About the MCW Neuroscience Research Center

NRC Chair
Habush Habush & Rottier SC

Year joined:
2012

Why I joined the NRC:
For the benefit of human-kind, for the benefit of my parents, and moreover, my children. To enhance the understanding of the final frontier, which is the neuroscience. To honor my grandfather's legacy

NRC Director
Medical College of Wisconsin

Year joined:
2010

Why I joined the NRC:
I am proud to be a founding member of the NRC board. I am part of the board because I am director of the NRC, but also because I have a passion for research that will reduce the pain and suffering associated with diseases and disorders of the nervous system. I grew up in a family that dealt with issues of alcoholism and drug addiction; and I suspect that my loved ones were likely self-medicating mental illnesses. My family has also been touched by neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson's and other movement disorders. We need more research to relieve other families from these burdens.

 

Deceased/Founder, 2010

Retired Treasurer
Bucyrus International, Inc.

Year joined:
2014

Why I joined the NRC:
The Neuroscience Research Board offers me the opportunity to give back to the community in a different way than my educational and work history background would support. Having no real science background the NRC provides me insight into the world of medical research and hospital activity. Also having health related issues with prostrate cancer and eye sight have given me more awareness to how the neuroscience field impacts these two life changing areas. Remaining active in the NRC allows me to bring a business/common sense approach to the ever changing sciences.

Volunteer
The Druml Family Foundation

Year joined:
2015

Why I joined the NRC:
Proud to be with an engaging & compassionate group to embrace brain research. Dr. CeCe Hilliard’s Leadership is remarkable as well as her team. The future is brighter as we Imagine More to raise funds for the diseases that effect our loved ones.
 

Year joined:
2022

Eaton Corporation

Year joined:
2012

Chair of Neurology
Medical College of Wisconsin

Year joined:
2023

Year joined:
2012

President/CEO
CARW

Year joined:
2022

Why I joined the NRC:
I am supporting my family's interest in the cause.

Retired Director of Pupil Services (PD diagnosis 2011)
West Bend School District

Year joined:
2015

Why I joined the NRC:
I am a PD patient and am on the board to advocate and ensure that the patient is never forgotten when decisions are made.

Founding Director, Wisconsin Institute of NeuroScience (WINS)
Medical College of Wisconsin

Year joined:
2010

Medical College of Wisconsin

Civic Volunteer

Year joined:
2010

Why I joined the NRC:
My beloved niece was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis as a college freshman. She succumbed to its devastating effects shortly before her sixtieth birthday. My dear grandfather suffered from the effects of Parkinson’s Disease. Had current research and treatment options been available to them at the time of diagnosis, the heavy burden of these troubling neurological diseases would at least have been mitigated. A close friend’s battle with ALS gave those of us who cared for her an up close, personal and painful insight into the course and effects of that disease.

Managing Director, Co-CIO
Baird Advisors
 
Year joined:
2010

Why I joined the NRC:
I have friends and family members who have fallen victim to neurological diseases and am excited to support clinical care and research initiatives which strive to find cures.

Project Manager & Owner 
R&R Insurance Services

Year joined:
2010

Why I joined the NRC:
Since suffering a spinal cord injury in 1998 that left me paralyzed from the chest down I have been heavily invested in trying to find a cure. Starting the Bryon Riesch Paralysis Foundation (BRPF) in 2021 with friends and community partnerships over $7 million has been raised for spinal cord injury research. Working closely with the Medical College of Wisconsin the BRPF has been able to support many of the talented researchers through a multitude of research grants. The Medical College of Wisconsin is very much a hidden gem and I'm proud to be able support such a valuable and amazing facility right in our backyard

NRC Associate Director
Medical College of Wisconsin

Year joined:
2023

Why I joined the NRC:
I am honored to join the Neuroscience Research Center Board of Directors in my capacity as the Associate Director of the Neuroscience Research Center. My decision to serve in this capacity is driven by a deep and unwavering commitment to advancing the field of neuroscience and, more importantly, a strong desire to contribute to the center's mission of understanding and healing the brain.

