About Us

Fifty percent of individuals with a life-time diagnosis of a mental health issue will show warning signs by the age of 14. Educating students, parents, teachers and school administrators on this often avoided topic is critical. Minding Your Mind provides this much needed education by sponsoring school programs, supporting research and holding an annual public forum each May. A 501(c)(3) charitable organization, Minding Your Mind is based just outside Philadelphia, PA.

Board of Directors

Officers

Steven H. Erlbaum

Mr. Erlbaum is a Founder and Chair of Minding Your Mind's Board. He is an entrepreneur who has a highly successful track record of starting and growing organizations. He was the founder of the nationwide chain David’s Bridal and Mr. Goodbuys, a regional chain of home improvement products. He is the Principal of the Regency Group, a venture capital and commercial real estate company headquartered in Ardmore, PA. Steven mentors young people entering the business world. Through his private foundation, Tzedakah Foundation, Steven supports a wide range of causes including programs for the homeless and research projects related to auto-immune diseases and mental health.

Amy B. Erlbaum

Ms. Erlbaum is a Founder and President of Minding Your Mind. She has over 20 years of experience working in the banking industry, specializing in wealth management. She served as a director for the People’s Light and Theater Company, a 501c3 theater group, as well a volunteer at A Better Chance of Lower Merion, a nonprofit organization which refers academically talented students entering grades 6 through11 to independent and public schools. She has also served as a director to the Tzedakah Foundation. Amy graduated from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Roger M. Harrison, MBA

Mr. Harrison is a Founder of Minding Your Mind. After receiving an MBA from Syracuse University, Roger worked for General Mills in marketing. Roger also served on the 1972 campaign for Senator Joe Biden, and subsequently as Biden’s administrative aide, managing his Washington and Wilmington offices. Returning to the private sector, Roger served at ARAMARK’s Contract Management of Fleet Maintenance, and as assistant to the chairman of a regional home improvement chain. Additionally, Roger became a partner in a company serving 20,000 real estate appraisers throughout the country. Roger returned to public service and was elected mayor for two terms and Chief Executive Officer of Woodbridge, CT. Currently, Mr. Harrison is president of RH Associates, a small consulting organization that helps manage telecommunications and electric cost centers in local government.

Eric D. Pisauro

Mr. Pisauro is the Secretary and Treasurer of Minding Your Mind. He is a Pennsylvania CPA with over 20 years of experience. Eric served on the operations and accounting groups at Bank of America Capital Management, PFPC Inc. Since 2006, Eric has served as the finance director for The Regency Group, a private investment company. Eric graduated, with honors, from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Board Members

Wade Berrettini, MD, PhD

Dr. Wade Berrettini is the Karl E. Rickels Professor of Psychiatry, at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine. He earned his MD and PhD from Thomas Jefferson University. After completing residency training in Psychiatry, he studied genetics of behavioral disorders at the National Institute of Mental Health. For the past decade, Dr. Berrettini has been the Director of the Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, a group of interdisciplinary scientists studying genetic and biologic influences on brain disorders and behavior. A visiting professor at several universities as well as the author of more than 200 peer-reviewed scholarly publications, his research interests include genetics and pharmacogenetics of mood disorders, addictions, epilepsy and eating disorders. Dr. Berrettini serves on the editorial boards of Neuropsychopharmacology, Molecular Psychiatry and the American Journal of Psychiatry.  Currently Dr. Berrettini is on the Board of Trustees of the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia; the Scientific Council of National Research Association on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD), New York and has chaired numerous scientific symposia, including Breaking the Silence, Minding Your Mind’s first annual mental health forum.

Patricia Cuddy

After receiving her BA from St. Joseph University and MBA from Drexel University where she was elected a member of Alpha Iota Delta, Decisions Sciences National Honor Society, Ms. Cuddy worked for Subaru of America in sales and marketing.  Additional studies include undergraduate work in Montpellier and graduate studies in Paris.  Since leaving her job in marketing in 1999 to be a full time mother to her two sons, she has worked in many volunteer capacities.  Currently volunteer involvement includes The Haverford School Parent’s Association, The Benchmark School Parent’s Association, and serving as Second Vice President of St. Francis Country House Women’s Auxiliary, in addition to serving on their board since 2000. Ms. Cuddy has served on various committees at the Franklin Institute and has been a docent at the Barnes Foundation since 2004 and Art Goes to School.  Previously she has been involved with the Academy of Music, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the French International School and has taught religious education at Our Mother of Good Counsel. 

Jules Gardner

Jules Gardner was the founder and sole financier of PointRoller Inc., an online advertising technology company that successfully grew from an idea to a sale of $100 million in just five years.  Mr. Gardner served as CEO from the company’s founding until it sold.  Prior to founding PointRoll, Mr. Gardner was a principal of West Coast Entertainment, which had over 500 retail video stores nationally  and eventually served as President until the company was sold and went public.  Prior to West Coast Entertainment, Mr. Gardner was Vice President of Marketing for Sorbee International, a manufacturer of sugar free candy.  Mr. Gardner resides in Villanova with his family.

Steven S. Piltch, EdD

Dr. Piltch has a Bachelors degree from Williams College, where he majored in psychology and two Masters degrees in education, one in counseling and consulting psychology and the other in educational administration, in addition to a Doctorate in Education from Harvard University.  Dr. Piltch has taught in public and independent schools and is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania.  He has coached a number of sports, most notably, the Harvard squash teams, leading them to six national championships.  Dr. Piltch has been the Head, The Shipley School since 1992.  He has served on numerous boards including the Gladwyne Montessori School, Wyndcroft School, Starfinder Foundation, ADVIS, and PAIS.  Currently his on the boards of the Center for the Study of Boys’ and Girls’ Lives, Gesu School, Montgomery School and Girard College, among others.  He is an avid sportsman and enjoys his time spent with his family.

Regina O'Brien Thomas, JD    

Ms. Thomas is a partner in the Business and Finance Department and a member of the Family Wealth Management Group at the Philadelphia law firm of Ballard Spahr. She has served as Chair of the Probate and Trust law Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association and is on the Pennsylvania Honor Roll of Women. In addition, Ms. Thomas is recognized by Bloomberg Personal Finance as among the top four trusts and estates lawyers in Philadelphia, and has been cited in The Best Lawyers in America from 1987-2010. Ms. Thomas graduated as a member of Phi Beta Kappa from Connecticut College and received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law.

Ex-Officio

Christine H. Berrettini, MSW

Ms. Berrettini has over 15 years of experience of working at the National Institutes of Health, both as a researcher in the Intramural Program of the National Institute of Mental Health and as a Grants Project Officer in the Extramural Program of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.  Additional she has held Research Associate positions at Thomas Jefferson University’s School of Medicine and at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine.  She has authored over 20 publications and has served on the boards of many non-profit organizations.  Currently she is on the Executive Committee of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts’ Women’s Board, Co-Chair of the Benefactors Society, the Franklin Institute and board member of Eddie’s House.