President: Michael Allen
Michael was born with Sickle cell disease in 1985 to a family with three children, two of which had the disease. He Is a Government Major and cut his grassroots teeth in Cleveland Ohio. Climbing the ladder by volunteering for the local Democratic Party, first handing out fliers and registering voters, then working his way up to eventually being asked to be assistant to the Campaign Manager for an Independent candidate, Terri Hamilton brown. Brown was running for the first County Executive seat of Cuyahoga County. He worked for COTT from 2013 to 2018 managing the office and representing COTT as a Sickle Cell Advocate. He is representative of another recipient community dependent on this nation’s blood supply to maintain a relative modicum of health and wellness as well as quality of life. He was asked to be on the Board of Directors in 2018, and elected president in June 2022.
Treasurer: Chris Templin
Secretary: Erick Johnson
Erick is married to Jill and they are parents to 3 children. It was when their eldest was roughly 18 months when he was diagnosed with Severe Hemophilia A (Classic Factor VIII) and acquired recalled medicine upon diagnosis. Soon after diagnosis it was discovered that their son's Hemophilia gene was a spontaneous genetic mutation.
Erick started on the board of directors of the “Hemophilia of Iowa”, then served 2 terms on the board for the “Hemophilia Federation of America”. He also has MS (Multiple Sclerosis) and tries to be active physically and community-wide wherever he is needed
CArl Weixler
Carl started his involvement with the bleeding disorder community at the age of 4 when he met with the Governor of Kentucky to discuss a “hemophilia program” for the state. He is a Past President of HFA and the Kentucky Hemophilia Foundation. He served as Chair of the KY Hemophilia Advisory committee and on numerous advisory boards for governmental agencies and manufacturers. He has been a public speaking advocate here and abroad. He is currently a member of the board of directors for the Committee Of Ten Thousand. Carl is very passionate about his: community, family and God. If you’ve ever met him, you know he says… “I woke up this morning and was NOT in hell or the hospital, it’s a Good Day!”
LArry Allen
Larry Allen came to the COTT Board in 1999, at which time he was a member of the U.S. Health & Human Services Department's Advisory Committee On Blood Safety & Availability. Larry was appointed to bring the Sickle Cell community to the regulatory table. COTT soon became aware of the lack of blood safety education or grass roots information in the Sickle Cell community. Larry Allen was then asked to join the COTT Board of Directors, and has remained an active member since then. Larry has two children afflicted by Sickle Cell. He continues to be a vibrant member of the COTT landscape.