Meet the Members of the ICA Staff
The ICA Staff leads day-to-day operations and advances our mission by implementing programs, providing resources, and promoting community engagement. Our Staff powers every aspect of our mission—from supporting people who are newly diagnosed and providing trusted education about the condition to advancing national awareness efforts.
Every member of our Staff is part of the IC community, either with personal experience of IC or with loved ones who do. This connection fuels our dedication and deepens our understanding of the work we do.
Dr. Laura Santurri
Executive Director
Laura Santurri
Teri Short
Director of Development
Teri Short
Tamara Wolske
Director of Finance & Administration
Tamara Wolske
Tamara and her husband live in NW Indiana near where they grew up. In their early married years, while raising their three sons, they traveled and lived in several different states before returning to their Hoosier homeland. They are devoted to family, passionate about pets and supporting animal shelters, and they are always up for a friendly game of pool. Tamara has been a manager for a variety of small businesses, as well as running two of her own companies. She has used her degrees in psychology, sociology, gerontology (aging studies), and international business administration, as well as multiple certifications, to support her work and her service to various organizations. After working with the University of Indianapolis as a program director for 18 years, she continues to teach part-time as an Assistant Professor Emerita & Adjunct Faculty member. Tamara’s enthusiasm for working with the ICA stems from a deep belief in the power of education, advocacy, and action to improve individual lives and the greater community.
Meet the Members of the ICA Board of Directors
The Interstitial Cystitis Association (ICA) Board of Directors is composed of individuals living with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), family members, physicians, and other professionals. Together, they provide strategic leadership and guide the organization’s direction and long-term planning.
Board members champion the ICA’s programs and services, help cultivate awareness and engagement, and ensure strong fiduciary oversight. Through their collective expertise, commitment, and passion, these dedicated volunteers play a vital role in advancing the ICA’s mission and impact.
Amber Carter-Frauenhofer
Chair
Amber Carter-Frauenhofer
Amber has served on the ICA’s Board of Directors since 2022. In addition to her work on the board, she also serves as the Liaison to the Medical Advisory Council, represents the ICA at the Global IC/BPS Patient Advocate Group, participates in Peer Reviews, and runs an IC Support Group in the Central Florida area.
Amber was diagnosed with IC/BPS in 2005, and as a long-time IC patient, Amber has found solace and motivation through engaging with and offering support to other IC patients. She credits the ICA for always providing valuable evidence-based information and resources to navigate the complicated disease.
In her spare time, Amber enjoys traveling, reading, property renovation and interior design, cooking, and spending time with her family. She currently resides in Orlando, FL, with her husband (Jesse), dog (Dolce), and two cats (Bella & Esprit).
Amber has a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies from the University of Central Florida and has extensive experience working as Paralegal in civil litigation, municipal law, contracts, and real property.
Callie Krajcir
Vice Chair
Callie Krajcir
Callie Krajcir is a Registered Dietitian specializing in interstitial cystitis. She has helped over 100 IC Warriors relieve their symptoms through diet and lifestyle interventions. Callie has a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from West Chester University and a Master of Science in Clinical Dietetics from The University of Rhode Island. Callie has struggled with IC her entire life and currently has her symptoms managed through a holistic approach. She has been a Registered Dietitian for 5 years, and during that time, she decided she wanted to help other IC Warriors relieve their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Callie is the host of IC You, a podcast focused on raising awareness for IC and interviewing various experts in the field. She is also very active on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, sharing information about IC and raising awareness.
Callie currently resides in Pennsylvania with her boyfriend, dog, and 2 cats. She enjoys traveling, taking barre classes, and watching Philly sports teams.
Ilka Ross
Treasurer
Ilka Ross
After receiving an interstitial cystitis diagnosis 6 years ago, Ilka developed a strong desire to promote widespread education on IC in an effort to streamline diagnostic procedures and extend support to her fellow IC patients in the form of advocacy.
Her expertise is in Operational Management of mental health facilities, with a current focus on implementing applied behavior analysis as a treatment for adolescent children with ASD, as well as serving as Chief Operating Officer of New Beginnings Ptg, LLC.
