Our Team - PRISMS

MEET THE TEAM

Led by Parents and Professionals

PRISMS is led by a combination of parents and professionals, working together to guide the organization’s operations, programming, and services.

To contact a member of our Board of Directors, Staff, or Professional Advisory Board directly, please email us at info@prisms.org or call (972) 231-0035.

MICHELLE LARSCHEID

Executive Director

Michelle Larscheid has been with PRISMS since 2020, serving in many roles. Michelle has played an integral part in every aspect of PRISMS, ensuring that each initiative aligns with the organization’s mission, vision and core values. Michelle holds a B.S. in Journalism and Mass Communications from Iowa State University with minors in English and Sociology.

With a career spanning three decades, she has built expertise in public relations, marketing, sales promotion, business leadership and event planning across a range of industries, including financial services, publishing and entertainment. Prior to her work with PRISMS, Michelle co-created and successfully ran an event rental and decorating business for nine years.

“I have always had a passion for helping others. Working with the SMS community has given me a deep appreciation for the families we serve and has ignited a passion for raising awareness about Smith-Magenis Syndrome.”

Originally from Minnesota, Michelle now resides in Raleigh, NC, with her family. She enjoys traveling, golfing, hosting parties, attending live music events, walking her dog and spending quality time with her loved ones.

Board of Directors

Serving as a board member of a non-profit organization such as PRISMS is one of the most challenging and rewarding volunteer assignments. PRISMS Board of Directors is comprised of family members of SMS individuals.

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PERCY HUSTON

President

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JACKIE FALLENSTEIN

Vice President

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MARGARET MILLER

Founding Member

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AMY PEREIRA

Secretary

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PHIL RUEDI

Treasurer

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DENIEN RASMUSSEN

Regional Representative Committee

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ALLISON STEPHANOUK

Education Committee

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DIANE ERTH

Member at Large

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JASON MICHAUD

Member at Large

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ERIC ROGERS

Member at Large

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SARAH ELSEA, PHD

Professional Advisory Board Chair

Professional Advisory Board

PRISMS Professional Advisory Board is comprised of some of the world’s foremost experts on Smith-Magenis Syndrome in a wide range of disciplines including speech and language, neurology, psychology, behavior, genetics, and more.

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SARAH ELSEA, PHD

Professional Advisory Board Chair

KERRY BOYD, MD, FRCPC

Professional Advisory Board

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ANN C.M. SMITH, MA, DSC (HON), CGC

PAB Chair Emeritus

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BARBARA HAAS-GIVLER, MED, BCBA

Professional Advisory Board

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ANDREA GROPMAN, MD, FAAP, FACMG, FANA, FCNS

Professional Advisory Board

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CHRISTINE BRENNAN, PHD CCC-SLP

Professional Advisory Board

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NANCY RAITANO LEE, PHD

Professional Advisory Board

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REBECCA FOSTER, PHD

Professional Advisory Board

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SANTHOSH GIRIRAJAN, MBBS, PHD

Professional Advisory Board

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RACHEL FRANCISKOVICH, MS, CGC

Professional Advisory Board

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SINAN OMER TURNACIOGLU, MD

Professional Advisory Board

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CORA TAYLOR, PHD

Professional Advisory Board

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JOHN BERENS, MD, FAAP, FACP

Professional Advisory Board

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CHRISTOPHER VIANGOS, PHD, FACMG

Professional Advisory Board

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SETH KELLER, MD

Professional Advisory Board

Staff

PRISMS Staff is dedicated to meeting the needs of the Smith-Magenis Syndrome community through developing and managing programs, facilitating support, acknowledging community engagement and more.

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Mel Deman

PRISMS Office Manager

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THERESA WILSON, MS, RD

Research Coordinator

Learn More

Check out the work our team is doing to make a difference and how you can be part of our story.

The Work

PERCY HUSTON

President

Percy joined the PRISMS board in 2006, initially to spearhead fundraising efforts. As an at-large member, he has since served on the finance committee and strategic planning committee. In 2014, he was asked to initiate the regional representative program and coordinate volunteer efforts from those in the PRISMS community. Percy served as Treasurer and most recently has moved into the role of President. Percy is involved in family banking in Missouri and also represents Indeflex in the credit card processing industry. He and his wife, Bernadette, live in Cape Girardeau, MO. They are the parents of Jacqueline, an SMS individual, and son J.P. who resides in Nashville and is employed by Truist Bank. They also have two older sons, Shawn and Billy, and six grandchildren.

