Meet Our Team
Allergy & Asthma Network Staff
Lynda Mitchell, MA, CAE
CEO
As CEO of Allergy & Asthma Network, Lynda leads the strategic direction of the organization, advances the organization’s mission by building partnerships with stakeholder groups and aligns the organization’s health equity work in all mission areas.
Lynda first came to Allergy & Asthma Network to lead the digital transformation of the organization. She began using digital strategies to connect the organization’s mission areas with patients and caregivers to improve their health and quality of life, and to become empowered consumers and patient advocates.
Lynda has 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership roles in the allergy and asthma community. She was a healthcare consultant when she became the mom of a child with asthma and food allergies. She used her professional background in healthcare management and consumer health informatics to establish the nation’s first nonprofit online community for parents raising children with food allergies in 2005. Under her leadership, that organization grew to 40,000 members in its first 8 years. She continued in other senior leadership positions before joining Allergy & Asthma Network in 2019 and being named CEO in May 2023.
Throughout her nonprofit career, Lynda has drawn on her deep experience in healthcare compliance to implement best practices in nonprofit management, direct strategic growth, and build high-performance teams. She has long championed patient-centered care and patient engagement, and the use of innovative approaches and digital strategies to advance an organization’s mission and to empower patients and caregivers as partners in their healthcare.
Lynda is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and holds a master’s degree in health information management with a certificate in health informatics from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. She lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where she enjoys being involved in animal rescue, 100+ Women Who Care Bucks County, and walking every day with her Black Lab.
Kris Brown
Administrative Coordinator
Kris joined Allergy & Asthma Network from the Nashville, Tennessee area in 2021 and now resides in Texas. She previously served in areas of work that allowed her to use her customer relations and people skills. She believes these relational gifts come from a heart to serve those in need.
Kris relates to people who have chronic allergies, as she underwent allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots) from 7 until 13 years of age. She also had tubes placed in both of her ears to prevent the buildup of fluids in the eardrum due to allergies.
Kris helps care for her mom in Texas. She also has a passion for the church. During her free time, Kris enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She has a love for sports. Although she may no longer live in Tennessee, she still loves cheering on her Nashville Predators, remaining true to “Smashville” during the hockey season!
Bethany Burkhart, DHA, MS, MCHES®
Director of Operations
Dr. Bethany Burkhart is a seasoned nonprofit professional with more than a decade of experience in project management and community development. She holds a Doctorate and Master’s in Health Care Administration from Oklahoma State University and an undergraduate degree in Public Health. She is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES).
Bethany’s expertise includes grant writing, data analytics, fundraising, and research administration. She’s known for creative problem-solving and staying current with industry trends. With her diverse skills and commitment to improving health outcomes, Bethany is eager to apply her expertise to enhance the quality of life for people living with asthma and allergies through education, advocacy, and research.
Outside of work, Bethany enjoys reading, staying active, and spending time with her dog.
Gary Fitzgerald
Senior Editor and Communications Strategist
Gary believes in the power of today’s media to inform, inspire and empower people to change their lives. He is an award-winning writer and editor with a diverse background that includes producing digital content and print publications for healthcare, education, physical fitness and professional sports.
Gary joined Allergy & Asthma Network in 2012 with the goal of producing practical healthcare information that is understandable and relatable for every patient and healthcare professional. He manages the organization’s digital platforms, including website, social media and monthly E-newsletter. He also serves as communications lead on press releases and statements.
Gary previously worked 10 years as director and managing editor of a professional football team’s official website. He has also worked as an editor with the Humane Society of the United States, several newswire services, and a daily newspaper in New Jersey. Gary lives in Cheverly, Maryland with his wife and two daughters.
De De Gardner, DrPH, RRT, RRT-NPS, FAARC, FCCP
Chief Research Officer
Dr Gardner is responsible for all aspects of the research mission area and focus on ensuring the patient voice is incorporated in all aspects of research.
De De is a respiratory therapist, a higher education professional and a public health professional. She is recognized for her leadership and contributions to the respiratory field with numerous awards and 40 peer reviewed publication and presentations.
Before joining Allergy & Asthma Network, Dr. Gardner served on the faculty and in leadership roles at two universities. Dr. Gardner continues to serve on variety of local leadership roles in the respiratory care field. She also continues her roles as adjunct faculty at two universities.
De De holds degrees in respiratory therapy, health and human services and a doctorate in public health.
Dr. Gardner lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband, a high school football coach and video game design teacher. Dr. Gardner has a daughter with lifelong eczema and a son with severe pollen allergies. In her spare time, De De enjoys reading, puzzles, and gardening.
Marcela Gieminiani
Director of Administration
Marcela is a Journalist and Communication Specialist from Chile. She joined the Network in 2007 to lead Outreach and expand our Hispanic Outreach Program, ensuring all our Spanish-language resources and services are culturally competent. Marcela has managed multiple projects with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to expand asthma education in African American and Hispanic communities.
Prior to joining the Network, Marcela was editor and publications manager at the Pan American Health Organization (Family and Community Health Area), where she developed health-related resources for community programs in several Latin American countries.
Marcela’s passion is to provide support and advice to the families we serve in her maternal language. She lives in Northern Virginia.
