About the Loeys-Dietz Syndrome Foundation

The Loeys-Dietz Syndrome Foundation (LDSF) is dedicated to:

• encouraging education about Loeys-Dietz syndrome and related connective tissue disorders to medical professionals and lay communities in order to aid in identification, diagnosis, and treatment of Loeys-Dietz syndrome

• fostering research about Loeys-Dietz syndrome 

• providing a support network for individuals, parents, and families affected by Loeys-Dietz syndrome

The Loeys-Dietz Syndrome Foundation is a division of The Marfan Foundation. Through this relationship, donations to the Loeys-Dietz Syndrome Foundation are tax-deductible and directly support our mission. You will receive a donation receipt from The Marfan Foundation.

Our purpose is to provide information about what Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is and to provide hope for those impacted by the condition. We hope that through our website, newsletter, social media outlets and other resources, you will find medical information and personal support to assist you and your family on your journey with LDS.

We strive to serve a growing global community of individuals impacted by LDS.

For more information about our international partners and affiliate organizations, please visit our Partners & Affiliates page. 

Stacey Watson

Director
Email Stacey

Stacey works to enhance the programs, services, and support provided for the community as the Director of the Loeys-Dietz Syndrome Foundation. Diagnosed with LDS in 2013, her role as Director is deeply personal.

Stacey comes to the Foundation having spent more than a decade in non-profit management, including experience as an Assistant Camp Director as well as in program development, support groups, strategic planning and development.

Stacey is a proud alumna of Syracuse University, and earned her MSW, specializing in Management and Community Organizing with a concentration in Families and Children, from the University of Maryland. She loves to cook, doodle, and travel. Stacey lives in Kensington, MD with her husband, Andrew, their two children, and beloved dog.

The Loeys-Dietz Syndrome Foundation is a division of the Marfan Foundation.
Meet the rest of the Marfan Foundation team here!

Dawn G. Reiner

President

Dawn lives in Park City, UT with her husband, Andrew, and two children. Their daughter, River, has LDS. Dawn currently serves on The Marfan Foundation Board, chairs the Marfan Foundation Mental Health Taskforce and is currently the Vice President of Marketing for her family owned product development company.  She holds an undergraduate degree in marketing and graduate degree in education. She joined the LDS Board in 2014, chaired the 2016 conference and co-chaired the 2018 conference.

Gretchen (Oswald) MacCarrick

Past President and Co-Founder, Educational Committee Chair

Gretchen lives in Towson, Maryland with her husband, Jacob.  She is a genetic counselor at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland working primarily with individuals diagnosed with LDS and other connective tissue disorders.  She holds an undergraduate degree in biology. She is a co-founder of the LDSF, past president, and has served on the Board since 2007.

Julie Wilson

Vice President

Julie lives in West Virginia with her husband Chris and their son Connor, who has LDS. She co-chaired the 2018 conference, a 2016 conference committee member and joined the board in 2016.

Beth Utz

Co-Founder, Past President LDSF

Beth lives in Bowling Green, Ohio with her husband Derik.  They have six children, and their son Alexander has Loeys-Dietz syndrome.  Beth is co-founder of the LDSF, past president, and currently serves on the Marfan Foundation Board of Directors.  Since her son’s diagnosis in 2006, she has helped others become their own best advocate of a rare condition, and has helped bring related conditions to the forefront for continued education, awareness and research. Beth has a Bachelor of Science in Education, and an M.Ed in Educational Administration.

Heide Padilla

Development Committee Co-Chair

Heide Padilla lives in Chicago, Illinois with her husband, Germaine, and her four boys.  As a result of a spontaneous mutation, her son Noah has LDS. Heide is a primary teacher and has worked in the Chicago Public School system for the past 16 years.  She holds a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Heide has been an active fundraiser for the LDSF and joined the Board in 2017.

Linda Tigges

Outreach Committee Co-Chair

Linda lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband David and two children. Her daughter Kayley has LDS. She attended University of North Carolina for undergraduate and law school. Linda works as the General Counsel, Data Center Group for Lenovo. Linda joined the board in 2018.

Lauren Atherton

Lauren lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, Brett, and two dogs Franklin and Rocky. She was diagnosed with Loeys-Dietz Syndrome in December 2017 after an emergency aortic dissection and joined the board in 2019. In 2020, Lauren founded HeartSpark Design – a creative studio dedicated to helping nonprofit organization through branding and design.

Gavin Marcus

Gavin is a marketing and content strategy professional with over 9 years' experience in the technology and media industry. Fluent in mandarin, he has spent most of his working life in China helping organizations tell stories that connect with their audience. Passionate about advocating for positive change, he has held board positions in Alibaba’s Global Philanthropy Committee and the LDS Foundation Marketing Committee. He is currently supporting the growth of the international LDS community.

Regina Korochik

Regina lives in New York City with her son Matthew and daughter Kaitlin. Matthew was clinically diagnosed with Loeys-Dietz Syndrome in 2013.  Regina is passionate about fundraising and has been a member of the LDSF Fundraising Committee as well as LDSF Development Committee.

Peter Donato

Peter was diagnosed with LDS in 5th grade and the following summer he and his family went to their first Marfan Foundation conference in Philadelphia. Since then Peter has been very involved. Currently he is the Teen Program Leader and Teen Council Co-Chair. When he isn’t volunteering you find him in his hometown of Boston, MA, hanging out with friends and family.

Bridget Porter-Metz

Bridget joined the LDS Community after the tragic loss of her 13 year old son, Connor. But this mom is a FORCE, especially when it comes to education about Loeys-Dietz syndrome and aortic disease. She is a community leader in Northern California and continues to break fundraising records with the Northern California Walk for Victory.