PASD Board of Directors

Marty Acevedo is the former Director of Food and Nutrition, Environmental Services, and Patient Transportation at Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside, CA. She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) who served as a member of the critical care health care team at TCMC, providing advice and recommendations for patients’ nutritional care as they recovered from critical illness or injury. Marty is the author of two home-study courses for registered dietitians and other health care practitioners. Marty was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2010. She has since increased her involvement in groups associated with Parkinson’s disease in an effort to raise awareness, increase knowledge and provide support for people with Parkinson’s and their care partners. Marty is an Ambassador for the Davis Phinney Foundation and is passionate about helping others with Parkinsons to find their way to living their best life on their journey with PD. https://www.davisphinneyfoundation.org/moments-of-victory/

Charlie Abdi is the Founder and Managing Partner of Finest City Realty Advisors, based in San Diego, California. He is an expert in acquiring properties and structuring new development opportunities with financial institutions and land owners across Southern California. Charlie’s wife has Parkinson’s disease.

Jessie Agrimis is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist and Assistive Technology Professional. She graduated from SDSU with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and then went on to complete a Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency at the University of Washington. She additionally holds a certificate in Vestibular Rehabilitation. Jessie has a passion for working with individuals with Parkinson’s Disease and is a PWR! Moves Certified Therapist. She is the president of NeuroLab 360, a non-profit organization that offers rehab and wellness resources to the local Parkinson’s community.

Ron Jacobson is Managing Director at SD Realty Partners. Ron has worked in the Commercial Real Estate arena for over 35 years in both San Diego and Los Angeles. Ron lives with his family in San Diego.

SD Realty Partners is a boutique Commercial Real Estate Company specializing in Investments of Industrial, Distribution, Logistics and Warehousing properties across the US. We work with Buyers, Sellers and Developers of Single Tenant Net Leased assets.

Lisa was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in November 2019 at 51.. She continues to lead an active lifestyle and is a Corporate Administrative Associate and Paralegal at Gossamer Bio. She has held administrative / paralegal positions in a variety of industries: legal, home security, semiconductor distribution, software data back-up and recovery, private lending and banking, and most recently, biotech. Additionally, Lisa served a brief period in Washington D.C., where she interacted daily with the White House, House of Representatives, and the Senate. Previously, Lisa served in the United States Air Force (USAF) and the United States Air Force Reserves. She received her paralegal training in the USAF, and Lisa received her Paralegal Certificate from University of California, San Diego Extension program.

Paul Dawson served 26 years with the City of Vista Fire Department, advancing from Firefighter to Paramedic to Fire Marsal, retiring in 2000. He rejoined the fire service in the aftermath of the Cedar Fire, serving eight more years as Fire Marshal with San Diego County Fire Authority. Paul earned a Master of Arts in Management from University of Redlands, served in the U.S. Navy Reserve, and has held leadership positions on the boards of several community service and health-related organizations. Paul has contributed to the Parkinson’s cause in many ways, including leadership of North County Parkinson’s Support Groups – in support and honor of his late wife, Eva, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1997.

Patrick (Pat) Collins’ work history includes hotel management and over 32 years in commercial real estate. Pat served as a Vice President of Coldwell Banker Commercial Real Estate (CBRE) in the sale and leasing of industrial properties. Pat was a founding partner of the So Cal Sports Complex in Oceanside and after his retirement from CBRE, served as Director of Operations of the complex. He has held leadership positions on many planning boards and community groups, including Carmel Valley Recreation Council, City of San Diego Parks and Recreation, Del Mar/Carmel Valley Soccer Club, Kearney Mesa Planning Board, and Soccer Field of Dreams.

Sherm was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2013. He has since focused on therapies that help those with Parkinson’s to maintain a good quality of life. He has used successfully the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery to control arm tremors and other symptoms used to stimulate the release of Dopamine into the brain.

