United in Mission
Meet the team dedicated to championing cognitive health for women during menopause.
The CleopatraRX Foundation Board Members
Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl
Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl is a Professor of Neurology at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the faculty neurologist for the UCLA Comprehensive Menopause Care Program. She holds the Jack Skirball Chair and is the Director of the UCLA Multiple Sclerosis Program. Dr. Voskuhl is the UCLA inventor for over 15 U.S. and European patents, including those for the CleopatraRX treatment, PearlPAK™. Dr. Voskuhl received her Bachelor of Science degree from Phillips University, graduating Summa cum laude, was team captain of the women’s basketball team for 2 years, and was selected as the top senior of her graduating class. She received her M.D. from Vanderbilt University, completed neurology residency at the University of Texas Southwestern, and did a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Washington, DC. Her research at UCLA has had continuous funding for over 25 years from the NIH and other agencies. Her laboratory focuses on the role of sex hormones and sex chromosomes on neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Voskuhl has over 200 publications, including those in prestigious journals such as Nature, Lancet Neurology, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. These include showing how estrogen protects the brain from cognitive decline and regional brain atrophy. Dr. Voskuhl’s career was profiled in the February 2024 issue of Lancet Neurology, the #1 neurology journal in the world.
Dr. Voskuhl has won numerous national and international awards for her work in neuroprotective treatment drug discovery, most recently including: The John Dystel Prize in MS, 2024, from the American Academy of Neurology and the National MS Society, the most prestigious award in the field (U.S., Canada, Europe) and the Rachel Horne Prize for Women’s Research in MS, 2023, from the European and American Committees for Treatment and Research in MS (U.S., Canada, Europe). She was selected for a R35 Research Award Program from the NIH, 2023-2031, granted to only ten neuroscience researchers per year (U.S.). She also received the Kenneth P. Johnson Award, 2019, from the American Committee for Treatment and Research in MS (U.S., Canada); and the Berlin Institute of Health Excellence Award, 2018, for research on the effect of being female versus male on health and diseases (Global). Dr. Voskuhl was the President of the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences (OSSD), an international organization of researchers.
Dina Leeds
Dina Leeds is the CEO of CleopatraRX Development, LLC. She was the former owner of a top medical equipment company that specialized in pneumatic pumps for cancer patients experiencing leg swelling due to poor lymphatic circulation, with her company becoming a top distributor on the west coast. As Vice President of Fred Leeds Properties, she has led initiatives to provide affordable housing to the underserved populations in the Los Angeles area. She is also involved in other companies in strategic and supportive roles.
Mrs. Leeds is deeply engaged in philanthropic activities. She was the President of the Western Region Board of American Friends of Magen David Adom, supporting blood banks and emergency health services in Israel. She worked on the Afghan Rescue initiative and the global campaign “Too Young to Wed” to protect young girls in poverty. Dina Leeds was the Grow, Unite, Build Africa Distinguished Women of the Year and the Israel Cancer Research Fund’s Women of the Year. Mrs. Leeds chaired the Los Angeles Urban League’s Centennial Gala and was the inaugural chair of the Patron Ladies of the Guild for the Los Angeles Ballet. She serves on the board of the UCLA Health System and Pepperdine University.
Dr. Patricia Ann Briscoe
Dr. Patricia Briscoe has a distinguished career as a plastic surgeon in Seattle. She got her Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors from the University of Oregon and received her M.D. from Vanderbilt University where she received Alpha Omega Alpha honors. Dr. Briscoe was chosen for one of only three coveted plastic surgery residency positions for the year she applied, accepting and completing it at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Briscoe then became full partner in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Inc. in Seattle. She also served as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Plastic Surgery at the University of Washington. For her work as a faculty mentor, she was selected by plastic surgery residents and fellows for the Golden Scalpel Teaching Award. Dr. Briscoe’s specialization is breast aesthetic and reconstructive surgery for women after breast cancer treatment.
Dr. Briscoe’s dedication to service is evidenced by her many years of work for Northwest Medical Volunteers, which entailed annual travel on reconstructive surgery missions to Mexico to assist underserved patients with various deformities. This included performing life-changing facial surgeries in children with cleft palate, free of charge.
Dr. Jennifer Ahdout
Dr. Jennifer Ahdout is a highly sought after dermatologist in Beverly Hills. She is the Director of Dermatology, Laser, and Skin Care at the Roxbury Institute, Beverly Hills, California. She got her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) graduating Summa cum laude. She received her M.D. from UCLA where she received Alpha Omega Alpha honors, and completed dermatology residency at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). She has led numerous teaching groups and clinics to educate dermatology students at UCLA and UCI, and was the coordinator for a preventative medicine initiative for students from 13 states on the west coast. She also has authored several scientific publications. Dr. Ahdout’s dermatology practice provides medical, cosmetic, and surgical services.
Dr. Ahdout has an extensive track record of providing free dermatologic healthcare to those in underserved communities. This includes volunteering at the Venice Family Clinic and being co-founder of the UCLA Melanoma Awareness project.
Carrie Policella
Carrie Policella has a track record of success in business and commitment to community service. She got her Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas. Ms. Policella is the President and cofounder of Blaine and Associates, Inc. (Los Angeles) and Blaine Personnel, Inc. (Las Vegas and Phoenix). For over three decades, her companies have specialized in staffing administrative, human resources, IT, legal, and accounting professionals, catering to a prestigious client list including Fortune 500 and 100 companies across industries, such as entertainment, public relations, and hospitality.
Carrie Policella was the first female president of the Century City Rotary Club of Los Angeles. She has worked with the Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Center, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, the Peck Veterans Foundation, and mentored youth for over 20 years in the Big Brother/Big Sister Organization. Ms. Policella was honored as Woman of the Year by the Century City Chamber of Commerce.
Sharon Voskuhl
Sharon Voskuhl has experience in business, philanthropy, and community service. She has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Oklahoma State University (OSU) where she graduated Summa cum laude, was named the Top Engineering Graduate of the year, and was a Big 8 Conference All-Star basketball player. She earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma. Ms. Voskuhl was an engineer for Cities Service/Occidental Petroleum for twenty years culminating in management of oil reserve evaluations and financial reporting for the western half of the United States. She and her husband have built oil and gas companies and real estate entities and engaged in entrepreneurial ventures into several startup companies. Ms. Voskuhl is co-owner and manager of Voskuhl Centennial Farms which focus on energy production and farming.
Ms. Voskuhl has served on the board for Catholic Charities, where she supported many initiatives including Mary Martha Outreach, which offers assistance to the underserved in Tulsa. She played a central role in planning and funding the building of the Tulsa Memorial High School Veterans Arena. She worked with Tulsa United Way’s Domestic Violence Intervention Service and with the Margaret Hudson Home to support to expectant teens with no resources. She has a legacy in the College of Engineering at OSU. The Sharon Voskuhl Recruitment Center encourages of the next generation of women and minorities to enter a career in engineering. Sharon V’s Number Crunch Café in the OSU Advanced Technology Research Center is a model for women in the field of engineering. She serves on the OSU College of Engineering Advisory Board and has been an officer for professional engineering societies and women’s groups.