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About Us
Vision:
Every person affected by PD is connected to the information, resources, and allies they need to thrive.
Our Purpose:
We are dedicated to empowering individuals affected by PD by providing knowledge and fostering relationships that enhance their quality of life. We aim to cultivate a supportive community and bridge information gaps.
Every person affected by PD is connected to the information, resources, and allies they need to thrive.
Our Purpose:
We are dedicated to empowering individuals affected by PD by providing knowledge and fostering relationships that enhance their quality of life. We aim to cultivate a supportive community and bridge information gaps.
Our Objectives
Cultivate Relationships and Community
Serve as a Conduit to Pertinent Resources
Disseminate Information
Our Board
Kevin Hylton, President
Working for a better quality of life for people with PD became a passion after my wife, Yvonne, was diagnosed at the age of 44. Aside from being her life partner, there wasn’t anything I could do to ease her burden. But I soon realized I could make a world of difference in the lives of others by sharing what I had learned about PD and applying my technical and business skills in a new way. When you see the light in someone’s eyes brighten because of something you’ve said or done, there’s no better feeling; and I get that feeling every day with RPN.
Dave Henning, Treasurer
Dave Henning serves as the treasurer for the organization. He brings previous experience as a treasurer for a different not for profit organization, and his background includes working in the Treasury department at Kodak, and serving as the Assistant Controller for a small start up company. His involvement with the Parkinson’s community started in support of his brother-in-law and he has been a long time volunteer at various Parkinson’s sponsored events.
Dan Kinel
Dan Kinel is a retired lawyer. Since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2013, he has also become deeply involved in patient advocacy and believes in the power of personal face-to-face connections in fighting PD. Over the course of his almost three decades as a corporate and securities lawyer, he represented numerous companies, from start-ups to NYSE-listed public companies, in corporate governance, corporate finance, securities compliance, and other business law matters.
Ronald B. Knight
Ron Knight is a retired, thirty-year executive of the Xerox Corporation. He was diagnosed with Parkinson Disease in 2014. His volunteer work in the community has been primarily focused on healthcare. He was Chairman of the Rochester Health Commission, a member of Park Ridge Hospital’s Board of Directors, and Vice Chairman of the F.F. Thompson Health System Board of Directors. He is a Trustee of the University of Rochester as well as a Past-Chairman and member of the Board of Directors of University’s Medical Center. Ron’s passion is the identification of challenges for people with PD and finding solutions, for not only people with PD but also their caregivers.
Yvonne Hylton
Yvonne Hylton has been a chemist, an analyst, a spokesperson, a project manager, a health coach and a yoga instructor. Since 2007, she is a person with Parkinson disease. Advocacy and education around Parkinson’s disease are her commitments; learning is her passion.
Dennis Whitney
My wife, Louise Whitney, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 1997 and passed away in 2022. Early in the progression of the disease we became active in the Parkinson’s Support Group of Upstate NY and the knowledge, support, sense of community that we found helped us manage our journey through the disease. There is a wealth of information and support available to people with PD and I want to make sure everyone who needs that connection is able to find what they need to manage their journey and to know they aren’t alone.
Michelle Burack, Secretary
I am a movement disorders neurologist who understands that the impact of Parkinson Disease extends far beyond a person’s brain. I have been actively involved in community education and support programming for people with PD since moving to Rochester with my family in 2007. After a decade of academic clinical practice, research, and teaching at the University of Rochester, I shifted gears to make more room for conversations about what matters most. In addition to my work with the RPN board, I have a small private practice focused on counseling and education for people with PD and other progressive neurological diseases.