leadership. “Mary is an extremely capable leader with a deep understanding of the Foundation and its role in the field of rheumatology,” he says. “I know she will guide the organization toward even more growth and success.”

As Mary settles into her new role, she is already developing plans for the future of the Foundation. She says she wants to continue growing the organization as a leader in the field.

“We’re currently working on increasing the visibility of the Foundation,” she explains. “As we do that, I want to ensure our expansion is sustainable and manageable. I believe part of achieving that is making our awards and grants program flexible so that it’s always ready to meet the changing needs of the field, which will enable us to serve the rheumatology community, including patients, for many years.”

Mary also says an important aspect of expanding the Foundation is increasing its support. “We are fortunate to have successful partnerships with industry members, as well as members of the ACR and ARHP who serve as our champions. We will continue to build on those relationships. On top of that, we want people with rheumatic diseases to know they have our ear and encourage them to become more involved with the Foundation.”

As the Foundation moves forward, Mary is proud to take the lead. “I’m so honored to have the opportunity to serve the Foundation. I truly believe it is a wonderful organization that is making a huge difference in the lives of rheumatology professionals and their patients. We plan to fund even more essential research and training for years to come with the goal of advancing patient care and finding cures.”