Dr. Hesterlee received her Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Arizona in 1999, and other accomplishments include being selected to attend a prestigious Marine Biological Laboratories summer course in Embryology. She began work at MDA National Headquarters in 1998, first as a science writer, and later as a research program coordinator. Since November of 2000 she has been MDA's Director of Research Development. She now oversees the scientific aspects of MDA's research program including coordinating meetings, setting up collaborations and administering large, multi-center grants.