Brett Wittner
Brett is an attorney who has been practicing law for more than thirty years in Western Washington. He is married with three children. He is active in the community and has served on the Fircrest City Council since 2015, including two years as mayor and four years as Mayor Pro Tempore.
Between 2009 and 2019, Brett completed 71 marathons, including the Boston Marathon three times. His first Boston Marathon was in 2013, crossing the finish line just thirty minutes before the tragic events of that day. Brett’s goal was to complete 100 marathons, and he dreamed of completing the New York City Marathon. Unfortunately, the lottery odds were not in his favor. Brett became ill in early 2025. After six months of doctor’s appointments, CT scans, bloodwork, and biopsies, Brett was diagnosed with pulmonary sarcoidosis in July 2025. Since then, he has discovered that sarcoidosis may have been the reason for the unexplained knee pain that forced him to discontinue his marathon journey.
Brett looks forward to running the 2026 New York City Marathon so that he can raise awareness of sarcoidosis and its often debilitating effects. He hopes raising awareness will encourage additional funding toward research and treatments.
Brian Junio
Most days, you can find Brian in the air. His career in pharmaceuticals keeps him busy with travel to many cities & countries. One day, Brian decided that the aisle of an airplane was just not enough room to stretch his legs. So he signed up for the New York City Marathon. “Why travel in the comfort of a commercial jet, when one can simply shin-splint their way through town?”
In all seriousness, Brian is looking forward to “grounding” himself through this marathon. Despite this being “a race,” he hopes training will force him to slow down. He aims to reconnect with the runner he once was, and to move with purpose. As a part of achieving this, Brian will carry his late step-father's wedding ring through all five boroughs of NYC - to honor and commemorate the native New Yorker.
Additionally, Brian hopes to bring more awareness toward the research his company is doing for Sarcoidosis. Clinical trials are currently in Phase 3, and are showing promise of treatment for the auto-immune disease.
Elaine Cotignola
Elaine is a sarcoidosis survivor, vocal educator, playwright, composer, and entrepreneur from Orlando, Florida. Diagnosed with sarcoidosis in 2020, she has spent the years since navigating the challenges of chronic illness while continuing to build a vibrant and impactful career in the arts.
Elaine is the founder of Dragonfly Studio & Productions, where she has taught voice and piano for nearly three decades. As an award winning playwright and composer, her original musicals have gained international recognition, earning accolades from theater festivals, industry professionals, and audiences around the world. Her work is known for exploring themes of resilience, transformation, and the human spirit.
In recent years, Elaine has also transformed her own life through health and fitness, losing over 150 pounds and becoming an avid runner. Her journey has reinforced her belief in perseverance, and she is passionate about sharing her story to help others feel seen, supported, and empowered as they navigate their own challenges. By sharing her story and participating in the marathon, Elaine hopes to raise awareness of sarcoidosis, support research efforts, and inspire others facing health challenges to keep moving forward—one step, one mile, and one victory at a time.
Haley Argenziano
Haley is proud to be running the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon in support of the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR), a cause that is deeply personal to her. She is dedicating this race to Pat, her friend's father, who lives with cardiac sarcoidosis and whose strength, optimism, and perseverance have inspired her throughout her life.
Watching Pat navigate the challenges of living with sarcoidosis with unwavering determination, positivity, and strength has left a lasting impression on Haley. His resilience is one of the biggest reasons she felt called to take on this marathon.
Through this journey, Haley hopes to raise awareness, support critical research, and help advance better treatments and ultimately a cure for this disease. She is honored to run for Team FSR and for Pat!
Jasmine Snead
Jasmine is a communications professional, storyteller, and community advocate who believes in the power of stories to educate, connect, and inspire. Whether working in media, marketing, or the nonprofit sector, she has spent her career helping organizations and communities share stories that matter.
Her connection to sarcoidosis is deeply personal. Both her mother and sister have been diagnosed with the disease, giving her firsthand insight into the challenges families face while navigating a condition that is often misunderstood and difficult to diagnose. Inspired by their journeys, Jasmine became a volunteer Community Outreach Leader with FSR, where she works to raise awareness and support those affected by the disease.
In recent years, Jasmine discovered a passion for running, and what began as a personal fitness journey has grown into a commitment that has led her to complete multiple 5Ks, a 10K, and a half marathon. As a member of Team Rally for Sarc, Jasmine is taking on her biggest running challenge yet—the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon—in honor of her mother, sister, and the countless individuals and families affected by sarcoidosis around the world.