Prior to moving to California, Sherm served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Cottonwood Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In addition, Sherm was the Chief Executive Officer for two Utah homebuilding companies. He also served for 10 years as an elected member of the Utah House of Representatives.

Sherm is a 52 year veteran of the homebuilding industry and real estate development industry.

Recently Sherm was an Adjunct Professor in the USO Masters of Science in real estate Program.

Justin is an alum of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he completed his undergraduate degree in Cognitive Science in 2023. Since an early age, he has been actively engaged in the Parkinson’s community, driven by his deep commitment to supporting individuals affected by this condition. Inspired by his father’s diagnosis with Young-Onset Parkinson’s, Justin founded a Parkinson’s Association Club at his high school and has volunteered for the Parkinson’s Association of San Diego since the age of 12. He aspires to raise youth awareness of Parkinson’s and to continue contributing to the Parkinson’s community.

A graduate from the University of Minnesota in 1977, Craig launched into the medical device industry. The company that initially recruited him was Hudson RCI, a leading manufacturer in the respiratory care market segment. Craig concluded a 22 year relationship with Hudson serving as the European Director of Sales and Marketing. In 1999 Craig partnered with another medical industry veteran and formed an investment advisory practice in Newport Beach utilizing the Northwestern Mutual platform. In 2008 through 2012 Craig served as the Chairman for the Tri City Hospital Foundation. In June of 2022 Craig joined the Board for the Parkinson’s Association of San Diego.

Jed is an attorney currently practicing law in Solana Beach in the areas of transactional commercial real estate and business law. Jed has been practicing since 1984. He a graduate of The Ohio State University and California Western School of Law. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in March of 2020. As a result, Jed is making efforts to get involved in the Parkinson’s community and to use his knowledge and skills to help the PASD continue its mission. Jed looks forward to serving on the Board.

As someone who has been involved with the Parkinson’s community for the last seven years, I have seen firsthand the benefits of not only the knowledge the Parkinson’s Association provides, but also the sense of community it creates.  I have assessed well over three hundred Parkinson’s fighters for my Rock Steady program and, what is abundantly clear, is that it takes a village to combat the disease.  I am a connector of people and programs, often relaying information to my fighters about the association’s events, movement disorder specialists, physical therapists, parkinson’s studies, and speech therapy programs, in order to improve the quality of their lives.  I know I can broaden my outreach as a connector in my role as a board member, bringing the enthusiasm I have for my fighters to not take the diagnosis sitting down: to stand up to Parkinson’s through support, activity, and involvement.

Steve Blostin spent over 30 years in the financial industry. While in New York, he was a member of the New York Stock Exchange and traded on the floor for over five years. In 1987, Steve moved to California where he and two friends started an investment advisory business in San Diego. In 2001, he retired from the industry after a successful five years at a major money manager in San Diego. Steve was diagnosed with Parkinson’s over 20 years ago and underwent a very successful Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in 2007.

Elliott Rabin is the former CEO and President of Ridout Plastics, an omni-channel seller of plastic sheet, rod and shapes with the in-house machining using computer-controlled saws, routers and lasers. The company is known as “ePlastics” today, sells to over 20 countries and was sold in 2020

He is a 3rd generation San Diego native with BA from UCSD in Visual Arts/Art History and MBA from National University in Financial Management.

He was diagnosed with REMSD in 2013 and Parkinson’s in 2019 and keeps the disease in check through exercise, diet, and a positive demeanor.

Rhonda Peters has been involved in charitable organizations most of her adult life. She has served as a member of the Board of Camp Okizu which supported children with cancer and specifically the siblings of those children in the San Francisco Bay Area. More recently Rhonda has worked with the Miracle Babies Foundation as well as The Love on a Leash organization.

The Parkinson’s Association and the disease of Parkinson’s hits close to home for Rhonda as her father was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s in his early 60’s. Rhonda spent years taking care of and supporting both her father as well as working to find a cure for Parkinson’s and will continue to work diligently until a cure is found.