Katelin’s Turn is HERE!!!, page-133

Acadia is All in For Rett
Posted on October 12, 2023 by melelllan
I had the great honor and pleasure to present at an Acadia “Lunch and Learn” event on Oct. 3rd. Over 100 employees were in attendance with more online watching the webcast in San Diego and Princeton. This is the second time I’ve been hosted by Acadia over the years, and I can assure you that each time was a true experience.


I’m the midget on the right, Ruben’s the other person, lol.
Firstly, I would like to thank Michelle Mehrara, Corporate Affairs Senior Administrative Coordinator, for being my guide and making sure I was on time for my meetings and the presentation. If there were any “oops” in the day, I was oblivious and felt quite confident that I would not be late, I would eat and have time to meet up and chat with my favorite FAM from Acadia Connect, Ruben S.! He makes sure I never feel alone on this journey and is there for me, the highs and lows of Daybue.

Secondly, I would like to thank Brendan Teehan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Acadia, for his opening, kind remarks. I look forward to seeing him again at the SoCal Strollathon!

Lastly, I would like to acknowledge Bill Keller, Vice President, Patient Advocacy and Industry Relations, who was an amazing moderator for the day, who has been “All in for Rett” from the moment I met him, years ago, and who continually amazes me with his enthusiasm, energy, and knowledge. Without his input and efforts, a lot of what I’ve been able to learn and share about Daybue would have been much less.


Bill Keller, Vice President, Patient Advocacy and Industry Relations. (l); Melinda Lancaster (r) showing the plate Katelin helped to make thanking Acadia for Daybue and “improving Rett lives through science.”




I hope that I did the Rett community proud and represented the struggles of special needs’ families- the isolation that often comes, the hidden costs, the physical and emotional struggles we deal with on a daily basis, so that those hundreds of people went away with a better understanding of the true measure of their worth for providing us with a chance, a hope, a treatment.

I want to thank Acadia for their generosity, their commitment to Rett syndrome, and providing the Rett community, through me, a superior opportunity for advocacy on behalf of our children. I would also like to assure our Rett community that Acadia is committed to us and our children; it was obvious every minute of that day.