Our Team
Our dedicated team comprises a dynamic blend of diverse individuals united in their commitment to combat liver disease. Their collaborative efforts are instrumental in shaping a future where liver health is at the forefront of medical dialogue, ensuring a lasting impact on communities and individuals alike. Together, they form the backbone of our relentless pursuit of wellness and education in liver disease management.
Gina Villiotti Madison, with two decades in business, has led in marketing, public relations, and more, earning Pittsburgh Magazine’s 40 Under 40 in 2015. Formerly at PNC, she's now Executive Director of NASH kNOWledge and a Penn State graduate.
Villiotti founded NASH kNOWledge after his experience with liver disease and a liver transplant, aiming to guide others through similar challenges. Tony is a retired financial executive. He currently serves as a Patient Ambassador for the Foundation for the Institutes of Health, is a member of the Southern California Center for Latino Health's Community Advisory Board and serves on the External Advisory Board on certain projects for the University of Pittsburgh's Drug Discovery Institute.
Betsy Villiotti, Vice President at NASH kNOWledge, manages the Liver Support Group and offers caregiver insights from her experience. A retired teacher, she still substitutes and volunteers with CORE, holding a degree from Slippery Rock University.
A native of Venezuela, Maria works with both local and national organizations to promote fatty liver disease awareness and education.
Patty coordinates and attends our Liver Support Group meetings and works on special projects.
In addition to serving as a Medical Advisor to NASH kNOWledge, Dr. Sanchez is a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Mayo Clinic where he works on liver-related research.
Dr. Ayers, a pediatric hepatologist at UPMC's Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh and Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, is actively involved with NASPGHAN and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Shawn Bannon, Senior VP at Truist Financial, founded Bannon Leadership Consulting and Communications. Formerly, he was Senior VP at PNC Financial Services and held communications roles at Allegheny Conference and Mellon Financial.
Albert Garcia is the Director of Development and Corporate Sponsorships of the Neighborhood Learning Alliance. He is also President of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals for America and Vice President of the Chronic Disease Health Alliance.
Dr. Garcia, an Associate Professor at the University of Arizona. He is the founder and Director of "Nosotros Comprometidos a Su Salud," a public health program which fosters community-engaged research collaborations, service, and education to advance health equity in Southern Arizona.
Dr. Karen Jerome-Zapadka, a Gastroenterology and Obesity Medicine specialist at Valley Gastroenterology Associates, is on Heritage Valley Health System's Board. Her work focuses on fatty liver disease awareness, comprehensive obesity programs, and leading a multi-disciplinary nutrition committee.
Mr. Kelly is an attorney and partner at Saul Ewing Arnstein and Lehr LLP in Pittsburgh. He has extensive legal experience across a broad spectrum, including healthcare issues. Mr. Kelly also serves on the Board of Directors of Heritage Valley Health System.
Dr. Martinez is an Associate Professor in the University of Buffalo’s Jacob School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. He is the Medical Director – Hepatology at the Erie County Medical Center. He is active in the AASLD and the Chronic Liver Disease Foundation.
Dr. Saab is a professor in the Departments of Medicine and Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and an adjunct professor of nursing at the UCLA School of Nursing. He is currently the medical director of the UCLA Adult Liver Transplant Program, medical director of the Pfleger Liver Institute, and the chief of Transplant Hepatology. Dr. Saab is also the head of Outcomes Research in Hepatology. He is on board of directors for several liver-oriented foundations.
Kam Taitt is the Group Director, US Pharmaceutical Media Partnerships and Content Strategy at Alpha Precision Media in New York. Previously, he was Client Services Director at Revhealth and Senior Vice President at Peregrine Market Access. Kam previously served on our Board in 2019 and 2020.
David Villiotti, founder of Good Steward Accounting, is an alumnus of Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh, and Penn State. His background spans accounting roles in non-profit, healthcare, oil, gas, sports, and entertainment, with previous positions at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, CONSOL Energy, and Allegheny Health Network.
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