Jackie Fallenstein

Vice President

Jackie lives in the Minneapolis, MN area. She became a member of PRISMS shortly after her son, Michael, was diagnosed in 2010 at 7 months old. She attended her first PRISMS conference in Denver in 2012 and has attended nearly every conference since then. Locally, she enjoys connecting with SMS families individually or at meetups, particularly those with a new diagnosed individual. Gratitude for the support and resources PRISMS has provided to her family over the years led her to join the board in 2022. She serves as chair of the Development Committee and is a member of the Conference Committee. Prior to being a stay-at-home mom, SMS caregiver and community volunteer, she worked in marketing. Currently she is pursuing a certificate in fundraising to enhance her PRISMS work. Jackie enjoys almost any outdoor activity, particularly watersports, as well as reading novels and historical fiction. She and her husband, John, also have a daughter, Anna.

Margaret Miller

Founding Member

Margaret Miller is the Founding President of PRISMS. She began PRISMS along with her husband Scott Miller, Ann Smith and Brenda Finucane. She was inspired to help develop this organization after receiving the diagnosis of SMS for her infant daughter. There were no SMS organizations at that time and very little information was available. Thus her desire to start PRISMS came from the need to understand more about SMS and to connect families with researchers and other professionals. She has served on the PRISMS Board as President, Past-President, Vice President, Founding Board Member (currently), and Board Member at Large. Margaret has helped to chair and plan thirteen international conferences and twelve research symposiums. She has been an invited speaker on SMS at educational conferences, college seminars and the National Institutes of Health. Margaret is passionate about working closely with researchers and professionals, as well as industry and pharmaceutical leaders. She believes we can only make greater strides in our mission when we work together. Margaret lives in a suburb of Washington DC, with her husband and daughter.

Eric Rogers

Secretary

Eric’s involvement with PRISMS includes attending conferences and assisting with conference sessions. His commitment to the PRISMS Board gives him the opportunity to expand his role as the parent of an SMS individual by being part of something greater. He gives back to SMS families and provides an outlet for them to learn, connect and find a safe place among friends. Eric attended Cumberland University, receiving a Bachelor degree in Accounting and a Masters degree in Business Administration. He is an experienced auditor with a specialization in auditing banks, small non-profits, schools and other financial services firms. Upon joining Deloitte in 2016, Eric worked with the Internal Controls Group. He later transitioned to the Internal Audit team. In his current role, he conducts a wide range of financial and operational audits for the firm. Eric and his wife Jessica live in Mount Juliet, TN with their son Wyatt (an SMS individual) and daughter Adelyn. Eric loves to run, cycle and compete in triathlons. He also enjoys spending time with his family by the pool and grilling.

Phil Ruedi

Treasurer

Phil has been a member of the PRISMS board since 2010, taking a short break in 2021-2023. He serves as Treasurer as well as chairman of the Finance Committee and member of the Executive Committee. He and his wife, Laura Staich, live in Elk Rapids, MI with their son Griffin (an SMS individual) and daughter, Arden.

Denien Rasmussen

Regional Representative Committee

Denien became a member of PRISMS in 2008, when her son, Matthew, (then four) was diagnosed with SMS. She attended her first PRISMS conference that year in Virginia and has been to every conference since. In 2010, she and Matthew joined Ann Smith at the NIH for the Bright Light Sleep Study. Denien organized the “PRISMS Manna Script Gift Card Program” and created the “It Worked For Me” section in the PRISMS’ newsletters. Denien is also the PRISMS Regional Representative Chairperson and the Illinois Regional Rep. She was invited to speak at the Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA) to educate the staff about SMS. Professionally, Denien is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of R.W. Smith & Associates, LLC where she has worked since 1986. She and her husband, Jim, live in Palatine, IL, and are the parents of twin boys born in 2004, Matthew (an SMS individual) and Michael.

