CEO
Catherine Cummings, CAE, MBA
Cathy Cummings has an eclectic mix of work experiences in the Canadian not-for-profit sector including the National Payroll Institute, the Canadian Bar Association, the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association, and now as the Executive Director of the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations. Cathy has also volunteered extensively with United Way, the Canadian Society of Association Executives and many charities, including ALS Ontario, ALS Canada and Ceridian Cares. She holds an MBA from Athabasca University and is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation.
On a personal note, Cathy is married to her wonderful husband Marty, has three awesome children and has a mission nicknamed the “Bouquet Project,” where she is trying to reverse the statistic that people are 10 times more likely to complain than praise.
To contact Catherine, please email cathy.cummings@als-mnd.org.
Contract Staff
The International Alliance works with various contractors across the globe to achieve its mission of a world free of ALS/MND. These contractors work in unison with our Executive Director to operate the Alliance. Read more about each contractor below:
Advocacy and Membership Lead
David Ali
Innovation and Technology Lead
Jarnail Chudge
Jarnail Chudge was a Design and Innovation Architect in the Enable Group at Microsoft Technology + Research where he worked on projects where the primary focus is to design, develop, and deliver empowering and inclusive experiences which are sustainable, enhance human awareness, and augment a person’s intelligence by amplifying it and which allow the space to create and develop new skills and capabilities. As the co-founder of Microsoft Soundscape, which uses 3D spatial audio to created audio Augmented Reality, Jarnail has had special focus on how a product built on inclusive design principles primarily for the Blind and Low-Vision community, can have universal value for everyone by demonstrating the broader value of the technology in a range of different scenarios.
Jarnail started his career in academia focusing on the burgeoning field of socio-technical systems where he gained first-hand experience of integrating business, user, and technology needs. Making the switch to industry Jarnail has extensive international experience across a range of industry sectors, both as an individual contributor and also as a team-leader and manager. Jarnail’s work on the Enable team on Microsoft Soundscape and on “Hands-Free” which uses eye-control technology, is characterized by a philosophy grounded in building sustainable business ecosystems based on internal and external collaborations where the value-exchange between the different stakeholders is based on mutual benefit and ultimately, the impact on the user.
Scientific Director
Martina de Majo, PhD
Martina de Majo, PhD, has extensive experience researching disease mechanisms of ALS/MND and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Dr. de Majo earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology and Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology with honours from the Sapienza University of Rome (Italy). She then received her PhD in Clinical Neuroscience from King’s College London (UK) and completed her postdoctoral training at University of California, San Francisco (USA).
In addition to her academic training, Dr. de Majo worked as a principal investigator in the industry sector, directing several National Institutes of Health projects around ALS/FTD disease in vitro modelling. She joined the Alliance as Scientific Director in 2024 and has been coordinating the Alliance research portfolio since.
To contact Martina, please email martina.demajo@als-mnd.org
Program Coordinator
Jessica Mabe
Jessica Mabe was born in London and had a bilingual upbringing in Bogotá, Colombia. She relocated to the UK after finishing school, where she completed her university degree in French & German with Business Studies at the Aberystwyth University in Wales, followed by a Masters in Mass Communications at Leicester University (UK), Masters in Digital Marketing and Advertising at the University of Nebrija (Spain), and a Masters in Digital Marketing from the EAN University (Colombia). Jessica developed her skills as a sales and digital marketing professional leading teams in the UK and Ireland in the technology sector.
In 2014, Jessica’s mother got diagnosed with bulbar onset ALS/MND, and she decided to return to Colombia early in 2015 to help care for her alongside her father. Her mother passed away on February 21, 2018, and shortly after she joined ACELA, the Colombian ALS/MND Association, as an active volunteer supporting family caregivers in their ALS/MND journey. In July 2021, she joined the Alliance as Programs Coordinator.
To contact Jessica, please email jessica.mabe@als-mnd.org.
Executive Assistant
Liana Maltby, CAP
Liana Maltby is a skilled administrative support professional who has experience in research and preparation of meeting agendas and minutes, scheduling, and meeting and event planning. She achieved her Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) certificate through the International Association of Administrative Professionals.
Before joining the Alliance Team in 2022, Liana had a successful career serving in numerous roles with the same employer for over 37 years. As an Executive Assistant, she supported a provincial Board of Directors and members of a provincial association. She interacted and built strong relationships with municipal and provincial government officials and was involved in government lobby days advocating for legislative change. Most recently, Liana was elected as Municipal Councillor in her local community.
Liana, along with her husband and eldest daughter live in Ontario, Canada, and their youngest daughter lives in Alberta, Canada.
To contact Liana, please email liana.maltby@als-mnd.org.
Strategic Project Manager
Julia Simon, BCom
Julia Simon has a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing from the John Molson School of Business in Montreal, Canada. Most recently, Julia worked in open source community building the technology industry. In 2019, she experienced a major burnout, which eventually led her to share her story through conference talks about normalizing mental health issues and advocating for systemic change in the workplace. She is a human-centric generalist who is authentically curious. Julia is a multilinguist (English, French, German, Spanish) and loves to connect with people in a meaningful way.
When her father was diagnosed with bulbar onset ALS-FTD in January 2022, she became one of his primary caregivers. He passed away in April of the same year, which led her to learn about death positivity, medical assistance in dying and end-of-life care. She has since taken courses in peer support work as well as being an end-of-life doula. Julia spends her down time with her son, Felix, and her cat, Flash.
To contact Julia, please email julia.simon@als-mnd.org.
Communications Manager
Lynne Yryku
Lynne Yryku is a versatile communications manager known for her professional approach and attention to detail. With a background in English-French-Spanish translation and over 15 years of experience, Lynne has worked with diverse associations on project ranging from print publications to marketing campaigns to website management systems. Her ability to understand member needs and translate them into engaging content with practical takeaways for her clients sets her apart. Through her work with the Alliance, she strives to share the vision of a world free of ALS/MND with millions of people worldwide.
Lynne lives in Ontario, Canada, where she is Mom to creatures two- and four-legged. She is an outdoor enthusiast who loves running, camping, kayaking, biking and exploring nature with her husband and kids.
To contact Lynne, please email lynne.yryku@als-mnd.org.