Board of Directors

Leslie M. Batterson, CSP, CPEA
Senior Consultant, AON Global Risk Consulting
Safety has always been a passion for Leslie, as she has over 25 years of experience in the environmental, health, and safety profession. KID is a perfect fit for her values and commitment to child safety advocacy. She currently works as a Senior Consultant at Aon Global Risk Consulting and still finds the time to serve as an essential member of our Board of Directors.
Larry Golden
Sr. Maintenance and Compliance Engineer at GATX Corporation
Larry Golden is the Sr. Maintenance and Compliance Engineer at GATX Corporation. In his role, he works closely with various governing bodies responsible for the regulatory landscape of the railroad industry. He currently sits on the Arbitration and Rules Committee for the Association of American Railroads. Larry obtained his Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University and has a Master’s of Business Administration from Bellevue University.
Amy Hill
Executive Director, Injury Prevention and Research Center, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital
Amy Hill is Executive Director of the Injury Prevention and Research Center at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. In this role, she is Director of Safe Kids Illinois and Chicago and project coordinator of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Chicago. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University of Chicago and a Master of Science in Public Administration from DePaul University. She is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health from the University of Illinois Chicago. She is the mom of two school aged kids (who always wear their bike helmets) and has been married to Mark for 18 years.
Ben Hoffman, MD
Professor of Pediatrics at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Oregon Health and Science University
Ben is a nationally recognized expert in child passenger safety, and leader in the field of community health and advocacy training for pediatric residents. He is a Professor of Pediatrics at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Oregon Health and Science University. There, he is the Vice-Chair for Community Health and Advocacy, Director of the Oregon Center for Children and Youth with Special Heath Care Needs, and Medical Director of the Tom Sargent Safety Center. He is also currently the Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Injury Violence and Poison Prevention, and Director of the AAP’s Community Pediatrics Training Initiative. His knowledge and experience is greatly valued at KID.
Prashanth Kamath
Sr. Leader of Product Management at CoreLogic
Prashanth Kamath is the Senior Leader of Product Management at CoreLogic. He is a high energy business leader with experience in developing and executing product strategies in healthcare and technology. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree in Strategy, Marketing, and Finance from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business. Prashanth brings experience in product management, new product introduction, and strategic marketing to KID’s Board.
Shawn S. Kasserman, Esq.
Partner, Tomasik Kotin Kasserman
Shawn was honored with our 2013 Best Friend Award. He served as counsel to our co-founders, Linda Ginzel and Boaz Keysar, in their lawsuit against the manufacturer and licensor of the portable crib that killed their son Danny. Shawn is currently a Partner at Tomasik Kotin Kasserman and serves as the President of KID’s Board of Directors.
Brendan Keefe
Global Process Internal Audit Director at Mars Incorporated
Brendan is currently the Internal Audit Director of Global Processes at Mars. Previously he held a number of finance, accounting, and audit roles at AbbVie, Abbott, and Andersen including roles in developing markets. His experience managing risk, finding practical solutions to complex challenges, and fostering collaboration across diverse teams and geographies make him an important member of the KID Board. Having a school aged son and 12 young nieces and nephews, the mission of KID is very personal for him.
Heather L. Mason
Executive Vice President, Abbott Nutrition (Retired)
Heather is a former Executive Vice President at Abbott Nutrition. She brings a career of distinction, business expertise, and enthusiasm for healthcare to KID.
Donald Mays
Founder, Product Safety Insights, LLC
Don Mays is the founder of Product Safety Insights, LLC. He is the former Chief Safety and Quality Officer at Samsung where he had oversight of enterprise quality and product safety. He worked to identify and mitigate product risks to Samsung, its customers, and consumers. Prior to Samsung, Don was Managing Director at Deloitte where he led the firm’s product safety and quality advisory services. Don was also the former Senior Director, Product Safety and Technical Policy for Consumer Reports. With over 40 years of professional and leadership experience in risk assessment and product safety, Don is an invaluable asset to the KID Board of Directors.
Susan Nied
Founding Member, Eastern Illinois University, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Advisory Council
Susan is a founding member of the Eastern Illinois University School of Family and Consumer Sciences Advisory Council. She brings her distinguished professional record, consumer protection expertise, and dedication to quality to KID.
