Chris Olver
Executive Director
Chris Olver is a nonprofit leader with proven program development and fundraising track records for mission-driven organizations on three continents. He is happy to once again lead the CPARF team, as he feels a deeply personal pull toward CPARF’s mission. As the father to two young children who were born prematurely — at 28 and 29 weeks respectively — Chris’ family has directly benefited from research into cerebral palsy prevention and detection, including specific research-driven practices funded by CPARF.
Chris originally joined CPARF as Executive Director in 2019 before relocating to Australia in 2021. While there, he served as General Manager at Cerebral Palsy Alliance — an organization that CPARF collaborates with closely and frequently. In his role as Senior Vice President of Innovation and Implementation, Chris is excited to help amplify the best innovative practices and solutions from both countries in the service of millions of people with cerebral palsy.
Prior to joining CPARF, Chris served as the visual storytelling lead for World Vision Australia and then helped to launch two start-up nonprofits in Boston and New York before serving for five years as the Associate Executive Director of Ramapo for Children — a national disability and education reform organization. In his time with CPARF, Chris served as the Executive Director in the U.S., and in 2021 as the General Manager for CPA – our Australian counterpart organization. Chris is excited to help amplify the best innovative practices and solutions from both countries in the service of millions of people with cerebral palsy.
Chris holds a Bachelor of Creative Arts from Flinders University and a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School.
Jocelyn Cohen
Vice President of Education
Jocelyn Cohen is a storyteller who loves deep, interesting conversations — and loves facilitating and sharing them as the Vice President of Education for Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation.
Jocelyn has cerebral palsy, and she understands that people with CP each experience it differently — it’s personal. She’s energized by CPARF’s work and proud to use her voice and professional expertise to make a difference for other people with CP.
Prior to joining CPARF, Jocelyn spent several years as a Senior Writer at UJA-Federation of New York, where she shaped messaging and drove fundraising communications for some of the organization’s largest divisions, helping to raise nearly $46 million each year. She also worked as a Communications Specialist at Katten.
Outside of work, Jocelyn often speaks with local physical therapy students about her life with CP, hoping to positively influence their perceptions and encourage their willingness to treat people with disabilities.
Jocelyn earned her BA in Creative Writing/English from Emory University and her JD from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.
Elizabeth Boyte
Director of Development
Elizabeth is a nonprofit leader, systems change agent, and disability advocate. She has worked in education reform, international development, and human rights. She has more than 16 years of success creating comprehensive fundraising strategies for social impact organizations. Her innovative approach to fundraising has consistently produced dramatic revenue increases and, as a result, increased service capacity for every organization she has served. For the last decade, she has worked to increase access to digital and physical spaces for disabled people.
Elizabeth has a passionate and longstanding commitment to community service and economic development. As Adjunct Professor at Southern New Hampshire University’s School of Business, she taught courses in community development through the lens of public policy along with leadership and management studies. Elizabeth is also a marketing expert whose strategies, including a global strategy for the World Wide Hearing Foundation International, generated essential financial and community support for programs and services.
Before joining CPARF, Elizabeth directed fundraising and marketing for a nonprofit dedicated to improving access to technologies for disabled people. Elizabeth has a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Thomas University; she holds a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management from High Point University. Her graduate research focused on how NGOs could work in conjunction with local governments to solve public health crises.
Benny Kaufman
Director of Campaigns
Benny Kaufman is a fundraiser and disability advocate. He joins CPARF from Team Fox at The Michael J. Fox Foundation, where he helped supporters leverage their networks to raise money for high impact research for Parkinson’s disease. He is looking forward to bringing his years of experience in grassroots fundraising and community building to the CP community.
After studying neuroscience & behavior at Wesleyan University, Benny worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator at the NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center before shifting into the nonprofit world. He served as the Programs Director at GiGi’s Playhouse NYC, where he developed community achievement programs for individuals with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities of all ages. He continues to volunteer with the Down syndrome community, as well as being actively involved as a community advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association.
In his spare time, you can find Benny bouldering, baking bread, rooting for the Philadelphia 76ers, or simply eating his way around Queens.
Molly Lazarus
Director of Remarkable US
Molly is a marketing executive, teacher, and disability advocate based in Boston. Her first foray into tech was serving as the Founder and CEO of BrightLoop, an EdTech platform that helped teachers individualize learning. She took the organization through a number of accelerators including Y Combinator and Mass Challenge. More recently she has served in senior-level marketing roles with one of the largest media organizations in education and for a health and wellness startup.
Before she jumped into tech, she was an educator with a focus on supporting students with learning disabilities. In her free time, she has volunteered for 22 years at Camp Jabberwocky, an overnight camp for children and adults with disabilities on Martha’s Vineyard. She holds a Masters in Education from Harvard and a BA from Boston College.
Jennifer Lavi
Strategic Partnerships Manager
Jennifer is a seasoned fundraiser with over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, helping organizations achieve meaningful growth. Most recently, she served as Director of Partnerships at Path Forward, helping companies welcome caregivers back into the workforce. Prior to that, she spent over a decade at Girls Inc., where she directed the strategy and execution of events, special projects, and partner engagement. She is an active member of her community and is dedicated to helping ensure all people have the support they need and the access to the opportunities they deserve.
Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys reading fiction, trying to successfully grow strawberries, and baking sweet treats for her family and friends.
Kaitlyn Meuser
Marketing and Communications Manager
Kaitlyn Meuser joined CPARF in February 2024 as the Marketing and Communications Manager. She brings years of experience in communications, marketing, digital strategy, social media management, and content creation — weaving in her experience living with CP to tell stories that center on our collective quality of life.
Prior to joining CPARF, Kaitlyn spent nearly six years working in transportation, most recently as the Communications and Content Manager for the Coalition for Reimagined Mobility, an initiative at the national research think tank, SAFE, that focused on promoting policy recommendations for more sustainable and accessible modes of transportation across the globe. She has also served as the Digital Marketing Specialist at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) where she created and implemented the association’s digital strategy and supported the marketing initiatives for 17 unique programs as well as two federally funded centers providing resources to the 52 state departments of transportation across the United States, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
She has also worked for United Cerebral Palsy, one of the oldest disability rights organizations in the US, where she supported a variety of communications, marketing, and public relations efforts to provide resources and support to adults, children, and their families living with cerebral palsy.
Kaitlyn holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. A native of North Carolina, she calls Washington, D.C. home. When she’s not working, you can often find her in the kitchen trying out new recipes, exploring the outdoors, going to concerts, or flipping through vinyl at her local record store.
Kristie Hagen
Annual Giving Manager
Kristie Hagen is a dedicated and driven fundraising professional committed to fostering an equitable and inclusive society. Her journey into philanthropy began while studying Communications at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she actively participated in campus organizations and unearthed her passion for giving back.
One of Kristie’s most notable career highlights was her work with the National Down Syndrome Society in advancing the ABLE Act’s passage in 2014. The enactment of the bill and its subsequent advantages for disabled Americans are among her proudest professional achievements.
Following her success in both the nonprofit and hospitality sectors in New York City and Washington, DC, Kristie settled in the Hudson Valley. Before joining CPARF, Kristie excelled at the United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region, where she effectively raised awareness of community needs and led impactful fundraising initiatives.
Outside of work, Kristie enjoys exploring the Hudson Valley’s culinary scene, scenic landscapes, and small-town charm. She loves discovering local music, food, and connecting with the community.