Message From the Board Chair

Since becoming Board Chair in 2017, I’ve been proud to be part of a mission-focused organization with strong core values of advocacy, excellence, innovation, passion, people, and transparency. As I reflect on my tenure, I’m in awe at how much The Assistance Fund (TAF) has grown and ac-

complished. When I started, TAF offered 35 disease programs; now, TAF offers nearly 80. To date, TAF has helped nearly 180,000 patients in all 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico, and provided hundreds of millions of dollars in financial assistance to help people access the critical treatment they need.

It’s no secret the patient assistance landscape has evolved over the years. With so many patients relying on us, we have no choice but to evolve with it. While TAF will continue to offer the highest standards of operational excellence its stakeholders have come to expect, I’m excited to see the organization build on innovative new initiatives that will help transform the way TAF supports its patients. In 2022, both TAF’s Medical Advisory Board and Advocacy Committee welcomed new members, adding experience and a wide range of new, diverse perspectives. With an ever-changing policy environment, there’s no doubt TAF has the team to meet this moment and deliver for the tens of thousands of people TAF serves each year.

During a year of change, I’m proud that TAF continued to receive top marks from national charity ranking organizations like GuideStar, GreatNonprofits , Charity Navigator, and was named a top charity by both Forbes and The NonProfit Times The NonProfit Times also recognized TAF’s mission-driven work and strong work culture, naming it for the second year in a row as one of America’s 50 best nonprofits to work for. These awards would not be possible without the support of our community of patients, providers, caregivers, and donors, whose support makes our work possible.

On behalf of TAF’s Board, I am thrilled that Danielle Vizcaino is serving as TAF’s new President and CEO. Danielle has already made enormous contributions to the organization and the patients it serves. She has proven to be an outstanding leader and tireless patient advocate, with a unique understanding of the patient assistance landscape. Most important, she is committed to TAF’s vision of seeing the day when no person goes without treatment because of an inability to pay.

I am truly grateful to each of my fellow Board members; it continues to be an honor to serve with such dedicated, talented professionals on TAF’s volunteer-based Board. I’ve never been more confident that TAF will continue to serve its mission of providing underinsured people living with life-threatening, chronic, and rare diseases access to critical treatment through financial assistance, education, and advocacy.