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Meet our wonderful and dedicated volunteers who work very hard to bring about community awareness for Parkinson's.

OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD

Eva Noemi Evans

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Eva Noemi Evans

Noemi Eva Evans is our president. She is also the president of the Early Young Onset support group.  She is also very active in bringing about community awareness of Parkinson's Disease.  She loves to excercise and prepare for and run marathons.

Melinda Hermans, PhD, RN, BC

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Dr. Melinda Hermanns

Dr. Melinda Hermanns is our vice president.  Dr. Hermanns has been a nurse for 16 years and has had a variety of experience from surgical ICU to rehabilitation nursing; however, her speciality area is Psychiatric Mental Health.  She is Board Certified in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing through the American Nurses Credentialing Center.  She graduated with her PhD in Nursing on May 9th, 2008, from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.  She has done research in Parkinson's Disease and is currently leading the Care Partner Support Group for Parkinson's Disease.

Corene Schwab

Corene Schwab is our 2nd vice president.  Corene is a retired R.N. diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2006.  She started a music label called AHHA music in July 2007 and also has a partnership in a recording studio in Nashville, TN.  Corene lives here in East Texas with her husband, Clarence, who is very supportive of Corene in her love for country music.

Joyce Woodward Smith

Joyce Woodward Smith is our treasurer.  She is retired from Smith County and was County Treasurer for 25 years.  Joyce has two children and three grandchildren.  She has lived in Tyler for the last 38 years and enjoys volunteering her time to the APDA East Texas Chapter, crocheting, and quilting.  She also loves traveling and spending time with her "yacht club".

Rebekah Steger

Rebekah Steger is our secretary.  She is a student at University of Texas at Tyler.  More information to come.

George M. Plotkin, PhD, MD

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George M. Plotkin, PhD, MD

Dr. George Plotkin is serving as medical director for the East Texas Chapter and for the Information and Referral Center of East Texas.  Dr. Plotkin is a movement disorder specialist who specializes in Parkinson's Disease.

Kelly M. Pierson, CCRC

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Kelly M. Pierson, CCRC

Kelly Pierson, CCRC, is the Parkinson's Coordinator for the APDA Information and Referral Center of East Texas.  She is certified as a clinical research coordinator and works with Neurology Research.  She has been with the APDA Information and Referral Center since April 2007 and enjoys every moment that she can spend with the patients of the Parkinson's community.  She coordinates all Parkinson's fundraising events along with the assistance of the other members of the board and volunteers.  She organizes, facilitates and oversees the majority of the Parkinson's support groups in East Texas.  She has two children -- her daughter attends Stephen F. Austin and her son attends Chapel Hil High School.  She has lived in Tyler for the last 36 years.

Helen Cassel, RN, NP-C

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Helen Cassel, RN, NP-C

Helen Cassel is a nurse practitioner with ETMC and specializes in deep brain stimulation programming for parkinson patients.  More information to come.



Our Location

700 Olympic Plaza, Suite 904
Tyler, TX  75701
(903) 596-3648
(866) 491-2732

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