A Life Free From Digestive Disease
Seventy million Americans live with a digestive disease. The GI Research Foundation is at the forefront of science and discovery, partnering with the nationally-ranked University of Chicago Medicine Digestive Diseases Center to transform their lives.
History of GI Research Foundation
In 1961, the GI Research Foundation was founded by grateful patients and friends of the late Dr. Joseph B. Kirsner, a pioneer in gastroenterology who devoted his life to medicine, teaching, and patient care. Today, the University of Chicago Medicine Digestive Diseases Center is internationally recognized for research-driven medicine and its team of highly specialized physicians.
Inspired by Dr. Kirsner’s vision, the GI Research Foundation helps ensure the UChicago Digestive Diseases Center remains at the forefront of innovation and personalized care.
“Few if any physicians have had a broader and more positive impact than Joe Kirsner on thousands of patients, students and professional colleagues. His legacy at the University of Chicago will persist for generations.”
Kenneth S. Polonsky, MD
Dean of the Division of the Biological Sciences and the Pritzker School of Medicine and Executive Vice President of Medical Affairs at the University of Chicago
Our Mission
The GI Research Foundation (GIRF) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to support the physicians and scientists at the University of Chicago Medicine Digestive Diseases Center in their efforts to provide outstanding care, train future leaders, and perform innovative clinical and laboratory research in order to treat, cure, and prevent digestive diseases.
Board of Directors
The GI Research Foundation Board of Directors is a group of passionate individuals, committed to providing relief and hope for patients and their families suffering from digestive diseases.
Yekaterina Chudnovsky
President
Kathryn Karmin Shafer
Executive Vice President
Principal, Thomas Shafer Architects LLC
Howard A. Grill*
Vice President of Finance
CFO
The Alter Group
Mark de Souza
Vice President of Fundraising
CEO, Board Member
Penrose TherapeuTx
Biana Lanson, MD
Vice President of Fundraising
Otolaryngologist, Partner
Ear Nose and Throat Center, LLP
Mark A. Waldeck
Vice President of Marketing
Office President
CRC Group – Chicago
Benjamin Pogofsky
Vice President of Board Development
Executive Director
J.P. Morgan
Murray Alscher
Shareholder
DLN Real Estate Advisors
Scott Attar
Owner
AMP Outdoor Billboard Advertising
Partner
Dentons US LLP
Partner
Cogan & Power, P.C.
Russell D. Cohen, MD
Director, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center
University of Chicago Medicine
Partner
Denton’s
Jeffrey A. Fine
Partner
Kirkland and Ellis, LLP
Peter D. Goldman
President
Reed-Union Corporation
Associate
J.P. Morgan Securities
Jordan Hirsch
Sales Development Representative
Clip Health
Karyn Hurwich
Matthew Lebenson
Finance Director
Jonathan Merel
Founder and Managing Principal
Law Offices of Jonathan Merel, P.C.
Brad Peterson*
EVP, Production Analytics & Strategy
Guaranteed Rate
Benjamin S. Riback
Managing Director
BMO Capital Markets
Seymour Taxman
Founder and CEO
The Taxman Corporation
+ Deceased
Join the Board
Learn how you can actively support our mission to prevent, treat, and cure digestive diseases.
Scientific Advisors
The GI Research Foundation’s Scientific Advisors counsel the Board of Directors. Through their guidance, GIRF is proud to champion breakthroughs in understanding, treating, and curing digestive diseases.
Lead Scientific Advisor
Joseph B. Kirsner Professor of Medicine
Chief, Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
Co-Director, Digestive Diseases Center
University of Chicago Medicine
Martin Boyer Professor, Department of Medicine
Director, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research Center in Biological Sciences Division
University of Chicago Medicine
Professor of Medicine
Director, Center for Liver Diseases
Co-Director, Transplant Institute
University of Chicago Medicine
Advisory Council
The Advisory Council assists in the growth of the GI Research Foundation by providing advice and support to the Board of Directors.
Owner
Ronald J. Borden & Company, Ltd
PhD Candidate
Executive Master’s in Clinical Quality, Safety & Leadership
Georgetown University
Nitin Jaitly
Managing Director of Corporate Strategy, Program & Project Management Servicing
(IN)Strategy
Amy Tara Koch
Author and Journalist
Ralph Kaufmann
Retired
Senior Specialty Representative
Amgen
Co-Founder and President
StageLight Group
Program Consultant
AB Initio
Gastroenterology Specialist
University of Chicago Medicine
Aaron Rosdal
Vice President
Capital Deployment, Prologis
David A. Rubin
Saul Rudo
Partner & Chair, Transactional Tax Department Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Spencer G. Sachs
Investment Analyst
Revolution Enterprises
Gary Singer
Chief Strategy Officer
Kobre & Kim
Hilary Wolfe
Senior Managing Director
Northern Trust
Elijah Wreh
Vice Chairman & Board Director
CommStar Credit Union
Associates Board
Since 1997, the young professionals of the Associates Board have raised more than $500,000 to fund groundbreaking research by digestive disease scientists at the start of their career.
Jordan Hirsh
President
Sheetal Shah
Vice President/Secretary
Lauren Martin
Vice President of Fundraising
Katie Waldeck
Vice President of Fundraising
Carly Hennig
Vice President of Grant Funding
Katie Bryan
Vice President of Membership/Marketing/Social Media
Rachael Eagle
Vice President of Membership/Marketing/Social Media
Shelley Brown
Kasey Chronis
Courtney Cebula
Ann Marie Czcerwinski
Nick Dinardi
Kyle Dolan
Rachael Eagle
Kurt Dziama
Sarah Goldberg
Rachel Gross
Jaclyn Hanley
Rachel Hendee
Mike Jesselson
Grace Kelmer
Noa Krugliak Cleveland
Gordon Lerman
Joan Lines
Jacqueline Lopez
Julie McDermott-Hagerty
Emily Reid
Betsy Staar
Brett Tolpin
Medical Advisors
Sushila Dalal, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Chicago Medicine
Ashley Sidebottom, PhD
Platform Director, Host-Microbe Metabolomics, University of Chicago Duchossois Family Institute
Executive Staff
Deborah Barnard
Director of Major Gifts
dbarnard@girf.org
Brittany Zelwin
Fundraising Officer
bzelwin@girf.org
Silver Hannon
Development Associate
shannon@girf.org
Farrah Watson
Director of Finance
fwatson@girf.org