Our Staff
Our team is dedicated to finding a cure for pancreatitis, and we work collaboratively to make progress toward this important goal. With diverse expertise and a shared passion for advancing medical research, we strive to develop new treatments and therapies to make a difference in the lives of those affected by this disease.
Megan Golden
CEO, CO-FOUNDER
Megan Golden is the co-founder and CEO of Mission: Cure, which is using outcome-based financing and impact investing to demonstrate a new model for curing disease, beginning with chronic pancreatitis, a devastating disease afflicting her younger brother.
She also served as a Voting Member of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council, which provides independent appraisals of the benefits and costs of medications and other health interventions.
Megan has 25 years of experience developing and launching innovative programs in multiple fields including criminal justice, child welfare, mental health, and eldercare, as a senior executive at the Vera Institute of Justice and at the Institute for Child Success. Significant projects include helping South Carolina use Pay for Success financing to fund a $30 million expansion of early childhood services to low-income families (the largest Pay for Success project in the world), leading a major reform of New Orleans’ criminal justice system in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and creating a successful alternative to detention for people in immigration proceedings.
Megan has also published extensively on Pay for Success financing and performance measurement. She served on McKinsey & Company’s advisory group for its work on Social Impact Bonds, and as a Fellow at the New York University Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, where she taught performance management and directed the Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service.
In 1994, Megan was awarded a White House Fellowship. She has a BA in political science from Brown University and a JD, magna cum laude, from the New York University School of Law.
Joshua Henderson
CHIEF CURE STRATEGY OFFICER
Joshua Henderson is the Chief Cure Strategy Officer at Mission: Cure, where he drives the strategy to bring treatments to patients with chronic pancreatitis. He leads pipeline intelligence, biopharma engagement, clinical trial enablement, and patient-reported endpoint strategy, while helping build the data infrastructure needed to support drug repurposing and targeted therapies.
Joshua brings deep experience bridging the patient advocacy and biopharma communities. Previously, as Head of Rare Diseases at Pulse Infoframe, he partnered with patient advocacy organizations and biopharma companies globally to design and execute observational research studies and build patient registries that generate regulatory-grade real-world evidence. Throughout his career, he has translated patient experience into research priorities and clinical strategy.
Joshua co-founded the NW Rare Disease Coalition, bringing together patients, clinicians, researchers, and industry to strengthen the rare disease ecosystem in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. He is also an investor focused on rare diseases, underserved patient populations, and underrepresented founders. He is the founder of StageNext, a venture fund investing in early-stage life science and health technology companies, and a Fellow at On Deck Angels (ODA4).
Earlier in his career, Joshua served as Vice President at Springboard Enterprises for over 12 years, helping build its life science and health technology programs and advising nearly 400 high-growth companies.
Crystal Kaya
DIRECTOR OF DATA AND AI
At Mission: Cure, Crystal leads efforts to harness data, technology, and AI to accelerate cures for pancreatitis. She brings a perspective rooted in outcomes-based healthcare and patient-driven innovation, which aligns deeply with her passion for using evidence and technology to drive meaningful, measurable impact—goals that are especially significant to her as the mother of a child living with chronic pancreatitis.
Crystal brings 18 years of research experience spanning healthcare, technology, and patient advocacy. She has a proven track record of guiding product, patient, and customer experience strategy through actionable research insights. Her work has consistently driven measurable improvements in outcomes, from transforming clinic practices at Humana to shaping engagement strategies at Amazon.
Crystal’s career highlights include leading the Customer Engagement pillar for Amazon’s Digital Devices and Alexa CS research, uncovering key accessibility barriers across Office 365 at Microsoft, and advancing patient experience improvements for medical device access at Humana. She has also spearheaded large-scale experimental research initiatives, applying innovative methodologies to better understand people’s perceptions and behavior. Her work consistently bridges rigorous research with practical applications, ensuring that insights translate into measurable improvements that improve people’s lives.
Beyond her professional work, Crystal is a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and an active science communicator dedicated to fostering public engagement with STEM. She has also been recognized with multiple awards, including the NASA Outreach Award, the American Astronomical League Outreach Award, Humana’s North Star Award, and Amazon’s Big Ideas Award.
Shruthi Meera Shankar
DIRECTOR, PATIENT ADVOCACY
Shruthi Meera Shankar is our Director for Mission: Cure’s Patient Education Program. Based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and hailing from India, she brings a unique perspective to her role. Having personally experienced the challenges of living with pancreatitis, Shruthi deeply understands the importance of patient-focused outreach.
Her education and experience in the food and beverage industry, particularly in operations, quality, safety & risk management systems, and project management, have honed her ability to collaborate effectively with multiple stakeholders. With a diverse learning background encompassing nutrition and behavioral science, public health, and integrated mental health practices, she brings a holistic approach to her work.