Ruthie Marker, MSRC, RRT, RRT-NPS, AE-C, LSSYB
Education Program Manager
Ruthie Marker is a registered respiratory therapist with 15 years of experience, specializing in critical care for patients from neonates to adults. She holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Respiratory Care, focusing on leadership and research. Throughout her career, she has worked in various settings, including intensive care units, dedicating much of her professional life to improving patient outcomes in high-stress environments.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ruthie took on travel assignments, responding to staffing shortages in hospitals across the country. She has also contributed to several grant-funded research projects focused on advancing healthcare equity.
This year, Ruthie has been navigating food and environmental allergies with her daughter, an experience that has deepened her connection to the work she does and made it even more personally meaningful. Outside of her professional life, Ruthie resides in North Texas with her husband, two sons, daughter, and some four-legged children, including a dog and two cats. She enjoys exploring local coffee shops, long-distance running, and thrifting in her free time.
Tori Martel, MPH
Senior Public Health Communications Manager
Tori works among the Allergy & Asthma Network’s digital team and is responsible for overseeing various digital initiatives and projects as well as promoting creative content on all social media platforms to engage our audience and keep them informed.
Tori is a Master of Public Health graduate from Tufts University with a concentration in Behavioral Science and Health Communication. She started working with Allergy & Asthma Network as a part-time intern while completing her education. She uses her academic knowledge of public health and health communication to optimize the dissemination of information to the public.
Tori also volunteers her time as the Associate Executive Director for Penpals United, a nonprofit dedicated to helping Type 1 diabetics in third-world countries. She lives in Boston, MA, where she enjoys going to the beach and spending time with her friends and family.
Tonya Nash, MPH, CHES
Project Manager
Tonya is a public health consultant with over 15 years of experience in both public and private sectors. She is a certified health education specialist and has a certificate in digital health communication from Tufts University. Tonya is the President of Spectrum Public Health Strategies, LLC, and founder of the award-winning Autism Faith Network.
Tonya is Assistant Project Manager for our CDC EXHALE project. She recently served as Project Manager for our Not One More Life Trusted Messengers program. In that role, she coordinated with volunteers, faith leaders and Atlanta city officials to provide COVID-19 and respiratory health screenings at predominantly African American churches. Tonya is passionate about communicating health information in a way people from all backgrounds can understand.
Mitu Patel, MPH
Health Data Analyst
Mitu Patel holds an MPH in Epidemiology from Rutgers School of Public Health with a bachelor’s background in Biology. Her maternal and child health research background during graduate school includes a publication in BMC Public Health on perinatal mental health.
Mitu aims to apply her data analysis skills to contribute to the Network’s mission of improving health outcomes for all communities in the United States. Outside of work, she enjoys reading and dancing.
Nissa Shaffi, MS
Director of Advocacy
As Director of Advocacy, Nissa is the strategic architect of Allergy & Asthma Network’s federal and state policy and advocacy initiatives, leveraging her expertise across federal programs, consumer protections, health systems, and patient advocacy.
Prior to the Network, Nissa served as Associate Director of Public Policy at the Alliance of Community Health Plans, where she led policy efforts on Medicaid, Dual Eligibles, and the Commercial Market. In her previous role as Associate Director of Health Policy at the National Consumers League, she led national campaigns on medication adherence, vaccine confidence, and anti-counterfeit drugs. She also frequently testified before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine advisory committees to advocate for safe and expedited approval of vaccines for vulnerable populations.
Nissa’s commitment to dismantling barriers to access in healthcare and fostering patient empowerment were catalyzed by her direct experience in emergency services at Inova Health System. A native Virginian, Nissa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Administration and Policy and a Master’s Degree in Health Policy from George Mason University.
Kolleen Shallcross
Director of Web Tech & Organic Growth
A graduate of Pratt Institute and owner of a marketing agency for over 4 decades, Kolleen has faced many challenges living with asthma and severe allergies, long before they were so common. “I felt like the canary in the coal mine growing up,” she says in regards to having very little medical help available to mitigate her symptoms.
Kolleen first came to Allergy & Asthma Network as an SEO consultant and created the organization’s website redesign under Shallcross Marketing & Design. Her work increased website traffic by 1,000%, enabling more people to obtain medically accurate information.
Since then, Kolleen has joined the Network full-time. She fully supports the organization’s mission.
In addition to supporting women-owned businesses through mentoring and community outreach, Kolleen organized and led Long Island’s largest secular homeschool group. She also enjoys creating analog and digital artwork for friends and family.
Leandra Tonweber, PA-C, AE-C
Lead Disease Management Coach
Leandra is a Certified Physician Assistant and Certified Asthma Educator with 15 years of experience in allergy, asthma and immunology. She joined Allergy & Asthma Network in 2021 as the lead Asthma Coach and participates in several educational and research projects.
Leandra has had allergies since she was a young child and her personal experiences have fueled her desire for treating and educating patients with asthma and allergies. She began her career as a medical assistant and health educator for an Allergy, Asthma, Immunology and Rheumatology Practice in Rochester, New York.
Prior to joining Allergy & Asthma Network, Leandra worked for allergy, asthma and immunology medical practices in Charlotte, North Carolina. She works from Charlotte, where she enjoys spending time with friends and family.
Paul Tury
Creative Director
Paul is an award-winning graphic designer and illustrator. He controls the imagery of Allergy & Asthma Network, providing a consistent look and feel across a wide variety of products from the website to the Network publication Allergy & Asthma Today.
Prior to joining the Network, Paul was Senior Art Director in charge of three business-to-business magazines. Paul believes that graphics help convey the meaning of the information that we receive and works to make that information accessible to every patient.
