Distinguished New York City law firm partner accepts leadership role with foundation committed to ending neurofibromatosis
NEW YORK, NY – The Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF), an organization dedicated to finding effective treatments for the millions of people worldwide living with neurofibromatosis (NF), is pleased to announce Linda Halliday Martin as the new Chairperson of the Board of Directors. Martin, a Partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, fills the Chair seat vacated by Stuart Match Suna, co-owner and President of Silvercup Studios.
Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow throughout the body and can lead to cancer, blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, learning disabilities and disabling pain. It affects one in 3,000 people, making it more prevalent than cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease combined.
“There is currently no cure for neurofibromatosis, and that makes the work of the Children’s Tumor Foundation all the more crucial,” said Ms. Martin. “Our outgoing chairperson, Stuart Match Suna, set the bar high with his passion and commitment to advancing the mission of the Foundation. I’m honored to step into this role and lead the Board and the Foundation as we work together to fund new and innovative research, advocate on behalf of the NF community, and support those living with NF and their families.”
Martin’s youngest son was diagnosed with NF1, the most common manifestation of the disorder, in 2000, and she has been involved with the Foundation in a variety of capacities since that time. Martin has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2007, most recently serving as Vice Chair. She has also chaired the Legal Affairs and Ethics Committee, and has served on the Executive, Leadership Development, and Volunteer Relations Committees.
“Linda has been an ardent advocate for the Children’s Tumor Foundation since first getting involved,” said Mr. Suna. “Her passion for raising awareness and educating the public about NF and the research necessary to finding a cure is never-ending, and under her leadership, I’m confident the Foundation will progress in its mission of developing effective treatments that benefit patients.”
In addition to her work with the Children’s Tumor Foundation, Martin is President of the Board of Directors of the Law Alumni Association of Duke University School of Law. She received her Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Harvard University, and received her Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Duke Law School, where she was an editor of the Duke Law Journal.
About Children’s Tumor Foundation
The Children’s Tumor Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to finding effective treatments for the millions of people worldwide living with neurofibromatosis (NF), a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body and can lead to cancer, blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, learning disabilities, and disabling pain. NF affects one in 3,000 people, making it more prevalent than cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease combined. The Children’s Tumor Foundation funds critical research, benefiting those who live with neurofibromatosis, as well as shedding new light on several forms of cancer, brain tumors, bone abnormalities, and learning disabilities, ultimately benefiting the broader community. For more information, please visit www.ctf.org.
Contacts:
Simon Vukelj, Children’s Tumor Foundation, svukelj@ctf.org
Rebecca Silver, Children’s Tumor Foundation, rsilver@ctf.org