Allison Stephanouk

Education Committee

Allison began her work with PRISMS in 2017 when she joined the Conference Planning Committee and became a member of the Board of Directors in 2019. During her time with PRISMS, she has also served on the Education Committee and as a Regional Representative for the state of Georgia. Allison designed and produced PRISMS’ first webinar program, with the goal of sharing critical information about Smith-Magenis Syndrome in an easily accessible format. Allison is a Web Developer for Michael Mackenzie Communications. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University and a Masters of Science in Computer Information Systems from Georgia State University. Allison lives in Roswell, GA, with her husband Alex. She enjoys spending free time with her husband and three children, playing tennis and doing water sports. Her youngest daughter, Natalie, was diagnosed with SMS shortly after birth.

Michelle Lee

Awareness Committee

Michelle found PRISMS shortly after her son Dalton was diagnosed at age 8 in 2011 and attended her first conference. She has worked on a few projects for PRISMS and is also an administrator to a small SMS awareness Facebook page her sister started shortly after Dalton was diagnosed. Michelle is a former educator who stayed home to homeschool her children. Her youngest graduated in 2025. When not homeschooling, she keeps busy by running a small affiliate page, volunteering at her church, and taking pictures at local running events. She enjoys black belt training at a local martial arts school and volunteering as an assistant at their black belt graduation programs. She is also the race director for their karate school’s annual 5K. Michelle lives in League City, Texas with her husband Kerry and their two sons Dalton (an SMS individual) and Xander.

Amy Pereira

Member at Large

Amy began her work with PRISMS in 2010 when she joined the Conference Planning Committee. She currently serves as its co-chair. Professionally, Amy works for the University of California, Davis as an Executive Analyst in the Provost’s Office. She enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends as often as she can. Amy lives in Idaho with her two children Kaitlyn and Joey, who was diagnosed with Smith-Magenis Syndrome in 2009 at 18 months old. Amy is especially grateful to PRISMS for honoring her late husband, Brian, by establishing the Brian Pereira Memorial Fund, which supports siblings of SMS individuals.

Diane Erth

Member at Large

Diane has served in various positions on the Prisms Board since 2017. She is a stay-at-home mom but feels she deserves a more elaborate title as she finds herself wearing many hats, often several at the same time. Her son Max was diagnosed with Smith-Magenis Syndrome at just 30 days old. After a significant amount of online research, Diane and her husband Joe found PRISMS. When they reached out to the then PRISMS President, they were able to ask questions and felt it was good to talk to another parent about their concerns. She has therefore made it a personal goal to welcome and offer support to all SMS families, be available to answer questions, and help the families with newly diagnosed individuals. Diane enjoys taking Max on new adventures around the globe, visiting Disney parks, and going on Disney cruises are favorites for the whole family. Diane, Jo,e and Max live in San Diego, CA.

Jason Michaud

Member at Large

Jason joined the PRISMS Board of Directors in January, 2022 and is an at-large member and co-chair of the Conference Committee. Jason is proud to be the first Canadian PRISMS board member. PRISMS has been the greatest gift to his family on their SMS journey and his desire to give back in order to help others on their journey is what inspired him to join the board. Jason’s goal with PRISMS is to serve the SMS community by bringing resources and support to SMS families. Jason and his wife Charlene reside in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada with their two sons, Ryan and Nikolas, and their daughter Jillian. Jillian was diagnosed at the age of 3.5 years with SMS. In his spare time he enjoys coaching and playing ice hockey in the winter and camping in the summer.

LYNDA KILIAN

Office and Communications Manager

Lynda joined PRISMS in 2023 and is responsible for a large part of the administrative, financial, and state fundraising compliance functions, as well as communications and biennial conference planning. Lynda has over 40 years of professional experience in a wide array of areas, including administrative, financial, publications, human resources, and creative. She previously owned/operated a successful event decor rental and decorating business. Lynda and her husband live in the Minneapolis area as empty nesters and have two adult daughters. She is a grandmother of two and loves spending time with her grandsons whenever possible. She enjoys her time with family and friends and likes to cook, entertain, read, golf, and travel.

