THE CMC IS HERE TO SUPPORT
You and Your Community
WE ARE THE CHICAGO MOVEMENT COALITION.
We are a partnership of community members, leaders, and academic specialists.
We are dedicated to being there for you and your community to make moves for Parkinson's!
The Chicago Movement Coalition (CMC) is an alliance of community and academic partners that was established in 2019 to be a resource and advocate for members of the Chicagoland community who are underrepresented in the area of Parkinson’s disease care. The coalition is made up of CMC leaders who are community leaders and healthcare providers, individuals with Parkinson’s disease, and their caregivers. These CMC Leaders represent the perspectives and priorities of their diverse communities in the North and Southwest sides of Chicago.
The main goal of the CMC is to empower community members by developing and sustaining educational initiatives about Parkinson’s disease care and research opportunities. The CMC is generously funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Our Team
CMC Advisory Council Leadership
JANET CRAWFORD
Community Leader
Janet Crawford recently joined Senior Helpers of Niles- Lincolnwood as VP of Client Services. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Rush University in Chicago, IL. She supports the extensive training that Senior Helpers caregivers receive so that clients with PD can live in comfort and as independently as possible.
MICHAEL TURNER
Community Leader
Senior Helpers of Niles - Lincolnwood was founded by Michael Turner, Owner and has been providing exceptional in-home care experiences for seniors in the Niles, Lincolnwood, Edgebrook/Sauganash, Chicago and surrounding communities for more than 9 years. His mission for clients who live PD is to ensure a better quality of life for them and their care partners.
DOROTHY GIBBS
Person With Parkinson's
LOLLITA COLLIER
Care Partner
Neurologist, Movement Disorder Specialist
Dr. BRANDON BARTON
MICHAEL
EWING
Care Partner
Michael is Victoria's partner of 54 years. In addition to sharing 5 children and 12 grandchildren, they share her journey with Parkinson's disease - by her bedside throughout each emergency room visit, ICU stops hospitalization, rehabilitation stint, and future doctor visits
CMC Executive Planning Council
KAREN
WILLIAMS, BA
Senior Research Coordinator
Karen is a Senior Research Project Manager at Northwestern. She has greater than 25 years of experience in clinical research, of which 16 were dedicated to Parkinson's research. She serves on the Parkinson's Study Group Executive Committee and on a number of community outreach committees. As a native Chicagoan, she is passionate about increasing awareness of PD research in Chicago.
CARMEN BOSQUES
Person with Parkinson's
MARIA GUTIERREZ
Care Partner
JOSE
GUTIERREZ
Person with Parkinson's
Dr. YASAMAN
KIANIRAD
Neurologist, Movement Disorder Specialist
Dr. Kianirad is a Movement Disorder Specialist at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She sees many Parkinson's patients in her clinic. She completed her Residency and Fellowship at Northwestern. As a Liaison to the CMC Leadership, Dr. Kianirad providers her clinical expertise and opinion to our work.
VALERIE EWING
Person with Parkinson's
Care Provider
MARY
WITHERSPOON, RN
Dr. KATIE
MCGRAW
Katy is a Physical Therapist at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital. She is passionate about improving the lives of people living with Parkinson's disease through rehabilitation and exercise. She completed her doctoral education at University of Illinois at Chicago and a neurologic physical therapy residency at Boston University. Over the past 10 years, she has worked in a variety of innovative clinical, research, and educational roles focused on Parkinson's disease.
EMILY
ZIVIN
Social Worker
Emily Zivin has worked in many different capacities within the health care field. She ran a Parkinson's disease community program at JCC Chicago for over two years She also works as the HDSA chapter social worker and recently became the Huntington's Disease social worker at Northwestern. She earned her Masters in Social Work at Columbia University and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from New York University Wagner School of Public Service.
Physical Therapist
Neurologist,
Movement Disorder Specialist
Dr. DANIELLE
LARSON
Dr. Larson is a Movement Disorder Specialist at Northwestern. She is passionate about increasing the awareness of Parkinson’s disease in Chicago communities. In her role as a physician leader on the CMC’s Executive Planning Committee she helps to plan and carry out CMC activities in the community.
Lead Spanish
Interpreter
Fabiola Bowland
Neurologist, Movement Disorder Specialist
Dr.Behzad Elahi
Fabiola has over 20 years of experience in interpretation and has been at Northwestern Memorial Hospital since 2007. As a lead interpreter she participates in training of fellow interpreters and administrative staff. She holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Concordia University.
Dr. Behzad is an Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery as well as the Director of Movement Disorders at Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois. Dr. Behzad speaks both English and Farsi.
Dr. Paulina Gonzalez-Latapi
Neurologist,
Movement Disorder Specialist
Originally from Mexico City, Mexico, Dr. Gonzalez- Latapi completed her medical degree from Universidad Panamericana School of Medicine. Dr. Gonzalez-Latapi is interested in increasing the enrollment of underrepresented groups in clinical trials and research efforts. She is fluent in English and Spanish and is leading the Hispanic Movement Disorders Clinic at Northwestern.