As the “Chief Listening Officer” between the patient community and various stakeholders, Shruthi strives to bridge the gaps in the healthcare system and provide valuable resources to those affected by pancreatitis while supporting our efforts to find a cure.
Sara Svendsen
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Sara Svendsen is the Director of Development at Mission: Cure, leveraging her expertise in fundraising, event management, marketing, and operations. Passionate about promoting equity and access in the health arena, Sara is dedicated to advancing Mission: Cure’s initiatives in ending pancreatitis.
Previously, Sara served as Executive Director at Matthew Hill Foundation, Inc., renowned for its impactful No-Shave November cancer fundraising campaign. During her tenure, Sara revitalized the peer-to-peer fundraising program, ushering in a new era for the initiative. As Executive Director, Sara oversaw daily operations, including administrative and financial management, as well as spearheading marketing, design, donor outreach, and partnership development efforts. Her leadership at MHF was marked by innovative initiatives to enhance user engagement, such as introducing gamification with earnable badges in the peer-to-peer fundraising platform. Sara also implemented scalable strategies to support volunteer-led community events.
In 2020, Sara earned a Masters in Nonprofit Management (MNM) with distinction from DePaul University, complementing her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Health with an emphasis in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina. She has received accolades for her leadership and service, including recognition from the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society for Public Service.
Outside of work, Sara enjoys exploring Austin, TX with her French Bulldog, Lola.
Olivia Zeiden
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Olivia Zeiden is the Scientific Communications Manager at Mission: Cure. She leads the organization’s media strategy, manages social media, and engages with the community to raise awareness about chronic pancreatitis and Mission: Cure’s initiatives.
Olivia graduated from Tufts University with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering. During her studies, she interned at the City of Hope Priceman Lab, focusing on T-cell immunotherapy research, and at the USC Keck School of Medicine Roussos Torres lab, working on oncology research.
Lynn Kiragu
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Lynn is the Executive Assistant to Megan Golden at Mission: Cure, where she drives executive operations, strategic coordination, and cross-functional alignment in support of the organization’s mission to cure pancreatitis. She ensures seamless execution across priorities, enabling leadership to operate with clarity, focus, and strong execution.
Lynn brings 7+ years of experience across operations, supply chain, and business development. She has a strong track record of streamlining processes, coordinating across stakeholders, and translating complex priorities into clear, actionable outcomes. Her experience spans diverse industries across Africa, Asia, and the United States, where she has contributed to improving operational efficiency, strengthening systems, and supporting organizational growth.
She holds a Master of Science in Supply Chain Management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (Honours) from Swinburne University
Maia Beriashvili
DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT
Maia Beriashvili is a Program Support Volunteer at Mission: Cure, where she contributes to the organization’s operations and program execution. She supports project planning and the implementation of strategic initiatives to improve organizational systems and processes.
Maia graduated from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service with a Master of Public Administration (MPA) in Public & Nonprofit Management & Policy. At NYU, she worked in the Development Office and contributed to a consulting project for the Coro New York Leadership Center. Before that, Maia worked as a project manager supporting international, nonprofit, and multilateral initiatives in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Yujin Cha
VOLUNTEER PROGRAM ASSISTANT
Yujin Cha is a volunteer program assistant who will be working on a registry project with Mission:Cure. Originally from South Korea and having moved to Houston, TX, she is a sophomore completing her bachelor’s in anthropology at Amherst College.
She is preparing to enter the medical field, with interests in pediatric oncology and palliative care. Her previous work includes book chapters, retrospective clinical research, and case reports written during her summers at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX.
Emily Mrakovcic
DEVELOPMENT INTERN
Emily Mrakovcic (she/her) is a Development Intern with Mission: Cure for the summer of 2025. She is from Wilton, Connecticut and is a rising senior at Brown University pursuing dual degrees in Public Health and International and Public Affairs.
Emily is passionate about global health policy, with a particular focus on how current global events–such as development, geopolitical conflict, and climate change–influence public health and the spread of infectious diseases. With experience in event management and community outreach, Emily looks forward to contributing to the ongoing success of Mission: Cure’s pancreatitis initiatives.
Isabel Aguirre
PROGRAM ASSOCIATE
Isabel Aguirre is Mission: Cure’s Program Consultant. Isabel is a recent graduate of Brown University, with a degree in Public Health and International and Public Affairs. Isabel has managed various public health and education initiatives.
She was a research assistant on a project reviewing family-based interventions for opioid use disorders among youth and young adults. Isabel also interned with Bloomberg Philanthropies’s Public Health team, where she worked on research projects for various global health initiatives. As a coordinator with a local college readiness organization in her hometown of Tucson, Arizona, she has also gained experience in nonprofit management and program coordination.
Isabel currently volunteers with a local health advocacy group in Tucson and is passionate about creating more equitable systems in the U.S., particularly within health and education.