Susan Dickinson, MSGC, joined The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration as CEO in February 2008. A certified genetic counselor, she brings more than three decades of experience facilitating communications among lay, scientific and medical communities. Under her leadership, AFTD has expanded dramatically in scale and impact, from a $400,000 organization with a part-time staff of three to a $12 million organization with nearly 50 full-time staff. During her tenure, AFTD has expanded programs to meet and advocate for the needs of FTD families, and invested in specific strategies to advance FTD research and drug development, including three multi-year, multi-million dollar research initiatives targeting FTD diagnosis and treatment.