Spokesperson & Co-founder – Jason Becker

Jason Becker is a virtuoso guitarist and composer, and a worldwide ambassador for ALS awareness. A child prodigy, Jason rose to prominence with the band Cacophony, accompanied by his friend and fellow guitar legend Marty Friedman. Jason took guitar playing to new heights with solo releases such as Perpetual Burn, and at the age of 20 he got the most coveted gig in rock music when he was tapped to play guitar with David Lee Roth, lending his unique talents to Roth’s 1991 album A Little Ain’t Enough. Jason’s guitar style is characterized by not just virtuosic technique, but also incredible melodic sensitivity, deep harmonic knowledge, and an infectious sense of humor that sets him apart from many in the rock guitar genre. Shortly after Jason joined Roth’s band, a nagging weakness in his leg was diagnosed as ALS, and that slowly but steadily deprived Jason of his physical abilities. But he never stopped composing, creating, and bringing joy to the lives of others. With a revolutionary low-tech communication system created by his father, Gary, Jason is able to communicate and write music using just the movements of his eyes. This amazing ability has given rise to the albums Perspective, Triumphant Hearts, and others, with Jason expanding his compositional skills to include orchestras and choirs in a wide range of styles. In the ensuing years, Jason has co-founded the non-profit Jason Becker Creative Care Project, which helps people and families survive with ALS. Jason continues to influence new generations of guitarists, and he remains an inspiration to not just ALS survivors and their loved ones, but to people all over the world.

President – Serrana Pilar

LVN, Caregiver (Jason Becker, Norma Bone), Massage and Movement Therapist, Founder – Creative Care Project

Treasurer – Patricia (Pat) Becker

Admin Professional – Interactive Resources, Inc., Caregiver/Care Coordinator and mother to Jason Becker

Development Officer – Stephen Correa

Music artist personal assistant, Construction professional, General angel to the Becker family.

STAFF – OFFICERS

Secretary – Jennifer (Jen) McDonald-Peltier

Center for Accessible Technology, Berkeley, CA

Jen McDonald-Peltier has worked in the disability community since her college days as a personal care attendant. She has a single subject teaching credential in English and a Masters in Special Education. She has been working in Assistive Technology for over 25 years and is a RESNA-certified Assistive Technology Professional. She has been working in Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) for over 20 years and recently completed a graduate certificate in AAC.

Michael (Mike) Shannon

Mike has worked in the ALS community for 18 years as a development officer and national program director.  He works as a National Director with the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) and has consulted with other ALS organizations in that time.  He works daily to reach a date and time when the community can END ALS.

Michael (Mike) Bemesderfer

Producer/musician with Jason Becker, Technologist and Solutions Architect, Accomplished Singer and Flute player, Realtor at Keller Williams

Lauren Jonas

Founder/Artistic Director Diablo Ballet

Lauren trained at the Marin Ballet and then with Sally Streets. She performed with the Milwaukee Ballet, the Oakland Ballet, the Southwest Ballet, and toured the United States with the Moscow Ballet, directed by the Bolshoi Ballet’s Vaslav Gordeyev. Since Diablo Ballet’s premiere in 1994, Ms. Jonas has recruited dancers from around the world to present the finest in contemporary and classical ballets. A firm believer in the need to stimulate the cultural development of future generations, she co-created the Ballet’s PEEK Outreach Program in 1995. Ms. Jonas’ awards include the 2005 National Philanthropy Day honor, the 2000 Arts and Culture Commission Award of Contra Costa County, and the1998 Contra Costa County Woman of Achievement Award for the Arts. She has served as an advisor on several non-profit boards, and served on scholarship and dance festival committees. Ms. Jonas has guest taught for various schools and colleges throughout California and nationally. She is the 2014 recipient of the Contra Costa Commission for Women Contributing to the Arts, Hall of Fame award and was an honoree at the State Assembly’s Women’s History Month. In 2016, Ms. Jonas was honored at the Djerassi’s Women’s Residency Program for empowering women as leaders in the field of ballet and in 2022 she was a guest lecturer at UC Berkeley speaking on Women Leaders in the Arts.  She has coached all of Diablo Ballet’s repertoire and staged the full-length production of Coppélia in 2022. Ms. Jonas is also the Co-Founder and Director of Diablo Ballet School.

