New Board Members reflect the National Headache Foundation’s continued commitment to bringing together leaders from across clinical practice, research, and advocacy to improve the lives of millions of people living with headache disorders.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 24, 2026

CHICAGO, IL– The National Headache Foundation (NHF) is pleased to announce the appointment of three distinguished leaders to its Board of Directors: Deena E. Kuruvilla, MD; Gretchen Michaelson, MSN, APRN-BC; and Lisa Vinci, MBA. Each brings a unique combination of clinical expertise, leadership, innovation, and advocacy that will help advance the NHF’s mission to empower individuals living with headache disorders, improve access to quality care, and drive meaningful progress in headache and migraine education.

“We are honored to welcome these accomplished professionals to the National Headache Foundation Board of Directors,” said Katy Oakley, CEO & Executive Director of NHF. “Their diverse backgrounds in headache medicine, patient advocacy, healthcare innovation, and leadership will strengthen our efforts to improve the lives of people living with headache disorders and expand awareness of the importance of specialized headache care.”

Introducing the NHF’s three new Board Members:

  • Deena E. Kuruvilla, MD | Neurologist, Medical Director at Brain Health Institute
  • Gretchen Michaelson, MSN, APRN-BC | Founder & Director of the Headache Care Center PLLC
  • Lisa Vinci, MBA | Partner, Caroprese Health Strategies, LLC. 

About Deena E. Kuruvilla, MD

Deena E. Kuruvilla, MD, is a board-certified neurologist and headache medicine specialist dedicated to improving the lives of people living with migraine, headache disorders, and related neurologic conditions. She is the founder of the Brain Health Institute in Westport, Connecticut, where she provides comprehensive, evidence-based care for patients with headache disorders and promotes a broader model of brain health across the lifespan.

Dr. Kuruvilla has held academic leadership roles at Yale School of Medicine, including serving as a faculty member and fellowship director in headache medicine. She has been actively involved in clinical care, physician education, research, and advocacy, with a particular focus on expanding access to high-quality headache care and improving patient-centered treatment strategies. She has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications, contributing to the scientific literature on headache medicine, migraine, and neurologic care.

In addition to her clinical and academic work, Dr. Kuruvilla is a health technology developer and the creator of BrainHealthMD, a digital platform focused on improving access to brain health education, tools, and patient-centered resources. Through this work, she combines medical expertise, technology, and patient advocacy to help individuals better understand and manage neurologic health.

As a member of the National Headache Foundation Board, Dr. Kuruvilla brings expertise in headache medicine, clinical education, research, innovation, and community-based patient advocacy. She is committed to supporting the Foundation’s mission to raise awareness, improve care, and promote better outcomes for individuals and families affected by headache disorders.

About Gretchen Michaelson, MSN, APRN-BC

Gretchen Michaelson is an adult nurse practitioner specializing in headache medicine and is the founder and director of the Headache Care Center PLLC in South Windsor, Connecticut, established in 2018. With a career focused on neurological conditions since 2000, she has dedicated her practice to improving quality of life for patients with various headache disorders.

Gretchen’s professional experience includes critical care at UMass-Memorial Hospital, out-patient neurological care at Connecticut Neurology Consultants, neurology lecturer at University of Massachusetts Graduate School of Nursing, and as a Sub-PI for headache treatment study. From 2007 to 2018, she practiced at Hartford Headache Center focusing on headache and MS patients. She holds the Advanced Qualification in Headache Medicine (AQH©) certification from the National Headache Foundation, recognizing her specialized expertise in headache medicine.

Gretchen’s practice philosophy centers on providing specialized care for individuals with headache conditions and guiding them toward improved quality of life through evidence-based treatment approaches. In her home life, she finds great joy raising 6 outstanding children with her husband as well as growing beautiful things in the garden.

About Lisa Vinci, MBA

Bringing over 15 years of deep commercial expertise, Lisa Vinci has played critical roles in more than 10 product launches across multiple therapeutic areas, bringing innovative therapies to market to expand treatment options for patients. Committed to challenging the status quo, Lisa is passionate about developing novel solutions that provide significant impact to patients and healthcare providers alike.  

Migraine has become her greatest professional passion, where she has worked closely with leading headache specialists and key opinion leaders to enhance brain health education, and improve outcomes for people living with this complex neurological disease. As a member of the National Headache Foundation Board of Directors, she is dedicated to supporting the Foundation’s mission to empower patients, elevate awareness, and advance the future of headache and migraine care.

Lisa resides in Nutley, New Jersey, with her husband, Jonathan, and their two children, Johnny and Luciana. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling with her family, discovering new restaurants, and spending time at the beach.

For more information on the National Headache Foundation, please visit www.headaches.org.

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About the National Headache Foundation

For more than 50 years the National Headache Foundation has been dedicated to providing education, research, awareness, and advocacy for those affected by headache disorders and migraine disease.

NHF is the leading educational and informational resource for individuals with headache, their families, care partners, health practitioners, and health policy decision makers.

Contact: [email protected]