SFF’s Advisory Board Members are comprised of trusted leaders in the industry known for being trailblazers in their profession and community. As advocates and ambassadors of SFF, the board supports the executive team through strategic direction and insight.
MD, Hospital For Special Surgery (HSS)
Dr. Han Jo Kim is a Scoliosis and Cervical Spine Specialist at the #1 Hospital for Orthopaedic Surgery in the USA – the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. He is the Director of the Spine Fellowship and serves as an Associate Professor at Weill Cornell Medical College. He serves on the board for FOCOS (Foundation for Orthopaedics and Complex Spine) which is a Hospital in Ghana, West Africa, AO Spine Incubator Board and serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Solisti Ensemble. He is passionate about classical music and for the delivery of Spine Care to under-served communities. He has authored over 130 peer-reviewed publications in addition to featured works in US News & World Report, New England Journal of Medicine and other reputable journals.
Vice President of Sales at Michael Kors
Mary Lisa grew up in Maryland where she completed her undergraduate degree at Towson University. Mary Lisa currently resides in NYC and is a Vice President at Michael Kors. In addition, Mary Lisa enjoys traveling and health and fitness. Mary Lisa was diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of 12 with a 42 degree curved, braced for a year, and surgery followed.
Director of the Harkness Dance Center at 92Y
In Taryn’s twelve-year performing career with both Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) and the Joffrey Ballet, Taryn traveled extensively, performing works by George Balanchine, John Cranko, Agnes de Mille, Martha Graham, Lar Lubovitch, Jiří Kylián, Nacho Duato, Ohad Naharin, and William Forsythe. During her tenure as Director of Hubbard Street 2 between 2008 and the Spring of 2013, Taryn was responsible for programming and staffing the HSDC summer intensives and curating HSDC’s National Choreographic Competition each season. In this capacity, Taryn realized her passion for teaching and mentoring young and emerging artists. She has guest taught the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, the Trey McIntyre Project, Ballet Hispanico, Ballet BC, and is a regular company teacher for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Taryn has been commissioned to choreograph work for HSDC as part of their Danc(e)volve Series at the Museum of Contemporary Art and has staged existing repertoire on the Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Taryn has composed a number of site-specific installations, most notably in collaborative partnership with the Art Institute of Chicago, the Illinois Institute of Technology, and with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Kaschock Russell has served on the faculty of the Conservatory of Dance, SUNY Purchase and at the Dance Division of The Juilliard School over the past five years.
A Director of Complex Spine at Medtronic
Chad Jackson is a Director of Complex Spine for Medtronic, a global leader in spine implant manufacturing. With 13 years in the health industry, he has led a successful career in consultancy and management. Chad has equally led a successful medical device sales career from being an apprentice sales representative to an award-winning sales expert, as well as ranking as the top sales agent at different companies. Chad has shown tremendous talent in strategic planning and project management, the ability to understand and simplify complex concepts quickly as well as being innovative with systems that promote productivity and customer satisfaction. A native of Indiana, Chad holds a BS in Behavioral Psychology from Indiana State University, where he graduated with honors. In the nonprofit arena, Chad contributes his time as a junior board member and volunteer for Foundation for Orthopedics and Complex Spine. Mr. Jackson currently resides in New York.
Integrative Health Practitioner, MSc Physical Therapy, RYT-200, Yoga for Scoliosis Trainer, NASM-CPT & NASM-CES
Vivian is a certified Integrative Health Practitioner (IHP) with a background in physical therapy, yoga for scoliosis, corrective exercise, and functional and naturopathic medicine. Ever since she was diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), she’s been fascinated with the human body and the way it moves. She helps those with scoliosis regain strength and confidence by building body awareness through fitness, as well as nutrition and mindfulness practices. By creating SCOLIOFITNESS, a program that incorporates scoliosis specific exercises and everyday techniques, Vivian empowers #scoliosiswarriors to live a life out of possibility and not out of fear.
SFF Assistant
Lauren grew up in Southern California and is a recent graduate of Loyola Marymount University. She is currently a Pre-PA student with the hopes of earning her two master’s degrees in Physician Assistant Studies and Public Health. Lauren was diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of 11 with a 45 degree curve, braced for two and a half years, and had a spinal fusion surgery at age 15. Her scoliosis has inspired her to empower young people with the condition and enter the medical field to help patients in the future.