More than 600 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation volunteers will gather in Washington, D.C., for the 17th annual Volunteer Leadership Conference (VLC), themed Until CF Stands for Cure Found, from March 13-14, 2020. This invitation-only event, open to everyone via livestream, will bring together volunteers and families from across the country. Together, the Foundation and volunteers will share fundraising success stories, hear medical and scientific updates, and reignite our commitment to stay in the fight together.
The conference will be led by 2020 co-chairs, Ray Poole of Fort Thomas, Ky. and Julie Riedy of Alexandria, Va.
Ray first became involved with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation after meeting his wife Rebecca, who lives with CF. Not long after becoming involved with the Wisconsin Chapter, he was named “Milwaukee's Finest” for his outstanding volunteerism and fundraising. Since then, he became a member of the Wisconsin Chapter's Leadership Board, served as the chair of Tomorrow's Leaders Board for the Cincinnati Chapter, and was the first guest on the Tomorrow's Leaders podcast, Breaking Through. Along with being an author and continuous improvement leader, Ray currently serves on the Tomorrow's Leaders council, on the post-transplant guidelines committee, and as a Cycle for Life team leader.
Long-time volunteer and advocate for the Metro DC Chapter, Julie Riedy has been involved in the Foundation in countless ways to support her husband Chad, who lives with CF. From co-chairing her chapter’s dinner dance to serving as a panelist for a CF MiniCon virtual event, Julie’s passion for volunteering has only grown stronger. She is an authored blogger on the CF Community Blog, a CF Peer Connect mentor, a Tomorrow's Leader, a Great Strides team leader, and has been featured on the Breaking Through podcast. In addition to all of her involvements, she is also a full-time teacher and a mom.
The Foundation is thrilled to work with Ray and Julie on this important conference during our 65th anniversary year to honor how far we have come as a community, celebrate how much we have achieved together, and commit to staying in the fight until CF stands for cure found. Stay tuned and check back to watch VLC live in March 2020.