Theresa Wilson, MS, RD

Research Coordinator

For the past 7 years, Theresa has been an integral part of the Elsea Lab clinical research team in the Molecular and Human Genetics Department at Baylor College of Medicine. Her contributions include design, implementation, and coordination of studies involving individuals with rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorders, including the SMS Patient Registry. As the mother of two children with genetic diagnoses, Theresa brings compassion to her work with families affected by genetic conditions.

SARAH ELSEA, PHD

Professional Advisory Board Chair

Dr. Sarah Elsea is a professor of Molecular and Human Genetics, and senior director of Biochemical Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. She is a board-certified biochemical geneticist by the American Board of Medical Genetics. Dr. Elsea is an educator, training students at all levels, from high school to graduate and medical students to physicians. She also provides clinical consultations and focuses her research efforts towards characterizing Smith-Magenis syndrome and related genetic neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Elsea’s lab identified RAI1 as the causative gene for SMS and has targeted research efforts toward understanding the function of RAI1, particularly the role of RAI1 in circadian rhythm, metabolism, and obesity, as well as approaches to therapies for SMS. Her collaborative work with Dr. Foster also assesses caregiver and sibling concerns in families of children with developmental disabilities. The SMS Patient Registry, collecting natural history data about individuals with SMS, is housed in Dr. Elsea’s lab at Baylor College of Medicine.

Ann C.M. Smith, MA, DSc (Hon), CGC

PAB Chair Emeritus
National Human Genome Research Institute
National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD

Ann Smith is a board certified genetic counselor and internationally recognized leader in the field of medical genetics and genetic counseling for over 40 years. Now retired from the medical school faculty at Georgetown University (1994-2008), Ann continues to work as a senior genetic counselor under contract to the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) in the Office of the Clinical Director, dividing her time between clinical and research activities at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD. She heads the collaborative NIH multidisciplinary SMS research team of basic science clinical researchers, serving as Adjunct Principal Investigator of two SMS related protocols (01-HG-0109 SMS natural history study; 07-HG-0076 Phase I sleep treatment trial). As a founding member of PRISMS in 1992, Ann chaired the Professional Advisory Board (PAB) until 2011, and now serves as PAB Emeritus Chair, having dedicated over 3 decades of her professional career to the study of SMS, the syndrome she co-discovered in early 1980’s.

Barbara Haas-Givler, MEd, BCBA

Professional Advisory Board
Geisinger’s Department of Developmental Medicine, Lewisburg, PA

Barbara Haas-Givler is a board certified behavior analyst and Director of Education & Behavioral Outreach at Geisinger’s Department of Developmental Medicine in Lewisburg, PA. Ms. Haas-Givler has extensive experience in special education, serving in many different capacities over the course of her career, including classroom teacher, administrator, educational consultant, behavior analyst, and research associate for clinical pharmaceutical trials. Ms. Haas-Givler frequently presents at local and national conferences and provides consultations and trainings on strategies to support students with genetic syndromes. She has co-authored several publications on topics related to genetic syndromes, including frequently cited articles on the educational and behavioral manifestations of Smith-Magenis Syndrome.

Kerry Boyd, MD, FRCPC

Professional Advisory Board
McMaster University, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, Hamilton-Niagara region, Ontario, Canada

Dr. Kerry Boyd is a psychiatrist who has dedicated her career to the field of developmental disabilities across the lifespan. She has been working with people with SMS for over 15 years and has been privileged to be affiliated with PRISMS since 2008. She is an Associate Clinical Professor for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University. She works with McMaster Children’s Hospital, Niagara Health and Bethesda Services in the Hamilton Niagara region. As an AMS Phoenix Project Fellow, Dr Boyd rallied a network of partners to develop the Curriculum of Caring for People with Developmental Disabilities to create web-based resources found at CommunicateCARE.machealth.ca.

Andrea Gropman, MD, FAAP, FACMG, FANA, FCNS

Professional Advisory Board
St Jude Children’s Hopsital, Memphis, TN

Andrea Gropman is a child neurologist and clinical and biochemical geneticist at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, where she is the director of the newly established Neurometabolic Translational Research Program within the Center for Experimental Neurotherapeutics. Dr. Gropman is Principal investigator for the Urea cycle rare disorders consortium. Dr. Gropman specializes in neurogenetics, with a focus on mitochondrial disorders, Urea cycle disorders, XY chromosome aneuploidies and Smith-Magenis Syndrome.

