Directors & Team

Bob married his wife Mary in 1973 and together they raised 4 children and are proud grandparents of a growing family. Bob was diagnosed with Cluster Headaches over 40 years ago which eventually led to his founding Clusterbusters, Inc. in 2002.

While raising his family, Bob spent 25 years as a youth sports coach for both boys and girls and spent several years as the President of one of the largest and most successful youth baseball leagues in the state of Illinois. Bob and his family also owned and operated a sports memorabilia store for many years in his home town of Lombard, Illinois.

Bob worked as a mechanical engineer and his accomplishments in that field include working on designs used in ICBM guidance systems, early versions of ATM machine, slot machine and juke box mechanisms and the first soft serve ice cream machine for McDonald’s. Many of his designs are still in use today. Bob eventually moved on to operating a family run construction business.

In addition to his work as founder and currently the Executive Director of Clusterbusters Inc., Bob sits on the Executive Board of AHDA (the Alliance for Headache Disorder Advocacy) and was one of the founding board members of AHMA (the American Headache and Migraine Association). Additionally, Bob is proud to serve many other positions within headache disorder advocacy groups including the National Headache Foundation’s Patient Advisory Council, the Eli Lilly Patient Advisory Board and the governance committee of CHAMP.

Bob’s work and accomplishments within the headache community include legislative initiatives and organizing events for the patient community and medical professionals in Washington DC. Among these successful issues have been the adoption of legislation, increased research funding, testifying before the FDA for additional treatment options and the formation of a training manual for SAMHSA.

Since the founding of Clusterbusters, the organization has grown to the largest cluster headache support and advocacy non-profit organization in the U.S. Bob’s work with Clusterbusters has included research projects carried out at institutions such as Harvard, Yale and the University of West Georgia in the United States, McGill University in Montreal Canada and Hannover Medical School in Hannover Germany.

Clusterbusters brings awareness and understanding of cluster headaches through such projects such as two National Geographic documentaries, magazine articles as well as TV, radio, newsprint and web based news outlets. Their education initiatives include regional patient meetings and highlighted by their annual international patient conference.

Michelle’s days are also filled with her two teens, an orange rescue tabby, and managing her own health care. She enjoys consuming and creating art in many forms, and is a graduate of the Maryland Institute, College of Art. Her truest joy is helping people.

Email Michelle

Eileen is an event coordinator and advocates for those living with headache diseases. It was her event experience that brought her to Clusterbusters as the conference coordinator, but she later joined the board. She is passionate about serving this inspirational community. In addition to Clusterbusters, Eileen is the Board Secretary for the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy, sits on the National Headache Foundation’s Patient Leadership Council, contracts with Chronic Migraine Awareness, volunteers with NDPH Aware, and is a moderator for Move Against Migraine.

As a wife and mother of two, Mrs. Brewer balances her life in the headache community with various personal commitments, including sitting as the Vice President of the local PTA, leading a Girl Scout troop, and managing several real estate investment properties. Eileen has devoted herself over the years to many volunteer opportunities including local and national political initiatives, and event planning and advocacy for local charities.

Ainslie Course joined the Board of Directors at Clusterbusters, Inc in January 2020. Her involvement in the organization began some 20 years ago when she had exhausted all pharmaceutical options on medication and treatments. She has known Bob Wold since Clusterbusters was in its infancy and attended her first conference in Chicago in 2015. Her duties as a board member include raising the profile of Clusterbusters in the UK and Europe. The main aim is to eventually be able to have Clusterbusters host a UK/European conference.

Mrs. Course also manages the social media pages for Clusterbusters on Facebook and Twitter, posting updates on studies, research programs, and responding to direct messages, emails, and inquiries. She has experienced episodic cluster headaches for nearly 35 years and comes from a medical background. She was a specialist nurse in the area of oral and maxillofacial surgery for many years and now runs a small online business. Mrs. Course is honored to be a board member and a part of an amazing team of individuals who are dedicated to improving the lives of cluster headache patients and their caregivers.

Matt is the current Treasurer and Board Member of Clusterbusters Inc. He has experienced chronic cluster headaches for over 30 years and, after struggling with ineffective medication and 2 surgeries for his cluster headaches, finally turned to Clusterbusters for support.

Matt spent 25 years doing consulting engineering for the electric power industry before moving on to his current role as Vice President of Construction and Engineering for a multistate cannabis cultivator and retailer.

Matt and his wife are avid music fans, with most vacations planned around music. He enjoys spending time with his daughter and stepdaughter, and playing guitar in local cover bands.

Matt earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, and later his master’s in business administration from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business.

