NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) appointed Richard Fitzgerald and Samir Kaul as new members of its Board of Directors. Both have personal connections to Parkinson’s disease. They contribute a breadth and diversity of leadership experience across the public and private sectors that will be instrumental in supporting the Foundation’s urgent mission to accelerate research, improve treatments and ultimately find a cure for Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Richard Fitzgerald is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of CapitalSpring, a Nashville-based private equity and debt investment firm. His father, Dick Fitzgerald, has lived with Parkinson’s since 2007. Richard is deeply involved in supporting the Foundation’s mission, having served on MJFF’s Leadership Council for 10 years prior to joining the Board of Directors in 2025. He also has served as co-chair for MJFF’s Nashville-based gala fundraising event, A Country Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson’s Disease, since its inception in 2023. Richard holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and a B.A. from Trinity College.
Samir Kaul is Founding Partner and Managing Director at Khosla Ventures, where he focuses on artificial intelligence (AI), advanced technology, health and sustainability. Parkinson’s disease research is a personal priority for Samir. Following the passing of his father, Pradman Kaul, with Parkinson’s disease in 2025, Samir committed himself to further accelerating progress for patients and families affected by the disease. He holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan, an M.S. from the University of Maryland, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
“Our community is at the heart of driving the Foundation’s mission forward, and we are grateful to our Board of Directors for their steadfast support,” said Debi Brooks, CEO and Co-Founder of The Michael J. Fox Foundation. “We are proud to welcome Richard and Samir to the Board. Each of them brings sharp business acumen and a shared passion for boldness in our work — I look forward to what we will accomplish together to end Parkinson’s.”
Founded in 2000, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s research, having invested more than $2.5 billion in research to date to identify and fund the most promising advances in PD research. Over the course of its short history, MJFF has fostered an engaged community — including its 50-member Board of Directors — who generously share their wisdom and counsel in service of the Foundation’s mission. Over 80 percent of the Foundation’s Board of Directors have a close personal connection to the disease.
About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
As the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson’s disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson’s patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors, and volunteers. In addition to funding $2.5 billion in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson’s research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; creates a robust open-access data set and biosample library to speed scientific breakthroughs and treatment through its landmark clinical study, PPMI; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson’s disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson’s awareness through high-profile advocacy, events, and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world. For more information, visit us at www.michaeljfox.org, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
SOURCE The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
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