Christine Brennan, PhD CCC-SLP

Professional Advisory Board
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

Christine Brennan, PhD CCC-SLP, is an assistant professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She is a developmental cognitive neuroscientist and speech-language pathologist. Dr. Brennan is the director of the ANCAR Lab (Applied Neuroscience for Communication and Reading) at the University of Colorado, Boulder. As a speech-language pathologist, Dr. Brennan has worked with several children with SMS. Recently, Dr. Brennan has begun to design and present PRISMS conference talks specifically at adolescents and adults with SMS. While Dr. Brennan currently resides in Boulder, CO, she continues to own a private practice in Illinois, which continues to provide treatment services to children with SMS. Dr. Brennan currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in the department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She earned her BA from Southern Connecticut State University and her PhD and MA from Northwestern University.

Nancy Raitano Lee, PhD

Professional Advisory Board

Nancy Raitano Lee, PhD, is a clinical child psychologist and associate professor of Psychology at Drexel University who specializes in developmental neuropsychology. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Cornell University and her doctorate in Clinical Child Psychology from the University of Denver. Her research aims to augment knowledge about the causes and correlates of neurodevelopmental disorders through the use of innovative neuropsychological and neuroimaging technologies. While most of Dr. Lee’s research to date has focused on youth with other neurogenetic syndromes, she is currently collaborating with PRISMS professional advisory board member, Ann Smith, on a project in which they are examining the occurrence of autistic traits in youth with SMS and other neurogenetic syndromes. Dr. Lee is enthusiastic about doing more research focused on SMS and is looking forward to contributing to the PRISMS professional advisory board and getting to know the PRISMS community in the coming years.

Rebecca Foster, PhD

Professional Advisory Board
St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Department of Psychology, St. Louis, MO

Rebecca Foster is a licensed pediatric psychologist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO. Dr. Foster’s clinical, research, and teaching efforts emphasize the promotion of psychosocial well-being and quality of life among medically complex pediatric populations and examining family/sibling adaptation and caregiver well-being within the context of chronic illness and/or neurodevelopmental disorders. Recent work in SMS has focused on identifying and meeting caregiver/parent and typically-developing sibling psychosocial needs, with a concentration on benefit finding and adaptive coping across the lifespan.

Santhosh Girirajan, MBBS, PhD

Professional Advisory Board
Pennsylvania State University, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Santhosh Girirajan, MBBS, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Genetics in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Anthropology at Penn State. A physician by training, Dr. Girirajan obtained his medical degree from Bangalore University and a PhD in human genetics from the Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. During his graduate studies in the lab of Dr. Sarah Elsea, Dr. Girirajan performed human genetics research to identify and characterize genes responsible for Smith-Magenis syndrome. He performed postdoctoral training in the lab of Dr. Evan Eichler in the Department of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington, studying the mechanisms and consequences of large genomic changes with particular relevance to human neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Girirajan joined Penn State as a faculty member in the summer of 2012. The primary focus of his current research is to understand the clinical and genetic heterogeneity of neurodevelopmental disorders with a specific focus on autism.

Rachel Franciskovich, MS,CGC

Professional Advisory Board

Rachel Franciskovich is a board certified genetic counselor in the department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine. She is involved in the care of individuals and families in the general genetics outpatient clinic at Texas Children’s Hospital, primarily in The Woodlands. Additionally, she assists with the management and care of individuals in the Smith-Magenis Syndrome specialty clinic. Primary clinical duties include: clinical evaluations, genetic testing coordination and selection, disclosure of results and information, and management of clinic flow and coordination.

Sinan Omer Turnacioglu, MD

Professional Advisory Board

Sinan Turnacioglu is a neurodevelopmental pediatrician at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC, and is board-certified in child neurology and neurodevelopmental disabilities. He completed his residency in pediatrics at Georgetown University Medical Center and practiced general pediatrics for five years before completing additional training in neurodevelopmental disabilities at Children’s National. He is interested in new treatments for autism spectrum disorder and neurogenetic disorders such as Fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome, neurofibromatosis, and Smith-Magenis syndrome, and likes working with families to support their children’s neurodevelopmental needs. Dr. Turnacioglu grew up in New Jersey and currently lives in Bethesda, Maryland with his wife, two children, and their dog. He enjoys running, playing tabletop games, and reading.

