Founder, President of the Board of Directors
Desiree Freris is the Founder and President of Building the Cure Foundation, where she leads the organization’s mission to raise awareness for complex congenital heart disease and accelerate funding for regenerative medicine research.
With a professional background spanning Wall Street and municipal advisory services, Desiree brings together strategic leadership, advocacy, and philanthropy to help advance life-changing innovation in pediatric heart care. Since founding Building the Cure, she has focused on building partnerships, expanding community engagement, and driving support for groundbreaking stem cell and heart regeneration research led by Dr. Doris Taylor.
Through her leadership, Building the Cure continues to grow as a platform for awareness, education, and impact helping bring the future of regenerative heart technology closer to the children and families who need it most.
Desiree Vrionedes Freris
Secretary and Treasurer of the Board of Directors
Terry's passion for the mission is deeply personal - her granddaughter was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), a severe congenital heart defect that has required multiple open-heart surgeries and may ultimately require a heart transplant.
Inspired by her granddaughter’s strength and resilience, Terry believes in the transformative potential of Dr. Doris Taylor’s regenerative medicine research to create personalized hearts using a patient’s own cells.
With more than 35 years of experience in finance and investments as an institutional investment advisor, Terry brings both professional expertise and personal dedication to advancing hope for children and families affected by complex CHD.
Theresa Kraser
Member of the Board of Directors
Angela brings both personal experience and deep compassion to the organization’s mission of advancing regenerative medicine research and supporting families affected by complex congenital heart disease (CCHD).
Having experienced her own journey with heart disease, Angela is passionate about helping drive awareness, support innovation, and improve outcomes for children and families navigating complex heart conditions. Her connection to the mission is also deeply personal through her relationship with Building the Cure’s founder, Desiree, and her daughter Katerina, a courageous heart warrior whose strength continues to inspire the Foundation’s work.
Through her role on the board, Angela is committed to helping expand the Foundation’s impact and advance hope for families facing the realities of complex CHD.
Angela Brickey
Member of the Board of Directors
Matuya brings extensive experience across the nonprofit, financial services, and communications sectors. She is passionate about advancing awareness for complex congenital heart disease and supporting innovative regenerative medicine research focused on long-term cures.
Her background includes leadership and volunteer roles with organizations such as the Denver Art Museum Young Professionals Board, the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers, United Way, Big Sisters, and the New York Junior League. Professionally, she has spent more than 20 years in financial services, communications, and product marketing within the wealth management industry.
Matuya holds degrees from Boston University and New York University and currently lives in Denver, where she enjoys spending time outdoors.
Matuya Brand
Member of the Board of Directors
Mary is a passionate advocate for children living with congenital heart disease. Her commitment to the mission is deeply personal, as her daughter was born with multiple critical heart defects, requiring open-heart surgery as a newborn and a life-saving heart transplant at just six months old.Driven by that experience, Mary has dedicated herself to raising awareness and improving outcomes for children and families affected by CHD through nonprofit leadership and community advocacy. In addition to her work with heart health organizations, she has served on the board of directors for a local chamber of commerce and is also a business owner.
Today, Mary remains committed to advancing research and supporting the future of regenerative heart care.
Mary Anderson
Member of the Board of Directors
Suzanne brings more than 24 years of experience in clinical research across the pharmaceutical, biotech, and clinical trial industries. Her expertise spans site management, clinical operations, strategic partnerships, and program leadership, with experience supporting Phase I–IV clinical trials across oncology, cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic therapeutic areas.
She is passionate about advancing science and helping innovative organizations navigate the clinical trial and regulatory process to bring life-changing therapies to patients, particularly within orphan and rare diseases.
At Building the Cure Foundation, Suzanne helps bridge the gap between the medical, clinical trial, and nonprofit communities by supporting awareness, funding, and development efforts tied to regenerative medicine research and the future of the Ghost Heart technology.
Susanne Haugebak
Member of the Board of Directors
Laura is a dedicated financial professional with nearly two decades of experience in the industry and has spent the past eight years at Alpine Bank. She brings extensive expertise in finance, leadership, strategic planning, fundraising, and community outreach, helping organizations build strong foundations for long-term growth and impact.
Her nonprofit leadership experience includes serving on the boards of Forge Evolution and the SCWCC Foundation, along with previous leadership roles on the Summit Chamber Board.
Laura’s connection to Building the Cure’s mission is deeply personal, inspired by a close friend whose daughter received a heart transplant as an infant. Passionate about advancing solutions for children with complex heart conditions, she is committed to helping expand awareness, support groundbreaking research, and further the Foundation’s impact.
Laura Lyman
Director of Social Strategy & Communications
Title: Director of Social Strategy & Communications
Brandi supports Building the Cure Foundation through strategic partnerships, brand development, and social media strategy, helping expand awareness and grow the organization’s community of supporters. With nearly a decade of experience in entertainment marketing and brand partnerships, she brings expertise in storytelling, content strategy, and cultural engagement to help elevate the Foundation’s mission and connect new audiences to the future of regenerative heart care.
Passionate about purpose-driven work, Brandi focuses on building meaningful partnerships and creating impactful digital narratives that help drive awareness, support, and momentum for children and families affected by complex congenital heart disease.
Brandi Kraser
Digital Media Director
Carl is a Digital Media Director with a dynamic background in audio-visual production, creative strategy, and digital marketing. With over a decade of experience in video production, photography, and content creation, he specializes in crafting compelling media that captures stories and engages audiences.
As the founder of Fasorlab Creative, he has led projects for brands, artists, and organizations, delivering expert video editing, sound design, graphic design, and multimedia marketing. His expertise spans event media production, website management, and social media campaigns, ensuring cohesive digital storytelling across platforms.
With a passion for impactful visuals and immersive storytelling, he excels in building and managing teams of photographers and videographers, producing high-quality event recaps, and driving engagement through strategic digital content. His strong foundation in A/V, and post-production brings a unique perspective that blends creativity with technical precision.
Committed to leading innovative digital media strategies, he is dedicated to elevating brand presence and amplifying meaningful narratives.