As a neuroscientist with a dedicated career spanning several years, I have witnessed the immense potential that neuroscience research holds in transforming lives. I have had the privilege of exploring the intricacies of the brain, unraveling its mysteries, and working toward innovative solutions to address neurological challenges. Throughout my journey, I have developed a profound passion for understanding the brain and harnessing this knowledge to improve the lives of individuals affected by neurological disorders and injuries.

An extensive academic and research background underpins my qualifications as a neuroscientist. I have actively engaged in cutting-edge research, published in reputable scientific journals, secured research grants, and collaborated with leading experts in the field. This experience has equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of the complex neurological processes and a deep appreciation for the interdisciplinary nature of neuroscience.

I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the remarkable work being conducted within our institution. The dedication of our researchers, the innovative projects, and the potential for groundbreaking discoveries have all inspired me. My passion for healing the central nervous system extends beyond the laboratory and into the realm of advocacy and leadership. I am committed to championing the cause of neuroscience research, promoting public awareness, and advocating for the resources and support necessary to advance NRC's collective mission.

Shareholder / Executive Vice President
Fiduciary Real Estate Development, Inc.

Year Joined:
2024

Why I joined the NRC:
Having several family members and friends who have been impacted by neurological disease and disorders, I am interested in helping fundraise to further expand research, treatment, and therapeutics.

Retired

Year joined:
2017

Why I joined the NRC:
My father had Parkinson's disease and I saw what he went through. So I decided that after I retired I would do something to help find a cure. Being on the NRC Advisory Board has opened my eyes to the research being done right here to help people with neurological disorders. It is both rewarding and educational.

Year joined:
2023

Bonita Timarac Interior Design

Year joined:
2010

Why I joined the NRC:
My Mother and many friends had died with Parkinsons disease. I continue to serve on the board having lost a brother to a spinal cord injury and a nephew who passed with an overdose. I was interested in trying to learn more and help raise money for the disease originally, but the Neuroscience Institute gives me hope for a better future.

Sanford J. Larson Chair in Neurosurgery
Medical College of Wisconsin

Year Joined: 2024

Director of the Andrew Center for Restorative Justice, Ret. Chief Judge
Marquette University Law School
 
Year joined:
2023

Why I joined the NRC Board:
The mystery and complexity of the brain have always intrigued me. I have been particularly interested in how neuroscience and the law intersect. The bounds of neuroscience seem absolutely limitless as new questions are always being asked and answered about human nature and behavior. As such, I have been keenly interested in the adolescent brain having served as a judge in children's court for 9 years. In addition, I have explored neuroscience related to addiction, memory, stress and trauma, violence and restorative justice. Learning about these topics made me a better judge as I have tried to take a more humanistic approach to the people I serve. I also am excited to serve on the NRC Board because of the talented and dedicated individuals who make up the NRC who continue to explore areas of neuroscience with a multi-faceted lens.

Director - Private Wealth Management
Baird

Year joined:
2022

Why I joined the NRC:
My initial interest in NRC was peaked by my personal experience of having a parent and a grandparent diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease - my mother, and my maternal grandmother. My grandmother was diagnosed at age 68 (deceased age 78 in 2005) and my mother many years later at age 66 (deceased age 72 in 2021). In supporting my mother and her medical care I was completed astounded that in 2015 my mother was prescribed many of the same medications her mother had been prescribed 20 years earlier in 1995. How could this be possible when there had been so many advancements in medicine across so many different fields?

Fast forward to February 2021 - my husband suffered a massive stroke related to a freak ski accident. He was 50 years old, in excellent physical condition, an avid long-time skier and golfer, and father to our two young children; Rex age 9 and Rowan age 11. I was desperate to understand and help chart the path of my husband's post-stroke, (very) long recovery, although felt lost, alone, and overwhelmed by the seemingly rapid-fire decisions I needed to make. Living in Milwaukee and having past experience with MCW, it quickly became clear that NRC would become my primary access point to vast information and assistance for his care. Dr. Binder's team, specifically Sara Pillay, PhD and Dr. McGuire (with whom he's still an active patient) would become absolutely critical to the pace and the ultimate extent of his recovery.

In 2022, I decided it was time to take action - to get involved - to turn my personal experience with traumatic brain injury into helping others walk the path of recovery that I was also walking. I am so happy to be a part of incredible team of volunteers, researchers, and doctors at NRC working to make Milwaukee a hub for best-in-class neuroscience care.