Cora Taylor, PhD

Professional Advisory Board

Dr. Taylor has expertise in the diagnostic evaluation of children with a range of developmental concerns. At Geisinger, Dr. Taylor conducts research and leads the phenotypic battery selection and administration on a variety of current research protocols at Geisinger, with a focus on the phenotypic characterization of individuals with rare genetic conditions.

Dr. Taylor has experience in engaging families and family-based organizations for rare genetic conditions in research through online participation that is offered internationally to patients and families. Prior to joining Geisinger, Dr. Taylor completed her graduate training at the University of Tennessee, and a research and clinical postdoctoral fellowship at Vanderbilt University.

John Berens, MD, FAAP, FACP

Professional Advisory Board

John Berens is an assistant professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. Since completing residency, he has worked as a primary care physician in the Transition Medicine Clinic, which serves adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including some individuals with SMS.

His special interests include healthcare transition, interprofessional education, and addressing health disparities experienced by individuals with disabilities across the lifespan. In addition to his clinical work, he leads several grant-sponsored projects on related topics. He lives in Sugar Land, Texas, with his wife and three children.

Seth M. Keller, MD

Professional Advisory Board

Seth M. Keller, MD is a board-certified neurologist with Neurology Associates of South Jersey, where he
specializes in the evaluation and care of adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD),
including those with complex neurologic and aging-related conditions. Dr. Keller is recognized nationally
and internationally for his leadership in advancing health equity, dementia care, and interdisciplinary
education for people with IDD across the lifespan.

Dr. Keller serves on the Executive Board of The Arc of Burlington County and the Board of The Arc of
New Jersey’s Mainstreaming Medical Care Program. He is the Past President of the American Academy
of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD) and currently serves as Co-President of the National
Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices (NTG). He is also the founder and past
chair of the Adult Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Section of the American Academy of
Neurology (AAN), where he continues to play an active role in national IDD initiatives.

A highly sought-after educator, Dr. Keller frequently presents at national and international conferences
and delivers webinars, Project ECHO programs, and workshops on aging, dementia, epilepsy, and
neurologic care in the IDD community. He is a co-author of multiple peer-reviewed articles, consensus
guidelines, and book chapters focused on aging, cognitive decline, and dementia in individuals with IDD.

Raised in Philadelphia, Dr. Keller earned his bachelor’s degree from Temple University and received his
medical degree from The George Washington University School of Medicine in 1989. He completed his
neurology internship and residency at Bethesda Naval Hospital and subsequently served as a neurologist
at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Japan, where he cared for service members and their families in
an international setting.

Dr. Christopher Vlangos, PhD, FACMG

Professional Advisory Board

Dr. Christopher Vlangos is the Senior Director of Clinical Genetics at Tempus AI. His work focuses on clinical assay development, lab management, and building novel technology products in human genetics. Dr. Vlangos received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Michigan State University, where he performed his studies in the lab of Dr. Sarah Elsea. His work in the Elsea lab focused on refining the Smith-Magenis syndrome critical deletion interval, building a physical genetic map of the SMS region, and positional cloning of genes within the SMS region.

Dr. Vlangos went on to pursue postdoctoral research projects at the University of Michigan in genetic causes of kidney disease and caudal birth defects. Prior to joining Tempus, he served at the University of Michigan Medical School as junior faculty in the Department of Pediatrics, and Assistant Professor in Pathology and Assistant Director of the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Vlangos is board-certified in Clinical Molecular Genetics by the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics.

Melissa (Mel) Denman

PRISMS Office Manager

Melissa (Mel) Denman serves as the PRISMS Office Manager. She oversees administrative and financial functions and assists with conference planning.

With more than 40 years of experience in training, technology adoption, and human resources, she developed strong interpersonal, analytical, and organizational skills early in her HR career, where she also gained valuable accounting experience supporting payroll, benefits, and compliance reporting. She later expanded into technology and end‑user adoption, building connections between people and systems to enhance organizational efficiency.

Originally from Tennessee, Melissa now lives in Prior Lake, MN, with her family and enjoys golfing, boating, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.