THE TEAM

Our fearless team of accomplished individuals leading the Little Hercules Foundation collaborates closely to achieve our mission. Given those of us in leadership roles have children diagnosed with rare diseases, we have compassion and empathy for families with whom we share a close bond in the community. We each use our knowledge and skillsets to create opportunities for change and drive toward win-win results. This is not always easy, but necessary, when you are working every day to improve the lives of all people living with a rare disease.

Kelly Maynard

President / Founder  |  kelly@littleherculesfoundation.org


Kelly launched Little Hercules Foundation on January 1, 2013, after her youngest son, Jackson, was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at the age of five. After desperately searching for a treatment for her son, only to find none, Kelly decided to leave her career and invest all her time and energy toward Duchenne. As President of Little Hercules Foundation, Kelly focuses on patient access and assisting other Duchenne families. She advocates with regulatory agencies regarding drug approvals, develops critical partnerships within the Duchenne and rare disease community, and testifies on legislation that directly impacts families and patients living with all rare diseases. Kelly is committed to providing support to all of those affected by Duchenne. In July 2021, Kelly was appointed to the Ohio Rare Disease Advisory Council by Governor Mike Dewine.

Prior to Little Hercules Foundation, Kelly served the State of Ohio for over 20 years in various capacities, including government regulation, law enforcement, and program management. Most recently, she served as Program Administrator for the Department of Insurance. 

Jenn Pierson

Business Manager  |  jpierson@littleherculesfoundation.org


Jennifer officially joined The Little Hercules Foundation in an administrative role in April of 2018, after 3 years of serving on the Duchenne Dash Steering Committee. 

Jennifer received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Child and Family Community Services from Bowling Green State University in 2001.  After several years of employment in the child development field, she took time off of her professional career in order to spend time being a domestic goddess and raising her four children.  

Jennifer became inspired to play an active role in Little Hercules Foundation and to help make a difference in the lives of those effected with rare disease when she met Jackson and Kelly Maynard at her daughter's elementary school, shortly after Jackson's diagnosis. Jennifer felt a great connection and an empathetic desire to "show up" for the Duchenne community, because if this were her child, she would want someone to show up to fight for her. 

Jennifer is looking forward to a meaningful and rewarding career with The Little Hercules Foundation. 

Jill Castle

Director, Education and Patient Services  |  jill@littleherculesfoundation.org


Jill became a rare disease advocate over 20 years ago when her son Anthony was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Since then, Jill has spent her professional life in various roles of education, behavior and advocacy. Her experience ranges from being a Special Education Director, a state mediator for dispute resolution, training and compliance, a district wide behaviorist, and is currently a professor at Amy Lou Fulton Teacher’s college at Arizona State university. She holds an M.Ed in Educational Psychology in conjunction with graduate certifications in Positive Behavior Support, Autism, IEP Facilitation and Functional Behavioral Assessments.

She has helped parents navigate government programs, health care issues and social services for the state of Arizona while supporting parents nationally on Special Education and Behavioral related issues.

Jennifer Handt

Director of Patient Access  |  jhandt@littleherculesfoundation.org


Jennifer Handt combines her background as a strategic communicator and health care writer with her role as a rare disease parent to advocate for patients and families living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. As a writer, Jennifer has partnered with top hospital networks, biotech companies and nonprofit health policy organizations to develop messaging that enhances patient education and care. As an advocate, she has helped drive drug approval and patient access, the adoption of Duchenne newborn screening and national awareness around the disease. Previously, Jennifer held roles in health policy communications with the New England Healthcare Institute and The Business Roundtable in Washington, DC.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and communications from Simmons College in Boston. She is a member of the Neuroscience Forum of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and of the Connecticut State Assembly’s Medicaid Waiver Working Group. Her work is published in STAT, The Boston Globe, Katie Couric Media, WBUR/NPR’s Cognoscenti and DC Journal, among others.

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Little Hercules Foundation relies on the generosity of individuals around the world, like you, who believe in our mission and in the power to make a difference in the lives of those diagnosed with — and families fighting against — Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

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