Shaken, Not Deterred:

A Young Onset Parkinson's Disease Gathering

Sunday, October 26th, 2025

John Andrejack

John Andrejack is a parent of an amazing atypical kid, husband, educator and a person thriving with Parkinson’s disease. He was diagnosed with Parkinson disease July 24, 2015 and became a Patient Advocate In Research (PAIR) for the Parkinson’s foundation just 2 months later. In August of 2025, John left a clinical study for a subdermal pump after four years to have Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)surgery.

He has been on patient panels to advise pharmaceutical companies on clinical study design and product roll out. John was appointed to an advisory board for PARCR (Patient-focused Approaches to Rigorous Clinical Research) Project—a 3-year initiative funded by the FDA through the Triangle CERSI.

John speaks and delivers workshops on Hope Theory. He serves as the Director of Undergraduate Academic Standards at Queens College, City University of New York and lives with his wife Kate and their son Ocean in Brooklyn.

Eric Aquino

Eric Aquino is a first-generation American born to parents who emigrated from the Dominican Republic. He grew up in Jersey City in a large, close-knit family. From a young age, Eric was drawn to helping others, often being called upon to assist and translate for family members.

After initially wanting to become a lawyer, Eric earned a bachelor's degree in Information Technology, but he remained committed to helping people. In 2002, he moved to Pennsylvania, and at a friend's suggestion he began volunteering as an EMT. This experience ignited Eric's passion, and he knew he wanted to pursue a career in emergency services.

While working at the ER at Easton Hospital, Eric met a charge nurse who was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2007. Eric wanted to show his support. He reconnected with a high school friend and signed up for the Avon Breast Cancer Walk in New York in 2009. Eric continued participating in the walk for the next nine years, raising $1,800 annually.

In 2018, at age 40, Eric was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Determined to help others facing the same challenges, he founded the Stay Strong Foundation that fall. Over the next six years, Eric started three support groups, hosted three symposiums, presented a poster at the World Parkinson's Congress in Barcelona, and participated on panels at various symposiums--all with the mission of helping people with Parkinson's move forward with their lives.

Sabela Avion

I was diagnosed in 2016 at 38, and had DBS surgery in 2022. I am working full time as a translator in New York, and I launched a website, Parkinsonic, website dedicated to different Parkinson's initiatives and stories from throughout my journey that share my coping mechanisms and experiences with Parkinson’s.

I have been continuously involved in projects working towards three objectives: to give visibility to Parkinson’s disease, to promote research that includes a gender perspective, and to improve the quality of life of those affected by Parkinson’s.

I was one of the co-founders of Con P de Párkinson, a non-profit created for and by Spanish-speaking women living with young onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD).

I am a bilingual Ambassador with the Davis Phinney Foundation and PMD Alliance. I am also in the Steering Committee of the PD Journal project by the International Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorder Society (Clinical Outcome Assessment Program).

To quote one of my friends from Con P de Párkinson, it’s not about hoping or wishing to go back to a healthy life or being independent again, but hoping to live a good life, a full life, despite adversity.

Tracy McLaughlin

Tracy L. McLaughlin is a partner in the Private Client Trusts and Estates Group of ArentFox Schiff LLP and is based in their New York office. Tracy assists clients with general estate planning, including wills and trusts, lifetime gift planning, estate administration, tax-efficient wealth transfer planning, and charitable planning. Tracy is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and a combat veteran. She earned the Certified Financial Planner™ certification and was a financial advisor with a registered investment advisory firm prior to joining ArentFox Schiff.

Rebecca Miller

I am an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine where I am the Director of Peer Support & Family Initiatives at Connecticut Mental Health Center in New Haven, CT. I am a single parent to an amazing 12 year old and am honored to serve several PD organizations on committees and councils. I am excited to share my treatment lessons learned with the wider YOPD community.