Dr. Lori Birder
Board Member
Dr. Lori Birder
Lori Birder, PhD, is a tenured Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Lori completed her PhD in neuropharmacology at the University of Pittsburgh, followed by postdoctoral fellowships in Tokyo, Japan, and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research has been durably funded by the NIH, studying bladder dysfunction with stress/pain and aging, with a focus on drug development. For example, Lori and her team discovered that the epithelial cells that line the urinary bladder lumen (uro-epithelium) exhibit ‘neuron-like’ properties. These properties include both a “sensor” function (i.e., expression of sensor molecules that respond to temperature, mechanical and/or chemical stimuli) as well as a “transducer” function (release of various transmitters/mediators). More recently, she has investigated the impact of aging and chronic disease, with a focus on chronic pain conditions, on cellular homeostasis, which involves mitochondrial damage, increased oxidative stress, and altered purine metabolism. Evidence supporting purine dysregulation in aging, bladder pain (IC/BPS), and peripheral neuropathy has been published by our team in JCI Insight (2020, 2024, 2026), and collaboration in the field of ophthalmology has revealed similar evidence of purine dysregulation in an animal model for age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. These examples demonstrate that targeting a single enzyme- PNPase- restores purine dysregulation and resulting organ dysfunction to a healthy state. Lori has published more than 250 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and reviews, a member of several editorial boards/scientific societies and serves as Founding Editor-in-Chief for the open access ICS journal ‘Continence’.
Natasha Boswell
Board Member
Natasha Boswell
Natasha is a Partner in KPMG’s Banking and Finance Services practice based in New York and also a long-time IC patient. As a career professional and mother of three daughters, Natasha has struggled with symptoms of the disease for years. Through her work with the Board, Natasha hopes the ICA will continue to promote research and treatments that will help millions of women and men achieve the quality of life they deserve.
Dan Deardorf
Board Member
Dan Deardorf
Dan is an executive in the biopharmaceutical industry with over 25 years of development and commercialization experience. He has spent the majority of his career focused on locally delivered therapies for painful conditions at companies such as Genzyme and Flexion Therapeutics; currently serving as CEO of Glycologix. Glycologix is developing a novel, clinical-stage, biopolymer instillate for the treatment of IC. Dan was drawn to the company when he became aware of the devastating impact of IC and the incredible need for better diagnosis and treatment. He earned a BS in Biochemistry at California Polytechnic State University and an MBA in Healthcare Management from the Wharton School of Business.
Dan lives outside of Boston and is an avid cyclist and fly fisherman.
Janelle Faba
Board Member
Janelle Faba
Janelle Faba is a technology professional who has worked in the Financial Technology (FinTech) industry for 20 years. She has held various senior management roles in the industry and is currently a VP of Information Security at a Fortune 500 FinTech organization. She holds many professional certifications, including the Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC). She has a Master of Science in Information Systems Management (MS-ISM) from ASU. She resides in Arizona with her husband. Together they have six children; two adult children and four living at home.
Janelle was diagnosed with IC in 2001, and through her work with the board, Janelle hopes to promote awareness of the condition in the medical and general community and to help all patients find hope and relief.
Michelle Gabuteau
Board Member
Michelle Gabuteau
Having personally experienced the challenges of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), Michelle understands the physical and emotional impact the condition can have on patients’ lives. Her personal journey inspired her to advocate for others living with IC/BPS and help build a community where patients feel heard, supported, and hopeful.
As a member of the Interstitial Cystitis Association’s Board of Directors, Michelle is passionate about raising awareness, amplifying patient voices, advancing advocacy efforts, and supporting initiatives that improve the lives of those affected by IC/BPS. She hopes to leverage her professional background and personal experience to help strengthen the ICA’s impact and contribute to a future where patients have greater access to support, effective treatments, and improved quality of life.
Keith Kalbfleisch
Board Member
Keith Kalbfleisch
Keith Kalbfleisch is a retired Air Force officer and engineering management professional with wide experience from the Department of Defense to private production and service industries. Specializing in engineering, operations management, strategic planning and teamwork applications, he last served as Chief Engineer for the Defense Contract Management Agency (DoD). Prior, he was a respected Operations Management expert, consulting and teaching Master’s-level classes in production and operations management. He has managed operations for international companies, developed processes to improve small-business operations for which he spoke extensively at the Sears Tower in Chicago and Notre Dame University. He has been featured in nationwide articles like AdvantEdge magazine and Business Week. Keith holds a BS from the University of Arizona in Aerospace Engineering and an MS from Florida State University in Operations Management.
