Who We Are
Philip Leitman likes to tell people that the most important job he ever had was caring for his late wife, Fern, who was ill for nearly two decades with a complex resistant Mycobacterium Abscessus pulmonary infection.
PHILIP LEITMAN
Founder
Amy Leitman is the Director of Policy & Research. The daughter of a patient with NTM lung disease, she has spent the last decade championing the voice of the patient.
AMY LEITMAN
President
Helga joins the team with over 20 years of non-profit public relations and event development experience. She has developed and led many successful fundraising strategies for a major rare disease organization. She has been awarded the Excel Award for Public Relations Professionals of Puerto Rico for Best Public Relations Program. She has learned about strength and perseverance by working with people with challenges due to a rare disease. With NTM Info & Research, she hopes to be able to continue to provide support and hope for patients with NTM lung disease and bronchiectasis.
Helga Rosado
Operations Manager
Gina brings nearly 20 years of non-profit experience to NTMir, mainly in the rare disease community. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive, Certified Grant Writer, Master Trainer for the Association of Fund Raising Professionals, and trained facilitator and strategic planner.
GINA PARZIALE, CFRE
Fundraiser
Patricia comes to us from the former corporate executive office of ILG, a Miami-based international travel and leisure company. She brings more than 35 years of experience as a manager and a legal assistant with a proven record of success in providing clear communication and customer service skills, and the empathy and compassion to interact with diverse populations.
Patricia moved to South Florida from Virginia in the mid-70s when her father was stationed at Homestead Airforce Base, and currently resides in Pinecrest with her two rescue dogs, Miso and Sweetpea.
In her spare time, Patricia works with an online company to care for pets in her neighborhood and while at home, indulges her passion for cooking and creating new meals.
Trisha Kemp
Office Administrator
Nancy L. Berry, RN joins the team to lead the development of educational materials on NTM lung disease, bronchiectasis, extrapulmonary NTM infection, and related illnesses. She will also be working with our professional education team. Nancy has been a practicing registered nurse having spent 20 years in the operating room followed by 22 years as a school nurse.
Nancy L. Berry
RN - Patient EducatorWhat We Do
Bronchiectasis.org is a web site to provide information and support for patients with bronchiectasis. This site was developed by NTM Info & Research, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization formed by and on behalf of patients with the comorbid conditions of bronchiectasis and nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease.
We serve patients, healthcare providers and researchers dealing with bronchiectasis and NTM. We do so by advocating a broad agenda to promote early diagnosis, improved treatments, and research. We bring a voice to the concerns of all our constituents with government officials and agencies that guide, research, and regulate therapies developed to treat these diseases.
NTM Info & Research recognizes the need for advancement in education and treatment of bronchiectasis. Because the majority of NTM patients also have bronchiectasis, treating both is essential. We also recognize that there are many patients who have bronchiectasis who do not have NTM infection. Many of them are susceptible to NTM and other infections.
We have online and local support groups willing to support and inform patients. You can learn more about these groups here.
You can also support our work by making a tax-deductible donation to NTM Info & Research, the organization that developed this website.
Click here to make a secure online donation or for information on sending a donation by mail.