Kaitlyn Kilgore
Kaitlyn will be running this race in honor of her father Alvin C. Kilgore who passed away from Sarcoidosis on September 25, 2025. This race is special to Kaitlyn for two different reasons; the first, every time she ran a race, she would FaceTime her dad and they would cross the finish line together. He was and is her biggest cheerleader and she feels like she can still hear him in heaven cheering as loud as he can! Her dad came to all of my races in high school and in college and running unknowingly became something that made her feel closer to him. The second reason; Kaitlyn is running with her cousin, Keideesha English! How many can say that their cousin has held them down and been their support system through the roughest time in their lives. Kaitlyn's cousin was in the hospital with her the day Kaitlyn's dad passed and seeing her love for him is one of the greatest honors.
Keideesha English
Running has become much more than a hobby for Keideesha; it has been a journey of perseverance, growth, and faith. What began as a personal fitness journey has grown into a passion that continually reminds her of the strength God provides through every challenge.
Keideesha had the pleasure of running NYC alongside her cousin, Kaitlyn, in honor of Kaitlyn's father and Keideesha's uncle, Alvin Kilgore, who passed away from sarcoidosis in September 2025. His unwavering faith, resilience, and love for his family left a lasting impact on all who knew him. She is grateful for the opportunity to honor his legacy while raising awareness and support for sarcoidosis research.
As a wife, mother, Army veteran, CrossFit athlete, and runner, Keideesha understand the importance of resilience, purpose, and community. Through this marathon journey, she hopes to use her love of running to support those affected by sarcoidosis, help advance the mission of FSR, and inspire others to persevere through life's challenges.
Liza Conselyea
Liza is a mom to three children who recently lost their father to sarcoidosis. At just 53 years old, he passed away after enduring more than a year of chest pain and other symptoms while seeking answers from multiple doctors. Despite numerous medical appointments and ongoing concerns, he was never diagnosed with sarcoidosis during his lifetime.
His loss profoundly changed their family and opened Liza’s eyes to the urgent need for greater awareness, earlier diagnosis, and more research into this often misunderstood disease. In his memory, she is running the New York City Marathon to support FSR and help raise funds and awareness for those affected by this condition.
Professionally, Liza is an attorney. After stepping away from her career to raise their children, she returned to the practice of law when her youngest left for college. Taking on the challenge of the NYC Marathon represents another new chapter—one driven by purpose, perseverance, and a commitment to making sure no other children have to suffer the loss of a parent so tragically, especially when earlier diagnosis and intervention might have changed the outcome. Liza is grateful for the opportunity to support the sarcoidosis community and hopes that through fundraising, advocacy, and education, she can help other families avoid the uncertainty and loss that hers experienced.
Nick Radio
Nick Radio is running the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon in support of the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research because the cause is deeply personal. In 2024, his wife was diagnosed with cardiac sarcoidosis, and their family has experienced firsthand the challenges of living with this rare and unpredictable disease. By running 26.2 miles, Nick hopes to help raise awareness and critical funding for research that will improve diagnosis, treatment, and ultimately lead to a cure.
Professionally, Nick holds a PhD in pharmacology and has spent his career working alongside scientists and researchers to advance biomedical discovery. He understands the vital role that research funding plays in developing new therapies and improving patient outcomes, making this mission especially meaningful to him.
Running has been a lifelong passion. Nick is a seasoned marathoner who has completed ten marathons, including the iconic Big Sur International Marathon. He previously ran with Team In Training, raising funds for leukemia research, and is excited to once again combine his love of distance running with a cause that has touched his family so profoundly. Throughout his marathon journey, Nick will be sharing his training, his family's story, and information about sarcoidosis to help educate others about this often-overlooked disease. Every donation, no matter the size, helps bring researchers one step closer to better treatments and, one day, a cure.
Philile Kumi Kyeremeh
In 2022, Philile was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease that severely affected her mobility—something she had always taken for granted. Prior to her diagnosis, she had never even heard of the disease, let alone known how to pronounce it. What followed was a year of crippling anxiety, pain, steroid treatments, and countless infusions. Eventually, she regained the ability to walk without pain. Walking slowly turned into running, and in 2025, she completed her first full marathon. Sarcoidosis unexpectedly introduced her to the very thing that would restore not only her body, but also her sense of freedom, confidence, and possibility.
Now, Philile has the honor of running the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon with Team FSR in support of FSR. NYC has always been a dream race, and being able to run it for a cause so closely connected to her own story makes every mile even more meaningful.
She runs for the people awake at 2 a.m., googling symptoms and searching for answers. She runs for those navigating chronic illness, uncertain diagnoses, and bodies that no longer feel familiar. Most importantly, she runs to remind people that they belong in this sport, regardless of their background, pace, story, or limitations. Running is for every BODY.
Event Details:
- Event Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026
- Location: New York, NY – The course runs through the five boroughs of NYC.
For more information on how to participate or questions about this event, please contact info@stopsarcoidosis.org or 312-341-0500.