New York, NY (May 2014) – The Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) recently announced the appointment of Christopher Cosentino as Director of Marketing & Communications. He will oversee the organization’s national marketing and branding efforts, as well as provide media support for the 54 volunteer-based HDSA Chapters and Affiliates across the United States.
“We’re excited to have Chris on the HDSA team,” said Louise Vetter, CEO of HDSA. “His skills and passion for raising awareness for the fight against Huntington’s disease will undoubtedly help us bring greater support for families who struggle to live with this rare and devastating disorder.”
Cosentino comes to HDSA from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island (BBBSLI) where he held the Director of Marketing & Public Relations position. In this role, he served as the agency’s main contact for all media inquiries and spearheaded BBBSLI’s marketing efforts. Prior to BBBSLI, Cosentino worked within the Department of Bursar at New York University where he enrolled in part-time graduate courses.
Before NYU, Cosentino served as the Public Relations and Marketing Manager at The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island (RMHLI) for more than three years. While at RMHLI, he played an integral role in the organization’s marketing plan for the 25th Anniversary Gala at Citifield and Kickoff Event. He also served as the editor-in-chief of the RMHLI newsletter and created the RMHLI Cup junior hockey tournament.
In addition to his HDSA duties, Cosentino is also the head coach of the New York University ice hockey team. Last year, Cosentino received national media attention when he stepped in to coach the New York Rangers prior to the 2013 NHL season.
Cosentino holds a B.A. from Hofstra University.
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a rare, genetic neurodegenerative disease that progressively causes total physical and mental deterioration that begins during an individual’s prime working years. Every individual with HD will ultimately lose the ability to live independently and die from the disease. Currently, there is no cure for HD. Today, 30,000 Americans are known to have HD, and another 200,000 are considered ‘at risk’ of inheriting the disease from an affected parent. Each child of a person with HD has a 50/50 chance of inheriting the fatal gene and everyone who carries the gene will develop the disease.
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About the Huntington’s Disease Society of America
The Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) is the largest 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by Huntington’s disease (HD). Founded in 1968 by Marjorie Guthrie, wife of folk music legend Woody Guthrie who lost his battle with HD, the Society works tirelessly to provide community services, education, advocacy and research to support everyone affected by HD.
To learn more about Huntington’s disease and the work of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, visit www.hdsa.org or call 1-800-345-HDSA.