Pamela Quinn

Pamela Quinn danced professionally for twenty years and has had Parkinson’s disease for thirty. Her personal experience of PD along with her keen knowledge of the body that stems from her dance training allow her to analyze movement problems and create solutions to help manage them. She teaches PD Movement Lab regularly for people with Parkinson’s at the Dance for PD center in Brooklyn, and for Northwell’s PD program at the JCC. In addition, she is invited to lecture at universities and conferences around the world. Most notable engagements include CBS Evening News, four World Parkinson Congresses, Japan’s 2nd Parkinson Congress, being featured in Jon Palfreman’s book Brainstorms, and coaching Christopher Walken for his role as a cellist with Parkinson’s in the movie A Late Quartet. In 2010 her video “Welcome to our World”, won the WPC video competition, and in 2019 she was awarded a prestigious fellowship from Dance/USA funded by the Doris Duke Foundation for the social impact of her choreography. She presented her choreography at the opening night ceremonies of the last two WPCs and is scheduled to choreograph again at the upcoming WPC opening night ceremony in Phoenix. Her most recent project is an online course on preserving and improving your gait called Gaitkeeping. You can learn more about her approach to PD by watching Gaitkeeping, and by exploring her website, pdmovementlab.com.

Lilliana Ruiz

Hello everyone! My name is Lilliana Ruiz, and I'm 36 years old. I'm married to my bestest friend in the entire world, and we have an amazing 6-year-old son. I’ve had YOPD for 21 years now. I'm really looking forward to meeting and speaking with you all!

Ilona Szabo de Bucs

Ilona was born and grew up in Bavaria/Germany and has one brother and her mother had PD. She has a master’s degree in Computer Science. She moved to Australia in 1994 and to the US in 1996. Ilona had the first PD symptoms in 2012 and she was officially diagnosed with YOPD in 2014 at the age of 49. She underwent DBS surgery in 2023. Ilona worked the last 20 years for the Monmouth County Park System, in charge of the computer system for the 8 county golf courses. She is currently still employed but on medical leave, about to retire.

Randolph Todd

Dr. Todd is a Board-Certified Endodontist who has dedicated more than 40 years to providing exceptional dental care and advancing his profession. He earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, completed a General Practice Residency at North Shore University Hospital, and an Endodontic Fellowship at New York University College of Dentistry. Before his retirement, he served for 30 years as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine, supervised residents at North Shore University Hospital, and instructed endodontic technique at New York University College of Dentistry. In recent years, Dr. Todd’s life has entered a new chapter. Surrounded by the love and support of his family, he has faced the challenges of Parkinson’s disease with determination and optimism. When medications failed to help, he and his wife explored new options and discovered Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), a treatment that, for him, proved nothing short of miraculous.

Alex Tressor

Alexander was born and raised in Moscow, Russia. In 1976, the family immigrated to New York City. Alexander began his dance education with David Howard and later with his father, Andrei Kramarevsky at Balanchine’s School of American Ballet (SAB). He danced in SAB’s annual workshops with the New York City Ballet in The Tchaikovsky Festival in 1981.

Alexander’s theater credits on Broadway and in national and international tours include: Teddy and Alice, On Your Toes, Zorba, Woman of the Year, Ain’t Broadway Grand, Sophisticated Ladies and Hello Dolly.

In 1993 Alexander joined the world famous David Howard Dance Center in NY, where he began to teach all levels of ballet. For 20 years Alexander taught ballet at STEPS on Broadway, he also worked at: Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, Metropolitan Opera Ballet, New York University Cap 21 Program, Perry Dance, Ballet Academy East and many others. In 2001, Alexander was asked to become a guest Ballet master of the National Croatian Opera House in Zagreb and Split. He has also taught classes at the Swedish Royal Ballet, National Opera-Ballet company in Riga Latvia, Ballet Idaho and many others. Alexander also served as a Cultural Envoy of the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo.

Alexander also taught and choreographed for the International Ballet Academy, and was an adjunct faculty member at The Governor's School of the Arts in Greenville, SC.

These days, besides teaching and choreography, Alexander is working with Parkinson Wellness Project, Parkinson Foundation Western Pennsylvania, and The Greenville Area Parkinson Society. Where he teaches original classes that he developed in order to help people with Parkinson’s disease to improve their quality of life.

Elizabeth Utterson

I am a pediatrician in St. Louis. I continue to work full-time to pay for college😊 Despite being a doctor, neurology was not my best subject so I am learning a lot about PD from personal experience. I am lucky to have a great husband and 2 fabulous children. PD advocacy is of great interest as I imagine a world without Parkinson’s. I am eager to meet other PD warriors and join forces to beat this thing!