Meet Our Board
Welcome to our Board of Directors page at the Late-Onset Tay-Sachs (LOTS) Foundation. Our dedicated board members are passionate advocates who bring a wealth of expertise, experience, and heart to our mission of supporting those affected by this rare disease. Each member plays a vital role in guiding our initiatives, raising awareness, and ensuring that families receive the resources and care they need.
We are proud to introduce a diverse group of leaders, including medical professionals, caregivers, and individuals personally touched by LOTS. Together, we are committed to fostering hope, advancing research, and creating a brighter future for those impacted by late-onset Tay-Sachs.
Bonnie Pastor
Founder
Mom-took on the role of president and founding mother of the LOS Foundation. She amazingly put on benefits/fundraisers to raise funds and education with guest speakers. She would gather her friends , family and the community. She got donations for silent auctions from hotels, exquisite restaurants, amusement donations, airline tickets, jewelry, etc. In addition she did raffles. When she was unable to do live fundraisers she also gathered donation for online fundraisers.
Bonnie helped raise money with several benefits, which included guest speakers radio talent, Dennis Prager, UCLA Neurologist Dr. Susan Perlman, Scripps Scientist, Evan Snyder, and Wayne Grody, UCLA President of Pathology. Bonnie had done amazing in her quest for her son and those afflicted with the disease. She helped educate about the disease, raise funds, attend conferences, met /patients families with the disease, and gave money for Late Onset Tay-Sachs. She founded this organization to educate and make awareness to the community about this disease and the love for her son.
Lynne Kuznetsky
President
Lynne Kuznetsky, is now President of the Late Onset Tay-Sachs Research and Education Foundation. Lynne’s sister, Bonnie Pastor, founder and President of The Late Onset Tay-Sachs Research and Education Foundation, passed away in January 2022. Lynne and Bonnie traveled throughout the country to conferences, meeting LOTS families as well as other families who have Sandhoff and Canavan diseases. Lynne has continued fundraising activities as her sister did, to provide funding so more research can be done to find a cure. Many new research projects such as gene therapy are being explored at the present time. She is continuing her and her sister’s dream to find a cure for this debilitating disease.
Melanie Pastor
Vice-President
Melanie Pastor, sister of Eric Pastor, and daughter of the late Bonnie Pastor, the founder of the Late Onset Tay-Sachs Research and Education Foundation. Melanie has served having a bigger role on previous benefits. She is currently on the board as VP, as most of her position involved recruiting people to benefits, including this past event.
Jared Lang
Secretary
Jared Lang, brother-in-law of Bonnie Pastor, took on the role of Secretary using Bonnie’s outline/mission statement in creating lists and addresses of donors and guests for the fundraiser, and for the foundation mailing list. He also was instrumental in assisting Lynne with organizing the latest benefit, receiving donations and setting up the payment system for the foundation. Finally, Jared’s was responsible for taking the publicity photographs of the event to maintain a digital history of the benefits. Jared’s primary role is filing and maintaining required paperwork for the foundation with the California Secretary of State’s office and the Internal Revenue Service.
Michelle Kuznetsky
Program Co-Chair Person
Michelle Kuznetsky has always had a passion for music. Her successful career in music supervision is a direct reflection of her deep understanding of and keen ear for memorable songs and talented artists. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara, Michelle attended Southwestern Law School and passed the California State Law Exam. Michelle’s tenacity, intelligence, and organization skills makes her an asset to the Late Onset Tay-Sachs Research and Education, which affects her family.
Eric Pastor
Program Co-Chair Person
Eric Pastor, the central figure The Late Onset Tay-Sachs Research and Education was founded and formed by Bonnie Pastor. No organization existed ,which mainly served on the West Coast. Eric was faced with an abnormality of LOTS disease after a blood test was given to him after Bonnie had a difficult pregnancy. A doctor Fran Platt, which Melanie , Eric’s sister, did not seem to be a carrier or have disease. Eric has always had a speech impediment, physical problems which progressed after graduating from the university and traveling. Eric then was let go (fired) from positions because of his speech problems. Eric wrote a couple articles, which explained Late Onset Tay-Sachs to doctors and the lay community.
Being passionate about letting people know about hope for a successful treatment or cure of the disease. Eric was on the local (Los Angeles) news. Bonnie, the previous President of the LOTS Foundation, had Eric see a neurologist, who has seen, examined progression, and participated in clinical trials.