Marisol Pantoja
Vice President, Chief Audit Executive, Transunion
Marisol is currently VP, Chief Audit Executive at Transunion. She previously led the Internal Audit function at the GATX Corporation, and worked as Risk Assurance Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers for 15 years. Her background is in accountancy, and she holds an MBA at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. KID is lucky to have her expertise in these skills, as well as her commitment to child product safety, in her role as Treasurer on the Board.
Ayesha Rafique
Partner, US Advisory Leader – Consumer Products, Deloitte & Touche LLP
Ayesha currently leads Deloitte’s US Advisory practice for consumer products. She has extensive working with consumer product companies and retailers including those selling children’s products. Ayesha’s in depth understanding of the global consumer products sector and financial acumen makes her a vital member of the KID board.
Julius E. Rhodes, SPHR
Founder and Principal, mpr group
Julius is a lifelong resident of Chicago who has served our community in many different endeavors. He is the founder and principal of mpr group and has received a Lifetime Senior Professional in Human Resources certification, the highest official recognition of his profession. Julius brings his stellar community service record and professional excellence to our Board of Directors.
Shehnaz Safiuddin
Marketing & Product Development Executive
Most recently, Shehnaz led the brand marketing product development, and eCommerce functions at Precious Moments Company. In addition she has over 16 years of experience in the toy industry at Fisher-Price and TOMY International. With her extensive background in toy marketing and new product development she is passionate about child development and children’s product safety, a perfect fit with KID’s mission.
Karen Sheehan, MD, MPH
Professor of Pediatrics (Emergency Medicine) and Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
Karen is a Professor in Pediatrics (Emergency Medicine) and Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, as well as Medical Director of the Injury Prevention and Research Center at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. She has committed herself to a life of advancing the health of children. Her experience in working on childhood injury prevention is an invaluable addition to KID’s board.
David Zivan
Editor-in-Chief, wineandwhiskeyglobe.com
David’s background is in magazine publishing, and he has sat on the editorial boards of magazines such as Chicago, Music Inc., and currently as Editor-in-Chief of wineandwhiskeyglobe.com. He has taught courses at Columbia College in Chicago, contributed biographies for ESPN SportsCentury, a commemorate book, and is a published poet. He has volunteered in Chicago with Little Brothers and Friends of the Elderly. KID is pleased to have his leadership and collaborative experience on our Board of Directors.
Co-Founders
Boaz Keysar, Ph.D
Professor of Psychology at The University of Chicago
The co-founder of KID, Boaz has been championing children’s product safety since the tragic death of his son Danny in 1998. Boaz continues to advance our cause even as he advances his field of study as a Professor of Psychology and the Chair of the Cognition Program at the University of Chicago, where he has been a faculty member since 1991.
Linda Ginzel, Ph.D
Clinical Professor of Managerial Psychology at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
The co-founder of KID, Linda has been advancing children’s product safety since 1998 after the tragic death of her son Danny. While championing our cause, Linda has also been advancing her field of study as a Clinical Professor of Managerial Psychology at The University of Chicago, where she has been a faculty member since 1992.
Advisory Board
Leslie M. Batterson, CSP, CPEA
Senior Consultant, AON Global Risk Consulting
Rose Cammarata
Assistant Corporate Controller at CDK Global
Sonny Garg
Energy Solutions Lead, Uptake
Amy Hogan
Vice President, Brand Marketing, Solera Health
Kristina Paschall
CIO, Ferrara Candy Company
Geoffrey Phillips
Vice President, Group Executive, NA Rail Services; Logistics, GATX Corporation
Kyran Quinlan
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Rush University Medical Center
Julius E. Rhodes, SPHR
Founder and Principal, mpr group
Judy Sage
Executive Beauty Director, Teen Vogue
Karen Sheehan, MD, MPH
Professor of Pediatrics (Emergency Medicine) and Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
Lisa Turano, Esq.
VP, Legal Operations, Turano Baking Company
Steven W. Swibel, Esq.
General Counsel, Mazzetta Company LLC
Robert Tanz, MD
Professor of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago