CMTA names Aimee Yrlas Simpson chief revenue officer

The Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association has appointed nonprofit veteran Aimee Yrlas Simpson as chief revenue officer to help expand funding for research, patient programs and community support. The move comes as CMTA works to strengthen resources for people living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a rare inherited neuropathy with no cure or approved treatment.

Why it matters: - CMTA is adding a senior revenue leader to help grow funding for research, patient programs and community initiatives. - The appointment is intended to strengthen the organization’s ability to support people living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and their families. - CMTA has invested more than $33 million in CMT research since 2008, and new revenue capacity could help sustain that pipeline.

What happened: - The Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association announced the appointment of Aimee Yrlas Simpson as chief revenue officer on June 23, 2026. - Simpson brings more than 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience. - Her background includes fundraising, corporate partnerships, strategic planning, operations and marketing. - CMTA created the chief revenue officer role to lead revenue strategy and development operations across its revenue streams.

The details: - Simpson has held senior leadership roles with the Immune Deficiency Foundation, American Diabetes Association and Business Executives for National Security. - Her work has included expanding donor engagement, strengthening organizational sustainability and increasing resources for mission-driven work. - Simpson has served as a commissioner on the Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism since Governor Brian Kemp appointed her in 2016. - In her new role, Simpson will work with CMTA leadership and the Board of Directors. - The focus will be philanthropic support for research, patient programs and community initiatives. - CMTA CEO Sue Bruhn said every dollar raised creates new opportunities to accelerate research and support people living with CMT. - Simpson said people living with CMT and their families are at the center of everything CMTA does. - CMTA says it is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people living with CMT. - CMT is a group of rare, inheritable peripheral neuropathies. - The disease causes progressive muscle weakness, loss of sensation, impaired balance and other debilitating complications. - There is currently no cure or approved treatment. - CMTA says it is the largest philanthropic funder of CMT research. - The organization says it has used a strategic model that combines targeted funding, specialized scientific tools and strong patient partnership to move science toward treatments and a cure. - CMTA’s full announcement is available here. - The organization also listed social links for LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.

Between the lines: - The new role signals a shift toward more formalized revenue leadership as CMTA looks to expand its fundraising engine. - Simpson’s mix of health nonprofit and broader mission-driven experience suggests CMTA is prioritizing both donor growth and operational discipline. - The appointment also reflects a broader push to convert fundraising into more research support and more direct patient services.

What's next: - Simpson will begin leading CMTA’s revenue strategy and development operations. - CMTA is expected to lean on the new role to deepen philanthropic support and broaden resources for research and patient programs. - The organization’s longer-term goal remains clear: push toward new treatments and, ultimately, a cure for CMT.

The bottom line: - CMTA is betting that a dedicated revenue chief can help scale the funding needed to move CMT research and patient support forward.