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The Muscular Dystrophy Association Names Steven J. Farella as Chairman and Dr. Donald S. Wood as Vice Chairman of the Board

NEW YORK, Dec. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) announced today the election of new Board Leadership. Steven J. Farella will now serve as chairman of the Board of MDA and Dr. Donald S. Wood will serve as the Board vice chairman.

"We are very pleased to share that both Steven Farella and Dr. Donald Wood have accepted their new positions on the Board of the Muscular Dystrophy Association," says MDA President and CEO Lynn O'Connor Vos. "They have been tremendous assets to building our organization's future and their leadership will help us as we continue to evolve our organization's mission and vision for the future."

Farella is transitioning from the head of the Governance Committee to the chairman role and has served on the board for several years. Farella has deep business experience and serves as the chairman of MDC Media Partners Board of Directors; recently launched an angel investing firm, VFL Investments & Advisory; and chairs the Advisory Board for St. John's University's Collins College of Professional Studies. Farella has also launched several successful media agencies including Havas Media USA and TargetCast tcm.  He sold the latter to MDC Partners. Farella holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from St. John's University.

"I look forward to working with Don, helping to guide the Muscular Dystrophy Association during this pivotal time for the organization," Farella says. "I have seen firsthand the progress that the Muscular Dystrophy Association has made through the past years, and I'm excited to see the continued advancement the organization will continue to influence."

Dr. Donald S. Wood has served MDA since 1980, when he launched and managed their Task Force on Genetics that led to the discovery of the genetic cause of muscular dystrophy. Dr. Wood is an experienced scientific and medical professional who began his career in neuromuscular disease research at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York as a National Institutes of Health post-doctoral research fellow.

In the 1990s, Dr. Wood co-founded two genetic development companies and was appointed president and chief operating officer of IntegraMed America, Inc. Dr. Wood now serves as vice president for Institutional Effectiveness and director of the Odessa College Leadership Institute. Dr. Wood holds a PhD in physiology from Washington State University.

"I am honored to take on this new role as vice chairman for MDA and continue to help drive the organization's role in driving innovation in research and care," Dr. Wood says. "I am confident we will progress in treating and eventually eradicating these diseases."

About MDA

The Muscular Dystrophy Association is committed to transforming the lives of people affected by muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases. We do this through innovations in science and innovations in care. As the largest source of funding for neuromuscular disease research outside of the federal government, MDA has committed more than $1 billion since our inception to accelerate the discovery of therapies and cures. Research we have supported is directly linked to approved, life-changing therapies across multiple neuromuscular diseases. We support the largest network of multidisciplinary clinics providing best-in-class care at more than 150 of the nation's top medical institutions, and each year thousands of children and young adults learn vital life skills and gain independence at summer camp and through recreational programs, at no cost to families. For more information visit mda.org.

SOURCE: Muscular Dystrophy Association