Meet the GAI team!
Sandra Boek Werness
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Sandy personally experienced a common story of delayed and misdiagnosis of autoimmune disease. It took over 7 years for her daughter to be diagnosed with celiac disease, followed by another 11 years of continued excruciating pain, chronic fatigue, constantly recurring illnesses, and many other symptoms, until she was diagnosed with thyroid disease and POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia). In the meantime, Sandy’s concerns and her daughter’s suffering were dismissed, and neurological, gastroenterological, and many other symptoms were ignored. Sandy and her daughter were told the symptoms either did not exist or were “psychological” and even that Sandy was making her daughter ill.
The challenges of ignorance and misconceptions that they faced serve as a driver for Sandy’s actions to bring about change so that autoimmune disease will be properly diagnosed and treated, and that patients and their families will be afforded the educational and psychosocial support they need.
Sandy has worked full time most of her adult life; on Capitol Hill, in private law practice, and as Vice President of Northern Virginia Pathology, P.C. She is a graduate of Duke University and the law school of the College of William and Mary. In 2013 she embarked upon her leadership of an existing nonprofit organization to create the Global Autoimmune Institute, which addresses the many pressing needs of the autoimmune disease and chronic illness community; patients, families, physicians, and other health care providers, and the public at large.
Liz Loftus
BOARD MEMBER
Liz began her career in health care as a registered nurse, receiving a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from American University in Washington, DC, and working in intensive care step-down and emergency departments in the DC area. In 1986, she earned a Master’s of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. Liz worked as a health policy analyst at the National Association of Children’s Hospitals in Alexandria, VA, and a drug reviewer for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Rockville, MD. As a drug reviewer at the FDA, Liz conducted scientific reviews of investigative new drug studies and evaluated clinical trials to ensure compliance with the FDA’s Bioresearch Monitoring Compliance Program.
After raising three children, Liz pursued a lifelong interest in decorative arts. For several years prior to joining GAI, Liz worked as an interior designer as well as an adjunct professor in the Interior Design program at Northern Virginia Community College.
She is honored to bring her varied professional experience to support GAI in its mission to promote research, education, and treatment for autoimmune diseases.
Marcia V. Mayo
BOARD MEMBER
An art historian and appraiser, Marcia V. Mayo was a curator with the U.S. Department of State’s Art in Embassies Program, creating thematic exhibitions of American art for the residences of U.S. ambassadors worldwide. Prior to her 27 years of government service, Marcia was the director of Sotheby’s Mid-Atlantic office, specializing in American fine and decorative arts and working with Sotheby’s Valuations, Trusts and Estates, and Museum Services departments. Now retired, she is the vice president of the Fund to Conserve U.S. Diplomatic Treasures Abroad board of directors.
Marcia is a Trustee Emeritus of the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP), co-chairing the 2008 NTHP National Conference and chairing the 2007 and 2008 NTHP/HGTV fundraising events. A former board member, she currently serves on the Collections Committee of Tudor Place Historic House and Garden in Georgetown, having chaired the 2016 bicentennial fundraising event. Previously, Marcia was a member of the Operating Committee of the Wadsworth-Sulgrave Historic Preservation Foundation, as well as the Preservation and Facilities committees of the Washington National Cathedral, where she is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Committee. Marcia has been a supporter of the Washington Winter Show for many decades and is a member of its Board of Advisors. Within the larger community, she served on the Board and Executive committees of Washington National Opera and the DC Jazz Festival and is a supporter of the Bishop Walker School. She holds the rank of Dame in the U.S. Priory of the Order of St. John and is a member of the Priory’s Finance Committee.
Marcia has long been dedicated to leading and supporting important national and community organizations and initiatives, including in the health care field. In addition, Ms. Mayo is an active supporter of many other organizations, including helping to propel better diagnoses, treatment and support in “lesser known” illnesses.
Lydia Chopivsky Benson
BOARD MEMBER
Lydia brings decades of leadership, civic engagement, and deep community knowledge to her work as a Board Member of the Global Autoimmune Institute.
Lydia is Vice President and Associate Broker of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty. She has built a distinguished reputation for transparency, sound judgment, and results-driven advocacy in one of the nation’s most competitive real estate markets, and her proactive, hands-on approach and exceptional communication skills have resulted in award-winning growth rates. Her real estate accolades include repeated selections as Washingtonian’s BEST of Washington and Bethesda Magazine’s BEST of Bethesda Top Producing Agent, and she is a Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® Gold Award Winner.
Community stewardship is a defining element in Lydia’s career. She has lived and worked in the Capital Region for more than 35 years following undergraduate and graduate studies at Stanford University. She was the two-term past President of the All Hallows Guild of the Washington National Cathedral, which oversees the gardens and grounds of the Cathedral, and the three-time Chairwoman of the Washington National Cathedral’s annual Flower Mart. Prior board and leadership service includes the Board of Governors of the National Cathedral School, the Board of Directors of Adventure Theatre, the Board of Directors of the Petite Society of Washington, and the Board of Directors of the Palisades Village. She has also chaired numerous community fundraising events, including the Faith, Hope, Love Gala benefiting the Johns Hopkins Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, the Palisades Village House Tour, and the abovementioned Flower Mart.
A proud first-generation Ukrainian-American, Lydia is deeply engaged with the Ukrainian community in the DMV. She maintains strong relationships with cultural organizations, Embassy leaders, and advocacy groups, and actively supports initiatives that promote Ukrainian heritage and raise awareness of issues affecting Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora. She is the past President of The Washington Group, an association of Ukrainian-American professionals, and the past President of the Ukrainian American Federation of Business and Professional Associations.
Through sustained service across cultural, educational, artistic, and charitable institutions, Lydia exemplifies conscientious leadership, fiduciary responsibility, and a deep commitment to the vitality of the communities she serves.
Bruce Werness, MD
CHIEF SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR
Bruce is uniquely valuable to GAI because of his in-depth knowledge of basic science, experience in grant writing and reviewing, his early career in academic medicine in cancer research, and practice of pathology, as Chairman of Pathology and Laboratory Medical Director of the Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax, Va. for over 21 years of his 23 years in the Inova Health system.
Bruce’s passion for science and medicine is lifelong. With his B.S. in Zoology from the University of Minnesota, he joined the Denver County Public Health Department during the era of emerging AIDS. This inspired him to pursue a clinical and academic medicine career. He received his M.D. from the University of Colorado as well as completing his residency in anatomic and clinical pathology there.
He was then awarded a fellowship at the NIH to work in the Laboratory of Tumor Virus Biology under the renowned scientist Peter Howley, MD. Bruce’s work in Dr. Howley’s lab was instrumental in determining the molecular basis of carcinogenesis by oncogenic human papillomaviruses. After a stint in clinical pathology at the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. Bruce pursued an academic career at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University of Cincinnati where he focused on ovarian cancer research.
Bruce’s many interests include reading history, hiking, and enjoying time with his family. He has a particular interest in immunology with a focus on Celiac Disease. He and Sandy have a daughter with Celiac Disease diagnosed early in life, and he was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2023. Bruce looks forward to continuing to contribute to the mission of the Global Autoimmune Institute in his capacity as Chief Scientific Advisor.
Carolyn Serraino, MS
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH & DIGITAL MEDIA
Carolyn’s work at GAI focuses on using her scientific background to make medical and scientific research more accessible and easier to understand for the people who need it most. She manages the organization’s website, develops and shares research-driven content, and creates digital resources to highlight news and discoveries about autoimmune disease. Her goal is to bridge the gap between complex science and the people it impacts.