Chris Meenan
Board Member
Chris Meenan
Chrissy Richter
Board Member
Chrissy Richter
Chrissy Richter is a long-time IC/BPS patient and passionate patient advocate who has been living with interstitial cystitis for nearly two decades. After years of symptoms and navigating the challenges of diagnosis and treatment, Chrissy became deeply committed to helping others feel less alone and better equipped to advocate for themselves.
Chrissy began her involvement with the ICA as a Volunteer Ambassador. Through her advocacy, she is passionate about raising awareness, improving patient education, and helping people with IC/BPS find knowledgeable and compassionate healthcare providers.
Her professional background spans public relations and communications, education, mentoring, community engagement, volunteer leadership, and small-business ownership. She has experience facilitating groups, coordinating events, building community partnerships, and communicating with diverse audiences.
Chrissy lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and son. Outside of her advocacy work, she enjoys gardening, tending to her houseplants, photography, mixed-media collage art, and spending time outdoors at her family cabin in Leadville, Colorado. She is honored to join the ICA Board of Directors and hopes to draw on both her lived experience and professional background to help advance the ICA’s mission of education, awareness, advocacy, and support for everyone living with IC/BPS.
Heather Tuttle
Board Member
Heather Tuttle
As a long-time IC patient, Heather was interested in learning more about the Interstitial Cystitis Association. Coincidentally, she was also looking to advance her skill set and pursue Board opportunities at the time the ICA Board was seeking new members. It felt like the perfect opportunity to make a contribution to the ICA.
Heather is an inspirational leader with a 25-year track record of setting direction and driving delivery excellence for all aspects of Human Resources. Heather has extensive knowledge of the Global Mobility subject matter, gained from leading multifaceted global mobility programs in the pharmaceutical industry. Heather also has significant experience in International Benefits and Global Compensation, in roles that require extensive international expertise and cross-functional collaboration.
In her free time, she enjoys traveling and exploring new cities.
Eryca Zaiser
Board Member
Eryca Zaiser
Eryca was born and raised on the Kansas side of the Kansas City metro area. She studied Human Development and Family Studies through Arizona State University’s online program. In February 2024, she was diagnosed with IC. Since then, she has undergone numerous treatments, including various medications, cystoscopies with hydrodistension, Botox, pelvic floor physical therapy, bladder instillations, intermittent catheterization, and, most recently, a nerve stimulator. Eryca is passionate about helping IC patients navigate their diagnosis.
In her free time, she loves spending time with her cats, Zoey and Zorro, going thrift shopping, and cheering on the KC Chiefs and KC Current!
Eric Zarnikow
Board Member
Eric Zarnikow
Meet the Members of the Medical Advisory Council
The Interstitial Cystitis Association Medical Advisory Council (MAC) consists of leaders in interstitial cystitis health care and research and provides the ICA with medical and scientific expertise to advance the ICA mission.
Keith Blevins
BSN, RN
MAC Member
Keith Blevins, BSN, RN
Rita Gupta
DO, MPA, ABOIM
MAC Member
Rita Gupta, DO, MPA, ABOIM
Dr. Rita Gupta, DO, MPA, is a physician board-certified in Family Medicine and Integrative Medicine with nearly two decades of primary care experience. She completed her family medicine residency at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and fellowship training through the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. Throughout her career, she has cared for patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), chronic pelvic and bladder pain, and recurrent UTI-like symptoms. Seeing their challenges firsthand inspired her commitment to IC/BPS education. Her work draws on advanced training in pain neuroscience, Pain Reprocessing Therapy, and Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy. She is also a certified mindfulness and meditation teacher. Her own experience navigating chronic pain has deepened her compassion for people with persistent symptoms and her commitment to helping patients feel heard, believed, and supported. She hopes to advance compassionate education and strengthen communication between primary care and urology.
