BRETT KOPELAN

President

Brett has been Executive Director of debra of America for almost ten years and lives just outside of New York City. He was indoctrinated into the rare disease world when his daughter was born in 2007 with a particularly severe form of RDEB. Prior to his rare disease work, Brett was an accomplished entrepreneur, starting three different companies raising more than $30 million in venture financing, where he led business development and marketing. He has a graduate degree from Columbia University and an undergraduate degree from New York University.

Brett was elected to the board of directors of DEBRA International in 2012 and has served as its Vice Treasurer, Treasurer, and now President. Brett also sits on the board of directors of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Foundation to advocate and educate about the potential of cell, gene, and regenerative therapies. He formerly served as the Treasurer and Chairman of the Board of Directors for the National Organization of Rare Diseases (NORD) and as President of the Coalition of Skin Diseases.