Emily Whitehead Foundation Names George Eastwood Executive Director, Darshan Kulkarni Board Chair

Marks 10 Years of Advancing Awareness, Access to Cell and Gene Therapies
Aims to Expand Support for Patients and Families Facing Cancer, Rare Diseases

PHILIPSBURG, Pa., Jan. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Emily Whitehead Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates to increase access to advanced disease treatments such as cell and gene therapies, has named George Eastwood as executive director and Darshan Kulkarni as chair of its board of directors. The announcement coincides with the 10th anniversary of the foundation.

The foundation was named for Emily Whitehead who, at five years old, was the first child living with cancer to receive CAR T-cell therapy. CAR-T was Emily's last chance for survival. Emily is now 12-years cancer-free, a thriving college student and considered cured.

The Emily Whitehead Foundation was established in 2015 to advance awareness of and access to CAR-T cell therapy and other advanced treatments, and to support families affected by pediatric cancer. As the foundation enters its next decade, it is expanding its mission to advocate for all patients who can benefit from advanced therapies and cultivating collaborations that will enhance support, including emotional and mental health support.

Eastwood had been serving as interim executive director of the Emily Whitehead Foundation since November of 2022 in addition to his role as board chair, which he assumed in October of 2021.

"As executive director, leadership is not merely a role but a commitment to patients through pioneering cell and gene therapy breakthroughs," Eastwood said. "I look forward to continuing to propel life-saving therapies into the forefront of disease treatment, and to cementing the foundation as a beacon of hope and support for all individuals who can benefit from advanced therapies."

Eastwood's professional background has largely focused on the creation of products, tools and services that support the development of cell-based therapeutics. At HemaCare, he led global sales and business development, partnering with developers to advance autologous and allogeneic CAR-T cell therapies. He also has experience in the gene therapy start-up space both at Kytopen, where he served as vice president of business development and partnerships, and at Excellos, where he was a co-founder and helped to spin out the company from the San Diego Blood Bank.

In addition to his role at the foundation, Eastwood serves on the boards of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine and Autolomous, and the advisory board of Truetrials.org.

Kulkarni, who has served on the foundation board since 2022, brings to his new role as board chair over 25 years of leadership experience in law, compliance and life sciences. The principal attorney at the Kulkarni Law Firm, his background spans FDA compliance to clinical research oversight and global pharmaceutical strategy to patient access.

In addition to advising life science startups and established organizations, Kulkarni is a respected educator who has taught regulatory law and clinical research topics for over 10 years. His knowledge is reflected in his authorship of multiple books on clinical research, demonstrating his commitment to advancing education in the life sciences space.

Kulkarni also is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, where he shares insights into innovation, legal strategy and the future of biotechnology. Additionally, he hosts the widely followed DarshanTalks podcast focused on compliance trends, regulatory developments and the future of healthcare.

"After meeting the incredible Emily Whitehead Foundation team, including Emily's parents Tom and Kari, I felt an immediate connection to the foundation's mission," Kulkarni said. "I knew I wanted to help in any way I could. I look forward to expanding hope and support for children and families battling pediatric cancer and advocating for everyone who can benefit from advanced therapies."

Since its inception, the Emily Whitehead Foundation has connected countless families with experts and clinical trials, helped pave the way for over 40,000 individuals to access CAR T-cell therapy worldwide and raised over $2 million for revolutionary research so more patients can live a long full life. For more information about the Emily Whitehead Foundation, visit emilywhiteheadfoundation.org.

Media Contact: Jason Kirsch, APR, 717.857.5645, [email protected]

SOURCE Emily Whitehead Foundation