Our Team
Christy Rimrodt, Executive Director
Christy is mom to Vivian Lee, 8 years old and sister to Willa and twin Graeme. Vivian was diagnosed with CF at just 9 days old, and it has been her passion and drive to do everything in her power to fight for her daughter. Christy has been a family and children’s photographer at Studio Christy since 2005. She is able to use her passions for design, art, and raising awareness for CF through the Vivian Lee Foundation. It is Christy's hope that we will see a cure for cystic fibrosis in Vivian’s lifetime.
Laura Graham, Board President
Laura came to Vivian Lee Foundation after her own personal experience with CF. While pregnant with her son Ladd, Laura and husband Brian learned that they are both carriers of the CF gene. They found this out during routine genetic testing. While Ladd was born without CF, Laura and Brian are committed to supporting those living with CF and the quest to find a cure. Laura’s professional background includes marketing/public relations and nonprofit fundraising, with more than 10 years experience in the industry. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening and spending time outdoors with her family in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
On the Vivian Lee Foundation Laura says, “I feel honored to be involved with Vivian Lee Foundation. I was searching for a CF charity that I could connect with and help in a tangible way. I am thrilled to be supporting local Oregon families dealing with CF and working to support finding a cure for this genetic disease.”
Julie McPherson, Board Member
I have two little girls Lyla (11) and Mj (7) that were both diagnosed at birth with Cystic Fibrosis. Once we got over our initial shock of the diagnosis with Lyla we jumped head first into fundraising, from there my love for advocacy and helping the CF community grew! I knew I wanted to be able to reach families and meet them right where they were and help them through whatever need they may have.
I volunteer to help others in the CF Community, just because you have CF doesn’t mean it has to have you! There are resources and people who stand behind you and fight the good fight to see adults and children just like mine have a future that is full life and love.
Vanessa Deets, Board Member
Vanessa has been a volunteer with the Vivian Lee Foundation since 2018 and in 2020, she also became a market vendor with her small business, A Branch & Cord, where she hand-makes macrame decor and fiber rainbows. Vanessa runs her small business from home in the Pacific Northwest while she and her husband, Zach, raise their 3 young children Alden, Ophelia & Payton. Vanessa also has 2 wonderful stepchildren, Bailey and Greysen. It's never a dull moment in their household!
Meghann Weil, Board Member
When life gives you CF, you do whatever you can to fight for a cure. For Meghann and her husband Bryan, CF became their life when their eldest daughter, Claire, was diagnosed at 17 days old. That was in the Spring of 2017 and in the early weeks of adjusting to their new life as both first time parents and caring for an infant with CF, they serendipitously came across a flier for a Vivian Lee Foundation event. Since then, they have made it their mission to support raising funds and awareness for CF. In addition to supporting VLF, Meghann is also a Family Partner in Quality Improvement with the Cystic Fibrosis Care Team at OHSU Doernbecher and fundraises twice annually for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) Great Strides Walk as team Claire’s Crew and for their Gala Auction. Meghann and Bryan are fortunate to have made careers out of a passion as they both work in the wine industry. When they’re not hustling to beat CF or walk the vines, they enjoy weekend getaways to the coast and playground hunting with Claire and younger sister Ava.