Board of Directors

Mission Statement

To help support sufferers of meningitis and their familes
To educate the public and medical professionals about meningitis so that its early diagnosis and treatment will save lives
To support the development of vaccines and other methods of preventing meningitis

Kelly L. Madison

President

Kelly was diagnosed with Viral Meningitis on March 24th, 1998. She says that the support of her family and the support of the Foundation made an incredible impact in her recovery. After many months towards recovery, Kelly knew she needed to repay the kindness extended to her during her battle with Meningitis and began volunteering with the Foundation in January of 1999.

Kelly was elected Vice President in June 2001 and President of the Western Region in September of 2007. As of September 2009 Kelly is now the president. She is honored to be working with such a dedicated team of professionals.
Kelly wears many hats in her personal life - working full-time at Insight as Senior Instructor for Learning and Development and as Adjunct Faculty for Rio Salado College. Kelly has a degree in Journalism (BA) from the University of North Dakota and her MA-ED in Education Technology from the University of Phoenix in the spring of 2000.

She enjoys working with computers, reading mystery novels and working with the "Rebels without Applause", a wildly creative bunch of drama students at Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix. For many years, she was also weekend host for National Public radio news station KJZZ, Phoenix but has hung up her headphones to focus her attention on her efforts with the Foundation.

She was born and raised in Grand Forks, North Dakota where many of her friends and family still live. Kelly says that it was a wonderful place to grow up and contributes much of her success to being brought up in the Upper-Midwest.

Caroline L. Petrie-Forman

National Secretary

Caroline came to the Meningitis Foundation with years administrative and customer service experience. Initially, Caroline undertook the duties of our Web Liaison - this position coordinates all of the various aspects of our website WWW.MUSA.ORG and manages the relationship with our dedicated Web Team in Arizona. In October 2006, she accepted the post of Secretary to the Board of Directors. "Caroline has what it takes to get things organized and get things done," says Kelly Madison, President of the Foundation. "We couldn't be luckier to have her as part of the team." Caroline makes her home in El Mirage with her husband Doug, a pomarian named Dutchess and Harry her feline companion.

Brian Huey

National Treasurer

Brian was born in Fresno, California in 1972 and lived there until August, 2004. After living in Jacksonville, Florida for just under two years, Brian and family now live in the Houston, Texas area. He and his wife, Susan, have been happily married since 1993 and both very much enjoy their two children. Brian's story is part of this website. Brian became involved with the Meningitis Foundation of America while working on a research project at California State University, Fresno. He picked the topic of Meningitis after having contracted his second incident of the illness a few months earlier. Having attained his Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology and moved across the country and half-way back, Brian still enjoys the contact with others needing a better understanding of what's going on with the body when Meningitis strikes.

Casey Stewart

Board Member

In 1998 at Le Cordon Blue culinary School in Pasadena, CA I was diagnosed with Spinal Meningitis at U.C.L.A., I lost the ability to use my lower extremities and my ability to walk on my own. Michelle and I were married in 2004 and we now live in Palm Desert Ca. I have been working for the last four years at The Silver Rock Resort which is the home of the Bob Hope Classic. I returned to my love of golf with the assistance of a handicapped golf cart called the Solo Rider. Michelle and I wanted to give back so we selected the Meningitis Foundation of America and we now hold an annual tournament at Silver Rock. This will be our third annual tournament and with that try to bring awareness and knowledge to this disease. Michelle and I are truly blessed to have found this foundation and we are very excited about the future of making this Foundation grow. Going all over the country to see different Dr's (the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Az. and Mayo Rochester Minnesota) My wish would be to be able to shed some light on how to deal with this illness on an everyday basis and be able to grow from it.

Michelle Stewart

Board Member

Michelle Stewart was introduced to the disease of meningitis through her husband, Casey Stewart. Casey is a survivor, and throughout the endless journey of specialists, doctors’ appointments, and living for eighteen months at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Michelle discovered the importance of being educated about this disease called meningitis. In order to help understand Casey's symptoms needs, as well as his caretaker, Michelle and Casey took a negative and turned Casey's challenge into a positive by creating 'STEWS SHOOTOUT AT SILVER ROCK.' This is a golf tournament benefiting the Meningitis Foundation of America. Michelle is currently attending Chapman University, studying criminal justice and sociology. Michelle and Casey reside in Palm Desert, California and look forward to many more blessed years raising awareness about meningitis.

Dayna O'Canna

Board Member

Eric O'Canna

Board Member

Scott Lawson

National Board Member

After attending Ball State University and obtaining my Bachelors of Science in Health Care Administration/Community Health Education (98) I started my career by joining the team at American Red Cross Hoosier Heartland Chapter. During my tenure at the ARC I held the positions of Director of Health and Safety and Director of Financial Development and Information Systems. During the spring of 2003 I moved to Indianapolis, Indiana to try my hands at Fiscal Management with the State of Indiana. By luck I happened upon a job description that would lead me to the Meningitis Foundation of America and to a position that has enriched my life since joining this noble cause.

Previous Support Staff

David Spilker, MFA Founder
Lynn Bozof
Adam Busuttil
Jamie Callahan
James Conway, M.D. - Medical Advisor
Denise Evans
Kyle Hendrix
Sharon Johnson
Tim Milazzo
Frankie Milley
Brian Newby
Carla Newby
Ryan Pike
David Powell
Denise Sanzo
Kelly Thomas
Carolyn Waghorn
Ed Wiginton