Mary Franklin retired as the Executive Director of the National Headache Foundation on November 3, 2021 – a post she had held since  June, 2016. She joined the National Headache Foundation staff in September, 2011 as Director of Operations. She previously held several positions at the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago in the nursing and the administrative departments. She retired from the Clinic as Vice President of Publishing and Administration in September, 2011.

Until it ceased publication, Mary was the Managing Editor of the magazine, Head Wise. Previously, she served as Managing Editor of the professional journals, Headache Quarterly, and Headache and Pain – Current Treatment and Research. She has authored several articles on headache, and with Doctor Seymour Diamond is the coauthor of Conquering Your Migraine (2001) and Headache Through the Ages (2005).

A native Chicagoan, she received a Master of Arts in Chicago Studies at Loyola University Chicago, where she had studied nursing. She also received a B.Ph. degree in History from Northwestern University in Evanston.

Currently, she lives in Evanston, IL, and thoroughly enjoys the company of her 7-year-old granddaughter, Madeline. She continues in headache advocacy as an emeritus member of the Coalition for Headache and Migraine Patients (CHAMP), and serves as Chair of its Governance Committee. Mary has volunteered for Miles for Migraine and has participated in several Headache on the Hill events.

Dr. Burish received his MD PhD in the Vanderbilt Medical Scientist Training Program. He completed his neurology residency at the University of California at San Francisco, his fellowship in interventional pain management in the department of Anesthesiology at UCSF, and later obtained headache certification as an attending through the UCNS practice track. Dr. Burish’s cluster headache research surrounds epidemiology as well as basic science circadian mechanisms.

Dr. McGeeney received his medical degree from University College Dublin, Ireland, before completing a neurology residency, pain fellowship and Master of Public Health (epidemiology and biostatistics) at Boston University and Boston Medical Center. He obtained boards in Neurology, with added qualification (board) in Pain Medicine, and the UCNS board in Headache Medicine. He was an assistant to the Boston University Neurology Residency director, an assistant professor of neurology, actively involved in the education of the residents and students. Recently he moved to the JR Graham Headache Center, division of Headache Medicine, Department of Neurology, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, Harvard Medical School. Dr. McGeeney is an associate editor of the journal Headache and since 2006 secretary of the Headache Cooperative of New England. Dr. McGeeney obtained a Master of Business Administration (Health Sector) from Boston University Questrum School of Business. Dr. McGeeney has lectured widely and published on topics involving Headache Medicine and Pain.

William B. Young, MD is a board-certified neurologist. He is Professor of Neurology, Co-Director of the In-Patient Program at the Jefferson Headache Center, and member of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and member of the Opioid Task Force at Thomas Jefferson University.

Dr. Young is a graduate of Haverford College in Haverford, Pennsylvania. He received his medical degree from the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. He interned at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and completed a residency in neurology at Tufts University School of Medicine and The New England School of Medicine in Boston.

Dr. Young is a fellow of the American Headache Society, American Academy of Neurology, American Neurological Association, and the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. He is past President of the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy, physician advisor to the Coalition for Headache and Migraine Patients (CHAMP), and President of Miles for Migraine. He is a graduate of the Palatucci Advocacy program of the American Academy of Neurology. He is also a peer reviewer for Cephalalgia, Headache, and Neurology.

Dr. Young’s publications include many peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and miscellaneous publications. His special interests include migraine stigma, migraine phenomenology, and the treatment of intractable migraine.

Dr. Schindler is a board-certified Neurologist at Yale School of Medicine and has expertise in headache medicine. Among her efforts to optimize the management of headache disorders, she has executed the first controlled trials investigating the effects of psilocybin in cluster headache. Previously, Dr. Schindler studied the neuropharmacology of psychedelics and other serotonergic compounds in the context of receptor binding and intracellular signaling. She is using this and other areas of research as she seeks to identify the source of the headache-suppressing effects of psychedelic compounds. Dr. Schindler is also working to increase awareness about oxygen therapy in cluster headache.

Monte B. Pellmar, M.D., FAAN, is a board-certified neurologist who recently joined the Hackensack Meridian Medical Group team as the Director of Headache Medicine. He grew up in Queens, NY and has been serving the community of Monmouth County for over 35 years. Dr. Pellmar strives to provide the highest quality treatments and makes it a priority to ensure old-fashioned, hands-on physician-patient relationships.

Dr. Pellmar holds board certifications in neurology, headache medicine and acupuncture. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and is a member of the American Headache Society as well as the International Headache Society. Dr. Pellmar provides expert diagnosis and coordinated care for all types of headaches, and is supported by a highly trained neurology care team. As part of the Hackensack Meridian network, he offers patients and their families· a full range of support services and access to the latest evidence-based therapies.