Pranali Kerkar
MD, MPH
MAC Member
Pranali Kerkar, MD, MPH
Pranali Kerkar, MD, MPH, is a family physician with clinical and academic interests in women’s health, interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), medical education, and health equity. She completed her Family Medicine residency at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport–Monroe and earned a Master of Public Health from Rutgers School of Public Health. Her scholarly work has included pediatric IC/BPS, with a focus on delayed recognition, recurrent UTI-like symptoms, and the need for greater awareness among primary care clinicians. Dr. Kerkar has also been involved in curriculum development, resident education, quality improvement, and research focused on women’s health and underserved populations. She is particularly interested in improving early recognition of IC/BPS and developing practical educational resources for frontline clinicians.
Jennifer Fariello Moldwin
MSN, MEd, WHNP-BC
MAC Member
Jennifer Fariello Moldwin, MSN, MEd, WHNP-BC
Robert Moldwin
MD, FACS
MAC Member
Robert Moldwin, MD, FACS
Amanda Olson
PT, DPT, PRPC
MAC Member
Amanda Olson, PT, DPT, PRPC
Dr. Amanda Olson is a pelvic health physical therapist, entrepreneur, author, and global educator with a passion for empowering men and women and advancing conversations around pelvic health. She has dedicated her career to breaking stigmas around pelvic health, supporting patients with conditions including cancer, incontinence, pelvic pain, cancer, pelvic organ prolapse, endometriosis, Interstitial Cystitis, and MRKH, and developing innovative solutions to improve quality of life.
Jill M. Peters-Gee
MD
MAC Member
Jill M. Peters-Gee, MD
Jeffrey G. Proctor
MD
MAC Member
Jeffrey G. Proctor, MD
Raveen Syan
MD, FPMRS
MAC Member
Raveen Syan, MD, FPMRS
Raveen Syan earned her medical degree at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine (2008-2012) and completed her Urologic Surgery residency at New York University, Langone Medical Center (2012-2017). She completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship at Stanford University in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (2017-2019). As a fellow, she pursued specialized research interests, specifically in the fields of stress urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, overactive bladder, and health disparities in pelvic floor disorders.
As an Associate Professor of Clinical Urology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine since 2019 and current Director of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at the Desai Sethi Urology Institute, she cares for women with complex pelvic floor disorders, including pelvic pain syndrome, interstitial cystitis, pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and neurogenic bladder.
Pradeep Tyagi
PhD
MAC Member
Pradeep Tyagi, PhD
Kristene Whitmore
MD, URPS
MAC Member
Kristene Whitmore, MD, URPS
Kristene Whitmore recently retired from 40 years in clinical practice where she treated over 15,000 IC/BPS patients. She received “A League of Her Own “and Advocate of the Year awards from the Interstitial Cystitis Association and Continence Champion Award from the National Association for Continence. She was professor of Urology and OB/GYN and chair of Urology and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at Drexel University. She has held numerous leadership positions at the National Pain Foundation, Women’s Health Foundation, National Association for Continence, Simon Foundation, American Urologic Association, Society for Women in Urology (president.), American Urogynecologic Society, American Uroynecologic Society Foundation (president), International Continence Society and International Urogynecologic Association. She is well published in many national and international peer- reviewed journals and wrote “Overcoming Bladder Disorders for public education. She champions IC/BPS, Chronic Pelvic Pain and Female Sexual Dysfunction.
Alexandra Zara
MPharm
MAC Member
Alexandra Zara, MPharm
Alexandra Zara is a pharmacist and patient advocate based in Romania, with more than five years of experience in community pharmacy and pharmaceutical compounding. She graduated as valedictorian of her Pharmacy graduating class at the Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, and has experience in scientific research, publication, and health education.
Alexandra is also an IC/BPS patient, and her experience navigating persistent urinary symptoms has shaped her interest in patient education, multidisciplinary care, and improving communication between patients and healthcare professionals. She founded a Romanian patient-education community focused on persistent urinary symptoms and IC/BPS, where she develops accessible, evidence-informed health resources. She is committed to helping patients better understand their conditions, navigate reliable health information, and participate more confidently in their own care.
Email Sign-Up
Email Sign-Up
Sign up here to receive timely and relevant email communication from the ICA, like our monthly newsletter, research digest, and important announcements for the IC/BPS community!
Corporate Partners
