Melanie Turenne, Board Member

As a devoted mother to Theo, Melanie understands the joys and challenges of raising a child with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease (PMD) and its associated medical complexities. Theo was born in 2016 and diagnosed with connatal PMD at six months old. After moving from Germany in 2019, Melanie and her family now reside in the Chicago suburbs.

Melanie holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and has experience working in both the United States and Europe, where she developed superconducting magnets for particle accelerators and energy production. She recently transitioned from her role as an engineering project manager to focus on caring for Theo as his needs have evolved.

Melanie is keen to promote deeper connections within the community by highlighting our incredible PMD families and sharing valuable resources. She seeks to strengthen relationships in the leukodystrophy and rare disease spaces. By leveraging her engineering background, creativity, and advocacy skills, Melanie looks forward to elevating the foundation's mission and bringing hope to PMD families everywhere.