About Center for Lyme Action
Center for Lyme Action is a 501c4 dedicated to growing federal funding for Lyme disease in an effort to find a cure — especially for Lyme patients with persistent, debilitating symptoms. Our values are: bi-partisan, inclusive, humane, and scientific. And we’re serious about them.
Lyme disease is a complex and sometimes chronic disease that is caused by an infection by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria from a tick bite. More than 400,000 people in the United States get Lyme disease every year, a rate of infection that is 4 times the number of cases in 1991. And a working diagnostic and therapy for chronic Lyme are not available even with this growing public health threat.
In 2019, a group of dedicated advocates and Lyme disease foundations came together to support a new advocacy initiative to grow federal funding for Lyme. Bay Area Lyme Foundation, Alexandra Cohen, Project Lyme and Laure Woods saw the need to create a new organization and became the founding charter members. With their vision, the essential work of key Members of Congress and their staff, plus the support of dedicated advocates across the United States, the Kay Hagan Tick Act was signed into law in December 2019. In December 2020, the President signed new appropriations that nearly doubled the federal funding for Lyme Disease to $108M in FY21.
Center for Lyme Action is hard at work for the next round of funding and authorization bills. Become a member today.
Our mission is to grow federal funding to cure Lyme disease
BOARD MEMBERS
Monika Gruter Cheney is board director at Center for Lyme Action. She also serves as a founding Co-Chair of the PANS Volunteer Action Committee at Stanford Children’s Health, and a current Board member and previous Capital Campaign Co-Chair of Windmill School LaureL Education Center. Ms. Cheney is the Executive Director and President, Board of Directors, of the Gruter Institute for Law & Behavioral Research. Before joining the Gruter Institute, Ms. Cheney practiced in the intellectual property and technology transactions group at Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich, Rosati in Palo Alto, California. Ms. Cheney also practiced in the litigation department of Thelen Reid & Priest, focusing primarily on commercial and government contracts defense litigation. Ms. Cheney earned her J.D. in 1998 from Georgetown University Law Center, where she served on the Georgetown International Environmental Law Review. Ms. Cheney externed for the Honorable James R. Browning, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She earned her B.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics and International Relations from Claremont McKenna College in 1995.
Bonnie Crater is co-founder and board director of Center for Lyme Action. Bonnie is also co-founder and co-chair of Bay Area Lyme Foundation and former chair of the BAL science committee which drives the research agenda, champions innovation, and seeks partners to chart new paths in Lyme research. Bonnie is currently the president and ceo of Full Circle Insights and is a multi-time vice president of marketing in Silicon Valley. She currently serves on the board of the CB Wellness Foundation and on the Town of Portola Valley’s Nature and Science Committee. Ms. Crater holds an AB in Biology from Princeton University.
Jeff Crater is co-founder and board director at Center for Lyme Action. Jeff has worked his entire career on Capitol Hill and in advocacy. Starting on Capitol Hill in Congressman John Dingell’s office and on the staff of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Jeff was an advisor to the Secretary of Energy and later vice president of Government Relations at Cauthen and Associates and The Babcock and Wilcox Company. In addition to his duties for Center for Lyme Action, Jeff also is the ceo of Edmonson Hopkins Group and Managing Director of the Advanced Nuclear Weapons Alliance. Jeff holds a B.A. in History from Middlebury College.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Jennifer Driscoll, Liaison
Driscoll Family Foundation
Nina Fairbairn, Vice President
InterPrivate IV InfraTech Partners Inc.
Linda Giampa, Executive Director
Bay Area Lyme Foundation
Bennet Nemser, Senior Program Officer
Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation
David Roth, Executive Committee Chair, Board of Directors
Project Lyme Foundation
Laure Woods, Co-Chair, Board of Directors
Bay Area Lyme Foundation
Community Partnerships
Community Partnerships
Our collaborations with community partners are designed to expand the impact of our respective organizations and improve the lives of millions affected by Lyme and tick-borne diseases.
Generation Lyme is an independent, patient-led 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to empower patients and supporters facing Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. By creating an inclusive community, Gen Lyme aims to combat the isolation caused by tick-borne diseases and help people feel welcome, supported, and uplifted. Since 2020, its Meet-Ups have served over 10,000 participants worldwide.
Get in Touch. Get Involved.
Center for Lyme Action is a member-supported organization. Contact us. Become a member today.