Michael Pasternak, Ph.D. Founding Trustee

Michael Pasternak is an entrepreneur who co-founded the world’s largest retail hosiery company, was a VP in the corporate world, and a college professor teaching courses in “Understanding and Improving Organizations and Leadership” before trigeminal neuralgia struck. Thankfully, a microvascular decompression in 1992 ended his pain, but at that point, he decided something needed to be done. Michael left the corporate world and became a Board Member, and subsequently President, of the Facial Pain Association. He coordinated the Association’s early national conferences for health professionals and patients, and helped it develop patient materials, support groups and a patient registry. Then in 2010, Michael spearheaded the creation of the Facial Pain Research Foundation with the sole intent of funding research to CURE TN and related neuropathic facial pain, and under his leadership, the Foundation has raised almost $5M to fund its own novel research. When he’s not working towards a cure, Michael and his wife, Sherrilyn, enjoy their ten grandchildren, agility dogs, and travel.