Marilyn (Mandy) White

Marilyn has been one of Jason’s care givers since 1998. She has experience as a Development Assistant for two non-profit organizations: the Institute for the Practice of Non-Violence and Veterans Peace Action Teams. She has worked many years as an Administrative Assistant with WestEd and Health and Education Communication Consultants.

Steve Vai

Steve Vai is a three-time Grammy Award–winning guitarist, composer, and producer, celebrated as one of the most innovative and virtuosic musicians of his generation. Rising to prominence as a teenage transcriber and guitarist for Frank Zappa, Vai went on to forge a prolific solo career marked by groundbreaking albums such as Passion and Warfare and The Ultra Zone, blending technical mastery with adventurous musical imagination. Beyond his solo work, he has recorded and toured with artists including David Lee Roth, Whitesnake, and Alcatrazz, while also composing for orchestras and film. Known for his signature Ibanez JEM guitar and expressive playing style, Vai continues to push creative boundaries, inspiring generations of guitarists worldwide with his artistry, vision, and unrelenting pursuit of musical exploration.

Dan Ashley

KGO News Anchor and Investigative Reporter, Musician

Dan Ashley is the long-time evening news anchor at ABC7 News. For 30 years, Dan has reported on the major issues and news events in the Bay Area, the country, and the world. In his three decades at ABC7, Dan has covered political conventions, interviewed Presidents, travelled to Auschwitz with holocaust survivors to share their stories and experiences, reported on John Glenn’s return to space from Cape Canaveral, along with so many more experiences. Dan is the winner of the Edward R. Murrow Award and the DuPont Columbia Award for excellence in journalism, as well as more than a dozen Emmy Awards. Beyond his distinguished work as a journalist, Dan is a dedicated philanthropist who created his own foundation to help children in need. He also sits on several charitable boards and is deeply proud to support Jason and his remarkable Jason Becker Creative Care project.  Says Dan, “Jason and I became instant friends when they met many years ago and I am so impressed by his determination to persevere and to help others.”

Monika Mann

Physical Therapist, World Rehabilitation Alliance (WHO)

Monika Mann is a physical therapist and public health consultant.  She has served on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University, Emory University, and the University of San Francisco. She has consulted with the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization and numerous NGOs.  Monika currently as a member of WHO’s World Rehabilitation Alliance.  Her work centers around improving the lives of people with disabilities.

Stephen Beard

Realtor and Accessibility Specialist, Productivity Coach
Keller Williams Realty

Stephen is an accessibility specialist realtor, disability advocate, podcaster, and speaker based in the San Francisco/Bay Area. His work focuses on helping people who are differently abled to buy and sell accessible housing, as well as promoting accessible housing in the community. To that end, Stephen launched a podcast about Accessible Housing called Accessible Housing Matters in 2021.

In addition to working with clients, Stephen speaks to real estate agents, disability advocates, and policymakers all over the country about accessible and fair housing issues.

In April of this year, he was a panelist on the National Association of Realtors’ NXT UP! Online discussion series episode called “Building Business and Community on a Fair Housing Foundation”. Stephen was named the 2023 Fair Housing Champion by the California Association of Realtors.

Elizabeth (Liz) Chapoton

TeamGleason, Mother/Caregiver of child with rare disease

David (Dave) Lopez

Founding Member Flipsyde, Soundwave

Leanne Repetto

Educator, Service Dog Trainer, Co-creator of the Creative Care Project concept, caregiver and sister of PALS Jeff Repetto (advertising professional)