5 Fox Focus | Special Feature
Eric Amanfu
An Early Employee
I was one of the first four employees at MJFF; I still remember the day of my interview. The work we do— the impact it has on people’ s lives— is what drives me to stay. Over the past few years, I’ ve focused on implementing tools to strengthen our data security. Every day, I make sure our work isn’ t disrupted so that the scientists, researchers and other frontline staff can focus on pursuing their work toward finding a cure. We make sure they have the tools they need to get their jobs done.
Eric, MJFF’ s cybersecurity director, has worked at MJFF for 25 years. He lives in New York City.
Vivek Puri
Team Fox Fundraiser
In 2024, I set out to raise $ 150,000 in honor of my 50th birthday. I chose to support both Team Fox and UpENDing Parkinson’ s, a nonprofit I’ m part of that provides guided rock climbing for people with PD. Fundraising was slow at first, but UpENDing Parkinson’ s was featured on“ CBS Sunday Morning” and“ TODAY”— and next thing I knew, I had raised about $ 185,000. I still get the jitters( not the PD kind!) when I tell this story.
Vivek, 51( front), was diagnosed with PD in 2012. He lives in McLean, Virginia.
Ellen and Michael Kelly
Team Fox Fundraisers
We’ ve been fighting the fight for 21 years, and we’ ve met a lot of good people along the way. Our relationships through Team Fox have blossomed. The people we know … they’ re family now. Sharing the same goal has brought us together with so many special people. We do this so that hopefully, we can find a cure.
Michael, 71, was diagnosed with PD in 2004. He and his wife Ellen, 70, live in Cornwall, New York.