BOARD

Brandon Mitchell is the Chief Impact Officer at the Millennial Action Project. He spearheads efforts to ensure that the organization’s programs maximize impact on the mission to strengthen democracy and build the capacity of the next generation of young legislators.

Brandon was previously the Vice President of Company Partnerships at Venture For America (VFA), a nonprofit Fellowship program that gives recent college graduates firsthand startup experiences that help them become leaders who make meaningful impacts on their careers. While at VFA, Brandon oversaw the launch of “Connect”, an online platform that brings together Fellows, Startup Founders, Investors, and Ecosystem Builders across the country to network, accelerate careers, and create a more inclusive future of entrepreneurship. He also served as VFA’s Director of Miami leading the market to some of its highest fundraising and partnership numbers in its history.

Before joining VFA, Brandon worked on the Alumni Relations team at the University of Miami, designing and implementing a robust young alumni engagement program and overseeing the creation and launch of the university’s “Senior Sendoff” and “30 Under 30” programs that together led the university to its highest student and young alumni engagement levels ever.

Brandon is a two-time graduate of the University of Miami and is deeply passionate about the Greater Miami community. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce as the Chair of Leadership Miami, the Board of Directors of Iron Arrow Honor Society at the University of Miami, and the Chair of the Board for NTM Info & Research, a Miami-based non-profit organization formed on behalf of patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) disease for patient support, education and research. He remains an active supporter of United Way of Miami, Mosaic Miami, and has been recognized as a Top-20 Professional Under 40 by Brickell Magazine in Miami, FL.

Debbie Breslawsky was diagnosed with NTM in 2000. Being faced with a lack of knowledge of this “mysterious condition,” her quest for information led her to find patients with this same condition. She established her first NTM support group in New York in 2003, which has grown exponentially since then. In 2012, she founded a support group in the Palm Springs area of California, and in 2013, another in Connecticut. It is her mission to support NTM patients by providing information and encouragement.

Debbie is a National Trustee of National Jewish Health and serves on the board of NTM Info & Research, the national organization advocating for patients by providing information and supporting research, among other endeavors. She was one of the originators of the NTM patient conference series at National Jewish Health, and has written an NTM manual for use by patients and physicians. It is her hope that her participation on the board of NTMir will help her mission of advocacy for the challenges facing NTM patients.

Her interests include golf, hiking, and travel, and she values time with her family, husband Marc, her two children and their spouses, and her four grandchildren. She is grateful to have overcome many of the difficulties of NTM, enabling her to enjoy an excellent quality of life.

Betsy Glaeser, an NTM patient for more than 18 years, is a charter member and co-leader of the New York NTM patient support group, and a member of NTMir’s Board of Directors.

With a resistant strain of NTM requiring daily constant daily treatment, Betsy was fortunate to be accepted into the National Institutes of Health NTM protocol which has directed her care, supplemented by NYU-Langone. She chose to pursue her love of art history after her diagnosis, earning an M.A., passing doctoral orals, and obtaining a second M. Phil degree. She also holds an M.A. in history. After her first job as grants officer at a Rockefeller Fund, she did an MBA in finance. She managed capital markets for Mobil Corporation for over 20 years, and then directed the consulting practice for corporations’ risk management for Deloitte. In 1999 her NTM-related health issues prompted her to leave the workforce. She still audits art courses.

Despite the challenges of having NTM lung disease, Betsy maintains an active and enriching life. In addition to her work with the support group and NTMir, which she finds very fulfilling, she audits art courses and spends many weekends away in Connecticut with her psychiatrist husband. She also has a large family which she enjoys greatly, including her son as well as three grandchildren and three step-grandchildren.

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. His passion is helping NTM patients individually and through NTM Info & Research (NTMir), an organization he and his late wife co-founded in 2002.

Philip moved to Miami, Florida from Canada in 1990, where had been the CEO of his own company. In addition, Philip has served as a Vice Chair of the Council of National Trustees of National Jewish Medical and Research Center, as a Board Member of the American Lung Association of Southeast Florida, and a Board Member of SeniorCare Meals on Wheels.

Philip and his wife Nancy, their children and grandchildren live in Miami, Florida.

Jim is the Controller for Suchman Retail Group, Inc., a South Florida commercial real estate company. He has nearly 25 years of accounting experience, including 15 in the banking industry and the last nine years with Suchman Group. Jim has been a volunteer for NTM Info & Research for the past seven years, assisting with the accounting functions of the organization, and currently serves as its Treasurer. He has also volunteered with other nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity and March of Dimes.

Jim attended Florida International University and holds a Real Estate license in the state of Florida. He lives in Miami with his wife, daughter and son.