Founder & CEO
Founder & CEO
President of the Board of Directors
In 2018, Bina founded Project 8p Foundation to accelerate research with the goal of treatment for chromosome 8p heroes like her daughter Karina. Since then, she has fully committed herself to the advancement of clinical and research understanding of rare disorders, in particular neurodevelopmental chromosomal disorders such as the 8p rearrangements. Shifting perspectives from disease specific efforts to innovative approaches that are gene-agnostic and cross disorder is a long term scalable vision of hers. As a result, she is the founding partner of the Commission on Novel Technologies for Neurodevelopmental Copy Number Variants (CNVs).
Dr. Lauren Chaby has applied her expertise in optimizing clinical outcomes in the biotech, non-profit, pharmaceutical, and research sectors, focusing on conditions affecting the brain. She has led preclinical and clinical programs including clinical trials phases I-III across a range of therapeutic areas, diagnostic development and implementation, as well as launched a multi- cohort repository for biospecimens and clinical datasets.
Serving as Executive Director at Project 8p is deeply meaningful to her, as a chromosomal translocation within her family has profoundly influenced the lifelong journeys of her and her loved ones. Her commitment to improving lives today while pioneering treatments for tomorrow reflects her dedication to advancing the field of chromosomal disorders.
Kaiti brings both lived experience and operational leadership to her role at Project 8p. After her daughter Chloe was diagnosed with a chromosome 8p rearrangement, she attended the foundation’s first Family and Science Conference in 2019. What began as a search for answers quickly evolved into a sense of responsibility to contribute.
She began her involvement as the Community Support Chair on the Patient Leadership Board, later serving as Co-Chair and helping to launch family-centered programs that remain core to Project 8p’s work. Now, as Director of Operations, Kaiti helps guide cross-functional initiatives spanning research, clinical care, and patient engagement, ensuring families, clinicians, and researchers are supported in their efforts.
Dr. Zachary Gershon is a neuroscientist dedicated to advancing translational research and improving outcomes for individuals with chromosome 8p disorders. He earned his PhD from The Rockefeller University, where he studied the genetic mechanisms shaping cognitive processes and their functional consequences. His scientific background spans molecular genetics, neural circuit dynamics, organoid-based modeling, and rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders.
As Scientific Program Manager at Project 8p, Dr. Gershon coordinates cross-institutional scientific collaborations, contributes to multi-omics data integration efforts, and supports the foundation’s drug repurposing and therapeutic development pipelines.
In addition to his scientific work, Dr. Gershon brings nearly a decade of experience designing and leading peer support programming and neurodiversity advocacy. His role at Project 8p reflects a deep commitment to promoting access, inclusion, and meaningful support for individuals with disabilities.
Data Analyst
Serving as a data analyst at Project 8p, Jacob Borello is motivated by the numerous inspiring stories of the 8p heroes and driven by the prospect of contributing to improvements in the lives of the 8p community. With a background in the for-profit and non-profit sectors, Jacob applies his expertise in data analytics, data cleaning, data formatting, and statistical analysis. He takes great pride in knowing that his work will enable future research, aiding both current and future 8p heroes.
Before joining Project 8p, Jacob worked as a data scientist at ALZpath, where he assisted in publications, evaluated datasets, and conducted cross cohort analyses to validate the company’s early detection pTau217 assay for Alzheimer’s disease.
Based in Southern California, Jacob makes the most of the sunny weather while running, rock climbing, woodcarving, weightlifting, and hiking while pursuing his master’s degree in data analytics from Penn State.
Data Analyst
Patient Engagement Coordinator
Patient Engagement Coordinator
Patient Engagement Coordinator
Before joining Project 8p, Autumn worked in both peer support and direct care roles and has led and founded multiple organizations committed to promoting accessibility, community building and self-advocacy for people with disabilities.
Autumn brings this same passion into her role as Patient Engagement Coordinator at Project 8p to ensure that lived experience remains central to research and support initiatives. She strives to make sure each family feels heard, supported and connected to the 8p community.
Autumn just began working on her PhD where she investigates questions related to the biology of disorders like 8p. In her spare time she enjoys playing with her chihuahua puppy and spending time outdoors.
Veigh serves as a dedicated Social Media Manager and Graphic Designer for Project 8p Foundation, bringing four years of experience to the marketing and communications team. She began her work with the organization in 2021 and brings continued passion and dedication to the 8p community. Veigh’s primary role involves spreading awareness about chromosome 8p disorders, a task she approaches with immense dedication. She finds inspiration in the 8p Heroes—the children whose resilience and spirit drive her to excel. Veigh cherishes working alongside her team, appreciating their approachable nature, inspiring vision, and their ability to foster growth and bring out the best in her efforts to support Project 8p’s mission.
Veigh resides in Manila, Philippines, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication. Outside of her work, she enjoys bonding with her loved ones, exploring her passion for cooking, and embracing the beauty of the outdoors.
For the past three years, Josh (he/his) has provided finance and operation training, coaching, and services to over 100 startup and growing multi-entity social justice , rare disease, fair housing, and technology focused nonprofits.
Prior to this work, Josh served as the Chief Operating Officer for Cory Booker’s Presidential Campaign, Director of Operations for the Mozilla Foundation, Director of Operations for MoveOn.org, Director of Data Services for the Democratic National Committee, and over a decade in political organizing and management. Throughout each recent finance and operation role, Josh established and managed the technology and financial and operating systems and providers that ensured the organizations he served were resilient, sustainable, and had a solid foundation for growth.
